Modern slavery legislation and the limits of ethical fashion

Abstract

The introduction of the Australian Modern Slavery Act in 2018 has important implications for the fashion sector and the supply chains that it furnishes. However, it also introduces an added layer of complexity to the already crowded space of ethical fashion information. This article investigates how fashion consumers navigate the increasingly complex landscape of ethical fashion against the backdrop of new legislation and alongside the moral imperatives and pressures of environmental media. Research into sustainable fashion often suggests that more reporting, more transparency, more information is necessary in order to educate consumers about ethical options. However, our survey and interview data illustrate that even the most informed and knowledgeable consumers find it difficult to navigate the information that is available, often becoming overwhelmed when it comes to buying ethically. Taking seriously the competing demands driving ethical consumption, we argue that understanding how the mechanisms of failure operate in the ethical fashion landscape, particularly feelings of shame and guilt, can give us greater knowledge of fashion consumer attitudes and practices. This, in turn, may lead to a better awareness of the needs of conscious consumers as well as the limits of ethical fashion. We advocate for an acknowledgment of consumer imperfection to shift away from pathologizing the consumer or the commodity itself and to focus instead on the consumer’s thwarted relationship with the means of production and the complicated global networks of engagement that inform ethical consumption.