Cheap school uniforms (including $2 polo shirts) from Target and Kmart have people outraged. Picture: Kmart / Facebook.

Under fire was Target whose national “Back To School” campaign features school polo shirts made for $2; and rival Kmart who are selling button-up school shirts for $5 and polos for $2.

The garments under scrutiny were manufactured in Bangladesh and China — countries in which poor pay and working conditions have been well-documented.

In Bangladesh, for example, wages can be less than $100 a month and the national minimum wage is up to 45 per cent below the “living wage” which would allow workers to pay for basic needs such as water, food, transport and shelter.

Ethical and human rights groups expressed their outrage. The founder of ethical clothing brand, Etiko, Nick Savidis was “flabbergasted’’ by the price of the uniforms and said it was ironic that schools that teach social justice “then go and buy the cheapest uniform they can”.

One of the Target facebook posts that drew criticism.Source:Facebook

What I find ironic is that while celebrities and fashion ‘It’ girls — think Kate Middleton and Kate Moss — who probably have a combined value greater than the entire Bangladeshi economy — are applauded for wearing cheap High Street brands (made in those very same factories), Australian families — many of whom are struggling to feed and clothe their own children — are shamed for such purchases.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely advocate for fair pay and safe working conditions in the factories that now produce the vast majority of the clothing that is now sold in our chain stores and in many cases, designer boutiques.

And I am unequivocally all for ethical sourcing and supply chain transparency among our leading retailers.

By the way, Kmart and Target were among the first retailers to sign the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, following the Rana Plaza building collapse, which killed more than 1127 workers, and remain key and compliant signatories.

But what I do find ironic — even puzzling — is why the media, ethical groups and human rights organisations are so outraged that these retailers are selling $2 and $5 school uniforms to struggling families while fashion ‘It’ girls, and professional men and women, for that matter, are getting around unashamedly in singlets, jeans and T-shirts that cost less than the martinis they sip on.

Kate Middleton was applauded for wearing this cheap polka dot Topshop dress (which promptly sold out in stores). So why are we outraged about school uniforms again? Picture: Splash NewsSource:Splash News Australia

Over the past three weeks, while visiting family and friends across the country, I have walked into dozens of homes decorated with manchester and homewares from discount retailers — including Target and Kmart.

The homeowners are quick and proud to boast that their designer-looking lamps, wall-hangings and bedding cost the equivalent of what I just spent on lunch at my local cafe.

Where is the outrage that families living in leafy suburbs on six-figure incomes are decorating their homes with items presumably also made by workers who earn in a month, what they do in a couple of hours?

And where is the media outrage that shoppers will be able to buy items from Jean-Paul Gaultier’s forthcoming collection for Target for as little as $10?

That’s right, there isn’t any. Or perhaps we just can’t hear it over the gushing squeals of excitement that Australian consumers will be able to pick up designer JPG items at bargain prices.

If we’re going to be outraged that Kmart and Target are selling $2 school uniforms we should also be outraged every time we pay $5, $10, $20, $30 or $50 for a T-shirt, blouse, pair of jeans, or cotton bedspread from any one of our chain stores and discount retailers — and shame, not applaud, the Kate Moss’ and Kate Middleton’s of the world every time they step out in a high street brand.

Alternatively, as consumers we can continue to demand ethical and sustainable accountability and transparency from our retailers who choose to manufacture in countries like Bangladesh — after all the last thing even Bangladesh’s poorest workers want is for retailers to turn their backs on the country’s garment industry for which their livelihood depends upon.

Rachel Wells is a journalist with more than 15 years experience and a leading fashion commentator. You can follow her on Twitter @rachwells