USA: Federal investigation finds garment workers producing for Fashion Nova underpaid & exploited; Fashion Nova denies responsibility - Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (2024)

Article

17 Dec 2019

Author:
Natalie Kitroeff, New York Times

"Fashion Nova's Secret: Underpaid Workers in Los Angeles Factories", 16 December 2019

Fashion Nova... is built to... mass-produc[e] cheap clothes...made “in less than two weeks,” often by manufacturers in Los Angeles...

The federal Labor Department has found that many Fashion Nova garments are stitched... [by workers] paid illegally low wages... Many of the people behind the sewing machines are undocumented, and unlikely to challenge their bosses...

[The Labour] department discovered Fashion Nova clothing being made in dozens of factories that owed $3.8 million in back wages to hundreds of workers...Those factories... hired by middlemen to produce garments for fashion brands, paid their sewers as little as $2.77 an hour...

... Fashion Nova’s general counsel, said... “Any suggestion that Fashion Nova is responsible for underpaying anyone working on our brand is categorically false.”... [and]noted that it works with hundreds of manufacturers and “is not responsible for how these vendors handle their payrolls.”

... The [factory] owners and employees... said Fashion Nova would always push to pay the lowest price possible for each garment, and would demand a quick turnaround...So they look for subcontractors who can sew clothes as quickly and cheaply as possible...

USA: Federal investigation finds garment workers producing for Fashion Nova underpaid & exploited; Fashion Nova denies responsibility - Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (2024)

FAQs

Does Fashion Nova treat their employees well? ›

In September, three officials from the department met with Fashion Nova's lawyers to tell them that, over four years, the brand's clothes had been found in 50 investigations of factories paying less than the federal minimum wage or failing to pay overtime.

How unethical is Fashion Nova? ›

The federal Labor Department has found that many Fashion Nova garments are stitched... [by workers] paid illegally low wages... Many of the people behind the sewing machines are undocumented, and unlikely to challenge their bosses...

What is the Fashion Nova controversy? ›

Online fashion retailer Fashion Nova, LLC will be prohibited from suppressing customer reviews of its products and required to pay $4.2 million to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that the company blocked negative reviews of its products from being posted to its website.

How are garment workers exploited? ›

Sexual assault, harassment and violence is a common experience for garment workers. In Cambodia, 1 in 3 women experience this at work.

Does Fashion Nova underpaid workers? ›

Unsurprisingly, in 2019, it was even reported that Fashion Nova's Los Angeles' workers were widely underpaid. Finally, Fashion Nova doesn't disclose any policies or safeguards to protect suppliers and workers in its supply chain from the impacts of COVID-19.

How much do Fashion Nova workers get paid? ›

The average Fashion Nova hourly pay ranges from approximately $16 per hour for a Picker/Packer to $30 per hour for a Store Manager. Fashion Nova employees rate the overall compensation and benefits package 3.2/5 stars. The highest-paying job at Fashion Nova is a Software Engineer with a salary of $132,880 per year.

Has Fashion Nova ever been sued? ›

Fashion Nova has famously been on the receiving end of a long list of infringement lawsuits; the since-settled copyright and trademark infringement case that Versace filed against it for allegedly selling “deliberate copies and imitations of [its] most famous and recognizable designs, marks, symbols and other protected ...

Does Fashion Nova have toxic chemicals? ›

The Southern California-based retailer is coming under fire amongst shocked social media users for selling swimwear constructed from materials that “can expose [consumers] to Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, lead and cadmium,” according to the language on the tag tucked inside its Water Sports Bikini.

Why are garment workers underpaid? ›

Consumers Have a Real Choice to Make

These garment producers are caught in the never-ending cycle to rapidly produce the newest clothes at lowest cost for consumers. As a result, many garment producers, manufacturers and retailers sacrifice workers' wages to ensure that they can make a profit.

How do I get my Fashion Nova refund lawsuit? ›

Consumers can apply online at www.ftc.gov/FashionNova. Consumers who have questions about the process can call the claims administrator at 855-678-0018 or email info@FashionNovaClaims.com . The FTC will review and validate claims. Payment amounts will depend on several factors, including how many people file claims.

Does Fashion Nova have a bad reputation? ›

In a complaint first announced in January 2022, the FTC alleged Fashion Nova misrepresented that the product reviews on its website reflected the views of all purchasers who submitted reviews, when in fact it suppressed reviews with ratings lower than four stars out of five.

Does Kim Kardashian wear Fashion Nova? ›

The Kardashian and Jenner sisters work with legacy brands like Estée Lauder, Calvin Klein, and Adidas, but Kourtney, Khloé, and Kylie have all been paid to wear Fashion Nova, and Kim has said openly that she shops at Zara and H&M.

Where are workers exploited the most? ›

The Asia and the Pacific region has the highest number of people in forced labour (15.1 million) and the Arab States the highest prevalence (5.3 per thousand people).

How can we stop garment workers exploitation? ›

7 ways to help garment workers
  1. Put Pressure on the brands to #PayUp. ...
  2. Donate to Funds. ...
  3. Know your role. ...
  4. Hold brands accountable. ...
  5. Look even when it happens far away. ...
  6. Use the correct terms. ...
  7. Call for fairer laws.

What is an example of worker exploitation? ›

Being forced to work long hours without breaks. Being subjected to poor workplace health and safety, working conditions and an absence of legally required personal protective equipment.

What brands treat their employees well? ›

The top 10 are listed below in ranked order on worker performance, based on our 2023 Rankings:
  • Bank of America.
  • Truist Financial.
  • Ally Financial.
  • NVIDIA.
  • PNC Financial.
  • Biogen.
  • Capital One.
  • Apple.
Aug 30, 2023

Is Fashion Nova a good company? ›

Overview. Fashion Nova has a rating of 3.95 stars from 14,418 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally satisfied with their purchases. Reviewers satisfied with Fashion Nova most frequently mention good quality, online shopping, and fast delivery. Fashion Nova ranks 27th among Women's Clothing sites.

Is Nova company good or bad? ›

Nova Ltd. has an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5, based on over 124 reviews left anonymously by employees. 96% of employees would recommend working at Nova Ltd. to a friend and 89% have a positive outlook for the business.

How much does Cardi B get paid from Fashion Nova? ›

Rap megastar Cardi B once said Fashion Nova offered her $20,000 a month to wear the label and share posts about it with her 19 million social media followers, according to Women's Wear Daily.

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