Modern Slavery in Fashion: The True Price of a Bargain 

Have you ever thought to yourself, while on the hunt for a new outfit for that event coming up, “what a bargain!”? I’ll take a guess… you have. And sometimes it is. But most of the time, especially in the world of fashion, the low-price tag is hiding a human and/or an environmental cost you have not been made aware of. 

So, before you celebrate a bargain, ask yourself: why is it so cheap? Who or what has been let down on the journey of this item? Here is how to read price tags differently and use a simple 4-3-2-1 method to buy better (and feel great about it)! 

The shock, in four quick facts 

• We are drowning in clothing. The world produces 80-150 billion garments a year, and up to 40% remain unsold. Every second, the equivalent of a waste truck of textiles is landfilled or burned. Source  

• Lifecycle assessments show, taking cotton production, manufacture, transport and washing into account, it takes 3,781 litres of water to make one pair of jeans. This number comes from the United Nations Environment Programme quoting a lifecycle assessment. Source.  

• Most fashion emissions are “upstream.” Roughly 70% of the sector’s footprint occurs in materials production, preparation, and manufacturing, not retail or use, so resale and longer use can cut impact fast. Source.  

• Keeping clothes in use works. Extending a garment’s life by just nine months reduces its carbon, water and waste footprints by 20–30%. Source.  

The bottom line is that we already have more clothes than we can use, new production is carbon-heavy, and ultra-cheap items only worsen the pile-up. Buying second-hand or simply wearing what you own longer is one of the quickest wins.

“But a low price is good for my wallet… right?” 

Totally fair thought. When money’s tight, a £5 item looks like kindness. You’re not a bad person for liking a deal, you’re human. The trap is assuming a low sticker price means the total cost is low. In fashion, “savings” are often pushed elsewhere, into underpaid labour, risky overtime, murky subcontracting, and shortcuts on safety or wastewater treatment.  

Those costs don’t vanish; they’re just shifted, to people and places you don’t see. 

At Action Sustainability, we see this every day when working with clients on modern slavery risk management. What looks like a good deal on the surface can hide serious harm further down the supply chain.

Why an ultra-low price is rarely a true bargain

To hit the lowest prices at lightning speed, something must give. Deadlines shrink and workers are pushed into punishing overtime, with factories scrambling to subcontract work at the last minute. Supply chains become murky, hiding labour brokers and shadow workshops. Wages get chipped away through deductions for uniforms, “training,” or even housing, leaving take-home pay below survival levels. Safety measures are quietly dropped, protective gear, ventilation, wastewater treatment, all sacrificed to cut costs. And when workers try to speak up, they often have no safe way to be heard. 

So, if a price tag looks impossibly low, it usually means the real cost has been shifted onto the people making our clothes, and onto the planet itself. 

We help organisations shine a light on these hidden risks through our supply chain sustainability programmes, giving procurement and sourcing teams the tools to spot and address them early. 

A 30-second brake: the 4-3-2-1 method 

4 QUESTIONS (scan the product page) 

• Who made it and where? Any supplier names or country of origin? Silence is a signal. 

• What is the material story? Cotton/recycled/viscose and is any mill or programme named? 

• What is the labour promise? “No recruitment fees, no document retention, worker grievance channels.” 

• What if things go wrong? Do they explain remediation (e.g., repaying illegal fees), not just audits? 

3 ALTERNATIVES (before checkout) 

• Check pre-loved for the same item or style. 

• Look for repair/tailor options to revive what you own. 

• Swap/borrow for one-off needs. 

2-MINUTE PAUSE

Ask: Will I wear this 30+ times? Does this brand tell me enough to trust the price? 

1 COMMITMENT

If answers are vague, walk away, or go second-hand. If they are solid, buy once, buy better. 

Tactics to keep the “bargain buzz” (without the hidden harm) 

You don’t have to give up the thrill of a bargain to shop responsibly; you just need to find it in smarter ways. Start by checking second-hand first; the buzz of a great find is still there, but without triggering more waste and emissions. Think in terms of cost-per-wear: a £60 jumper worn 60 times is far better value than a £12 top worn twice. Build in a pause by waiting 24 hours before you buy; if you still want it tomorrow, it’s probably a genuine need, not just an impulse. When comparing items, pick transparency over trend, if two products cost the same, choose the brand that shows you who made it and how. Finally, invest in pieces that last. Durable fibres, cold washes, and simple repairs extend an item’s life, giving you more wears, more savings, and less impact. 

As sustainability specialists, we also guide businesses in embedding these same principles into their own responsible procurement practices, helping them reduce risk and build more resilient supply chains. 

The smarter “bargain” lives in resale and better basics 

If the goal is to save money and do no harm, second-hand and slow, durable buys win. You still get the dopamine hit of a great find, without the hidden costs. And when you do buy new, treat it like an investment: fewer, better pieces that you will love and wear often.  

That’s kinder to your wallet, workers, and the world. 

From awareness to action 

Spotting the hidden costs of fashion is the first step. The next is building systems that prevent them. That’s what we do at Action Sustainability. Through our Modern Slavery services, supply chain programmes, and responsible procurement expertise, we help organisations protect people, safeguard the planet, and meet their ESG commitments. 

So, while you are thinking differently about your next bargain, remember there’s also work happening behind the scenes to make fairer, safer supply chains the norm. And we’d love to help you take that next step.

 Book a free discovery call with our Modern Slavery Expert.