In certain pockets of major metropolitan cities, such as Canal Street in New York, there are rows and rows of merchants selling illegal knockoff bags. It’s all too tempting to purchase that twenty dollar fake Louis Vuitton bag on the street, but it’s also important to remember where it comes from and the harm that it’s actually doing to the economy, on several different levels, before making this decision. Aside from the fact that most of these knockoffs don’t look anything like the originals, there are other things to think about as well.
One of the dangers of knockoff bags is that they help foster the use of sweatshops overseas. While not all fashion designers are responsible by any means, and may also use overseas labor, the majority create the garments and handbags by hand in their own workshops using time-honored traditions. Again, this is not true across the board, but is something that can be easily verified. However, the bag that is sold on the street is without a doubt made using sweatshop labor in China. This is where the majority of this illegal industry is based, and most make use of child labor. That is something to think about before making the purchase; thinking about why exactly it’s so cheap to begin with.
Another ethical dilemma that comes into play when considering the purchase of knockoff handbags is the fact that this is stealing design ideas, which equates to intellectual property, from the designers themselves. The fashion industry is a business like any other, and the designers are trying to make a living like any other worker. By buying into the people who blatantly steal their ideas, you are helping to bring down the fashion industry as a whole. Each consumer has a choice when it comes to this issue, and it comes down to whether or not you care about cheapening the brands that you are allegedly trying to support?
Finally, if these moral reasons for avoiding knockoff bags aren’t enough to cease purchasing them, perhaps a more aesthetic reason will be more effective. Most of these knockoffs are easily identifiable as fakes because of the details that go into them. Their stitching is often loose and ragged, and the fabrics have a cheap feel that immediately points to their status as a fake. This is instantly noticeable by anyone who is affiliated with the brand or who has an authentic bag, and should also be taken into consideration before making this disastrous purchase.
