Monitoring slave labor in Brazil’s fast-fashion industry

The use of slave labor in the fast-fashion industry has been a recurring object of scrutiny. The 2015 documentary “The True Cost” offers a glimpse into the gruesome working conditions that some factory workers often endure. That same year, British comedian John Oliver aired a segment on his irreverent news magazine show Last Week Tonight questioning why consumers rush to buy stylish dresses for USD 4.95 without ever pondering how clothing could be sold so cheaply.

The “I had no idea” card is often the preferred excuse for looking the other way. Not in Brazil.

Repórter Brasil, a local NGO dedicated to fighting slave labor, launched an app back in 2013 that allows you to check which high street brands have used slave workers at some point along their supply chain.

The app is called Moda Livre—”Free Fashion” in Portuguese—and it monitors the working conditions in factories that are a part of the supply chain of Brazilian fashion brands. Companies are graded based on four categories: their commitment to eradicate slave labor within their...