| Most people have heard about sweatshops. Most | | | | aren’t paid livable wages. Some will argue that |
| people have an awareness that some clothing is | | | | sweatshops in a community provide income to the |
| made in places where people are treated poorly. Most | | | | community that wasn't there before. This "argument" |
| people would not go out of their way to buy garments | | | | is a myth; sweatshops do not improve the lives of |
| made in a sweatshop. But what does it really mean to | | | | anyone in local communities. |
| choose "sweatshop-free" clothing and accessories? | | | | So, knowing all this, why would anyone purchase |
| Sometimes we hear a term like "sweatshop" and we | | | | anything that was possibly made in a sweatshop? |
| don’t really stop to think about what that word | | | | What can you do to make sure you are not |
| means. It’s time to think about the people behind | | | | contributing to the exploitation of other people? |
| the word. | | | | Here are a few suggestions: |
| So what does a sweatshop look like? Frequently, | | | | - Purchase clothing and accessories second-hand, |
| workers in sweatshop put in 15-to-19-hour workdays, | | | | from vintage clothing stores, consignment stores, thrift |
| working weeks at a time with no break. Often, they | | | | stores, garage sales, craigslist, or find clothes in your |
| are housed at the sweatshop location, sleeping on the | | | | size on freecycle. |
| floor. In some cases, sweatshop workers are not | | | | - Make your own clothing, hire a local seamstress to |
| allowed to leave the premises. Workers complete their | | | | make your clothing, or buy clothing from craft fairs. |
| tasks in an environment of threats and punishment. | | | | - Sell, consign, or donate the clothes you aren't wearing |
| There is no allowance for sickness. Pregnant workers | | | | anymore. |
| are treated equally poorly. Wages are below poverty | | | | - Only buy what you need. |
| level, often below even the legal minimum wage set by | | | | - Select clothing and accessories from manufacturers |
| the local government. Harsh overseers ensure that | | | | and retailers who guarantee sweatshop-free |
| workers do not have the opportunity to unite and | | | | conditions. Look for descriptors such as fair trade, fair |
| request fair treatment. Both adults and children endure | | | | wage, socially responsible, sweatshop-free, |
| such conditions. | | | | union-made. |
| Sweatshops are not limited to foreign countries; they | | | | ? |
| exist in the United States as well. It is not uncommon | | | | In addition to your conscious shopping choices, you can |
| for companies to have sweatshops located in a U.S. | | | | inquire of manufacturers or retailers the conditions |
| territory not subject to U.S. labor laws. The | | | | under which their garments are made. Ask them if |
| sweatshop-produced garment would be entitled to | | | | they pay their workers a living wage, enough to |
| bear the "made in the U.S.A." label. (If you think this | | | | support a family. Do they provide healthy working |
| sounds deceptive, you are correct!) Some garments | | | | conditions? Are the workers given an opportunity to |
| are also produced in a sweatshop on U.S. soil that is | | | | organize themselves? Tell them that your shopping |
| under the radar of the Department of Labor. Some | | | | dollars will be spent on clothing made under fair wage |
| companies set up mobile sweatshops and move | | | | and fair trade conditions. |
| locations if the Department of Labor becomes aware | | | | You can also join an advocacy and educational group |
| of their existence. In other words, even the label "made | | | | such as Co-op America. |
| in the U.S.A." does not guarantee that an article of | | | | When you chose garments and accessories produced |
| clothing was produced under humane or ethical | | | | by fair trade and fair wage companies, you are |
| conditions. | | | | supporting fair treatment and respect for other people. |
| Sweatshops do not exist because of necessity. They | | | | Many of us probably can’t fully imagine actual |
| exist because of greed. When one considers the | | | | sweatshop conditions; it doesn’t take much |
| multi-million dollar salaries paid to top executives of | | | | imagination, however, to realize that sweatshop |
| large companies, one can’t help but wonder why | | | | conditions are intolerable. |
| the people producing the goods sold in these stores | | | | |