How to accomplish affordability and ethics for a clothing manufacturer Essay

How to accomplish affordability and ethics for a clothing manufacturer - Essay Example The paper tells that the apparel industry is characterized by fast fashion, increasing competition and constant change in style. Cost, quality, and timing are three critical elements in product offerings. The demand for low-cost products coupled with the labor-intensive nature of apparel products effectively requires companies such as Starburst to outsource manufacturing to overseas suppliers. There is direct evidence on the importance of strategic sourcing in sustaining affordability as well as the positive impact it has on firm’s performance due to the cost and timing benefits. However, offshore manufacturing is becoming a major cause of social and economic issues in the vendor countries. The credibility and culpability of the apparel industry are under scrutiny due to the frequency and magnitude of the human tragedies associated with overseas garment production. With this awareness, retailers and customers are rightfully seeking evidence of practices and industry efforts to better the working conditions, pay and safety in offshore factories. Ethical sourcing is becoming an essential business practice. There is a clear recognition of the fact that effective overseas sourcing plays the pivotal role in a company’s success; however, it has recently been at a high social cost. Given the 2012 fire incidences at the Tarzeen Fashions factory and the textile factory in Pakistan all overshadowed by the 1,127 deaths in the April 2013 Rana Plaza factory collapse, the reality is extremely hazardous and poor working conditions persist. Factories put production schedules before safety or workers’ rights. Beyond the basic safety issues, labor practices such as low pay and overtime without pay have been observed in many of the vendor countries. In some cases, human rights violations and sexual abuse are occurring.