April's Tag-Cutting Campaign

WE VE GOT JUST THE TICKET!

Now that you own that fine piece of apparel manufactured in less-than-desirable conditions, you are a valued and catered-to customer. And only you can use your consumer dollars to provide a better lifestyle for those who manufacture your clothes.

About 80% of workers producing apparel for American retailers work under conditions that systematically violate national and international law. Because they re drawn from demographics that are easy to take advantage of (poverty-stricken, women, children, immigrants, and those in undemocratic nations), they have little recourse. And because losing the jobs through intimidation tactics or well-meant international boycotts is an even worse prospect, many keep silent.

This is where you can help.

American garment retailers will tell you they don t have the ability to determine wages and conditions in each subcontracted factory. This is true but they can require that every factory allow unions and outside inspections at any time. In this way, the workers themselves are responsible for and capable of self-advocacy, working toward a better future. Right now, we are FAR from that goal: many companies refuse to even reveal the locations of their manufacturers. For example, Nike, which claims that it wants to move beyond compliance to develop, invest, and build capacity to improve the workplace, workers lives and the community, refuses to reveal the locations of all of its factories. And when the PT Doson factory (which produces exclusively Nike products) in Indonesia developed a union last year, Nike pulled its orders, the factory shut down, and the workers left with nothing. (from Oxfam, January 2003)

We are collecting tags from the GAP, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Tommy Hilfiger, J. Crew, and Abercrombie and Fitch. Drop-offs and more information can be found with the tag boxes, or with the links below.

À? 2002 Dartmouth College Greens