Phnom Penh: Day 1.
Well I’m officially living in Cambodia as of today. Tonight I’ll spend my first night in my hostel -where I took a much needed but freezing shower, where the lack of an AC unit when temperatures reach 100 most days has caused my joints to swell.
After 24 plus hours of flying on planes where most people looked at me like I was insane, I landed in the heat and chaos that is Phnom Penh. I got the culture shock I wanted and then some. I’m equal parts overwhelmed and thankful after arriving in one of the, if not the poorest countries in Asia. I saw a toddler walk on the streets naked, open sewer “rivers”, and trash everywhere. The immense privilege I feel for living in the States my whole life and thinking I’ve been “struggling” is unreal. Our struggle is a Khmer’s paradise. Briefly going to Tonlé’s workspace today I was reminded why this shock has such a significant purpose. In a country where 80% of its income is manufacturing clothing- [the garment industry is a filthy rich and huge industry) the people of Cambodia are poor. The women are forced to work sewing jobs- which if you don’t know how to sew- it’s a trade that should be paid for, like all others, and the workers bring home a minuscule salary that can’t support themselves their children let lone themselves. This system is ridiculous, why do we pay the people who make our clothing, which takes hours, and highly specialized skills, next to nothing? When a single garment must be designed, cut from fabric, screen printed (which this alone has an abundance of steps within the role itself), sewn, inspected for quality control, sent to be pressed or sent to be modified, and finally the finished product is complete. Do you have the skills listed above? I do, and I went and paid to learn them at a university… yet these women are working in manufacturers getting paid pennies on the dollar so we can buy that top at Forever 21 for $12, when in fact the value from the time of production alone is simply much higher.
Why should you care? If you wear clothes (which I’m assuming is the case) this directly affects you. The conditions of the manufacturers are nothing short of sweatshops, and these manufacturers produce huge well-known brands- such as H&M, Nike, Polo etc.… I’m talking about billion-dollar corporations- who can afford to pay the people who are the backbone of their company fair wages and simply choose not to. There’s corruption in this industry which is leading to women choosing prostitution over working in a garment manufacturer…We should be willing to pay a couple extra dollars for the peace of mind knowing things are being made fairly. Not to mention the second leading world pollutant is garment manufacturing- we shouldn’t ignore the ethics of such a powerful industry, that frankly we are all a part of. This needs to end and we need to take responsibility and acknowledge our buying power. Please watch this video to be informed the truth of the garment industry.
I’m beyond thankful to be interning with a company who has a moral compass and is ethically aware of the business they’re in. In Phnom Penh they have converted a villa into a workshop space, which looks pretty similar to my FIDM sewing class rooms. Tonlé’s employees work with smiles and laughs and enjoy an hour long lunch break daily, and virtually never work over time. They get to work in environment that is positive, safe, and profitable for them- the way it should be. They also practice recycling fabric and even turn the scraps into paper- so there is no waste, no added pollution. Watch more on that here.
I’m proud and excited to be working for a company who is making a difference by taking a stand. This is a problem that cannot be ignored; it’s an industry that simply will never go away unless we decide to stop wearing clothing. If you’re buying manufactured products this affects you, please push for the change and bring about more awareness.
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