Fairness and Globalisation in the Western European Clothing Supply Chain

Abstract

In this chapter we use global multi-regional input-output analysis to explore how globalisation has impacted fairness along Western European clothing supply chains. Our analysis shows that while globalisation has made the Western European clothing supply chain ‘fairer’ by increasing employment opportunities and income for workers in Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC), it has failed to make the supply chain fair. Despite large increases in the labour compensation received by BRIC workers in the Western European clothing supply chain, labour compensation is still insufficient to support a decent standard of living and cannot, therefore, be considered fair.