On a recent trip to Bangladesh, specifically to the Sylhet region, we encountered a reality that was difficult to ignore — even though it is often silent.
As we sought to learn more about local working conditions in the textile sector, we quickly noticed a pattern: information is scarce, and people avoid talking about it. There is an atmosphere of tight control, where the most powerful maintain their dominance, and the most disadvantaged continue to be exploited with extremely low wages and little prospect of improvement.
Although we did not identify any textile factories in Sylhet, the streets are lined with clothing and shoe stores, many of which sell well-known brands—in plain sight, on makeshift stalls or in small street shops.
One of the most striking aspects is the presence of very young children working as salespeople in these spaces. This reality, as visible as it is normalized locally, leads us to an essential question:
How can we continue to consume fashion, knowing that so often it is based on someone’s sacrificed childhood?
It is not about blame. It is about rethinking.
This is not a text intended to point fingers. Rather, it is an invitation to conscious reflection:
– What can we, as consumers, do to have a real impact on change? – What role do brands, creators, and companies play in building fairer and more transparent production models?
– How can we support models that promote decent work, education, and local training, rather than perpetuating cycles of exploitation?
A different future is possible
The future of fashion can be built differently—without losing its essential role for humans and society. Conscious choices in fabric quality and the intention behind each garment become pillars of a new paradigm: Eco Fashion. A fashion guided by ethics, responsibility, and durability, creating a versatile, useful wardrobe aligned with the identity of the wearer — at any stage of life or personal context.
Textiles are present in almost every aspect of our daily lives: they provide comfort, health, beauty, and hygiene. They are an extension of our body and, often, a reflection of our soul. Therefore, dressing is much more than covering up — it is expressing who we are.
If we want to choose differently, to achieve different results, we must start by facing these realities head-on and identifying patterns of fast, inefficient, and unconsciously impulsive consumption. Only then can we make room for different alternatives that can be far more lasting, meaningful, sustainable, humane, and truly transformative.
ReVersão starts here: by deciding and acting differently, by acting in the opposite polarity.
