The deadly factory collapse in Bangladesh that killed an estimated 1,129 workers has left consumers shaken. Over a month after the tragedy, how are North American shoppers reacting to the ‘Made in Bangladesh’ label?

Garments worker in Bangladesh

Clarissa Fidler, 25, loves J.Crew and Gap. A graduate student at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, she loves the brands for their trendy interpretation of All-American style. But the discovery that both companies produce garments in factories in Bangladesh has left her struggling with a different kind of buyer’s remorse.

“Sometimes as much as I’d like to buy local or not buy that H&M T-shirt, I’m more focused on my daily life, my financial and living situation,” said Fidler. “Those take over when I make my decision and I’m not necessarily proud of that but that’s the reality for me.”

The sentiment resonates across borders, too. Tanya Tomasella, 28, is a secondary school teacher from Vaughn, Ontario, who said that she favors stores such as Banana Republic and Tommy Hilfiger – brands also known to produce garments in Bangladesh.

“It hits home when you learn that companies are getting their clothes made in these areas,” said Tomasella. “You feel like you’re partially responsible and you feel guilty.”

With a booming ready-made garment manufacturing industry that’s second only to China, Bangladesh has established itself as a major player in the world of apparel exports. According to international management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, the garment industry in Bangladesh could be worth as much as $36 billion by 2020. The allure of cheap labor has wooed both high street and high-end brands from across the globe. However, the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory complex on April 24, which killed an estimated 1,129 workers, has once again exposed an industry fraught with government corruption, corporate neglect and violations of  labor laws and safety standards. Continue reading →

(Published in The Red Line Project)

It’s 11 a.m. and while only a handful of people wait in the bright, airy lobby. The phone rings almost nonstop.

“Hello, this is Pat,” greeted a cheery voice. “How may I direct your call?”

It’s just a regular day for Patricia McMullan, who has worked as a receptionist at Access Living for 17 years.

For a newcomer, it’s hard to understand exactly what goes on at Access Living, located at 115 W. Chicago Ave. A four-story glass and brick structure, its gleaming façade gives little away. But a closer look reveals subtle clues: wide hallways, a mid-block ramp on the sidewalk, a six-foot poster of a paralympian basketball player and a metal engraving of the organization’s name in Braille.

It’s a place that embodies the values that it represents.

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In our multi-tasking, mobile-phone-addicted world pedestrians are putting their lives at risk by listening to their iPods, texting or talking while they walk, discovers Irish Mae Silvestre (Published in Friday magazine)

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They’re five times more likely to crash than drink drivers and are responsible for taking an estimated 400,000 lives globally per year. So why do people think it’s OK to talk and text on their mobiles from behind the wheel? Irish Mae Silvestre reports (Published in Friday magazine) Continue reading →

Meet the icons who make and break the rules with the kind of aplomb that transformed them into fashion’s queen bees.

The Talent: Edith Head

Edith Head

Before the Rachel Zoes and Patricia Fields of celeb styling, there once was a woman named Edith Head. An eight time Academy Award-winning costume designer, she styled actresses such as

Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. The tiny yet feisty designer, Edna Mode, in the animation The Incredibles is believed to be a fitting tribute from her thick fringe and even thicker round glasses.

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