The word sweatshop conjures up images out of a Charles Dickens story: children and mothers and the elderly working their fingers to the bone for 12 hours a day, in a dank, dimly lit basement, for pennies.
Of course, that doesn’t really happen, does it?
Yes, unfortunately it does. Sweatshops are still exploiting men, women, and children all over the world, churning out mass-produced articles of clothing and consumer goods to make the owners and CEOs and stockholders wealthy. And those workers? They’re at the bottom of the heap. Yes, they are employed. What they’re missing is dignity and a decent wage.
For those of us working toward positive change in the world, steering clear of any kind of exploitation is very important. One action we can take every single day is to make sure we’re not supporting businesses that are built on high profits and low workers wages, such as sweatshop manufacturing.
For example:
Golfer Tiger Woods won a $100 million endorsement deal from Nike in 2004. Nike CEO Phil Knight earned $4.2 million in 2004. In 2003, Knight ranked 31st richest person in the U.S. with a worth of $5.8 billion.
And the hourly wage of Nike’s workers in Indonesia? $0.17. That’s an annual wage of $444.
Still want to buy some Nikes?
To do your part in helping to change this, pledge to go ‘sweat-free’. This means not buying clothing made in sweatshops. Not buying clothing from companies that won’t disclose the conditions in its factories. Not buying clothing from companies that won’t even discuss going ‘sweat-free’. And sending a message to retailers and manufacturers by voting for sweat-free products with your money.
Here’s a quick and dirty guide to living a sweat-free life:
Reduce the amount of new clothes that you buy: Probably the easiest thing you can do to live a sweatshop free life is to simply purchase less new clothing. Most of us don’t need or wear all of the clothes in our closet, so if we can curb the impulse to purchase another new piece of clothing, we don’t even need to worry about the issue of supporting sweatshops with our money.
Shop for reused clothing: Most cities have thrift and clothing consignment stores, from Goodwill or the Salvation Army, to Buffalo Exchange and vintage clothing shops. You don’t need to read labels here, either, because the clothing is already on its second life. Yard and garage sales are also excellent sources of ‘previously owned’ clothing.
Barter for, or trade clothes: If you’re a community organizer-type person, plan a clothing swap among your friends and relations. Invite a group to your house and have them bring all of the clothes they wish to get rid of, and then everyone takes their pick – all free. The leftovers can be donated to your local nonprofit thrift store afterward. Hold a clothing swap once per season, or in the spring and fall, and you’ll have plenty of new (to you) duds, without spending a dime or supporting sweatshops!
Make your own: Making your own clothing is a lost art, but anyone with some time, material, and a pattern can begin to make basic articles of clothing. Or re-purpose another piece of clothing into a ‘new’ garment. Make friends with the sewing circle ladies, and keep your eye out for a decent sewing machine at yard sales.
Buy union-made clothing: Just because the label says “Made in the USA” doesn’t mean it’s sweatshop-free. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that two-thirds of garment shops in New York and southern California are sweatshops. And some of the so called U.S. made clothing was actually produced somewhere else(in a sweatshop) and simply finished in the U.S. But buying clothing made by union members, like UNITE HERE, orShop Union Made, means you’re supporting garment workers who actually have a voice and the power of negotiation.
Use sweatshop-free clothing directories, like the one at New American Dream, Sweat Free, Clean Clothes Connection, Organic Consumers Association. No list will be exhaustive, and no major brand-name can be certified “sweatfree” because their production facilities and the conditions within the factories change rapidly. There is no independent third party certification system for sweatfree apparel, but the Fair Trade label is a good indicator.
Look for labels from sweatshop-free companies, like Maggies Organics,Unionwear, Justice, or No Sweat Apparel.
Learn about worker-owned cooperatives and buy from Fair Trade certified organizations (fairtradefederation.org). Co-operatives have equitable business structures and collective bargaining power, ones which benefit all of the workers, not just an owner or some absent stockholders. All members of a cooperative are shareholders of the business, and many Fair Trade companies buy from worker cooperatives or collectives. Stay out of the big box stores: The major retailers are trying to push as much stuff out the door, and get as much of your cash as they can, so bargaining for better working conditions from their suppliers is not high on their priorities. Much of the goods sold there are produced overseas, in what are most likely sweatshop conditions. If you don’t see any indication otherwise on the label, it’s safe to assume the product was produced in a sweatshop. Ask your favorite retailer about their purchasing guidelines: To raise awareness of the sweatshop clothing issue among retailers, ask your favorite brands and stores what they are doing about fair wages and working conditions for their suppliers. If they don’t have any clear answers about their practices, you can help to educate them about the issue, and point them to retailers or manufacturers who have made changes. It’s important to put the pressure on the end-seller, and use your shopping dollars to support businesses that have the same values as you.
No, you don’t have to go around naked to live a sweatshop free life. But you do have to ask yourself some hard questions about the type of clothing you buy and who you buy it from. It’s not as easy as strolling to the mall and filling up your basket, but it’s not as hard as you think. And it’s worth it. Every single small change we make in our habits adds to every other person’s small changes until it reaches critical mass. And that’s when the big changes come.
