'Sweatshop Deadly Fashion' Sees Young Bloggers Travel To Cambodia To Experience Clothes Factories First Hand

Fashion Bloggers Visited A Cambodian Sweatshop And Got One Hell Of A Wake-Up Call
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A Norwegian TV show has forced three young fashion bloggers to confront the reality of the conditions endured by those who make their clothes.

Frida, Ludvig and Anniken were uprooted from their comfortable and privileged lives and flown to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where they spent a month working in a sweatshop.

'Sweatshop Deadly Fashion' charts their remarkable journey as they begin to question the fairness of the production process that keeps them looking in trend.

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One of the bloggers recounts her experiences

Anniken said: "You sit in your bed in Norway and you hear about all the people who suffer. You watch the news, hear about all sorts of things.

"There are so many people who are born just to do one task in life and that's it."

There are emotional scenes as the bloggers see the living and working conditions of sweatshop workers with one saying: "Our bathroom is larger than her entire house."

Another adds: "There are no words for it. It's just so unfair."

The documentary caused quite a stir online even prompting H&M to release a statement denying the sweatshops depicted were used by the chain.

In a statement they said: "H&M has been present in Cambodia for over 10 years. This is one of our key countries of supply. Our commitment is strong there," the brand told L'Express in a statement.

"Since 2005, H&M has been a member of the Better Factories Cambodia program of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which aims to improve working conditions in the textile industry in Cambodia."

6 Factories Turned Hotels
Cannery Pier Hotel, circa 1896(01 of17)
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In the 1900s, the Union Fish Cannery Building was at the heart of Astoria, Oregon's fishing industry. The pier was scenic even then, but didn't smell particularly wonderful.
Cannery Pier Hotel(02 of17)
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Today, the Cannery Pier hotel, created by Robert Jacob, is the premier hotel on the Columbia River. More boutique than, not, the hotel offers unparalleled views of the Washington State's ragged southern edge.
Cannery Pier Hotel(03 of17)
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At night, the hotel is a beach beneath the Astoria-Megler Bridge.
Craddock Terry Hotel, circa Late-19th Century(04 of17)
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During the industrial revolution, Lynchburg, Virginia grew rapidly thanks to an expanding manufacturing infrastructure. In the Southland Annex, 2,500 pairs of women's shoes were produced every day.
Craddock Terry Hotel(05 of17)
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Over the last few years, Lynchburg has seen no small amount of urban renewal. Now that the city is attracting visitors to its stores and event venues, the Craddock Terry Hotel, named for the renamed Annex, attracts well-informed travelers and, presumably, foot fetishists.
Craddock Terry Hotel(06 of17)
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Inside the hotel, beams, casing and vents are left exposed, a nod to what the space once was.
Jones Art Hotel, circa 1920(07 of17)
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In the late 19th century, Tasmania was being colonized in earnest and the new arrivals were farming fruits outside the island state's growing capital. In the 1860s, George Peacock started buying buildings by the water that he made into a large jam plant.
Jones Art Hotel(08 of17)
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Today the Jones Art Hotel, named for Henry Jones who took over the jam business from Peacock in 1895, is the hippest hotel in Hobart.
Jones Art Hotel(09 of17)
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The hotel is known not only for its clever design, but for the profusion of art within its walls. It is as much a museum as an accommodation.
Wythe Hotel During A Less Prosperous Time(10 of17)
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The century-old cooperage that currently houses the Wythe was, like Williamsburg generally, once full of sweating workers attempting to shape wood.
Wythe Hotel(11 of17)
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The hippest hotel on the list is in a hip New York neighborhood -- and it knows it. The hotel offers minimalist luxury accommodation for well-to-do creative types and "Band Rooms," were groups can bunk up. Fittingly, much of food and many of the fixtures are harvested or built by local laborers.
La Purificadora, Puebla, Mexico(12 of17)
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Formerly a factory where water was purified before being frozen and sold, La Purificadora may be the world's best example of what hoteliers can accomplish with an industrial space. Situated in the center of the town of Puebla, the building is a cool breeze amid hot stucco thanks to Ricardo Legorreta's clever design.
La Purificadora(13 of17)
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Visitors flock here for the exquisitely appointed rooms and because Puebla, a World Heritage Site, is lovely.
La Purificadora(14 of17)
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The hotel is a pleasant stop on the road between Mexico City and Oaxaca.
The Factory(15 of17)
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The Factory, a former dairy factory in Kaikoura, New Zealand, doesn't look much different now from when it was a very different sort of business.
The Factory(16 of17)
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The hotel has an industrial feel to be sure, but also has a certain frontier sensibility.
The Factory(17 of17)
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The architects who retrofitted the building took advantage of the open spaces, offering visitors the chance to spread out.