15 Everyday Objects That Have a Dark, Dark Past

How many times do you pick up a spoon and wonder what its origin is? We find ourselves always wanting to know origin stories and did a deep dive into the origin of some everyday things. What we found will shock you, and you’ll wish you didn’t know the dark side that these 15 everyday items have.

1. Cotton.

Cotton, though seemingly innocent, is anything but that. Its production has been tied to many social and environmental issues. In fact, most of the cotton industry was built off the hard work of slaves. However, there are other issues with cotton production. The runoff from the pesticides used on the cotton plants contains harmful contaminants that contribute to deforestation, water pollution, and soil degradation. In addition, child slavery is very apparent in the cotton industry, as children work very long hours in unsafe conditions to harvest it.

2. Tea.

Tea is the 3rd most consumed substance in the world after air and water, but its production and trade are linked to many social, environmental, and economic issues. Tea production was often carried out with forced labor. It’s also linked to deforestation, and because of the pesticides used, it contributes to water pollution as well. In addition, tea production and harvesting are linked to child labour and unsafe working conditions.

3. Rubber.

Those seemingly innocent rubber bands actually have a bloody and horrific past. The cultivation of rubber is tied to issues of social injustice and exploitation. More than a century ago, rubber was collected in huge quantities from the jungles of Congo. However, Congo natives were forced to collect it and treated horribly, and sometimes the wife and children were kidnapped and their hands and feet cut off if the man did not comply with what was ordered. 

4. Diamonds.

Diamond mining historically has been done in unsafe war zones. They were often sold to assist with financing ongoing conflicts against the government ruling. Diamond mines are well-known for labour exploitation like unfair wages, inhumane working conditions, and no health and safety measures, and the heavy machinery used could impact the environment in negative ways.

5. Chocolate.

The sweet treat that is deeply loved by millions has links to slavery, cruelty, greed, and forced labor. Slaves face awful working conditions, often using machetes as children to harvest the cocoa. Much of the dark side of chocolate still exists, so as consumers, it’s important to consume fair trade or sustainable chocolate; these come from different harvesting plantations where people are paid fairly and have safe working conditions.

6. Silk.

Silk we know as a lavish and luxurious fabric. But it’s associated with intense worker exploitation with long working hours and very dangerous working conditions. 

7. Fur.

The cultivation and production of fur have long since raised concerns for both the animals involved and the workers. Animals that were raised for fur were often kept in very unsafe conditions and subjected to brutalities like skinning alive, gassing, and electrocution. In addition, the fur industry was filled with child labour and forced labour with unsafe and inhumane working conditions. 

8. Coffee.

The coffee industry is packed with forced labour, deforestation, pesticides, and poor working conditions. The cultivation of coffee is often tied to colonial empires. The history is messy, dark, and filled with stories of slavery and awful working conditions.

9. Denim jeans.

Denim has gone through many chapters throughout its evolution. Before it was a fashion staple for the modern world, it was the uniform for slavery because its strong material held up in the intense working conditions. Denim was first loved because of its practicality in being durable workwear before it was considered “fashion.”.

10. Pearls.

Once considered rare and worn by the social elite, pearls tell many historical tales, some good and some blanketed by cruelty, dangerous working conditions, and slavery. In ancient Rome, slaves were forced to dive to harvest pearls, leading to many drownings, shark attacks, etc. Many people also have ethical concerns about harvesting pearls from living creatures.

11. Candy Land.

Candy Land sells about a million copies globally each year, but did you know it was actually invented by a retired school teacher taking care of children sick with polio? It was made specifically for young children, as it doesn’t involve strategizing, reading, or minimal counting.

12. Perfume.

We wear perfume to smell nice and surround ourselves with a scent that brings comfort and joy. But perfume making is strongly tied to harmful animal testing, dangerous chemicals, harvesting ingredients from endangered species contributing to their demise, and exploiting workers. Many workers in the perfume industry face unsafe working conditions, harvesting potentially hazardous materials, and being paid unfair wages.

13. Kleenex.

The seemingly innocent facial tissue that we use in abundance, especially during cold and flu season, got its start as a gas mask filter during World War 1. It was an effort for soldiers to be able to defend themselves against gas-type weapons.

14. Treadmills.

Treadmills, though fantastic exercise machines, were originally invented in the 1800’s to keep prisoners from sitting idle doing nothing. They were a torture device that led many to early deaths and injuries.

15. Radar.

Radar was initially developed for military purposes, specifically to help detect warning signs to detect incoming aircraft. It greatly contributed to the many tragedies of war. In addition, radar has also been known (especially older models) to have a negative environmental impact. 

Final thoughts.

As we near the end of this article, it’s easy to note the significance of this article. Many items that we use daily have disturbing and horrible pasts. From the cotton in our clothes to our favourite silk scarves, denim jeans, and even exercising on a treadmill, these iconically “normal” items are riveted with tragedy like slavery, inhumane working conditions, unfair wages, and all types of brutality. It’s important to be aware of the darker side of things so that as consumers we can support things that pair fair wages to their employees as well as provide safe working conditions. By shopping sustainably and fair trade, we can support brands that prioritize safe work environments for their employees. Understanding the dark side of these everyday items can help you make more informed and aware decisions and perhaps ultimately lead us to a future where items don’t have darker histories any longer.