The following is an incomplete list of the top clothing brands trend-setting the seasons' hottest trends: violations of international human rights and labor laws, utilization of child labor, and/or immense environmental destruction -- with no plans of changing (making such human rights violations "classics" and "staples" if you will of their collection).
So the ask is simple: say no. With your money. (And your voice, be it virtual or IRL, by sharing this post and starting conversations with your friends and family).
The creation and compilation of this list is an ongoing collaborative project between JooJoo Azad, our lovely readers, and ex-managers and employees of these companies who have first-hand experience working with their production facilities.
If you have a brand name you'd like to add to the list, please either shoot us an email--your name will remain anonymous. After our team conducts extensive research to confirm the information given, we will update the list.
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Pictured: Clarissa (right), 13, who, along with her fellow child-laborers, is forced to work rather than attend school, and is verbally and physically abused by her employers. The farm is owned by Burkina Faso "fair trade organic cotton," aka Victoria's Secret's cotton supplier. 2011. (Photo: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg)
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The creation and compilation of this list is an ongoing collaborative project between JooJoo Azad, our lovely readers, and ex-managers and employees of these companies who have first-hand experience working with their production facilities.
If you have a brand name you'd like to add to the list, please either shoot us an email--your name will remain anonymous. After our team conducts extensive research to confirm the information given, we will update the list.
Ultimately, many of the brands have made this list due to their production models, which you can read more about here: All Fast-Fashion Requires Gender-Based Violence: Conscious Collections are Fake News
Otherwise, we'll be updating this page with our tediously compiled research by the end of 2018.
Otherwise, we'll be updating this page with our tediously compiled research by the end of 2018.
- Abercrombie and Fitch
- American Apparel
- Avon
- Bath & Body Works
- Diesel
- Disney
- DKNY
- Estee Lauder
- Express
- Forever 21
- GAP (Banana Republic & Old Navy)
- Giorgio Armani
- H&M
- Hanes
- Hermès Birkin
- Hugo Boss
- J-Crew
- JC Penny
- Kate Spade
- L'Oreal
- Mango
- Mary Kay
- New York & Company
- Nike
- Primark
- Ralph Lauren
- Tommy Hilfiger
- UGG Australia
- Uniqlo
- Urban Outfitters
- Vichy
- Victoria's Secret
- Walmart
- Zara
Do you know where the clothes on your back came from?
I'm so glad you decided to open this up for discussion. I found this information unsettling and i really want to join in, just one question... where do you shop for fairly priced, ethically produced clothes? Old Navy is my go to : ( !
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing
www.LPbyLP.com
Sorry to say this. I'm boycott all the Israeli products directly or indirectly.
ReplyDeleteHm, unfortunately for some reason I can't reply to comments -_-
ReplyDeleteHope you happen to check back and see this! So sorry for my belated reply!
@Lauren:
I know what you mean--I used to shop at Gap religiously! It's difficult to just quit shopping at your favorite store and necessitates a lot of self-control and strength (and I know you have both!) c;
Thankfully though, there are quite a few alternatives!
[EDIT: Okay so apparently there is a maximum number of characters for a comment (4,069 if you're interested!) and mine is above and beyond that so I'm going to answer your question in two parts!]
-> If you have no problem with second-hand clothes (...and a bit of digging), buying from thrift/vintage stores always works and is also great for the environment! Even better, a lot of thrift stores donate directly to charity which is another big plus! Haha and you don't have to feel bad about buying brands like Old Navy at a thrift store! ;D (P.S. your wallet will also thank you on this one!) Also if there are no (or no good) thrift stores around you, check out the new and growing world of instashops (Check my one-month birthday post for a discount to a particularly good one!) which are basically curated online vintage stores on instagram! Crazy, right!?
-> Supporting small (esp. local!) stores > large corporations, regardless if they are on the boycott list or not! There are still so many clothing stores that aren't that great--this list is just the top offenders! Take a trip with friends and explore your city and find local clothing stores! But if you live in the middle of nowhere like myself (sorry Edmond, Oklahoma), Etsy.com (which you obvi~ know about because you have an account--which is really lovely btw!--but just for anyone else who reads this!) contains a plethora of amazing handmade stores and are (to the best of my knowledge)all small (& cute) businesses!
->Also you can Make your own stuff~! Okay, this might not be as practical for everyone, but it's still an option I'm putting on the table! This summer I told myself I wouldn't buy any new clothes (note: failed miserably) so I learned to sew and made a bunch of clothes for myself! It's surprisingly simple, doesn't take toooo much time, and a great creative outlet! If this interest you at all and you need help starting, feel free to shoot me an email and I can try my best to teach you (lol with my oh-so-much-knowledge..) via video chat! c; Also I try to post tutorials on my blog to encourage making your own clothes so you might have seen those!
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ReplyDelete->(I feel like I don't have the right to say this but) Limit how much clothes you buy! Spending less on clothes (and anything, really) is good for your wallet and yourself as a human being! Materialism and the consumer culture is deeply rooted within most societies today (I don't know where you live but it's probably there too! ;p) and it's hard not to get sucked in, although it's basically inevitable. But next time before buying something ask yourself if you reallllly need that bird-dress-that-looks-like-all-your-other-bird-dresses even though the birds are cute as hell. And as a note to myself: HODA, NO, YOU DON'T.
-> Spend more and get less Yep, you (unfortunately) heard right! The main reason that this shirt costs $14 (link!) is through exploitation of workers, as the article mentions. I know this may sound shocking, but companies that don't exploit their workers actually, like, exist! You can find so many stores that not only do not (really) damage the world but they also give some of their profits to chairty! (downside: they are usually expensive as hell--well, for the average broke college student like myself...thrift shops it is!) You can find so many of these stores through a bit of research. But that's also one reason why I started my Social-Action Sunday series--to essentially do the research for you and take the time to publicly acknowledge and thank do-good stores! So if you don't like the rest of my blog at least come back on Sundays teehee c;
Oookay well didn't really intend to write an essay (I see how I went over 4,069 characters...) (my apologies) but I hope that helped at least a teeensy bit! If not LET ME KNOW!
Boycotting popular and readily-accessible stores is difficult, and I applaud you for your enthusiasm to join! I wish you only the best of luck in your boycott and I will always be here if you need support (...seriously--I sleep with my laptop next to my bed). You can also help to spread the word by sharing the boycott list with others, doing your own research, and supporting others who are just starting, too!
Let me know if you'd like further information or have any other questions!
xx
<(") Hoda
Excellent post! And yes is heart breaking to see child labor and the photo of the two people embracing before the factory collapsed is so disturbing...but sobering! Thank you!
ReplyDeletePiperLime and Athleta is apparently a part of the trifecta (Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic)? http://hepowers.wordpress.com/2010/01/29/the-gap-inc-and-child-labour/
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this, Hoda. I've made a conscious decision to limit the stuff I buy not only to streamline my life and closet, but also to stop contributing to these sweatshops. I can't always find stuff made in the US, so I buy a heck of a lot less, if at all.
ReplyDeleteEtsy is a good idea - I hadn't thought about that.
don't forget Abercrombie and Fitch... those people need a wake up call.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this, I had not really thought of easy, thanks for that. I try and buy makeup that does not exploit animals, now I can start on clothes :). Am going to share this on my blog :).
ReplyDeleteIts great that you are putting a spotlight on this cause , making people more aware of where their clothes on their back comes from . I honesty knew of such companies exploitation but goodness me the amount of companies and on top of that the majority 0_o these companies have no excuse of the abusive and repulsive choice to partner with such manufactures ... just to pay less money as if they are lacking in that department ..... I hope they are aware that they are exposed of what they are doing to there consumers , so that they start thinking of changing before their loss.... Fortunately I will not have any struggle to cut out from these brands (since I am always broke ahahah just kidding) I use shop at some of the mentined brands .....
ReplyDeleteGood Luck
http://thestrawberryscent.blogspot.com/
I thought about you, this blog, and this topic when I've learned of UGG and their treatment of sheep in making their extremely popular sheepskin boots. So I'm sure this is something you'd probably want to add to your list in regards to companies with unfair and unethical practices.
ReplyDeletejohnbmarine.blogspot.com
Done & Done! Thanks so much everyone, for all of your suggestions! It's unfortunate that new names keep popping up and have to be added to the list, but I'm glad we at least are putting them out there! xx
ReplyDeleteDon't stop you fight!
<(")
This is wonderful...I can't wait to read more!
ReplyDeleteWOW! It’s incredible that you’re doing so much research on this! Very eye-opening. THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteCan you share links that explain the unethical practices each of these companies are responsible for? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHey Maryam! Yes, thanks for asking/reminding me that I promised that I would do this! I think making sure people know WHY they are being asked to boycott is really important! That is definitely my summer project, and I'll hopefully be able to start asap!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this list. I was appalled by the Bangladesh fire, and have not purchased clothing at Walmart since then. I am an environmental and safety professional, and we all learn about the Triangle Fire that happened in the US so long ago- it changed our laws- there is no excuse for anyone to die in this way!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.itzybellababy.com
Starbucks is also a company *that I've heard* should be on the list. They've been accused of giving a portion of their funds to the Israeli military and also there are some health concerns involving rumours that they use factory produced non-organic milk (???) I haven't done thorough research on this though.
ReplyDeletehttp://safiasheikh.blogspot.ca/
Hi. Starbucks released an official statement a while back saying that it does not support Israel and never has. Also it "closed all branches of Starbucks in Israel back in 2003, due to “on-going operational challenges.” You can read more about here:
Deletehttp://politicalblindspot.com/starbucks-releases-official-statement-that-it-does-not-provide-support-to-israel-and-never-has/
Hope this cleared some things up for you, I'm not sure about the health concerns though.
http://xenabazam.blogspot.ca
Can you explain why Bath and Body Works is included on the list? Love your blog~
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the explanation links coming soon!
ReplyDeletethank you for this post! what crimes has American Apparel committed? can't find much from a quick google search.
ReplyDeleteGolly gee I really need to get on this (listing their specific crimes, that is). Please excuse my extreme delay in this! I just want to make sure I have the most accurate information! (:
ReplyDeleteThank you for your concern/interest!
omg I just said golly gee.
ReplyDeleteYes! I love this idea especially the post on victoria secret fashion show (which I can't actually find anymore), it shows how much rubbish these stores are willing to feed us, and how much of it we take!
ReplyDeleteNew subscriber here!!
Diamantebox.blogspot.co.uk
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your readership (: I actually just linked my post about Victoria's Secret to the boycott list, which also explains why they made the list!
DeleteWow, you're very brave for stating this. I can't help but I do love some of these brands, but I hope someday, we can stop how they treat their workers without shutting down the whole production. We should hold a petition, make a campaign, pledge, anything!
ReplyDeletehttp://thoughtsintiffanyblue.blogspot.com/
I didn't realize that uniqlo had bad practices. I haven't found anything online. Do you have any links?
ReplyDelete<a href="http://dutyfreedame.blogspot.com>Duty Free Dame</a>
Thanks for sharing this! :-O
ReplyDeleteHi Hoda, I love your site and left a comment a few days ago. Thanks for your reply. I've been doing some research on these brands today. I want to recommend that you add links to the companies you have listed here. Without evidence and research for each brand name, it isn't really fair to list them without reference. Just my humble opinion. I think what you're doing here is wonderful and creating awareness where there is much ignorance. Thank you for your great posts!
ReplyDeleteHey there! I agree with you 1000%! Working on getting in-depth posts out about each of these companies and why they made the list is definitely something that I am working on this upcoming quarter, as I think it is very important (and you're right--it's really just not fair!). It is just a rather slow process, as I want to be sure of all of my sources. So thank you for your recommendation, as well as for all of your kind words! I'm very happy to hear that you enjoy the site, and I appreciate your readership!
DeleteThank you!
Some of these brands were off my list as well, but I didn't know about all of them.
ReplyDeleteHello Hoda!
ReplyDeleteIt's the first time I see a blog with a boycott list and I found the idea AMAZING, really! I personally never enjoyed famous designers because I found them heartless, so it shouldn't be a problem for me to boycott them (specially Victoria's Secret, I just hate everything related to it).
However, other brands concerned me a bit. I often shop at Primark, and you don't have there, but I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that Zara exploits as well :/
On other hand, Beauty brands you put there I don't consume at all, because all of them test on animals.
I digress, I came here to tell you that I love your blog (I look like a stalker right now, I know :( ) and I wanted to make a boycott list, as well. I wanted to include those brands, but in my case I wanted to focus more on animal rights and environmental protection (KitKat, L'Oreal and Avon, as you have there) so I was wondering if we could partner up on this issue? I know that you are a human right activist, and I'm more into greeny stuff, it would be fun we joined 'forces' :) But that's just an idea, of course, I don't want you to feel pressured or anything like that :/
Anyways, sorry for the long comment. Keep up the good work, I'm now a fan! xo
Mara Sousa
What a great resource! I'm wondering if you have a list of brands you DO recommend... I dug around a bit on your site but couldn't seem to find one. For the past several years I've tried to buy most of my clothes secondhand to avoid supporting unethical companies, but I would like to start buying less/spending more on a few quality pieces from those companies making a positive impact.
ReplyDeleteI have a potentially dumb question. I purposefully shop fair trade or at thrift shops. I found the cutest dress at goodwill that was originally from old navy. I felt guilty buying it - would you consider that purchase exploitative?
ReplyDeleteHi Hoda!
ReplyDeleteI would fiercely recommend you to include in this very useful list all the brands owned by spaniard Amancio Ortega (Inditex): Zara, Pull&Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho and Uterqüe.
This man became rich exploiting working women from Galiza (a region of Spain) and then "exported" his slavery model all around the world, specially in his fabrics of north Africa and south-eastern Asia.
Congratulations for your blog: it is really amazing :-)
May I asked you why Uniqlo and BBW are here? Mind explain because those are my favs store. Love your post xo <3
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kinikunormal.blogspot.com/
J. Crew owns madewell and anthropologie so you might to put add those two stores to the list
ReplyDeletethis is such a powerful list. thank you!
ReplyDeletewhat are your thoughts on joe fresh - they also manufacturing in the factory that collapsed (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/04/24/joe-fresh-bangladesh-factory-collapse_n_3148746.html) but has stepped up to compensate families of victims (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/10/24/loblaws-bangladesh-factory-collapse_n_4156569.html).
http://in-our-little-home.blogspot.ca/
This is a great list! I'd love to see the specific reasons behind why you are boycotting them, and what each company is doing wrong - not because I disagree, but just out of curiosity!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the excellent content I did experienced studying it, I will be sure to save your website and definitely will come returning from again. I want to motivate that you proceed your excellent job, have a excellent day. tourist to new york city
ReplyDeleteLiterally yesterday I thought, "I wonder if Hoda's website has an ethical retail list." Thanks for this start! ;)
ReplyDeleteUniqlo??? I cry, but I can cut it out.
ReplyDelete