Modern Slavery and Clothing Retailing

Modern slavery simply defined as the severe exploitation of other people for personal or commercial gain is an insidious humanitarian problem in many sectors of the global economy. The international human rights group, Walk Free claimed from raw materials to manufacturing, labour exploitation and modern slavery are rife in global garment supply chains, while the Global Slavery Index 2018 listed the textiles and fashion industry as one of the largest global perpetrators of modern slavery. This chapter explores the modern slavery statements adopted by the world’s ten largest clothing retailers, offers some wider reflections on the chapter’s findings, and provides a conclusion which identifies the paper’s limitations and suggests some future research agendas.