I’m not a great fan of clothes shopping- unless there is a
good chance of picking up a good bargain- and trying to live a little more
ethically has complicated matters further. On Friday I had that most awkward of
jobs of buying trainers. Until Howies do trainers, the best alternative is (guaranteed sweatshop-free) New Balance, but they’re not really my thing. Instead my principle has simply
been avoid Nike, naughty, naughty Nike! I decided to invest in a rather trendy
pair of Fila and yes, they were a bargain so I was especially happy.
Yesterday Oxfam published the findings of their year long investigation into sports clothing manufacturers. Their findings…
"FILA was bottom of the league and had failed to address serious labour abuses in its supply chain. In one case, a FILA sport shoe supplier in Indonesia with an appalling record of worker abuse closed suddenly and without warning. A year later, none of its 3,500 workers have received any back-pay or severance pay. FILA refuses to reveal its role in the closure or take responsibility for the workers.
"Reebok has done the most to uphold sportswear workers' rights in Asia, while other big brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma and Asics have improved over the past year.
My cock-up has highlighted for me what a minefield ethical consumerism is, but I guess I'll know better next time!
Comments