Final answer:
Industrialized nations like the United States and EU members have historically outsourced fashion manufacturing to countries like Bangladesh, leading to the rise of sweatshops with poor working conditions. Major brands such as Nike and Gap have been criticized for these practices, which also have significant environmental impacts.
Step-by-step explanation:
Industrialized nations such as the United States, members of the European Union, Australia, and New Zealand have been historically involved in the transfer of fashionable clothes to third world or peripheral nations. Along with the economic benefits of trade, the fashion industry faces criticism due to environmental concerns and the establishment of sweatshops. Countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, and even Cuba, where the conditions are often not equivalent to those enjoyed by workers in core nations, are examples of where these industries and practices have occurred.
Major multinational corporations (MNCs), including Nike, Gap, and H&M, faced harsh criticism for their use of sweatshops. The 2013 Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh put a harrowing spotlight on the extremely unsafe working conditions and exploitation of garment workers.
The fashion industry is a significant environmental concern too, being the second-largest consumer of water worldwide and responsible for nearly 10% of global carbon emissions. Outsourcing by apparel companies often leads to sweatshop conditions in an effort to minimize costs and maximize profits, a practice with considerable ethical and human rights implications.