Seminar essay excerpt: While some may argue that sweatshops provide more job opportunities, to what extent is the functioning of the sweatshop industry justifiable while keeping in mind its working environment?  Given that sweatshops provide an option for citizens to work and help a country’s economy, it eventually supports a system of abuse and exploitation. Although everyone has a right to earn a living wage through employment, the ability to offer employment should not be used as an opportunity for compromising the physical and mental well-being of the workers.

The initial prototype of my project consisted of a 2D embroidery of a woman at a sewing machine, whose arms then extend to create a pile of wasted clothes at the bottom. Upon receiving feedback, I realized that the image gave off a different message than I intended. Therefore, I began to think of ways in which I can make the connection to my seminar research clearer.

Upon researching artists such as Ghada Amer, and their usage of embroidery to make a statement in their art, I decided to incorporate words in my piece as that would be the most straightforward way to get my message across. I then realized that I could have a T-shirt serve as the canvas, therefore, connecting it further to the garment works because a shirt is a garment in itself. The front of the shirts have been embroidered with a woman and a child, and they have corresponding tags that point out what the workers have to go through. I chose to hands embroider all the elements because that makes them the product of my own labor. I decided to exaggerate the size of the tag to invoke a sense of discomfort in the wearer, as well as to signify the burden and guilt that should come with wearing fast-fashion items that have been produced unethically.

Feedback from critique:

I was suggested to make the tags on the outside of the shirt rather than the inside, as it would be more attention-grabbing. Strangers usually tend to be compelled to tell someone when their tag isn’t inside their shirts so this would be a good conversation starter about the topic, as well as draw more people in to read the tags.