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

geri1965_2

Edinburghlass wrote: »

I watched part of a programme on BBC3 or 4 late one night where some UK youngsters actually went to work in some of these factories although I don't think it was China probably India. The rules they had to work to, for me as a foreigner watching was pretty daunting and quickly reduced these kids to tears trying to adapt to the strict rules.

Blood Sweat & T-Shirts - I saw that as well, it was actually very shocking.

I was a little confused about the recommendations being made by War on Want - not to boycott clothes from India, because that would be disastrous for the workers, but to be a bit more discerning seemed to be the general gist of it. Which is fine, in theory, but how can you be discerning when you don't know what conditions the clothes were made under? It's easy to avoid the very cheap clothes (and I don't tend to shop in Primark anyway, I'm more of a Debenhams/M&S type person) but you can't be certain about what goes on at their factories either.

emmy05

im not a primark fan, but isnt this the same of most of these clothes companies, not so long ago, this was about tesco .............

lynzpower

totally with you Geri.

Many M&S items these days are fairtraded, and at 6.00 for ladies tops there really isnt much in it between reasonably ethically traded, and exploitative.

It bothers me that on the programme last night,when the girl was shown the child labour that had gone into making the garments, that the guy goes "would you still wear this knowing whos made it, or will it stay unused in your drawer" practically encouraging her to waste the item ( wait until it becomes dated in your drawer then throw it in the bin!) Ive had some items from these sort of budget places, and some HAVE lasted remarkably well. What better way to treat your belongings than to use them responsibly and not to waste!!

Dont think by buying French connection, ralph lauren or any other big name you remove illegal labour - course you dont. the workers ar paid the same carp money no matter which labels they have to stick inside.

I dont disaagree with child labour in general, I was a child that worked, I want the options for my kids to work too, eg paper rounds, sat jobs, limited hours around school work etc. It is tremendously beneficial that kids work .

The issue made on last nights programme was that the top retailed at 7 quid, the pieceworker got like 20p. So theres a massive profit margin, on top of this the multiproducers want paying. If Primark gave the peiceworker 2.00 per garment made, it would not be seen as poverty pay at all! Its the profit margins inbetween that are the exploiter, not the work!

cherrylips_2

I totally agree with lynzpower that where possible we should buy fairtraded clothes, I think even Tesco are doing some very cheaply now. Charity shops are also a great option environmentally and ethically as the money you pay goes direct to needy people and the product is not landfilled.
I also agree that it's hard to know which retailers are better than others as the problem probably is endemic and, for me too, the issue is not children earning (starving, begging or prostitution would be far worse) but the percentage paid to the pieceworker.
However, I think the most powerful way we can show ALL retailers that the practise of exploitating the most vulnerable workers with pitiful pay and conditions is to boycott when we do hear of these stories coming out. You can be sure all eyes are on Primark's prfits at the moment and if they see that these dip (even short term) as a result of the story, it sends them the most powerful message that this is not the way we want to shop. They might then look at their own practices before they too get rumbled.

drandall

bryanb wrote: »

You left out the view that these kids may be orphans in a society that has no social benefits, and maybe this is the only way for them to survive.

I am so pleased to see someone else asking this, my concern is that if we collectively do stop - what happens to the workforce - $11 is $11 more than they'll get on the streets. But please don't take me as an apologist for the way some of these children are treated, it is not acceptable and the real answer is for governments to enforce their own child labour laws which so often exist only on paper.


David

susan1

Barneysmom wrote: »

The nearest I can get to answer this one is 'I'll never shop there again'.
But I don't shop there anyway, it's cheap and it shows. I went in to have a look and some things had buttons hanging off, threads loose.
You might be able to buy a shirt from a supermarket for £3-4 but you can see straight through it, the fabric is so thin. Ok if you like displaying your bra but not for me.
I prefer second hand from charity shops.
I wonder why there are no big mills over here in Britain any more, it's time (and I wish I could do it) that some were opened.

agreed, i usually buy good quality clothes from charity shops and e-bay.bought a helly hanson winter jacket recently, i did feel slightly guilty as they obviously hadn't a clue that they cost neary£200 new and it was nearly new.

frugallass

bryanb wrote: »

You left out the view that these kids may be orphans in a society that has no social benefits, and maybe this is the only way for them to survive.

I agree with this statement too.......

the subject I'm concerned about in the current credit crunch is me and my family

MORPH3US

From my POV, just as I would love to buy free-range chicken and organic veg, I would love to buy ethically produced clothes, but I simply cannot afford it.....

So i'm affraid that I will continue to buy from Primark.

To be fair to them though, they have taken action on this anyway so good on them.

teddyco

I think we should fix the problems in THIS country before we start trying to fix problems in other nations!

DKLS

Boycotting Priomark will nothing to improve child welfare in India, Its all too easy to sit in the west and moralise about conditions over there.

In reality many Indian families rely on the meagre income that their childs labour can bring in to the household, taking that away from them can only lead to hungry bellies.