Would you buy cheap child-sweatshop made clothes? Poll results/discussion

rach.23

No, no, Please don't pre-judge!
If we do not buy, they do not get paid, and often these workers- no matter how old, need any money they can get to survive. So even though I do not believe in child labour or low paid work, Something is better than nothing!

leonie08

Sarahsaver wrote: »

Well, the AND...is that i am sure some people would shy away from admitting such, and some people will say they are going to avoid it from now on.
Very difficult to avoid.
Like previous posters have said just because something is at the 'higher end' of the high street does not mean it will be made by someone on a 'decent wage'.
i do not need any new clothes and hopefully i will not need any when I come to the end of the pregnancy, I will get back to the size I was before which i always managed before.
There is so much people would find 'unethical' or distasteful in all sectors of commerce. but few people who are shocked by child labour in the clothing industry would look into the background of absolutely every product they buy.
once i managed to live for a couple of years or thereabouts without buying anything from large multinational companies. It can be done but it is a whole life thing, not just about clothing but your whole consumption, everything from banking and insurance products to electrical goods.

Of course it's not just about clothes, I didn't say it was. I'm feeling drained from arguing on here.

There are ethical alternatives to almost everything. It's not easy to change everything at once.. but this doesn't mean we should put our fingers in our ears because it's easier

Small changes in our lifestyles make a big difference. You can't argue with that

little_acorn_2

I'm amazed that 'money savers' are citing the credit crunch as a reason to continue shopping at places like Primark. For heaven's sake get your priorities right and just stop buying new clothes!

Sorry this reply didn't post where I expected it to and doesn't really contribute to this thread!

mimie

JuliaJolie wrote: »

mimie wrote: »

Which rugs, exactly? My parents have tightly-woven rugs shipped from family overseas. They're made by local merchants (not by their children).[/quot

http://www.anti-slaverysociety.addr.com/carpets.htm


"For loom owners, children are accessible, easily exploited, and very cheap (if not free). According to Anti-Slavery International and the Bonded Liberation Front, India's hand-knotted carpet-making industry accounts for roughly 300,000 child slaves.17 Slavery is also rampant in the carpet industries of several neighboring countries. Pakistan has at least 300,000 child slaves working on its looms, and Nepal has anywhere from 100,000 to 200,000 child slaves making carpets. In fact, within these three countries alone, there are likely to be at least one million children producing two-thirds of the world's supply of carpets.18"

"Looms are usually one or two to a small village hut, which is little more than 12 feet by 9 feet with mud walls. The huts are poorly lit, with tiny windows heavily barred against thieves and a thick pane of glass or polythene in the roof as the main light source.24 Children must work for 12 to 18 hours a day, seven days a week, without breaks. Owners allow them to sleep for very few hours and often chain them to their looms.
In such terrible conditions, children suffer from deteriorated eyesight; lung disease and tuberculosis from inhaling the wool particles; other communicable illnesses such as fever, stomach problems, and typhoid; chronic kidney and liver problems; deformation of the back and limbs; and malnutrition (many children are underweight, of a smaller height in proportion to their age, and have dental problems).
Children are also beaten and tortured. Loom masters will often beat them with a bamboo staff or other heavy objects if they work too slowly, make a weaving mistake, or cry for their parents. Some children are branded with hot irons. If they cut their fingers (which happens very often on the sharp cutting tools) the loom masters are known to shave match heads into the cut and set the sulfur on fire so that blood will not stain the carpet. Sometimes slaves are hung upside down from trees and poked with cigarettes. Others are killed for attempting to escape.
Many of these children have been working since the age of four or five. By the time they reach adulthood, they may be chronically ill or irrevocably deformed. They will simply be replaced and displaced once they have passed the age of productivity and efficiency - i.e., profitability. Most are likely to be dead by the age of 50 even if they are fortunate enough to survive their enslavement."


http://www.hrw.org/children/labor.htm


The above was an extract from a report availiable at the above link.. exploitation is not just by primark selling the masses £3 t shirts..but real explotation is by the big sharks making big money..from car parts in brazil..cotton growing in Egypt and even in America!! things that REALLY effect the world economy and make the rich richer and the poor poorer....and to show us that they care !!..propganda programmes on primark and the likes are made !! To be honest I doubt that if primark totaly shuts down..it would make any difference in the world economy or abolition of modern age slavery.Primark is a very very insignificant drop in the occean.

Having said that dont condone primark using child labour, and I think its disgusting that they pulled out of the community..instead of eduacting and bettering people who dont know better.

leonie08

mimie wrote: »

JuliaJolie wrote: »

mimie wrote: »

Which rugs, exactly? My parents have tightly-woven rugs shipped from family overseas. They're made by local merchants (not by their children).[/quot

http://www.anti-slaverysociety.addr.com/carpets.htm


"For loom owners, children are accessible, easily exploited, and very cheap (if not free). According to Anti-Slavery International and the Bonded Liberation Front, India's hand-knotted carpet-making industry accounts for roughly 300,000 child slaves.17 Slavery is also rampant in the carpet industries of several neighboring countries. Pakistan has at least 300,000 child slaves working on its looms, and Nepal has anywhere from 100,000 to 200,000 child slaves making carpets. In fact, within these three countries alone, there are likely to be at least one million children producing two-thirds of the world's supply of carpets.18"

"Looms are usually one or two to a small village hut, which is little more than 12 feet by 9 feet with mud walls. The huts are poorly lit, with tiny windows heavily barred against thieves and a thick pane of glass or polythene in the roof as the main light source.24 Children must work for 12 to 18 hours a day, seven days a week, without breaks. Owners allow them to sleep for very few hours and often chain them to their looms.
In such terrible conditions, children suffer from deteriorated eyesight; lung disease and tuberculosis from inhaling the wool particles; other communicable illnesses such as fever, stomach problems, and typhoid; chronic kidney and liver problems; deformation of the back and limbs; and malnutrition (many children are underweight, of a smaller height in proportion to their age, and have dental problems).
Children are also beaten and tortured. Loom masters will often beat them with a bamboo staff or other heavy objects if they work too slowly, make a weaving mistake, or cry for their parents. Some children are branded with hot irons. If they cut their fingers (which happens very often on the sharp cutting tools) the loom masters are known to shave match heads into the cut and set the sulfur on fire so that blood will not stain the carpet. Sometimes slaves are hung upside down from trees and poked with cigarettes. Others are killed for attempting to escape.
Many of these children have been working since the age of four or five. By the time they reach adulthood, they may be chronically ill or irrevocably deformed. They will simply be replaced and displaced once they have passed the age of productivity and efficiency - i.e., profitability. Most are likely to be dead by the age of 50 even if they are fortunate enough to survive their enslavement."


http://www.hrw.org/children/labor.htm


The above was an extract from a report availiable at the above link.. exploitation is not just by primark selling the masses £3 t shirts..but real explotation is by the big sharks making big money..from car parts in brazil..cotton growing in Egypt and even in America!! things that REALLY effect the world economy and make the rich richer and the poor poorer....and to show us that they care !!..propganda programmes on primark and the likes are made !! To be honest I doubt that if primark totaly shuts down..it would make any difference in the world economy or abolition of modern age slavery.Primark is a very very insignificant drop in the occean.

Having said that dont condone primark using child labour, and I think its disgusting that they pulled out of the community..instead of eduacting and bettering people who dont know better.

We know there is exploitation at a worse level. What's wrong with buying Fair Trade instead ? ? ? ? If nothing else, it's sending a message to everyone that we want better standards and we care. This is a good thing.. it is also a good thing that we have access to information and we know where things come from and how they are made.

Sarahsaver

I wasn't aware that i was arguing with you or putting my fingers in my ears!

Good point Little Acorn re. the credit crunch and why don't people just stop buying new stuff;)

leonie08

I'm sorry Sarah. It was unfair of me to put the comment "I'm feeling drained from arguing on here" in the same post as a quote originally posted by you. Of course you are not arguing with me and I was not referring to yourself personally whith the "fingers, ears" comment

I do feel extremely passionate about these issues (especially since becoming a mother to my two little girls) and I'm all for naming and shaming these companies who exploit people because they can get away with it.

Cloudane

Lots of moral high ground being trodden here (not aimed at any specific individual), but let's not forget that whilst we should do what we can to get the message across* to the companies making this stuff, most of the scumminess lies with them in the first place, not us. If you were to ask any sane person "would you like cheaper clothes if it means a child slave in an under-developed country makes them for you?" the answer would be a resounding No!

But the companies rely on our ignorance. I'm willing to bet that almost all clothes are made this way, and the likes of Primark are just the ones who got caught in the act. They continue giving us the perception of them being a nice kind hearted brand, and accept the extra money for bigger cars and mansions whilst keeping the labour pay constant. The greedy ones are the ones driving around in Ferraris at the direct expense of child slaves, not so much us.

* So how do we as consumers get the message across? Make Fairtrade popular. I'm certainly going to be buying more of it. If there's demand, they'll supply it!

In my opinion just boycotting everyone won't work as it doesn't send any specific message (unless perhaps you're writing to them explaining why you're boycotting) - all they notice is their profits drop, so they find cheaper slaves.

Buying Fairtrade however seems to send the message of "yes I do want to do business with these people, rather than only ever buying British and letting them fall into prostitution and wandering the streets, but give them a better deal". If everyone prefers it... bam, it becomes popular!

Grangran_2

Most of us have far too many clothes and would spend less money if we were more selective. Bargains are appealing but not at the cost of other peoples' livelihoods. Fair Trade items can be a bit more expensive but if we buy less, we will save overall. I am a great believer in Fair Trade and it is wonderful to see how more and more people are recognising the FT logo and are shifting their buying to more and more FT items.
:T

mshappy

I think people are forgetting that the factorys where the children were working were subcontracted.