Over the past few weeks I have read articles about workers being abused, a woman who was pregnant and in pain not allowed to get up from her work (she lost the baby, see article), and wages as low as $20 a month (not a fair wage, even in their local economies). No one would ever wish these kinds of conditions on their worst enemy. It is easy to maintain a comfortable distance from these issues. After learning about these practices, however, the products made by these companies are not even appealing to me. I don't see my choice to stop supporting these companies as groundbreaking. I am not a hippie, I just don't think people should have to suffer so I can look stylish for a cheap price. In reality I am behind the times. There have been so many people trying to get the word out for years.
After a week or so of diving into this topic head first I have read through a lot of websites giving options to avoid sweatshop produced materials. One stated the only way to truly avoid sweatshops is by making your own clothes. But honestly, who has the kind of time (or talent) to make clothes for their family? Also, given my track record on previous ambitions, I have learned it is usually best for me to start small. There are little things I can do to decrease my dependence on companies have labor violations.
Here are some realistic goals I have come up with to decrease my "sweatshop footprint:"
1. Buy less. This is something that takes a lot more effort than I realized. In our consumer driven society we have been trained to buy, a lot. Currently I live in a place where my closet barely holds all of my clothes, yet when I walk by a store with a 50% off sign hanging in the window I can't help but get the urge. If you think about it, buying less isn't a bad perspective. After all, "A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."- Luke 12:15.
2. Shop local thrift stores. I must admit, I am a frequent contributor to thrift stores (due to lacking closet space above), but I haven't actually shopped in one in a long time. Living in Chicago I could probably get nicer clothes in the thrift shops than are hanging in my closet anyway.
3. Avoid the worst offenders. The International Labor Rights Forum has compiled a "Hall of Shame" including the following companies: Abercrombie and Fitch, Gymboree, Hanes, Ikea, Kohl’s, LL Bean, Pier 1 Imports, Propper International, and Walmart. See article here. I also plan check up on the brands before I buy to see if they have any labor violations here. (Click on the "companies" tab in the right scroll bar). I am planning to support the companies like those listed on this blog instead.
4. Write a letter (or several). This site makes it easy to submit e-mails to companies telling them that you do not approve of the way they treat their employees. Addresses are also available online through company websites. I plan to do this for a couple companies this year.
5. Support Fair Trade. Stores like Trader Joe's offer a plethora of Fair Trade goods. If you Google "Fair Trade
6. Pray. These are God's children that are being abused and taken advantage of. This is a big issue that taps into even bigger issues like poverty and a world perspective. I could go my whole life without buying one more item made in a sweatshop and no one would ever know, and nothing could ever change. Prayer works. Prayer changes things. Prayer changes people. People make decisions that affect these issues.
