All teens and adults love Forever 21. They have everything we want: cheap clothes, cheap home goods, and decent make-up. Have you ever wondered where all those things come from? They come from factory workers, who are being abused, taken advantage of, and being underpaid or not paid at all, and Forever 21 has done nothing.

Don’t get me wrong, Forever 21 used to be a place of magic for me. Clothing in all different styles and colors. Everything in the stores were organized by colors, styles, decades even. Every month they would have a different look and style featured and it was all under $60. It was great. 

I began to dislike Forever 21 when I realized that the hard working people who make their clothes get paid a quarter of the clothes are worth. But that didn’t stop me from buying their trendy cheap clothing. I did feel guilty because I was spending money on unnecessary things that took them hours to make and only got paid at least $3.00 an hour for a 10 hour shift. 

It all really hit me when I read about a factory worker who got paid 12 cents an hour to make a vest that sold for $13.98. This definitely did change my point of view of this store I once saw as a mini getaway. It was upsetting to find out this cute affordable place is neglecting their factory workers, their main function. 

I had some hope. Until I later found out that Forever 21 factories bought cotton from factories that abuse their laborers, maybe because Forever 21 also abuses their laborers. There was no point in giving power to this company that obviously doesn’t care about their employees or customers. 

 Forever 21 contradicts themselves by putting a bible verse on the bottom of their shopping bags. “John 3:16” is what is printed on the bottom of the bags. The bible verse states, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. Which is ironic because so far, Forever 21 is doing the complete opposite of what its brand is.