Will you continue to shop from Boohoo (and PLT, Nasty Gal, Miss Pap etc)

SozBbz · 07-07-2020 12:40pm #1

I've seen a lot of posts on line about boycotting Boohoo and all the other brands under the Boohoo Group - PLT, Nasty Gal, Miss Pap). Now, this is no harm for me as I wouldnt shop from them anyway, but it is refocusing my mind of the issues around fast fashion and sustainability more generally.

I think deep down we all know something is wrong when you can buy a dress for £10 or whatever, that something is not right. Deep down we all know that there are people in poor countries working for very little in order to make this possible. But is it somehow more shocking when we see people being exploited in Europe?

Something I didnt know is that the Boohoo Group have bought out some more well known brands that were in trouble - not sure what they're planning on doing with them, just liquidating their stock or if they're planning to relaunch the brands. For reference I'm talking about Coast, Karen Millen, Oasis and Warehouse.

Twee. · 07-07-2020 8:10pm

Yes I think people need to catch themselves on if they thought there was no exploitation in the chain when they're buying a dress for less than a tenner. I buy from Asos and Penneys because that's what I can afford (and the odd splurge as ye all well know!), so I'm not declaring myself a saint when it comes to shopping! And its important to note that it's not just the "cheap" brands that are potentially exploiting labour, they're just passing the "savings" on to you. People who can only afford to shop at this price point shouldn't be vilified either if they continue to shop there, gotta wear somethin'.

Like all the brands who've been caught out in the past, boohoo don't own the factories but rather award contracts to producers. In this particular case, they are claiming the factory where the illegally paid people worked is not on their approved supplier list, so it's possible it was subcontracted out from the original supplier.

Obviously there are major failings in their procurement process, the frequency of vetting suppliers and the standards they expect producers to adhere to. But at the same time, the buyers agree the "best price" and it's the producer who works out how to make the product and make a profit. There's a huge amount of people in the production cycle before it gets down to how much the person at the sewing machine makes. Shareholders and investors need to demand more from the business, but as we all know it all comes down to €€€. They have the power to put pressure on but they won't. It's not their responsibility but time and time again brands temporarily suffer and eventually recover, not much harm done, business as usual.

It really is shame because boohoo group does actually make plenty of their stock in the UK so for UK and Ireland there's a lot less airmiles in a product, short distance between manufacturing and warehousing. I know the textiles are coming from far off but it was a little win. They're also an enormous employer in Burnley and Manchester via HQ and warehouses.

On the brands they've purchased, they have just bought online business and IP, hence why Oasis/Warehouse stores are open to sell remaining stock but website gone. Karen Millen and Coast are back online.

meeeeh · 07-07-2020 9:25pm

When Rana Plaza collapse happened the businesses in there were sewing for very different customers from Prada to Mango and Primark. I'm not fan of Boohoo stuff so it's easy for me to say I won't be shopping there and I find uncovered practices despicable. However garment industry makes their profits on paying extremely low wages and often treating the workers abysmally. For me good beginning is to buy something only if you really like it, wear it a lot and treat it well. Regardless of the price or brand.

SozBbz · 08-07-2020 11:14am

Yeah I know - I think what Boohoo have done is hitting home to people more as we all as humans have this great capacity to to compartmentalise unpalatable truths if they're very far away from us. Seeing these conditions so locally in the UK does somehow make it more shocking. Its almost as if we can internally justify low wages in poor countries, but we know how much it costs to live in a western european country, and the life that someone on less than half of the minimum wage must be living in the UK. I don't buy their outsourcing model as absolving them from responsibility for the practices that have been uncovered in Leicester.

The family behind Boohoo have become Billionaires from selling dresses or £10. Its not hard to see that that cannot add up to a situation where workers are fairly compensated for your efforts.

Its a very hard way to know what to do really -beyond stopping buying clothes fully but thats problematic in itself. I think theres another thread on here about clothes made in Ireland and theres very little, and realistically they'd have to be expensive. I totally agree that loving and wearing your clothes and not buying things for one off wear is probably a good place to start.

Daisy78 · 08-07-2020 7:05pm

I guess as a consumer you have to try and inform yourself as best you can, although plenty of people are aware of the ethical issues associated with some of these companies yet will still purchase from them. Reminds me of the time I worked in Penney’s during college and a customer came in looking for the knitwear section. On the way over he had a good old rant about how they (Penney’s) were making a mint off the back of child labour and how disgraceful it was. Then proceeded to grab four or five jumpers and headed off to the register. Unless you put your money where your mouth is it doesn’t much matter.

It’s difficult because obviously affordability and budget factor into it but I guess it is beholden upon consumers who are in a position to afford to make “better” choices when it comes to shopping for clothes. I don’t shop in Bohoo or any of the other similar fast fashion outlets, don’t like their clothes but I don’t think I’m their target market anyway so won’t really affect me. Given the drop in their share value today it is certainly a warning for other similar outlets to take a long hard look at their supply chain and see where they might be exposed.

Faith · 09-07-2020 9:12am

I used to shop a LOT at Boohoo, back when it was all that I could afford. Even then, I struggled because I'd love the clothes I'd order, but the quality was so poor that they'd fall apart after a few months. About 4 years ago, I started making a conscious effort to buy higher quality pieces. I am one of those people who will buy a dress and wear it regularly for years, if I can, so that has ended up being quite a good investment. I have dresses in my wardrobe that are 3 years old, but I still unfailingly get complimented on when I wear them.

I was always aware that Boohoo made their clothes in the UK, but I definitely remember reading about the conditions of the factories a few years ago, along with how the workers got paid about £5/hr. That was a factor in stopping buying from them pack then. I haven't shopped in Penneys in years, largely because the one in my current city is in a part of town I'd never have much interest in going to, so it hasn't been convenient.

That being said, I think the demographic of us that use this forum wouldn't really overlap too much with the Boohoo demographic, so this discussion is likely to be a bit one-sided!

SozBbz · 09-07-2020 10:20am

Faith wrote: »

That being said, I think the demographic of us that use this forum wouldn't really overlap too much with the Boohoo demographic, so this discussion is likely to be a bit one-sided!

Yeah you're probably right, would be interesting though to see the long term effect on their share price etc.

I'm also watching for fallout (if any) from the influencers they work with.

Twee. · 09-07-2020 11:13pm

Faith wrote: »

That being said, I think the demographic of us that use this forum wouldn't really overlap too much with the Boohoo demographic, so this discussion is likely to be a bit one-sided!

boohoo and PLT also do actual fashionable/trendy plus size collections for affordable prices, a section that is massively underrepresented by other popular brands, so choosing not to shop there is a bigger deal for people who have less options. Same with shopping secondhand/vintage, always less options for bigger sizes.

If anyone is interested, this post from Umar Kamani says the items in question were manufactured for Nasty Gal in Morocco and shipped back to the UK where they were repackaged and sent to their warehousing. Seems like the supply chain is a disaster, hiring external auditors won't do much unless people in power actually act on transgressions (and any crimes obviously). https://www.instagram.com/p/CCYDXkBBZeI/

Loveinapril · 10-07-2020 7:07am

Twee. wrote: »

boohoo and PLT also do actual fashionable/trendy plus size collections for affordable prices, a section that is massively underrepresented by other popular brands, so choosing not to shop there is a bigger deal for people who have less options. Same with shopping secondhand/vintage, always less options for bigger sizes.

This is a good point. I am plus sized and there are only a few brands that cater for this. I have very few pieces from Boohoo because it isn't my style and the quality isn't great. I tend to wear my clothes a lot, so that's sustainable I guess, but for some people, avoiding those brands makes there already limited pool even smaller.

ILoveYourVibes · 12-07-2020 9:34am

No ...I don't buy those things.

But i think i would be kidding myself to think there is any part of the clothing industry that doesn't exploit people...even 'ethical' brands.

But the really cheap stuff ...no I don't buy it.

I don't judge others for doing so tho..i don't know their financial circumstances.

SozBbz · 13-07-2020 9:56am

I was watching a live wiht Louise McSharry who made the same point about the fast fashion brands (can't remember if she called out boohoo by name) being better than average for plus size which is something i genuinely had not thought about - not to say i'm the skinniest ever and my weight goes up and down but I do tend to fit standard sizes so I appreciate theres a privilege in that.

She said something along the lines of searching ASOS for dresses in a size 12 and a size 20, and the size 12 turned up 10x more results, so i appreciate when you're already choosing from a smaller pool, its hard to think of losing those brands.

Now I know they're not perfect, but due to my recent revival with H&M, you couldn't not notice that they now do a significant plus range, but it would be great to see more brands catering or even the advent of plus specific brands, as surely they could get good results if they're actually designing for a different shape from the outset rather than just sizing up existing designs.

Regarding judgement.... totally I can understand people making the decision on cost or size reasons, but I do think these brands are also hand in hand with the whole Instagram culture of wearing this once and then throwing them away.

Shelga · 15-07-2020 1:14pm

I've never really bought much from Boohoo or Nasty Gal- think they're really for people in their early 20s without much money- not that I'm loaded now I'm 33! :pac: Although saying that, I have bought 1 jacket from Boohoo in the last year.

Yes it does bother me that they are illegally underpaying employees in the UK to make/distribute their garments, but so should all the other practices used by these brands in making clothes in Asia, and we just don't think about it.

There is definitely a much bigger focus on sustainable fashion, even in the last year. Brands like H&M have realised there is money to be made in allowing your customer to feel virtuous when they buy from you, with their Conscious range (how 'conscious' it really is, is no doubt debatable). I think the responsibility for ethical fashion is a joint one, between governmental policy and individual consumer awareness. At the end of the day, if customers cared enough about the ethics of the fashion industry and how garment-makers are treated, things would change radically. But I don't think enough people are willing to sacrifice buying a £3 bikini or whatever it may be.

The Cool · 17-07-2020 3:58pm

I was giving up on the likes of Boohoo recently, about 2 months ago I ordered about 6 things from them and when it all arrived, it reminded me why I hadn't bought from them in so long - the quality is just rubbish. I think it's a false economy buying cheap bits from there, it all ends up being thrown out far quicker, and actually dumped as it's no good for a charity shop after a few wears and washes. Their jersey material in particular is awful.
After finding out their practices as well though, no, I purposely will not be buying from them again. Same goes for those other brands, though Nasty Gal never had much above a size 12 anyway.

beamoflight · 23-07-2020 4:13pm

There is a new Facebook Group where you can share your experience of online shopping.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/fashionnova

Will you continue to shop from Boohoo (and PLT, Nasty Gal, Miss Pap etc)

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