June 2006 | Co-op America’s Living Green
Sweatshop-Free Clothing
Dear Co-op America, How can I find out whether the clothes at stores in my area were made in sweatshops? — Veronica M., Minneapolis, MN
Most people don’t want to buy clothes made in sweatshops — the trick is how to find out whether or not that ís the case with the stores you patronize.
Whether you shop in an independently owned boutique or a chain store, ask where they source their clothes and under what conditions the items were made. The better companies will be able to answer your questions about codes of conduct, working conditions, and related issues.
Better companies purchase clothes from factories with codes of conduct ensuring worker rights — e.g., freedom of association, freedom of harassment, fair wages, safe working conditions, and protections against long hours. Independent monitors check whether companies are in compliance with the code, report violators and work with factories to improve their practices. It’s also a good sign if a company is purchasing from factories where workers are represented by an independent union and have long-standing collective bargaining arrangements in place.
As for the stores in your local mall, you can look them up on Co-op America’s Responsible Shopper Web site (www.responsibleshopper.org), which allows you to compare social and environmental information on companies selling the common consumer products. The listings include The Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, and TJ Maxx. Each company profile lists any allegations of poor labor practices that our staff has discovered. Discover which corporations have been linked to sweatshop abuses by checking with China Labor Watch (212/247-2212, www.chinalaborwatch.org), CorpWatch (www.corpwatch.org), and LabourNet UK (www.labournet.net).
While good clothing options do exist, there are far too few; weíll need to work together to create more. Consider buying five responsible clothing items this year — from Fair-Trade (www.fairtradefederation.org), green and cooperative (www.greenpages.org), and union (www.unitehere.org/buyunion) sources. Also, write or call companies to let them know youíre concerned about their labor practices.
Bienestar International’s footwear and clothing — sold under the brand name No Sweat™— is produced by independent trade union members in the US, Canada, and the developing world. The company believes that “the only viable response to globalization is a global labor movement: because “independent trade unions [are] the only historically proven solution to sweatshops.” NoSweat markets direct to consumers, relying primarily on internet sales. The money saved on advertising goes to the workers. www.nosweatapparel.com
Living Green is brought to you by Co-op America, a national nonprofit that provides green living, purchasing, and investing tips and resources. To join Coop America and get a free copy of the National Green Pages directory of Green businesses, call 800/58-GREEN, coopamerica.org. E-mail your Living Green questions.
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