Why Buying Fake Goods Is Bad?

Fake, knock-off, imitation, counterfeit… whatever you want to call it. I am the kinda person who would rather tot around an inexpensive bag and shoes from the high-street brands than wear something fake. Regardless of the price, at least I know for sure that they are originals.
It’s just sad to see how people would buy something that they call ‘high-quality fakes’ when they can get items from Guess, Aldo, Topshop, Promod etc for similar price. Does it feel good to have fake stuff on your body? And is there really such a thing as ‘high-quality fakes’?
Do you have any idea where those fake Fendi, Gucci and LV came from?

Most counterfeit merchandise is linked closely to crime rings, child labor, and human trafficking. These handbags and shoes are made in secluded sweatshops by workers who are working long hours in poor conditions. And the most upsetting part is these workers are young children who are being forced to work hours after hours on the old, rusty sewing machine just to produce some fake Ferragamo, Chanel and Hermes. How sad is that?

According to the book ‘Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster’, the writer, Dana Thomas shares her experiences in Thailand, witnessing what these poor little children have to endure. When she walked into a small sweatshop, she saw these child labors all under ten were sitting on the floor assembling counterfeit leather handbags. An investigator told her that ‘the owners had broken the children’s leg and tied their lower legs to the thigh so the bones wouldn’t mend. [They] did it because the children said they wanted to go outside and play’.
Don’t tell me you don’t die a little bit in the inside reading that?

The law has been tightened and changes are currently taking place. LVMH for instance has succeeded in their battle against eBay for fake goods from their brands which were being sold on the website throughout the years. According to LVMH, 9 out of 10 Vuitton and Dior items displayed on eBay were counterfeits.

But the still not all of these changes are positives. The counterfeit industry is still rapidly growing and they are getting better at covering their trail of crime. But the good news is people (particularly consumers) are more aware of what’s going on behind closed door and this ‘fake habit’ has starting to decline.

So just ditch the habit and try to be original. Stop buying from these criminals and when that happen, the industry will collapse and there will be no more children, sewing in the dark with their legs broken.

Author: Yet Mee