Exploitation, migration, and fast fashion: the repercussions of the fourth industrial revolution in Asia examined through globalization and new growth theory

Abstract

The paper analyses the economic importance of the fashion industry in each Industrial Revolution, including its subcategories of textiles industries, ready-made garment factories, and clothing brands. Fashion not only is similar to the Chinese society but also aided the advancement of Industry 4.0 in China. Fashion has been the common trait of every Industrial Revolution as it embodies Industrial technological advancements, the economic theory of globalization, and exhibitis the New Growth Theory. Nonetheless, it also manifests the common human rights abuses and dangerous migration of any industry, as workers are often exploited for corporate gain. As China fostered the 4th Industrial Revolution through the trends of digitization and mechanization, the fashion industry became fast and expendable as seen in the cases of Alibaba and Shein. What is more, worker exploitation occurs as they are urged to work hard to increase the company's net profits and the state's GDP, therefore being exploited through the lens of the New Growth theory. In the end, a discussion about the future research surrounding sustainability discloses that Augmented Reality is the key to the 5th Industrial Revolution starting in Asia.