Animals

I certainly didn't know this about Alternative Outfitters, so thank you for pointing it out. I assumed it really was sweatshop-free like the others--it was my intention to feature stores that were entirely animal-friendly and human-friendly. If you could provide some product examples or sources, that would be really helpful.

Well, I ordered a pair of shoes from there. At the time, their site said "sweatshop-free" from US and Canada. You will notice that it no longer says this on thr front page. At the time, I received the shoes with big "made in China" stickers on the bottoms. I wrote to them expressing my concern.

I received this reply:
"
Are the items you sell sweatshop-free? We believe that it is important that both animals and humans be treated with respect and compassion. We have spoken to all of the shoe companies that we work as well as many of our other suppliers. We have requested that our suppliers manufacturing outside of the United States and Canada supply us with signed documentation stating that their products are made under fair trade conditions and are not manufactured with child labor or under sweatshop conditions. Unfortunately we don't have the means to visit the manufacturing facilities ourselves, so we have to trust that they are being truthful in their statements. Again, we are really sorry about any confusion.  Most of the items we sell are made outside the US and we would never want to mislead our customers.  Please let me know where you read that so we can make sure to correct it.  Also, please feel free to give us a call or send us an email if you ever have any questions regarding specific items. "

Turns out the COMPANIES are US and Canada, but not he factories. And, to me, having people sign something about Chinese labor does nothing because the ethical standards there are very different than they are here- which is why people use cheap labor there. Also, companies like Nike- notorious for sweatshop labor- had people sign agreements as well. But they are still using sweatshops.

I never bought from them again. While the service was fast and good and the items are likely all vegan, they are mostly from poor countries and cheap labor. And, for a store that claims to be completely "cruelty free" that's not something I can handle. In my opinion, it's a flat-out lie to claim something is "sweatshop free" knowing that it comes from China and other sweatshop countries.

If you want real sweatshop free shoes, companies like No Sweat Apparel, Vegetarian Shoes, and Adbusters Blackspot shoes are the places to go. They will send you details of the payments, benefits, etc of the employees as well as images.

Any and all lists compiled for quick reference like this are much appreciated!! 

I'm requesting more posts that just list places to shop, products to buy, etc. etc. etc..

Definining "sweatshop-free" as products that are made in unionized facilities or worker-owned cooperatives where workers receive a fair wage, SweatFree Communities and International Labor Rights Forum have published the Shop with a Conscience Guide:
http://www.sweatfree.org/shoppingguide

Hi, Jackie here from Alternative Outfitters.  I usually just read the blogs written about us, but in this case I feel like I need to add our two cents.  I specifically remember the letter from Animalia Libero and I also remember that she misread an ad on our site. We had an ad on our site for our AO Activewear that was in fact sweatshop free (made by American Apparel) and we stated (in the ad) that those particular products were indeed sweatshop free.  When she wrote us and asked us about that particular claim, we responded by asking her where she read the claim. In her response to us, she realized that she misread the site and that it was for those particular items only (I still have her email). Unfortunately, now she is claiming that we deliberately tricked her and is implying that we also lied. 

"At the time, their site said "sweatshop-free" from US and Canada. You will notice that it no longer says this on thr front page."

"In my opinion, it's a flat-out lie to claim something is "sweatshop free" knowing that it comes from China and other sweatshop countries."
 
We never and will never make the claim that the imported items we sell are 100% sweatshop-free unless we are 100% sure they are.  Unfortunately we don't have the means to visit the manufacturing facilities ourselves, but we do require all our vendors, that manufacture outside the US and Canada, sign a Fair-Labor agreement with us. We are a very small company and are doing our best to offer fashionable leather-free shoes and accessories to our customers in the hopes that when they buy leather-free shoes from us, they are not buying real leather shoes elsewhere. We are not the only vegan store mentioned in the above post that sells imported items from China and other countries. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find fashionable shoes and other accessories not made in China and other countries where fair-labor can be an issue. It is obviously the choice of our customers to buy or not buy from us regarding our Fair-Labor policy, but I thought it was unfair of Animalia Libero to imply that we lie about the items we sell.

Jackie, none of the other stores claimed to be sweatshop free even though some of their items are from China. You did claim to be sweatshop free (whether or not it said 100%), even though your site now says "Fair labor agreement" so I guess that has changed. The fact is that the majority of the items on your site come from sweatshop ruled countries. Will you at least admit that? Do you truly believe, in your heart, that the stuff you have on your site IS in fact sweatshop free?

And, as I already said, plenty of companies implicated in sweatshop labor have said they had people sign things. I do see that you have changed what it says on your site about sweat-shops since this blog was posted. This is much less misleading so kudos on that.

I am sorry that you find my comments to be unfair. I will admit that I personally have purchased things likely made in a sweatshop, though I do my best not to and most things that were made in those countries, I bought used. But, you're right, it is hard to find those things. But, you seem not to have any guaranteed sweatshop free shoes on your site, even though many companies exist for that.

Next time, ask the manufacturers for documentation of the workers' salaries, hours, breaks, benefits, and such and read them. You have the right to know. You're paying them money.

Companies that really guarantee no sweatshops will be glad to tell you these stats.

Now, I understand you are just a business trying to make it. We all fall short sometimes. But as a business, you have responsibilities- especially as a "cruelty free" business.

Vegetarian Shoes, No Sweat, Adbusters Blackspot, Autonomie Project, etc are all great vegan, sweatshop free shoe places. I don't see any of those on your site and those are a guarantee to be sweatshop free. Maybe you should look into them.