Why does it matter where my clothes come from?

To stay competitive, large companies contract out to manufacturers all over the world to buy at the lowest possible costs. This race to find the lowest prices often ends in horrible working conditions for factory workers who make our clothing, both in other countries, and even right here in the United States.

Until recently, many companies have not even tracked the factories in which their clothing is made, and they are only just beginning to monitor working conditions. Many factories still go un-inspected and are in serious violation of labor standards.

The following labor violations are common in garment factories around the world:

• Low wages. Wages for garment workers are notoriously low and are often under the minimum wage for the country.
• Forced overtime. Many workers are forced to work overtime for no extra pay.
• Unsafe working conditions. Workers often breathe toxic fumes, handle carcinogenic materials, and operate machines with no safety mechanisms.
• Unfair and exploitative practices. Workers are often locked inside factories and not allowed to use the bathrooms.
• Discrimination. Women may be forced to take contraceptives or they may be fired if they become pregnant.
• Disciplinary abuse. Supervisors verbally, physically, and sexually abuse workers.
• Child labor. Children and teenagers work in these conditions for long hours.
• No organizing or collective bargaining. Workers who try to organize to improve conditions and wages are often fired and blacklisted for other employment. Moreover, they may be threatened with violence for daring to speak out.

Factories where workers are subject to extreme exploitation, such as the conditions described above, are known as sweatshops. It is estimated that half of the clothing sold in the United States is made in sweatshops that compromise workers’ rights, livelihoods, and safety.

What can I do about sweatshops?

• Help us to get student groups at MIT to commit to buying sweat-free t-shirts. By supporting “sweat-free” companies with large t-shirt, sweatshirt, and cap orders, you can really give these fledgling enterprises a boost. If companies like these succeed, it will show the larger clothing companies that working conditions are important to consumers like us!
• Buy sweatshop-free clothing for yourself. The “sweat-free” apparel companies listed below are committed to ensuring good working conditions for the people who make their clothing. Support these companies with your buying power, and spread the word about them to your friends.
• Educate yourself about the issues. Get online and do some research. The websites listed above are a great place to start.
• Get involved in campaigns against sweatshops. Many of the organizations listed on the previous page have campaigns and are taking action on sweatshop issues. Get involved, and make something happen!
• Tell your friends. Spread the word and raise awareness about these issues. Most people don’t realize that there is anything wrong with the clothes they are wearing. Let them know about the problems in the garment industry and the actions they can take to make things better!

What steps have MIT students taken to address sweatshop abuses?

• Last year, United Trauma Relief (http://web.mit.edu/utr/www/) convinced MIT to take measures to ensure that workers producing MIT-licensed apparel are not abused under “sweatshop” conditions. MIT joined the Fair Labor Association (FLA) and the Worker's Rights Consortium (WRC) and adopted a code of conduct to protect workers rights.
• Two MIT students created a website about Sweatshops in Today's World that has good background information on sweatshops and a retail survey on area clothing stores. Check it out at http://web.mit.edu/abw/www/sweatshopping/.
• A couple of years ago, when Nike was offering to “personalize” shoes with a “NikeID,” an MIT graduate student requested the word “sweatshop.” Nike refused to make the shoes, but the student did get an interview on the Today Show. The transcript of the conversation is online at: http://www.globalexchange.org/economy/corporations/nike/today022801.html

Where can my student group buy “clean” t-shirts and other clothing? Where can I buy “clean” clothes for myself?

The Clean Clothes Connection is a working on a list of sweat-free clothing companies. More information on the definition of “clean” clothing can be found on their website, as can a database of clothing factories meeting their criteria. The following companies are included in their database now, but check the website for updates, for a wider variety of “clean” clothing options, or to suggest companies that should be included on their site!

• SweatX is a unionized, worker-owned cut and sew shop in Los Angeles. They sell retail clothing online at www.sweatx.net. Contact them directly about wholesale orders at 1-866-4SweatX.
• American Apparel makes “sweatshop free” t-shirts at their factory in Los Angeles. They sell a wide variety of retail clothing online at www.americanapparel.net. Contact them about large orders at pat@americanapparel.net or at 1-213-488-0226 ext 502.
• No Sweat Apparel is based right here in the Boston area and sells garments made in unionized factories and co-ops in the United States and around the world. They also sell organic tees for wholesale orders of 700 or more. Check out their website - www.nosweatapparel.org - for retail orders. Contact them directly about wholesale orders at wholesale@nosweatapparel.com.
• Kumba Clothing sells organic cotton t-shirts and sweatshirts. For an extra dollar an item, you can buy t-shirts manufactured in a unionized factory. More information is available on their website at www.kumbaclothing.com. Contact them at sales@kumbaclothing.com or at 1-800-349-3090.
• Maggies Clean Clothes in Ann Arbor, MI sells organic cotton clothing and ensures their clothing is not made in sweatshops by requiring full disclosure on working conditions and by making on-site visits. They sell retail clothing on their website at www.organicclothes.org. Contact them at maggies@organicclothes.com or (800) 609-8593.
• Cooperativa Maquiladora Mujeres de Nueva Vida, Internacional is a worker owned women’s sewing cooperative in Nueva Vida, Nicaragua. They sell printable cotton and organic t-shirts and supply Maggie’s Clean Clothes (above). Contact them at jhc@ns.sdnnic.org.ni. There is a great story and video clip about the co-op at http://www.organicclothes.com/pages-story/nicaragua.html.
• UNITE (Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees) also has a list of union suppliers at http://www.uniteunion.org/unionlabel/promo.cfm. Some of the companies are in the Clean Clothes Campaign database as well. Shirt suppliers on the UNITE list include:
  Crystal Springs Apparel, Crystal Springs, MS, 800-633-4635, www.csapparel.com
  Lifewear Inc., Pottstown, PA, 610-327-9938, lifewear99@aol.com
  MWG Apparel Corp., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 204-774-2561, www.mwgapparel.com
  Plains T Shirt, Plains, PA, 800-634-2602, plainsts@aol.com, www.plainstshirt.com
  Tennessee-Kentucky District UNITE, Knoxville, TN, 865-525-2018, Attention: Brenda Tipton
  Tinnin Garment Co., Frederickstown, MO, 573-783-3331
  Windjammer, Bangor, PA, 800-441-6958

• Justice Clothing sells union-made and sweat-free apparel.