TrendyWear Ethical Dilemma

• TrendyWear Ltd. is a popular fashion brand known for its affordable, fast-fashion clothing aimed at young people.

• A journalist investigation revealed that one of TrendyWear's major suppliers in South Asia.

• The supplier was:

• Paying workers extremely low wages.

• Forcing overtime without extra pay.

• Ignoring basic health and safety, putting workers at risk.

• Dumping toxic waste into local rivers, harming the environment and nearby communities.

• TrendyWear's decision includes questions of should they do the following?

• End the contract with this supplier and find a more ethical one, even if this raises production costs and prices?

• Continue working with this supplier to keep costs low, protect profits, and stay competitive?

• This decision affects:

• Supply chain workers.

• Customers expecting affordable fashion.

• Investors wanting strong profits.

• TrendyWear's brand image.

• The environment and local communities.

Role Playing Task

• Each group member takes on a persona.

• As the persona you must explain your position on TrendyWear's decision and justify your argument based on your ethical theory.

• You must then question and challenge each other using the critical questioning points provided.

• You must agree on a final group recommendation for TrendyWear, and explain which ethical theory influenced the group's decision.

Ethical Theories

• Ethical theories that are played by personas are: Utilitarian Ethics, Kantian Ethics, Ethical Egoism, Virtue Ethics, Cultural Relativism and Stakeholder Theory

Priya (Utilitarian Ethics)

• Focus: What choice brings the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people?
• Priya wants to look at the whole picture and thinks if switching suppliers improves workers' conditions, helps protect the planet, and boosts customer pride in the brand, then the benefits outweigh the costs. Even if prices rise slightly, the overall happiness will be greater.
• Key Questions to ask Priya:
• Millions of low-income customers rely on cheap clothes, if prices rise could this reduce their ability to buy essential clothing?
• How do you decide whose happiness matters more workers in the supply chain or low-income consumers?

Ahmed (Kantian Ethics)

• Focus: Follow clear moral rules and treat all humans with respect and dignity, regardless of consequences.
• Ahmed states that exploiting workers and polluting the environment is always wrong TrendyWear must respect the dignity of every worker, even if it reduces profit and people must not be treated like disposable tools for fashion.
• Key Questions to ask Ahmed:
• Fashion supply chains are complex, what if ending the contract puts hundreds of workers out of a job?
• Would that harm also violate their dignity?
• Should moral rules ever allow flexibility when real lives are affected?

Marius (Ethical Egoism)

• Focus: The right choice is the one that best serves TrendyWear's own interests.
• Marius wants to keep TrendyWear profitable and growing and if cutting ties with this supplier raises prices too much, the company risks losing customers to cheaper competitors.
• Key Questions to ask Marius:
• What if customers and influencers discover the supplier's unethical practices and start a social media boycott?
• Could protecting short-term profit destroy TrendyWear's reputation in the long run?

Florentina (Virtue Ethics)

• Focus: Focus on being a good company with strong character acting with honesty, fairness, and care.
• Florentina thinks that brand identity matters and if they want to be known as a responsible fashion brand, they must act with honesty and fairness, even when it's hard.
• Key Questions to ask Florentina:
• The fashion industry has different cultures, from luxury brands to fast fashion, so whose version of ‘good character' should TrendyWear follow?
• Can a brand appear ethical in public while cutting corners behind the scenes?

Monica Zita (Cultural Relativism)

• Focus: Ethics depend on local cultural norms what is ethical in one country may not apply elsewhere.
• Monica thinks in the supplier's country, low wages and long hours may be normal.
• Key Questions to ask Monica:
• If local norms allow child labour or environmental harm, should TrendyWear just accept that?
• Are there any basic human rights or environmental standards that should apply everywhere, no matter the culture?

Ionut (Stakeholder Theory)

• Focus: Businesses must balance the needs of all stakeholders, not just shareholders.

• Ionut thinks TrendyWear should find a decision that balances everyone's interests ethical sourcing is part of being a responsible business.

• Key Questions to ask Ionut:

• What happens when stakeholders want completely opposite things customers want cheap clothes, workers want fair wages, investors want high profits, and local communities want clean water?

• How should TrendyWear decide who to prioritise?

• Other questions to consider include the following:

• Should companies like TrendyWear follow one theory or combine ideas from different ones?

• Are there real-life examples of fashion brands dealing with similar ethical dilemmas?

• Is it possible for a fast-fashion brand to be affordable and truly ethical at the same time?

• This Case Study helps you to:

• Apply ethical theories to real-world business decisions.

• Evaluate corporate responsibility in global supply chains.

• Analyse the impacts of decisions on multiple stakeholders.