By: Cameron Watts
The global embrace of e-commerce and the digitalization of shopping have exacerbated the growth of corporations operating under an ultra- fast fashion model. Under this model, supply chain workers face heightened workplace pressures to meet the demands of millions of consumers. Because of the slow successes of state legislation in imposing obligations on corporations, forced labor abuses within ultra-fast fashion supply chains persist. This Note proposes that the objectives of due diligence may be met by improving the efficiency of customs and border operations to deny the importation of goods produced with forced labor; doing so may compensate for the lack of due diligence. To effectively combat forced labor in an age where multinational corporations evade social responsibility, States should impose region- and sector-specific requirements for imports from high-risk industries such as textiles, or high-risk regions such as the Global South. Such measures could disrupt decades-long cycles of forced labor and encourage corporations to become more involved in the activities within their supply chains.