While all the top shops are hitching onto the Gatsby trend in their ads, this morning I’m shocked to find out that only ONE American manufacturer has signed onto a safety pact for garment workers around the world. And which company would that be? Not Gap, not Walmart, somebody I never heard of – PVH
“PVH, the parent company of Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Izod, announced it would sign the deal, an expanded version of a proposal that PVH had already signed. The new plan lasts five years, while the previous one was to last only two. PVH also announced on Monday that it would contribute $2.5 million to underwrite factory safety improvements as part of the new plan.” http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/retail-biggies-safety-pact-in-bangladesh/article4716342.ece
In Bangladesh, the Rana Plaza disaster has finally galvanized world-wide pressure on huge chains, like H&M a Swedish company, to improve woking conditions. But once again, our big brands are standing apart from the collective consciousness. We must look like such bullies to our planet, like we did when we refused to sign the Kyoto Agreement.http://www.climate-concern.com/Kyoto%20Agreement.htm
I don’t know about you, but I’m going to boycott the Gap, and Walmart lost my trust ages ago…and I’d like you to think. When you shop for clothes, remember the “blood diamonds.” Think about the conditions that women are working in, for it is mostly women and sometimes children in these factories. Think about the 19 year old seamstress, Reshma Begum, who was found alive after 17 days in her factory’s tomb.
MountainMornings 