Sweatshop labor: don't sweat it? Why aren't more people paying attention to this issue?

I’ve been inspired by a recent debate on the campus of the University of Maryland to discuss a hot topic not so much in the fashion world, but certainly in the commercial clothing market: sweatshop labor.

            First, a little background on the UMD issue, which has been around for a while but was raised again during the SGA elections earlier this month. Maryland administration is under fire from angry students after it was discovered that the supplier of Maryland spirit apparel (sweatshirts, shorts, t-shirts, etc.) sold by the Book Center and other university-run shops, makes their clothing in Honduran sweatshops promoting unfair labor practices. 1,800 workers for the successfully unionized Jerzees de Honduras factory will soon be jobless because Russell Athletics, the American company that runs their factory, has decided to close it down in a blatant effort to intimidate and discourage other sweatshop laborers who might consider unionizing. Russell Athletics has also been accused of trying to suppress organizing efforts and firing workers for unfair reasons. An opinions article from the Diamondback explains the issue in more depth. 

            My father works for a labor union (the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union), so I have always been a pretty strong supporter of unionization and workers’ rights. My family intentionally buys certain food products over others because we try to support unionized companies. I’m ashamed to say, however, that I have never given much thought to whether the clothing I buy is sweatshop free.

            In an effort to find out more about popular clothing companies and their involvement in unfair labor practices, I did a cursory internet search and found it difficult to discover much, probably because companies understandably don’t want this kind of negative information out in the open. After a little more in-depth searching, I found www.sweatfree.org, a website that seeks to improve working conditions worldwide and assist workers trying to unionize. Their annual “Sweatshop Hall of Shame” awards listed some major companies that I have unfortunately purchased clothes from before: American Eagle Outfitters, Cintas, Dickies, Disney, Guess, Hanes, New Era, Speedo, Tommy Hilfiger, and Walmart. Gap was also found to use child labor in their factories in India.

            Other than the lack of information available to consumers about clothing companies’ labor practices, I think another problem is that it is difficult to find alternative clothing companies that manufacture stylish and affordable clothing. Even companies such as H&M, which claim to be devoted to fair labor, have been accused of underpaying workers and other unfair practices. Students for Labor Justice, a group at MIT, list some sweatshop-free companies, but the only one that I had heard of was American Apparel. I will continue to research popular clothing companies and try to compile my own list, because I think that consumers could really use such a resource. Until then, I guess I’ll have to stop shopping at American Eagle – a shame, since it’s one of my favorite stores!