Post COVID-19 trade policies are being built against a backdrop of protectionism and consumer nationalism in an economy gutted by the pandemic. The call for buying domestic products has been exacerbated by instances in which goods were required to battle the pandemic, such as masks and other personal protective equipment, were unavailable because of a heavy reliance on foreign manufacturers that prioritized domestic use.
The apparel industry has doubled production since 2000, and as of 2014 consumers were purchasing purchasing 60% more clothing and disposing garments twice as fast. As the industry is forced to pivot or perish, consumers are now encouraged to buy less garments at a higher quality.
Next time you’re shopping for clothes at a big brand store check the label for country of origin. Names like Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and China are all safe bets for where the clothing you're looking at was manufactured.
