What about the fact that if it wasn't for those factories, those people would have no jobs, they would be in a much worse condition, and would end up doing prostitution, crime, or starving to death! Factories that relocate into third world countries are necessary for the developement of those countries, altough it seems unfair to us. At one time in our history we had child labour and these so called sweat shops. It's part of a country's development and is necessary; it is people that cause corporations to back away from countries like Pakistan and leave many of the people jobless!

Okay, I agree that without these factories they wouldn't have any job at all. So why not provide them with better conditions to work in and a better wage? Companies like Nike have enough money to do this.

Semi's comments, while many people have argued the same, are not the most informed. "If it wasn't for those factories, those people would have no jobs". First of all, many of these multi-nationals make billions a year. A few years ago, Wal-Mart made 250 billion dollars in a year and yet paid less than 50 cents an hour. How do you justify that? Yes, while they do have jobs, many get assaulted, beaten, sleep-deprived, over-worked and sometimes killed for opposing these conditions.

Why are people so sympathetic for companies? I understand that many of us are numbed to these issues but to sympathize for these billion dollar companies is ridiculous. I challenge Semi to simply imagine for two minutes what it would be like to work a fourteen hour day while being assaulted and having to shut your mouth and see if you'd still be saying, "it's part of a country's development and is necessary".

They suck! How would you like it if you were being paid about 4 cents an hour and working 18 hours a day?! Just give them the money! I'm sure the companies aren't going to go broke from this! Multi-million dollar corporations can't "afford" to give people money (and a reasonable amount) to make their clothes. If it weren't for those people we wouldn't have those clothes! So stick that in your pipe and smoke it!

I don't see the point in making low paid workers and child laborers make products for such a low pay and a long, long day of work. I think it is truly sickening that the managers at the top of the company don't care about their workers and make millions from it!

Well... lets see... these people would have less if it weren't for the sweatshops but yet again I TOTALLY think that the companies and CEOs could spare like one dollar out of their pockets to pay these people, who need it a lot more than they do, a decent wage and let them go to the bathroom for goodness sakes... it's inhumane what you do!

Although sweat shops are horrible, the people who work in them have no choice. Since they don't have a choice, companies like Nike and Gap should pay them better wages...but, these companies don't think of them as people but as working machines. Sweatshops are horrible, but you can't do anything about them because they won't stop...with no money people will be left homeless and starving; with sweatshops they'll have AT LEAST 28 cents.

It is NEVER ok to exploit people. These huge corporations surely have money to spare to give people decent wages. Paying underwage is NOT going to help a country develop. After all, they are not working for their country. They are working for the filthy rich USA. I suggest boycotting these stores; an excellent alternative is American Apparel. Check it out.

I bet you Semi is an American, because according to the Washington Post, the average American makes up to as little as 91 points in the IQ test. Ok Semi... lets see if you can get this in your brain:

HIGHER WAGES!!!

It is not about whether the people would be better off without the companies there. It is like saying that somebody got raped, but hey, it is ok, at least she didn't get killed... that is just stupid.

We live in the 21st century, where technology is at such an advanced state that we should be laughing at the idea that somebody has to struggle to survive. As if you say... your country went through a stage where they had the same conditions as developing countries today... news flash, that was probably centuries ago.

So next time you answer or try to comment on anything... just use your brain, ok?

I can't imagine why this article was published, as it contains no news that has not been public for years, and offers no editorial value beyond an uninformed, childish perspective.

That aside, many of those who commented missed the most important part of this issue. Worker abuse and insane profit margins are bad enough, but what most people fail to realize is that every single job that Nike, Gap, and Dell outsource to Bangladesh means one more American that will be without a job.

From inside high school, future opportunities seem endless, but the fact remains that the number of available jobs is dropping faster than you can imagine. Now, it's easy to say "I'm going to college, that doesn't apply to me," but you're going to find a big surprise when you enter the real world.

I'm sure it feels better to try to improve conditions in overseas factories, but at this rate, its only a matter of time before the economy completely collapses on itself and you'll be eating those designer jeans for survival.

Semi, you´re an idiot. You think that the multi-national corporations bring "development" to the third world? That is false. They only develop their own checkbooks and leave more inequality and problems in the third world. None of the money made from the products Nike sells goes into building the infrastructure, government or society of the countries in which their sweat shops exist. Think about what you're saying.

I'm part of a group at school called the Student World Alliance. We raise money to help the unfortunate through NGOs, and also raise awareness of issues such as child labour. Let's all tell others the dirty truth about child trafficking...

Issues like these make me really sad...

"Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God" -said by the founder of World Vision

I am able to see both sides of the spectrum.

Of course it's horrible that these poor people are being treated like this, but they do need jobs. If the companies who are committing these horrible wrong-doings would only follow the laws that are in place, we would not have to worry about this. They need jobs, but they don't need to be treated like this.

Hey bud, you go work in a sweatshop and see how it is.

I personally think, as many do, that sweat shops do no good to anyone. Companies should be boycotted and like Paulina said there are other great companies.

Only problem with this is that is impossible to get enough of Nike's customers to stop buying their products to truly make a change. Most people don't think about who made what they are about to buy and you'll always have the people seeking the "cool" clothes.

The companies using sweat shops should be placed all over the news, to try and get the word out, make people think about it. The more we exploit the companies the more likely it is they'll change. We must do more about it, rather than bash them.

Companies and anyone who says there is a good side to them being there is stupid. They are only avoiding paying decent wages. They won't change it either, that's the reason why they started, not to help people.

In response to Rupert, I think you are a little too hooked on the idea that outsourcing will be the fall of our economy. In actual fact, it could help.

Third world countries have lesser opportunity costs in working in the textile industry, so in that sense, they have a comparative advantage in the industry. Consequently, the U.S. must hold a comparative advantage in other industries (in most cases, slightly technologically-advanced ones). If the U.S. were to accept outsourcing and focus capital on developing those industries which we hold comparative advantages in, we could develop absolute advantages, which, in the long run, would most likely benefit our economy. It simply means diverting workers towards the industries we wish to develop, so funding would be necessary to educate them so they can transition smoothly and quickly into new industries.

Ultimately, such would result in specialization, which, generally, boosts national productivity and consequently per capita income and standards of living.

I'm completely against sweatshops from the humanitarian perspective, but trade is a good thing as it increases efficiency. Outsourcing can be favorable as long as we, as a nation, understand where we hold comparative advantage and direct capital towards developing those industries.

To say that sweatshops are a necessary factor for the development of a country is an asinine misconception, dear Semi. I'm not sure where you obtained your logic, maybe from an exerpt from Hitler's diary, I don't know.

Ignorant doesn't seem to be quite a strong enough word for it, though, Dayna, but since I can't think of another one to put in its place, it'll have to do.

Employing people to work long hours is one thing, but for 28 cents an hour (The Gap's sweatshop rates)and to not be able to take a leak, or get a bite to eat in between making 1000 pieces of clothing a day? Gee whiz, Semi, let's all work at sweatshops! We could all help the development of America!

Yeah, the Gap, Nike, Forever 21, not to mention the damn NBA (jerseys made in those "so called sweatshops"), all surely can't afford higher wages and better working conditions, oh no, they're only some of the most succesful clothing companies in the United frigging States. I bet you're a little rich kid, huh, Semi?

I'd like to talk to you in person about a few other political and economical ideas, but I'm afraid I might just feel it necessary to slap some HUMANITY into your narrow-minded brain. And please, write back, I'd love to hear more of your arguments...

If Nike were to take one percent of their yearly advertisment funds, then they could raise all of their Indonesian workers above the poverty line. The fact of the matter is they have the money to pay decent wages. They also don't need any advertisment because people stubbornly remain loyal to labels, and ignorant to the real world issues. Major companies look for the poor countries that have the majority of their country unemployed. In El Salvador the government is to afraid to make sweatshops illegal, because then the company will threaten to leave. Clothing companies find these places and use that as their benefit to underpay people. Heck, they're giving jobs to people who had nothing before. They are damaging the countries they make factories in. The government will never ask to pay their people what they deserve, people will still be in the streets, and children will be asked to work, while there are jobs open, thus destroying their chance of education. This creates a chain of people in a country with no education or hope towards a better life.

This entire sweatshop thing is such a vicious circle. People need money in much poorer countries so their children go and work in swetshops to earn a small amount of money (roughly £8 a week in a good week) but they have to pay for accomodation and food so their family don't get enough and are still poor so the more they charge, the more the kids work, the more they pay so their family is still poor. I hear about it and I feel sick and the worst part is that it can be stopped but it isn't. I know I'm only a kid but I know about this stuff and it makes me sick.

I don't think it's a good thing that they can do this to another living person, but if the people are happy to do this then there isn't much we can do.

We all comment on the unfair treatment of the sweatshop workers and I agree that some of them hate the conditions they are in, but what would they do without the jobs they have now? They have no qualifications and so would not earn a living. They are not getting paid enough I agree, but if they really really hated what they were doing, they would stop.

p.s. I think that they should pay the workers more, but not get rid of NIKE, GAP, etc...

Emma, these people aren't happy to do this! The majority of them are forced to do overtime, stand for hours upon end without breaks, are abused and assaulted by their managers... And I think we could do something about it if we tried!

As for Semi, We USED to have sweatshops and child labour, used to being the operative world. Do you think they stopped child labour for nothing? I agree with Willy Melano. Higher wages would probably improve these people's lives dramatically, and in a good way!

Some of you are totally sick in the head if you can find a way to justify the exploitation implemented on third world countries by TNCs. Sweat shops suck! The conditions are disgraceful and the pay is awful. The only people that benefit are the mega rich TNCs who exploit these people because they are selfish dimwits who only want to line their pockets. I think it's disgusting for anyone to say that without TNCs they'd be worse of. Saying, "At least it's money," is rubbish and saying, "If they're happy to do it, it's okay," is a degradation of the qualtity of these people's lives and it makes me sick. TNCs need to improve working conditions, improve pay, improve their attitude, and stop the child labor! We need to raise the awareness of what is happening in our world!

Sweatshops are the most horrid thing I've ever heard about!

Before you all condemn Nike, you should really read the company's policy. Several reports have been published of good working conditions for Nike factory workers. It's hard to guarantee working conditions in hundreds of factories around the world, especially when each country has such different labour laws. In fact, maybe it's the governments of these countries we should be more angered at for allowing their people to be treated so. You try running Nike and see if you can guarantee safety for people in third world countries. Also, Nike has improved tremendously over the past decade and maybe the information in this article is a little out of date.

I agree with Rupert. Yes, third world country sweatshop workers are taking jobs away from Americans, but if Corporate America can afford decent wages for their employees overseas, they should! It's not like they're losing that much money (compared to what they make per year)!

Also, if countries can make laws against sweatshops everywhere, people will be able to find jobs that will help make a living wage, because jobs surface themselves every so often and there are organizations out that help with this stuff, and US companies would have no reason to stay overseas when they have to pay the same amount there as here. So raising wages does both sides good. Good for the workers, good for the umemployed of America, and good for the people that still have jobs overseas (if the company decides to stay there). Not to mention, the CEOs will only have a tiny, tiny bit of their salary chipped off, and they might feel good about doing this for people; earn a title of being a life saver or get really good publicity for their company.

So sometimes there are win-win situations. It just takes a little more effort than not trying, or just complaining.

P.S. Semi, you must be a rich lil' snot, open your eyes! There are still people doing that for living; it's not just in the past! Those "developing" countries today, have been "developing" for the past hundreds of years! I don't think there's much progress; someone must be exploiting these poor people!

I just learned about sweatshops in social studies and i am totally against it. If you could really see the poor conditions that these people are working in you would stop buying the clothes because about 50p of what you buy goes towards the pay and general looking after of all of the staff in this sweatshop. They have three young girls in there that are all under age and the security are too dumb to realize that they are all underage working a really long shift. if you really had a heart then you would not buy Nike or Gap products.

ewwwwwwwwwwwww sweat shops are horrible i am doing a podcast on them and i think you should all listen to it

How dare they, sod nike! I'm not shopping there again. They make SO much money unfairly, they are selfish greedy, heartless pieces of crap and don't deserve ANY of it. Just think of the poor people just scraping enough money for themselves and having to work like hell, having no choice. SCREW NIKE!

I think there should not be any sweatshops. When you say sweatshops i think little kids around 5-10 in this factory making some stuff. I just don't think it's right. Their making stuff instead of going to school. Just not right . Sweatshops should be illegal.

yeah, I don't like the sweatshops and how they treat there workers! But oh well. At least we get nice stuff to wear.

there should be no more sweatshops

sweatshops are sick i mean how can you not let your workers go to the toilet because they have been given such a lage quota for the day! i dont agree with them one bit but actually where else are these people going to work? They have to make a living somehow. The companies that own the sweatshops obviously have the money to improve the conditions and to make thigs better for the people who work there but i guess they are just too greedy to see this...

let's not try to justify exploitation of our fellow human beings. whichever way you look at it it is really a horrible thing to have children working so many hours and at such horrendous conditions. what do they get out of it? pennies! and the corporations make so many millions a year from this practice! wtf is happening to the world! here in the Philippines you see poverty everywhere. ^it's really screwed up that many of our people are offering labor for dirt cheap, just enough to get them one meal a day. something is really wrong with the system that we're in. it's outrageous that you have people living that way.

That's where you're wrong, these countries never develop while their kept in finacial check by the so called developed world.

Okay, I know that it seems like a terrible thing. But how else are these starving third world people going to make a living??? Their government obviously does not care about them of they would not the US use them in our sweatshops. If it is so terrible to them...then their government should make it stop. There is nothing any of us can really do. I suppose their governments are making their share to keep quiet. Think about it!

How much do poeple get paid in sweatshops?

When I did a speech about this I wanted to cry. I was so sad to see what they do to these kids. I was shocked to see who did it too... its just wrong!

There is a simple Solution to all of these problems. Boycott Nike and GAP.

As couple of things I read on my way to here I think we should be angered the those countries governments for not doing anything. Of course most of these contries are as developed like the US. Alot of people are leaving comments like every country is exactly like ours and they are not. Those of you little snots that think oh well should live in those countries and see how much you like living on a dirt floor making 28 cents a day. Plus just because we would be angered with other contries governments for treating their people this way or just not doing anything about it doesn't mean we have to buy stuff from sweatshops. This maybe the only way these people get money but if nothing was done for those people than how will they be able to make more money. Especially if every person believes it is wrong and will ban the stores or products that are known to be made in sweatshops than maybe something wwill be done about it. We as Americans can not go to another country and expect them to change their laws but we can start in our own country by trying to make a stand and do something about it. Those who say oh well-go to www.hrw.org then childrens rights and child labor to read and get educated on the subject some more before you come back and say something to make yourself sound even dumber.

Me and Shannon are doing a power point on sweatshops and we both think it's wrong and should be stopped. BUT we really like this article. It's good for our not cards so kudos for the author.

stop sweatshops.

guess what i was so glad to find this article because i am doing a powerpoint presentation on sweatshops. You covered everything i was looking for. no worries i am not going to plagerize.

THANK YOU! ps kelly rocks.

The article seemed to illustrate an apathetic, naive American teenager, when actually many of us are VERY concerned about the welfare of others on a global level and take many precautions to contribute to a sweatshop free world. Thanks, the article was really good :)

wow tats all i haev to say because wer i come from all the kids wear nike and expensive clothing and before reading this i was one of them we need to make a change for the people who work endless hours for low pay but not only for them but for ourselves lets not be so blind and work together to make a change in the world

the way i see it is that yes sweatshops are bad & we might feel guilty for wearing the clothes that poor children make .. but if we didnt buy them then they dont get paid; if they dont make the clothes than they dont get money , yes they should have shorter hours & get more money . but if they dont make it someone else will & then someone will complain about that too . the is just not fair.

hi there i really have learnt alot from this rticle, we're studying this in Geogaphy as we're doing Global Fashion...personally i do think that this matter is really serious and important something ha to be done...we can do it, put a stop to it, if we all try...

I think this is a good page because this will help educate the people about the sweatshops. We should do something about this problem like buying from this brand of clothes there are other clothes outthere and way better thank you for your cooperation and attention

If people have so much to say and bash other people for what they have to say, then why dont they take the time to actually do something about it rather than talk about it in some sutpid forum. Why dont you actually bring it to the attention of people who actually care i.e. a orginization or something that can actually be done about it. With all the bad that has came out of these sweatshops good has came too. These companys that make multi-billions of dollars also give to the community as well. Phil Knight gave 40 million to U of O for their football stadium , and on top of that he also gave numerous amounts of money in scholrships and other charities and schools across the united states. And on top of that it isnt nike that owns these sweatshops, it is other private companys that nike affiliates with. And its not these multi billion companies giving these workers the pills or making them work crazy hours or anything like that. it is the company in which they are working for and that company is working for nike. Another thing, all of those who say that they don't buy or wear anything that is made from a sweatshop is a hypocrite. A majority of everything is made somewhere in a factory where these conditions take place. It may not be as public as these exapmles, and that is becuase those are not mulitbillion dollar companies that is not talked about everyday. All of this is pretty much just a media fixation. IF you so called people that really care. How would of you found out about it besides the media? You wouldn't if it wasnt for the media you wouldn't even know what was going on. You would keep going the way that you were going and you would still be buying what you were. I think that to let the media change your views and then bash other people for not having the same views as you is very hypocritical, because ironiclly you and they are the same, infact they are the same in just a different view.

If people have so much to say and bash other people for what they have to say, then why dont they take the time to actually do something about it rather than talk about it in some sutpid forum. Why dont you actually bring it to the attention of people who actually care i.e. a orginization or something that can actually be done about it. With all the bad that has came out of these sweatshops good has came too. These companys that make multi-billions of dollars also give to the community as well. Phil Knight gave 40 million to U of O for their football stadium , and on top of that he also gave numerous amounts of money in scholrships and other charities and schools across the united states. And on top of that it isnt nike that owns these sweatshops, it is other private companys that nike affiliates with. And its not these multi billion companies giving these workers the pills or making them work crazy hours or anything like that. it is the company in which they are working for and that company is working for nike. Another thing, all of those who say that they don't buy or wear anything that is made from a sweatshop is a hypocrite. A majority of everything is made somewhere in a factory where these conditions take place. It may not be as public as these exapmles, and that is becuase those are not mulitbillion dollar companies that is not talked about everyday. All of this is pretty much just a media fixation. IF you so called people that really care. How would of you found out about it besides the media? You wouldn't if it wasnt for the media you wouldn't even know what was going on. You would keep going the way that you were going and you would still be buying what you were. I think that to let the media change your views and then bash other people for not having the same views as you is very hypocritical, because ironiclly you and they are the same, infact they are the same in just a different view.

Dear Friends who all have posted their views here should know the below points too.

1/ Garment Industry is 100% people oriented each operation is important and each operation carries human work.

2/ This industry survives on the orders from USA OR EU.

3/ There are set standards for paying the price which is called in FOB , Yes i agree compare to RETAIL PRICE and FOB the workers are paid less than what they should get , BUT HOWEVER THE FACT ALL THE FACTORIES ARE BOUND TO FOLLOW THE COUNTRY LABOUR LAWS AND I AM SURE NO FACTORY BREAKS THAT CODE OF LAW.

4/WHEN YOU CAOMPARE ASIAN & us LABOUR LAWS THERE ARE DIFFERENCES THAT IS WHY ALL THESE FEELINGS COMES TO THAT ARE NOT PAID UP TO THE MARK " EVERYONE SHOULD UNDERSTAND IF A FACTORY EMPLOYS 100 PERSONS THAT IS A "FOOD FOR 300 PEOPLE"

5/ YES I AGREE HERE RETAIL CORPORATION SHOULD NOT ALLOW THEIR OFFICE TO PLACE THE ORDERS ON THESE SO CALLED DIRTY FACTORIES WHERE LABOURS ARE NOT TREATED WELL , THAT IS WHY THERE ARE COMPLIANCE TEAMS WHAT DOES THEY DO HERE IT IS QUESTION TO ASK??????????.

6/ IT DOES NOT MEAN IF THEY ARE PLACING ORDERS IN BIG FACTORIES THEY SHOULD NOT CHECK COMPLIANCE ISSUES " THEY SHOULD BECOS BIG FACTORIES HAVE DIFFERENT LOOP HOLES TOO.

7/COMPLIANCE DEPTT SHOULD VISIT FACTORIES WITH NOTIFYING THE FACTORIES , THE FACTORY SHOULD ONLY KNOW WHEN THEY ARRIVE ONLY THEN THE REALITY COME IN EXISTENCE.

8/ TODAYS WORLD NOT ONLY THE WORKERS EVEN THE STAFF IS SOMETIMES BOUND TO BE TREATED SHABBILY AND THE RESPONSBILTY LIES WITH THESE CORPORTAION TO OVERLOOK ON THIS.

9/YOU CAN SEE EVERTIME THE BIGGIES BECOME BIGGIES BY SUPRESSING THESE LABOURS AS WELL EMPLOYEES , IT IS LIKE MONKEY BUSINESS .

SK

This is terrible and we are doing nothing to help. WE NEED to do something!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks for your comments im doing an assignment on this at the moment and the article and your different points of veiw will help me so thank you

i think this exploitation is terrible btw xx

This has been very helpful, i'm doing a presentation on this for school. I chose the topic because I find it appauling and needs to be addressed and noticed by people of my age group.

this was very helpful to me studies and answered a lot of questions

this was really helpful when i was preparing for my debate

this is really helpful; i'm doing a study on this for school. i found out that there are over 100 sweatshops in Bangladesh and i'm trying to find the locations of those sweatshops.

as for what people said about thousands of people losing jobs if the law close the sweatshops...they shouldn't close the shops...i mean, kinda selfish to say this, but i'm a personal Nike fan...NIke sells jackets that are worth over hundreds of dollars, they have the money to provide better working conditions...

this has helped our assignment alot thank you.

Hey people well sweatshops still exsists but trying to abolish the comanies is not going to work and yes u can say im not shopping at nike or gap anymore but that wont do any good it is not the companies fault even thought it is there brand and therfore they should take care of thei sources but the solution tho tha problem would be if we all tried to change the laws. i know we cannot force or society and our norms upon others and that is not what i am asking everyone else to do but try to undersatnd that the only way to help these people is to improve their standard of living.

Nike is one of the largest, most popular, and most profitable shoe and clothing companies in the world. But the reality for many workers overseas making Nike shoes and clothing is far less rosy. Workers are paid wages insufficient to meet their basic needs. with such a minium wage these workers are just eating and clothing them selfes, they work to long of shifts which they have to battle with abuse, health and saftey hazards, and poor working conditions. what does this tell you.

I've been doin a project on this for school, i've red many statistiques and i just dont understand,, its the same things as the haulocaust for example,, i just dont understand how pple can be so hatefull,, ofcourse the companies can afford givin this pple more money to survive,, there billionaire for god sake! can they be any more selfish,, to bad we live in this fuken mest up cruel world and some pple are just not caring or fare,, i love some close they make to death like Nike, i have a cute gym bag, but take your reponsabilities and stop sayin your gonno do somethin! and just do it!! stop siting on your butt and making excuses, ther is nothing more important then peoples health, and thts what your taking away from them, your taking innocent pples lives who probably have awsome talents and can make somethin out of there life,,, thank you for reading this, it means much to me to know tht someone is lisenin to what is bugging the hell out me! <3<3

wel dis article has really opened my eyes bout dese companies! i\'m also a big brand name fan but com na man d sweatshop ting aint workin out! i mean human rights are dere 4 a reason. an RODA ABIB from ENGLAND u talkin level CRAP!!! somting cud be done about it an by ur continued support 2 dese companies just proves ur ignorance!! com com ppl doh make a TRINI ha 2 embarrass yall on d net now! i gone...STUEPS!!!

We all know that Christmas is just around the corner and big corporations have been making doe stacks these last few months. To be truthful wit everybody I rececently got a pair a Nike's myself and a hoodie from Old Navy and I like both of them. The thing is, everytime I buy a product the says it has been made in a third world country such as China or India I know that I contribute to someone's oppresion in a sweatshop somewhere on this planet. What I'm trying to say is that even though I do give these big corporations my money I also try to do something positive.I do this buy giving one pair of shoes I've already away or stopping myself from consistently getting something material I know I don't need, especially around this holiday season. So even though we're not perfect, myself included, we especially the youth can make a difference by simply not becoming victim to these fancy commercial ads and buying everything they're selling us. Taking baby steps such as these can overtime make a big impact and send a message to these big corporations even if they do refuse to listen.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS and God Bless.

Ever word documented in your article is true. But this is not ristricted to Garments industry only, it is happening in all industries. Mainly in the industries that are labor intensive, like the Footwear and the Toy industry. This is the fact of life and we have to face it till we live. At every place their is exploitation and this is not new, it had been there from past and will continue for ever. We tend to get carried away by saying boycot this and that, but at the end who is at the lose. From every corner it will be the weeker, who will suffer the most. I have seen the real picture of Sweatshops in mare that 1000 factories in India, Srilanka, Bangladesh, Paskistan, UAE, Jordan, Ethopia, Egypt, Madagascar and Mauriteous and have come to an understanding that in these sweatshops also a world thrives, family are made, kids get good and higher education. The sacrifice made by some today and paid up by their kids. We must be postive and see the brighter aspect of life. Lets be practical and let eveyone live the way they are destined to.

To those who tell themselves that they are supporting sweat shop stores because they are supporting an impoverished family: WAKE UP. You are not doing anyone a favor. The only one benefiting is the CEO sitting in his AC'd condo and driving his Hummer 3. Instead of saying the children that are being sexually abused should be grateful we should raise our voices and protest, support fair trade who deserve our money, make people aware of the situation and for heavens sake if you really have to much money give it to a charity that makes lives better using humane strategies. I am appalled at the apathy we have for other human beings, think of the children you love, and people dear to you. Grow some empathy, and perhaps my generation will be proud to inherit this world from you.

I will not support Nike any more. I will not buy any of Nikes products until they get rid of sweatshops. If the Nike company is reading this I hope you are, you should really think about all of the familys you are hurting.

sweat shops have always been an integral part of all developing countries, china has the most sweat shops and it boasts the highest economic growth in the history. The harder you work with minimum interruptions equates to maxiimum efficiency. human right's activists should just lay off and watch how business works.

keep makin them. i need some more.

Thanks for the info im doing a paper on this and it realllly came in handy for me. Peace :(

we all know this is happening we just don't do anything about it because these stores are already so famous and "cool", we gotta stick with the trend. :P but honestly, no teenagers i know really wear gap, SOME people wear nike but not that many, maybe like 20% of the school? maybe less. (shoes included, a lot chose vans, adidas, etc) most highschoolers are preppy people so they wear stuff like af, hollister, american eagle etc. it's important what THOSE stores are doing and if teenagers find out what THOSE stores are doing they might be more interested and take action. this article should be aimed at and should be talking about adults, not teens specifically.

i agree, companies like this have enough money to NOT use child labour or have sweat shops. why don't they make a couple hundred less each and have more humanity???

Don't turn a blind eye to this tyranny. Stop it NOW, to many people are ignorant to the facts. So you might think you cant make a difference on your own, but what about people like Mahatma Ghandi? Martin Luther King? 1 man, but they had an impact, I reckon saying that you aren't going to do a thing about it is pure ignorance and snootyness.

Hey, im doing a school project and we have beed studying Nike's sweatshops ect. I think it is horrible that these companies can afford to give a lot more to the people who do all the hard work, but they are just so selfish that they don't! All the CEO does is sit in a chair all day and he gets paid 7.6 million in just one year!!!!! and shame on you to all those people who say we cant do anything about improving the working conditions and pay for these sweatshop labourers. If everyone does their part and stops buying Nike and Gap products then the company will have to do something about it because they will have no profits! And hey, whats wrong with the silghtly cheaper pair of shoe if their workers are being treated properly and are atleast getting payed enough to have a comfortable life?

Im doing about nike and their sweat shops and I think its discusting that nike pay so little to their sweat shops, personily i think they should get paid alot more than they do!! Because if it wasnt for them they would have nothing at all. The nike People should be thankful that they aint complanin. >:[

hi yall i just loved jin's comment from dec. 07 and was wondering if anyone knows who he is or if he may be reading this. i found his thoughts insightful. these companies are ridiculous and something needs to be done. jin... i wanna talk to ya ;) jascholl_05@hotmail.com

OMG im doin a debate on how us teenagers care for the developing world n this really proves we do!!! bar a few!!!

if ye have a propensity to God's tenets thou shalt realize Nike is the work of the egregious Lucifer himself!If thou wottest to avoid the aforementioned decadence thou art obligated to purchase footwear from Adidas!

Change is possible. I glimpsed a few comments that indicated that change was impossible. I disagree. Why couldn't these third world countries be given techonology, supplies, and an overall better standard of living? The only reason is because people are too greedy.

i live in florida, and i am just a foreign exchange in norway. but when i get back, i am NEVER buying anything from walmart, gap, nike, kmart, sears or jcpenny. this is outrageous.

While learning about sweatshops in school we learnt about this people. They are unable to feed themselves properly and live a hand to mouth existance. I have stopped buying nike , gap and other brands which support sweatshops and am trying to spread awareness. If we all try, we can make a difference.

in my opinion, one person CAN make a difference if only they take the lead, anyone can do this, but we'd have to unite. Many of us are against this, its billions who are against sweatshops working conditions, but yet, many of us still shop in those stores and criticize these companies. Instead of sitting in our computers and complain about this subject, someone should be the leader, UNITE everyone who is against the conditions of labor and i swear WE WILL STOP THE SWEATSHOP CONDITIONS AND CHILD LABOR!

we just need a strong leader...

whats about the people in the country, trying to make nike

What we don't know is that would the workers be in a better condition without the sweatshops?

As i quote "In an article about a Nike sweatshop in Vietnam, Johan Norberg wrote, "But when I talk to a young Vietnamese woman, Tsi-Chi, at the factory, it is not the wages she is most happy about. Sure, she makes five times more than she did, she earns more than her husband, and she can now afford to build an extension to her house. But the most important thing, she says, is that she doesn't have to work outdoors on a farm any more... Farming means 10 to 14 hours a day in the burning sun or the intensive rain... The most persistent demand Nike hears from the workers is for an expansion of the factories so that their relatives can be offered a job as well."

The US has enforced laws to some sweatshops in southern Asia, and in return thousands of workers and children are set out workless and they have to turn to crime, prostitution, or starvation.

In a sweatshop in Honduras, the average apparel worker earns $13.10 each day, whilst 44% of the countries population lives on $2 a day.

We cannot judge their desicions based on our own, because we clearly live extremely different lives. If people would just look at it from both sides...

Even though large corporation take "advantage" and "exploit" these poor innocent third world nations by providing men, women and children with employment,capital, and a means to retain a livable life, why should we make them suffer for are greedy needs for expensive goods. Without the purchase of each good were put a family out of work, leading there stomachs to starvation and allowing them to salvage for food. Any "good" "honest" American would support the ideas of sweatshops, they improve our lives by supplying our needs and we provide a livable life. Not one we would accept, but one they desire.

Capitalism is provide by the grace of under developed nations, without them, there is no room for advancement in leading countries such as USA, UK, ETC. . . If American workers focus on consumer goods there would little progress in technology. In order to retain progress and advancement the little guys must be stepped on.

Sweatshop's need to STOP. Men, women, and children are going through harsh positions just to get a little bit of money to suport there family. I live in Alaska and we have sweatshops, we dont have many but we have them. People that are ok with this usally dont no what really happends,they let a 3yrs child start to work. And this is happing in AMERICA we are sapoze to be a free country, but i gess were not as free as i thought

U realy think that they desire that life style u should walk ten minutes in there shoes

As a reply to Loretta Chow, the article was posted in 2004 and back then the majority of High Schools were full of nike and Gap. The point isn't just these named brands and their sweat shops but all sweatshops. It's immoral for these people to only earn a small fraction of pay for the clothes and products that they assemble. Some of these people are raped and forced to work. Not all of these people want to work at these places.

this is ridiculous what the company is making thes epoor people do. yea thats all i want to say

I find it really sad that the people who work for these companies and just sell the clothes, or should I say just ringing them up, get paid up to $10/hr and the people doing the hard work of making them are being abused, assaulted, and basically CHEATED. What is even worse is that you can't just stop shopping at the places that use sweat shops because now every company does!

From what ive read from everyones comments i totally agree especially with Alexandras, annaimes, and even Gauss's, cool name by the way. But Mr. Remi you need to check your self. Please answer this question for me. How as a human being can you sit their at your computer and type that garbage. These already poor people are trying to work to provide for their families, thinking there going to get payment for there hard work. But no, they in reality get jipped out of alot of money, they get physically, and sexually herassed by there managers. And have to deal with long term physical and emotional scars. I am actually researching this subject for a report and found out something very "DISCUSTING". Anvil Ensembles is the leading factor in worker abuse. They were actually giving workers amphetamines to stay awake for 48 and 72 hours, about 3 days. Now tell me how can you put somebody through that, if you were a real person with a heart you could not.