We know sweatshop clothing is bad—and buy it anyway. Here's how your brain makes excuses
You face a dilemma. You've found the perfect shirt, and it's an absolute bargain, but you notice it's "Made in Bangladesh." You're conscious it was probably made using cheap labour. Do you buy it, or walk away?
Today Oxfam released its annual Naughty or Nice list. This list highlights retail brands committed to transparent sourcing, separating labour costs in price negations, and conducting a wage gap analysis to work towards paying workers a living wage.
This list is one of several resources trying to encourage ethical consumption. Yet despite concerns of sweatshop labour, and consumers claiming they're willing to pay more for ethically-sourced clothes, there remains high demand for ultra-low-price mass-produced clothing.
The explanation lies in a psychological phenomenon called motivated reasoning. It explains how people convince themselves sweatshop labour is actually okay, as long as the product is desirable.
The many costs of low-priced apparel
Consumption is an individualistic act. It allows us to distinguish ourselves through our clothing, culture, and even the entertainment we consume. Ethical consumption is when consumers consider the wider environmental and societal impacts of what they consume, including when they purchase clothing.