It’s barely been two years since the Rana Plaza tragedy, and the conversation around sweatshop conditions has died down without the implementation of meaningful legislation to prevent unsafe working conditions and ensure fair wages. (Some victims still have not even been properly compensated.) One Norwegian reality show has taken it upon itself to raise awareness surrounding the abysmal working conditions in the clothing industry, starting with some of the outward facing members of that industry: fashion bloggers.
Sweatshop Deadly Fashion is just about as ominous as it sounds. The premise includes a group of youngsters — Frida, Ludvig, and Anniken — who are placed far outside their comfort zones, and challenged to live and work in a sweatshop in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for a month. Right off the bat they're exposed to some of the harsh realities that keep workers caught in a vicious cycle of poverty: low, low wages; insane working hours; and insufficient living conditions. That's all within the first couple episodes.
As expected, some of the Sweatshop scenes are difficult to watch. This type of first-hand experience puts faces and names to the factory horrors we usually only read about, and gives us a look inside the homes and personal experiences we're not typically privy to. All the episodes are available online on Aftenposten with English subtitles. Watch the trailer above and click over for the full season.