stumbleupon Email Comment Clothing is something we buy when we either need it or when we are having impulses telling us to buy a nice shirt even if it might be a little more pricey than we’d like. But more often than not, we buy it without taking into account where it’s coming from and what kinds of people are making it. Unfortunately, many clothing brands tend to have their products manufactured in sweatshops in impoverished areas of the world, with young children found working in dangerous working conditions and with the factories they work in not being well-constructed. Even more sad is the fact that so many big-name brands rely on the services of sweatshops in countries like Bangladesh to manufacture their clothes. However, many companies have been caught doing such practices and have suffered the consequences as a result. With this top 10 list, we’ll be talking about 10 of those major companies that have done exactly that, and the fallout they suffered after being caught. Some companies are known mainly in their home territory (in the case of Marks and Spencer, that home country is the United Kingdom) while others such as Nike and Gap are brands that are staples in multiple countries worldwide.

Furthermore, some companies have responded emphatically (for example, Nike) to accusations of sweatshop labour, while others haven’t responded nearly as quickly or as effectively. Whatever the end result is, it’s still a controversial issue in the sense that these workers get paid extremely minimal amounts of money and work many hours a week for the sake of designing the newest trendy pieces of clothing. Whether you buy clothing from these companies often or you don’t buy them at all, it’s still shocking enough to make you think twice about where your newest threads come from. Here are 10 of the most shocking examples of major clothing companies and sweatshop labour. 10. H&M Via commons.wikimedia.org One flaw of factories that house sweatshop workers, as we show you further on in this list, is that they can occasionally be shoddily constructed and therefore cause the building to eventually collapse. In 2010, it was revealed that a factory in Bangladesh supplying to Swedish-based clothing retailer H&M had caught fire – with the fire exits blocked and with inefficient equipment to stop the fire – and killed 21 workers.

Although it has tried to advertise itself as a pro-green company, H&M has a spotty track record overall, with a 1997 TV documentary in Sweden accusing the company of putting young children in the Philippines through child labour to produce their clothes. 9. Nike Via commons.wikimedia.org Although Nike has since been a proponent of ethical practices and workers’ rights, their track record in the ‘90s was not nearly as bright. In fact, it was a global campaign boycotting the company that caused Nike to wise up and re-think its attitude towards unethical working conditions, improving its transparency and frequently producing reports on its inspections of factories. However, their use of sweatshop labour has gone back to the ‘70s, with reports of labour workers in several Asian countries. Furthermore, Nike’s director Todd McKean admitted in an interview that the company’s attitude was “we don’t own the factories, we don’t control what goes on in there.” 8. Walmart Via newswire.ca After a factory building in Bangladesh collapsed in April of 2013, it was reported shortly after that Walmart was one of the major companies that the factory building supplied to.

The company said after the collapse that the use of the factory to manufacture their clothing wasn’t even authorized. Before that, Walmart was accused in 2008 of forcing Bangladeshi workers to work 19-hour shifts while only earning about $20 or so a month – lower than the legal minimum wage in Bangladesh. The incident caused the company to issue biannual ethical sourcing reports after it had stopped doing so in 2004. 7. The Gap Via thenextweb.com One of the most recognizable jean brands in the world, The Gap was caught up in a scandal involving workers in India in 2010 when an investigation showed that those workers had been working 16-hour days with extremely minimal – and illegal – pay, to the tune of less than 40 cents per day. The company claimed that all of its factories needed to stick to its “non-negotiable” standards. This is hardly the first time the company has been involved in such a scandal (a similar one involving the company transpired in 2007) but The Gap announced in 2013 that it would partner with 20 other companies to improve working conditions in Bangladesh. 6.

La Senza Via shoppersmallbrandon.com Although the lingerie brand La Senza is a largely Canadian company, it is far from immune in terms of its relation to sweatshops. In April of 2005, the Spectrum-Sweater factory located in Savar, Bangladesh – just northeast of the capital city of Dhaka – collapsed with 64 recorded fatalities and with some people permanently handicapped. Furthermore, in 2006, the company was called out for abandoning workers in a bra factory in Thailand and moving their production to another factory, as the one in Thailand was seen as actually having good working conditions. La Senza isn’t the only company specializing in lingerie to be caught using sweatshop labour… 5. Victoria’s Secret Via amychanblog.blogspot.com In 2007, the lingerie company Victoria’s Secret – a company that has vouched for free trade – was caught in a sweatshop scandal of its own when it was revealed that conditions regarding their workers in Jordan were far from ideal. In fact, such conditions involved their workers being slapped and/or beaten if their production was sub-par.

Furthermore, those workers were found to have been forced to work five or more overtime hours per day, without being given the overtime pay they were legally obligated to receive. A few years later, it was revealed that their lingerie was made by cotton picked by children working in Burkina Faso. 4. Disney Via commons.wikimedia.org Although Disney is one of the most recognizable brands in the world, especially among children, their history with sweatshop labour is in stark contrast to their image. Sweatshops in countries like China, Bangladesh and Haiti have been known to produce clothing for the company, with Chinese labour workers in particular being paid 33 to 41 cents an hour, with numerous employees being as young as 14 years of age with no health benefits or a pension included with their employment. In Tazreen, Bangladesh, a fire at a sweatshop producing Disney clothing – as well as brands associated with Sears and Walmart – caused the deaths of 114 workers. 3. Sears Via nypost.com Also caught up in the scandal surrounding the fire at the factory in Tazreen is the North American retailer Sears.

The factory producing its clothing before the fire had locked fire exit doors and poor fire extinguishing equipment, and the workers were told to get back to work when the first fire alarm went off. Although Sears was one of the companies whose products were made at that factory, its track record with sweatshop labour in general isn’t that great. In 2003, a story was published in The Guardian about a Vietnamese worker moving to the American Samoa to make clothes for the company, only to be starved and beaten while working at the factory. 2. Joe Fresh Via thethreadaffect.com Once a clothing company that had come through Loblaw Inc. in Canada, Joe Fresh has since grown a massive presence in the United States, being what New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg calls “the greatest Canadian export since Justin Bieber .” However, the company’s manufacturing was done in a sweatshop building in Bangladesh, which collapsed last year, killing nearly 400. In response, Loblaw Inc. announced that it would send representatives to the country with the intention of offering compensation to the victims’ families. After being accused of protecting their trademark but not their workers, the company vowed to be a “force for good” in Bangladesh. 1.

Marks and Spencer Via en.wikipedia.org This U.K. company makes this list not necessarily because of how big their brand is, but because of how much of a surprise their sweatshop scandal truly was. Although they have often been praised for their emphasis on ethical practices, they and several other companies such as Gap were discovered in 2010 to have been caught up in a scandal where Indian workers were forced to work overtime – in other words, 16 hours a day in shifts – while being paid just under 25p ($1 U.S.) an hour. A spokesperson for the company responded by saying that they took “ethical sourcing and trust in our brand extremely seriously.” 1.7K Shares Child sweatshop shame threatens Gap's ethical image | Business | The Guardian The Observer Child sweatshop shame threatens Gap's ethical image An Observer investigation into children making clothes has shocked the retail giant and may cause it to withdraw apparel ordered for Christmas A Gap worker straightens up clothing. Photograph: Paul Sakuma/AP Share on Messenger Close Amitosh concentrates as he pulls the loops of thread through tiny plastic beads and sequins on the toddler's blouse he is making. Dripping with sweat, his hair is thinly coated in dust.

In Hindi his name means 'happiness'. The hand-embroidered garment on which his tiny needle is working bears the distinctive logo of international fashion chain Gap. Amitosh is 10. The hardships that blight his young life, exposed by an undercover Observer investigation in the back streets of New Delhi, reveal a tragic consequence of the West's demand for cheap clothing. It exposes how, despite Gap's rigorous social audit systems launched in 2004 to weed out child labour in its production processes, the system is being abused by unscrupulous subcontractors. The result is that children, in this case working in conditions close to slavery, appear to still be making some of its clothes. Gap's own policy is that if it discovers children being used by contractors to make its clothes that contractor must remove the child from the workplace, provide it with access to schooling and a wage, and guarantee the opportunity of work on reaching a legal working age. It is a policy to stop the abuse of children. And in Amitosh's case it appears not to have succeeded. Sold into bonded labour by his family this summer, Amitosh works 16 hours a day hand-sewing clothing.

Beside him on a wooden stool are his only belongings: a tattered comic, a penknife, a plastic comb and a torn blanket with an elephant motif. 'I was bought from my parents' village in [the northern state of] Bihar and taken to New Delhi by train,' he says. 'The men came looking for us in July. They had loudspeakers in the back of a car and told my parents that, if they sent me to work in the city, they won't have to work in the farms. My father was paid a fee for me and I was brought down with 40 other children. The journey took 30 hours and we weren't fed. I've been told I have to work off the fee the owner paid for me so I can go home, but I am working for free. I am a shaagird [a pupil]. The supervisor has told me because I am learning I don't get paid. It has been like this for four months.' The derelict industrial unit in which Amitosh and half a dozen other children are working is smeared in filth, the corridors flowing with excrement from a flooded toilet.

Behind the youngsters huge piles of garments labelled Gap - complete with serial numbers for a new line that Gap concedes it has ordered for sale later in the year - lie completed in polythene sacks, with official packaging labels, all for export to Europe and the United States in time for Christmas. Jivaj, who is from West Bengal and looks around 12, told The Observer that some of the boys in the sweatshop had been badly beaten. 'Our hours are hard and violence is used against us if we don't work hard enough. This is a big order for abroad, they keep telling us that. 'Last week, we spent four days working from dawn until about one o'clock in the morning the following day. I was so tired I felt sick,' he whispers, tears streaming down his face. 'If any of us cried we were hit with a rubber pipe. Some of the boys had oily cloths stuffed in our mouths as punishment.' Manik, who is also working for free, claims - unconvincingly - to be 13. 'I want to work here. I have somewhere to sleep,' he says looking furtively behind him. 'The boss tells me I am learning. It is my duty to stay here.

I'm learning to be a man and work. Eventually, I will make money and buy a house for my mother.' The discovery of the sweatshop has the potential to cause major embarrassment for Gap. Last week, a spokesman admitted that children appeared to have been caught up in the production process and rather than risk selling garments made by children it vowed it would withdraw tens of thousands of items identified by The Observer. He said: 'At Gap, we firmly believe that under no circumstances is it acceptable for children to produce or work on garments. These allegations are deeply upsetting and we take this situation very seriously. All of our suppliers and their sub-contractors are required to guarantee that they will not use child labour to produce garments. 'It is clear that one of our vendors violated this agreement, and a full investigation is under way. After learning of this situation, we immediately took steps to stop this work order and to prevent the product from ever being sold in our stores. We are also convening a meeting of our suppliers where we will reinforce our prohibition on child labour. 'Gap Incorporated has a rigorous factory-monitoring programme in place and last year we revoked our approval of 23 factories for failing to comply with our standards.

'We are proud of this programme and we will continue to work with government, trade unions and other independent organisations to put an end to the use of child labour.' In recent years Gap has made efforts to rebrand itself as a leader in ethical and socially responsible manufacturing, after previously being criticised for practices including the use of child labour. With annual revenues of more than £8bn and endorsements from Madonna and Sex and The City star Sarah Jessica Parker, Gap has arguably become the most successful brand in high-street fashion. The latest face of the firm's advertising is the singer Joss Stone. Founded in San Francisco in 1969 by Donald Fisher, now one of America's wealthiest businessmen, Gap operates more than 3,000 stores and franchises across the world. In Britain Gap, babyGap and GapKids are very successful, their own-brand jeans alone outselling their retail rivals' lines by three to one. Last year, the company embarked on a huge advertising campaign surrounding 'Product Red', a charitable trust for Africa founded by the U2 singer Bono and backed by celebrities including Hollywood star Don Cheadle, singers Lenny Kravitz and Mary J Blige, Steven Spielberg and Penelope Cruz.

As part of the fundraising endeavour, Gap launched a new, limited collection of clothing and accessories for men and women with Product Red branding, the profits from which are being channelled towards fighting Aids in the Third World. On its website the company states that all individuals who work in garment factories deserve to be treated with dignity and are entitled to safe and fair working conditions and not since 2000, when a BBC Panorama investigation exposed the firm's working practices in Cambodia, have children been associated with the production of their brand. Gap has huge contracts in India, which boasts one of the world's fastest-growing economies. But over the past decade, India has also become the world capital for child labour. According to the UN, child labour contributes an estimated 20 per cent of India's gross national product with 55 million children aged from five to 14 employed across the business and domestic sectors.

'Gap may be one of the best-known fashion brands with a public commitment to social responsibility, but the employment [by subcontractors ultimately supplying major international retail chains] of bonded child slaves as young as 10 in India's illegal sweatshops tells a different story,' says Bhuwan Ribhu, a Delhi lawyer and activist for the Global March Against Child Labour. 'The reality is that most major retail firms are in the same game, cutting costs and not considering the consequences. They should know by now what outsourcing to India means. 'It is an impossible task to track down all of these terrible sweatshops, particularly in the garment industry when you need little more than a basement or an attic crammed with small children to make a healthy profit. 'Some owners even hide the children in sacks and in carefully concealed mezzanine floors designed to dodge such raids,' he explains. 'Employing cheap labour without proper auditing and investigation of your contractor inevitably means children will be used somewhere along the chain. This may not be what they want to hear as they pull off fresh clothes from clean racks in stores but shoppers in the West should be thinking "Why am I only paying £30 for a hand-embroidered top. Who made it for such little cost?

Is this top stained with a child's sweat?" That's what they need to ask themselves.' · The investigation was carried out in partnership with WDR Germany. · This article was amended on Sunday October 28 2007. GAP pulls items made in India - Times of India Times of India Titagarh Wagons' wins big order GAP pulls items made in India Apparel major GAP has said that it is withdrawing garments sourced from India for its 3,000 stores following allegations of use of child labour by one of its vendor in Delhi. TNN & Agencies | Oct 29, 2007, 01.44 AM IST LONDON/NEW DELHI: International apparel major GAP said on Sunday that it was withdrawing garments sourced from India from its 3,000 stores following allegations of use of child labour by one of the company's vendors in the capital's Shahpur Jat area, possibly setting the stage for retaliation by the Indian government. GAP's action followed an undercover investigation by a British newspaper purportedly showing the use of child labour to manufacture smocked blouses that were headed for shelves in the company's US and European stores ahead of Christmas.

The report said that children as young as 10 years old were working for a GAP sub-contractor and complained of working long hours, going unpaid and being subjected to threats and beatings. A 10-year-old boy, filmed making clothes, told the British paper that he had been sold by his family to the factory owner. The boy was said to have been working for four months without pay and would not be allowed to leave the job until the fee his family received had been recovered. The government reacted to the news cautiously with commerce minister Kamal Nath saying his officials would investigate the matter. Though he refrained from commenting on the case till "it has been thoroughly probed", the minister cautioned against the use of non-tariff barriers, like raking up the issue of child labour, as a protectionist device by the developed countries. He warned of retaliation if investigations established that fresh trade barriers were being erected, as was found in Bangalore recently. "I have already written to EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson (on October 23) about non-tariff barriers being used as a protectionist device," Nath told TOI.

The hand-stitched tops, which were to be sold for around £20 in the Christmas season, are now being withdrawn. In response to the findings, GAP released a statement saying it was "unacceptable" for children to produce its clothing. "It is clear that one of our vendors violated this agreement, and a full investigation is under way.... After learning of this situation, we immediately took steps to stop this work order and to prevent the product from ever being sold in our stores. We are also convening a meeting of our suppliers where we will reinforce our prohibition on child labour," it said in a statement. RELATED Responsible Shopper Profile: Gap Jump to Gap : Alerts; Campaigns; â¢ Gap brand stores are so popular that a shopping center without a Gap or its subsidiaries, Banana Republic and Old Navy, is a rare sight. While the Gap has made some progress towards becoming a more sustainable company, such as promoting diversity and encouraging community involvement, the company has a long way to go before it can be considered socially responsible. â¢ In October 2007, Indian authorities raided factories in New Dehli that produce clothing for the Gap and found children as young as 10 working there.

â¢ Another Indian factory that manufactures for the Gap was the site of 3 deaths in 2007 because it refused to allow employees to leave when they became seriously ill at work. â¢ The Gap was part of a settlement from a lawsuit brought against 22 companies for using sweatshop labor in Saipan, a US territory in the South Pacific. The Gap has also been linked to sweatshops in at least six countries. â¢ You donât have to wear clothing that exploits people and the planet. Visit Go Green to find out how you can be stylish and sustainable. -- Profile Updated 04/25/2011 About Gap The Gap runs retail stores featuring menâs, womenâs and childrenâs clothing throughout the U.S, Canada , Japan, France, the UK and Germany under the names Banana Republic, GapKids, BabyGap, and its fastest growing, Old Navy. Headquartered in San Francisco, the company employs 154,000 people with over 3,100 stores worldwide. In fiscal 2007, the company recorded sales of $15.943 billion.

Campaigns According to the Organic Consumers Association (OCA)… read more According to the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), the Gap's clothing products are manufactured with genetically engineered and pesticide laden cotton. Additionally, the company is not thoroughly implementing a code of conduct for its suppliers to ensure that no sweatshop labor is employed. Organic and Fair Made clothing currently constitutes a niche market, but consumer support can ensure that at least 30% of all clothing in the USA is organic & Fair Made by the year 2010. Gap can play an important role in making this a reality. Take action with OCA's Clothes For a Change campaign and contact Gap Chairman of the Board Donald G. Fisher now by clicking on the link below. - Banana Republic - San Francisco, CA - Banana Republic - Toronto, Canada - Fisher Gap Stores Inc. - San Francisco, CA read more - Fisher Gap Stores Inc. - San Francisco, CA - Gap Canada Inc. (Division) - Toronto, Canada - Gap Inc.

- San Francisco, CA - Gap Stores Division - San Francisco, CA - GapKids Division - San Bruno, CA - Old Navy Stores - San Francisco, CA Contact Gap San Francisco, CA 94105 USA Phone: 650-952-4400 Alerts Labor A recent investigation by the Workers' Rights Committee has revealed that apparel manufactures in Bangalore, India have been refus… read more A recent investigation by the Workers' Rights Committee has revealed that apparel manufactures in Bangalore, India have been refusing to pay factory workers more than $10 million, because they refused to comply with the minimum wage increase in India in March of 2009. Approximately 1/3 of all factory workers, or 125,000 workers, in the region are owed back wages by factories, who say they were acting on the advice of the leading industry association, the Clothing Manufacturers' Assocation of India. The factories involved manufacture apparel for many well-known US and international brands including, Wal-Mart, Adidas, the Gap, H&M, JC Penney, Levi-Strauss, Phillps Van Heusen, and Nike.

-- National Labor Committee, 03/04/2010 In October 2007, Indian authorities raided factories in New Dehli that produce clothing for The Gap.… read more In October 2007, Indian authorities raided factories in New Dehli that produce clothing for The Gap. They found children as young as 10 who were sold to the factories by their families, sewing garments for The Gap's children's apparel line. The Gap says the clothes produced at these factories will not be sold in the U.S. and it has ended its contract with the factories. Though The Gap does employ monitors to oversee its factories, there are only 90 monitors for 2,000 factories. -- ABC7 News, 10/29/2007 A factory in Bangalore, India which contracts primarily with Gap has been the site of three deaths this year, with at least two of… read more A factory in Bangalore, India which contracts primarily with Gap has been the site of three deaths this year, with at least two of the deaths involving workers not being allowed to leave work during serious medical emergencies.

According to reports from a local union, one 39 year old worker began vomiting and asked her supervisors if she could go to the hospital. The woman was not allowed to leave and was âverbally abusedâ for her request. When she was finally allowed to leave, she was too weak to reach the hospital and collapsed outside the factory, dying shortly thereafter. This incident follows immediately on the heels of a pregnant worker losing her baby after she was not allowed to leave work after going into labor. The union is investigating the circumstances surrounding the third death. -- Guardian, 10/15/2007 Source URL: The Clean Clothes Campaign highlighted a series of worker rights violations in global garment supplier Paxar Corporationâs Turkish… read more The Clean Clothes Campaign highlighted a series of worker rights violations in global garment supplier Paxar Corporationâs Turkish factory. The Turkish factory and Paxar Corporation have repeatedly tried to destroy trade union activity: In early 2005, Paxar fired 11 workers shortly after the union successfully organized the factory and opened negotiations with Paxar.

According to the Turkish High Court of Appealâs decisions, these firings were illegal, and Paxar was ordered to reinstate all 11 workers. The company has yet to take action as per the High Courtâs instructions. In late 2005, the Turkish factory dismissed at least 4 trade union members. Ayce Bagbakar, who joined the trade union in March 2006, was fired in April 2006. The Clean Clothes Campaign states that these cases, which are still underway, ârepresent clear-cut unfair dismissals.â In August 2006, Textile, Knitting and Clothing Industry Workers' Union of Turkey (TEKSIF) unsuccessfully negotiated with Paxar on issues such as wage and bonus payments. The Clean Clothes Campaign asks consumers to pressure brands that buy from the Turkish factory to express their disapproval over these labor violations. Turkish factoryâs clients include Gap, Levi Strauss, Wal-Mart, Disney, Adidas, Puma, and Nike. An agreement was finally reached between the trade union and Paxar on February 26, 2007.

-- Clean Clothes Campaign, 06/18/2007 Source URL: In December 2006, the Ethical Trading Action Group (ETAG), in association with Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) and AccountAbility… read more In December 2006, the Ethical Trading Action Group (ETAG), in association with Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) and AccountAbility, released a report entitled "Coming Clean on the Clothes We Wear: Transparency Report Card." This report evaluates and compares 25 apparel retailers and brands in their efforts to address worker rights in their global supply chain. Retailers were rated in areas such as their compliance with International Labor Organization standards (ILO), methods of monitoring code compliance, steps taken to communicate thoroughly, effectively, and transparently to the public, and so forth. Retailers and brands were given a score 0 to 100. Gap earned a score of 71.

-- Maquila Solidarity Network, 12/01/2006 Source URL: en.maquilasolidarity.org/issues/csr/transparency/TRC/2006 Labour Behind the Label (LBL) published a report entitled âLetâs Clean Up Fashion: The State of Pay Behind the UK High Street,â ev… read more Labour Behind the Label (LBL) published a report entitled âLetâs Clean Up Fashion: The State of Pay Behind the UK High Street,â evaluating retailersâ supply-chains based on wages paid, freedom of association afforded workers, as well as monitoring and verification of garment factories. LBL listed Gap Inc. in the âPulling Aheadâ category for the companyâs efforts to work collaboratively with trade unions and other local stakeholders.

-- Clean Clothes Campaign, 09/14/2006 Source URL: The National Labor Committeeâs May 2006 report entitled âUS-Jordan Free Trade Agreement Descends into Human Trafficking & Involunt… read more The National Labor Committeeâs May 2006 report entitled âUS-Jordan Free Trade Agreement Descends into Human Trafficking & Involuntary Servitude,â documented a series of worker rightsâ violations at Gap supplier Western Factory. The lack of respect for labor rights included the following: Human trafficking and involuntary servitude of guest workers Confiscation of passports and denial of identification cards Mandatory 16 to 20 hour shifts. Typical work weeks consisted of 109 hours Wages below the legal minimum. Workers were cheated of 65 percent of the wages legally owed to them Six months of withheld wages Inadequate and unsanitary working conditions Routine beatings and threats for production mistakes The NLC also reported that factory management sexually abused four young girls, including a 16 year-old. Management falsely promised attractive, young women better jobs, higher wages and less work.

Management told the girls they wanted to take them on a day trip around Jordan. Instead, the young women were brought to a hotel where the managers forced themselves on the girls. In a July 2006 urgent update, the NLC reported that Western Factory management allegedly beat workers for requesting payment of back wages owed to them. Additionally, the management cut off food and water to the workersâ dorm. -- National Labor Committee, 07/01/2006 Source URL: In January 2005, a settlement was proposed in a 2 year old lawsuit against the Gap that accused the company of violating state wor… read more In January 2005, a settlement was proposed in a 2 year old lawsuit against the Gap that accused the company of violating state workers' rights laws by requiring employees to wear the companyâs clothing while working. California labor laws require employers to pay for their workers' uniforms, with the law defining "uniforms" as required clothing of a specific design or brand. Through the proposed settlement the Gap will give about 55,000 current and former workers nearly $1.8 million worth of clothing vouchers.

However the Gap maintains that it never forced employees to buy its clothes but instead told employees to look "brand appropriate" and avoid wearing obvious labels belonging to competitors. "We feel strongly that our dress code policies are consistent with state law." -- Business and Legal Reports, 01/28/2005 Source URL: compensation.blr.com/display.cfm/id/154050 According to the Clean Clothes Campaign, some Gap clothing is manufactured in a Thai factory that has long exploited its workers b… read more According to the Clean Clothes Campaign, some Gap clothing is manufactured in a Thai factory that has long exploited its workers by underpaying, denying payment of overtime wages, requiring forced overtime work and providing none of the working welfare necessary under Thai law. Employees have been made to work in shifts lasting 12 hours each, while abiding by strict limits on bathroom use. Women workers have also been sexually harassed and violated. Workers who organized a 1998 strike were fired for their activities. In July 2003, the Gina Relations Workers Union reached a successful settlement with the factory.

-- Clean Clothes Campaign, 10/09/2003 Source URL: In November 2002, sweatshop campaigners demanded a Holiday boycott against Gap because of alleged evidence that links the clothing… read more In November 2002, sweatshop campaigners demanded a Holiday boycott against Gap because of alleged evidence that links the clothing retailer to sweatshop labor in six countries. Two groups--Africa Forum and Unite, the union of textile employees, presented evidence of "abusive working conditions" collected from interviews with 200 people in more than 40 Gap-contracted factories in Cambodia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Lesotho, El Salvador and Mexico. -- Organic Consumers Association, 11/28/2002 In 2009, the CEO of Gap, Glenn K. Murphy, received $5,037,290 in total compensation.… read more In 2009, the CEO of Gap, Glenn K. Murphy, received $5,037,290 in total compensation. The median worker, however, made $33,190 in 2010.

Thus, Murphy made 151 times the median worker's pay. -- AFL-CIO, 04/25/2011 Source URL: Gap is the 6th top contributor to Dianne Feinstein, the US Senator of California, Gap's home state.… read more Gap is the 6th top contributor to Dianne Feinstein, the US Senator of California, Gap's home state. The clothing brand contributed $34,000 in 2008 and has consistently contributed over $25,000 each election cycle since 2004. The brand is also the 3rd top contributor to Ralph Regula, the US Congressman in Ohio, where Gap has a major office. Gap contributed $6,900 in 2008. Furthermore, Gap has a Political Action Committee that has allowed them to spend $51,199 on federal candidates in 2006.

-- Knowmore, Inc., 04/25/2011 Source URL: In 2006, Gap launched its latest social responsibility initiative entitled (PRODUCT) RED in its stores around the world.… read more In 2006, Gap launched its latest social responsibility initiative entitled (PRODUCT) RED in its stores around the world. The brand will contribute one-half of the profits from the sale of the line to the Global Fund, which helps women and children affected by AIDS in Africa. -- Knowmore, Inc., 04/25/2011 Source URL: In 2005, Paul S. Pressler, CEO of Gap Inc, earned over $27.19 million in total compensation including stock option grants from the… read more In 2005, Paul S. Pressler, CEO of Gap Inc, earned over $27.19 million in total compensation including stock option grants from the Gap Inc. He has another $25.68 million in unexercised stock options from previous years.

-- AFL-CIO, 04/05/2006 In 2002, BusinessWeek named Gap as having one of the worst corporate boards.… read more In 2002, BusinessWeek named Gap as having one of the worst corporate boards. The company was cited for inside deals including contracts with the chairman's brother to build and remodel stores and a consulting arrangement with theÂ Â chairman's wife. The magazine also pointed out the interlocking directorship with the Gap's CEO sitting on Apple's board and Apple's CEO sitting on Gap's. -- Business Week, 10/07/2002 In 2003, a Gap worker was shot to death during a worker protest in Cambodia.… read more In 2003, a Gap worker was shot to death during a worker protest in Cambodia. Cambodian police opened fire to disperse more than 1,000 garment workers who were protesting working conditions and pay. Phnom Penh's deputy police chief Moung Khim said one officer had been killed and 20 wounded when they came under attack from a hail of stones.

-- Sweatshop Watch, 06/19/2003 Source URL: In April 2003, a federal court on the Pacific Island of Saipan approved a $20 million settlement on a class action lawsuit filed a… read more In April 2003, a federal court on the Pacific Island of Saipan approved a $20 million settlement on a class action lawsuit filed against the Gap and 25 other U.S. retailers. The lawsuit charged that the companies contracted sweatshop labor on Saipan, a U.S. Commonwealth, and should be held accountable for worker treatment and conditions in foreign-owned factories operating on U.S. soil. According to the complaint, the more than 13,000 garment workers in Saipan regularly worked 12-hour days, seven days a week, often times "off the clock" without receiving any pay or overtime. The lawsuit also accused Levi Strauss and the other companies of operating a "racketeering conspiracy" through which workers, who are mostly young women, sign contracts waiving their basic human rights and pay recruitment fees of up to $10,000 to secure sweatshop jobs.

By agreeing to the settlement, the companies admitted no wrongdoing. -- Sweatshop Watch, 04/25/2003 The Fisher family, the founder and executives of Gap, Inc.… read more The Fisher family, the founder and executives of Gap, Inc. purchased 230,000 acres of forest in Mendocino County, California. They have been logging the land's old-growth redwoods, which will, in effect, destroy struggling salmon fisheries, precious wildlife habitats, pollute public drinking water, and permanently degrade the famed forests of the coast. -- Knowmore, Inc., 04/25/2011 Source URL: In October 2007, Gap Inc. announced its plans to have a one megawatt solar power system at its West Coast distribution center in F… read more In October 2007, Gap Inc. announced its plans to have a one megawatt solar power system at its West Coast distribution center in Fresno, California. The system is expected to generate approximately 1.9 million kilowatt-hours annually, which is equivalent to the electricity required to power approximately 350 homes.

Soon after in October 2008, Gap Inc officials flipped the symbolic switch to turn on the 4,500 solar panel system. -- Knowmore, Inc., 04/25/2011 Source URL: The London Sunday Times recently found tons of illegally dumped waste from garment manufacturers, including suppliers of major den… read more The London Sunday Times recently found tons of illegally dumped waste from garment manufacturers, including suppliers of major denim retailers such as Levi Strauss and Gap, after months-long investigations in Lesotho. Razors, sharps, needles and other hazardous waste used in textile machinery were found among the scraps of denim and discarded clothing tags. The dump is constantly burning, producing acrid smoke that causes chest infections in children and skin irritation. The textile mill has installed a water purification facility but untreated waste water, dyed deep blue and polluted with chemicals, was found leaking into the water table and local river. Gap, trying to protect its reputation for social responsibility, acted quickly by commencing its own on the ground investigation; Levi Strauss also promised action.

-- CBS News, 01/08/2010 'Gap sweatshop children' saved in India raid - Telegraph 'Gap sweatshop children' saved in India raid By Peter Foster in New Delhi 7:25PM GMT 29 Oct 2007 Police have rescued 14 children from a New Delhi sweatshop at the centre of a scandal involving US clothing giant Gap. Despite reports over the weekend that a Gap supplier had sub-contracted work to the illegal sweatshop in the Shahpur Jat area of Delhi, Indian police did not raid the address until the Daily Telegraph produced photographs of the children still at work. The Telegraph visited the complex posing as a buyer for a fictional boutique fashion outlet in London. After negotiations with managers to view the quality of the workmanship and photograph samples, The Telegraph was shown to a series of 12 dingy rooms where both adults and children squatted on the floor performing delicate embroidery and stitching. Related Articles Gap shelves clothing order amid fears of child labour 29 Oct 2007 Photographs of the children, many of whom appeared shockingly young, were shown to the child rights charity Global March Against Child Labour, who immediately contacted police.

Authorities raided the building a few hours later. The boys, some as young as eight, looked utterly terrified as a police inspector explained that they were working illegally and would shortly be returned to their families. There were chaotic scenes as the children, many dressed in little more than their underwear, were given a few minutes to dress and gather their few belongings before being ushered from the premises in a pitiful crocodile. "Once we saw the photographs we knew that we had to act fast," said Bhuwan Ribhu, a Delhi lawyer and activist with the Indian branch of Global March Against Child Labour. "The children are aged eight to 15 and at least three of them have told me already that they were working for no pay at all." After their rescue, the children, who come from impoverished families in rural West Bengal, eastern India, were taken to a local police station where they were processed. They were then handed over to Global March, which runs a rehabilitation centre on the outskirts of New Delhi. "First the children will be given something to eat and then we'll try and make them comfortable for the night. Then the process of getting them financial compensation and returning them to their villages and families will begin," Mr Ribhu said.

Under India's Bonded Labour Act, each of the underage workers is entitled to 20,000 rupees (£250) in compensation from the Indian government, in order to prevent them from returning to work. The United Nations estimates that 55 million children aged from 5 to 14 are currently employed in the domestic and business sectors in India, producing up to 20 per cent of India's annual GDP. "Many of the children are conned from their parents by unscrupulous people-trafficking operations," Mr Ribhu said. "The agents make promises that the children will earn thousands of rupees and make their fortune in the big cities."" But in reality, most work for nothing except their food for at least the first 12 months and then earn between 1,200 and 1,500 rupees (£15-£19) a month, which is half the minimum wage of 3,200 rupees (£40)." Conditions in the Shahpur Jat sweatshop are typical of those found all over India.

Children sit crouched on their haunches for 12 hours a day, stitching sequins and braiding onto richly embroidered garments, mostly for the domestic market. After news broke that a Gap supplier had been using child labour - a piece of Gap packaging was still on view at Shahpur Jat - the company immediately ordered an investigation, describing the allegations as "deeply upsetting". "We appreciate that the media identified this subcontractor and we acted swiftly in this situation. Under no circumstances is it acceptable for children to produce or work on garments," said a spokesman for Gap, which employs 90 inspectors to ensure suppliers follow the company's guidelines. However, such is the prevalence of child labour in India's textile industry - where a vacant attic or residential bedroom filled with children can turn a healthy profit - that activists say major chains need to work harder to stamp out the problem. With poverty still widespread in India - almost half of all children are malnourished - many Indian small and family businesses justify hiring children on the basis that they provide them with a life and livelihood.

Children are particularly prized in the textile industry for their nimble fingers, which are able to stitch the tiniest beads onto the decorative kurtas and saris which are worn on special occasions. After the police raid, the man responsible for bringing the children to Delhi, Sheikh Mubidul, was to be found not in hiding, but giving interviews to local TV stations, angrily denouncing the police action. "The children came from Madnipur District, West Bengal, and their parents sent them with me so they could learn how to work and get enough to eat," he said. "In their villages they have nothing, so we help them in this way." Asked if he thought is was wrong to condemn children to a life of labour at such a young age, he replied: "They have no food to eat, so they must work. What else can they do?" Where are my clothes manufactured? China? Part 2 | The Protagonist Where are my clothes manufactured? China? Part 2 Posted on by theprotagonist5 Earlier, I listed the countries where the clothes in my closet were made. I just took them out, went through them and logged them in a spreadsheet. Weird?

Yes, but after reading The World is Flat, and hearing daily about how China manufactures everything now from Toys (with lead) to Clothing (with low wage workers) to Cat Food (with rat poison) makes me curious about what I have bought, because like we found out when companies used to advertise “made in america” people don’t look at where things are made when they are shopping or buying. When the leading factor for deciding what to buy is always price, people only look at what they are getting and the price. Never the country where it was made. (unless you are my mother, she really does look at where things are made, just to exclaim that everything is cheap crap these days) So, I also wanted to post where stores I had bought clothing items at produced those pieces. Just to balance out the data and give more insight into what we buy. Admittedly I just shop at certain stores, and this is only a list of clothing that I currently wear, so a lot of stuff I no longer fit into isn’t on this list and a lot of winter stuff isn’t also. It is also a list of things primarily from the past 2 years.

There are assorted items from 3, 4 or 5 years ago, but most is from 2005 – 2007. Ann Taylor Loft: China, Hong Kong, Indonesia (2), Siapan (usa), Vietnam Anthropologie: Taiwan, USA, India GAP: Hong Kong (3), Phillipines H&M: Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Hong Kong, India, Turkey J Crew: USA, China, Hong Kong (2), Hungary, Malaysia, Turkey Kohl’s: USA, India Marshall Fields (now Macy’s):England, Honduras Nordstrom: India, China, USA, Hong Kong, Mexico (all these items were $50-100 dollars) Old Navy: Cambodia (2), China (3), Colombia, El Salvador (3), Indonesia, Mexico, Moldova, Peru, Phillippines (2), Turkey, Vietnam (everything from Old Navy was under $30, hello $8 T-Shirts) Target Cherokee: Bahrain Target Merona: China (2), Guatemala, UK Target Mossimo: Guatemala (3), Vietnam Victoria’s Secret: Mexico A few questions may come to mind after seeing these lists: Who counts all their clothes like this? Apparently someone who wants answers.

You shop discount stores but not WalMart? Yep, long before they got bad press for mistreating workers and offshoring US manufacturing, I always thought they just offered the cheapest stuff there was. I’m ok with nice looking but cheap and limited quality as a result, but not cheapest. That’s just junk. What does all this mean? I am not sure, but it looks like what is happening in China is really just a function of what is happening all over the world. And I predict that in 25 years there won’t be a cheap place to produce goods that hasn’t had economic development and has low wage workers. We will have developed it all, sold them cheeseburgers and shown them that you are not successful until you own a gas/oil burning car and they all buy them too. Hiring workers will be a lot more expensive everywhere and resources will be a lot more scarce. So we better get our fill of cheap stuff now. Because it is temporary. Rate this:

Question: Garments of which famous clothes label were found being made by child labour in India in October 2007?
Answer: Gap