Gap recalls clothes outsourced to India

[OhioChick]

Source: IBN Live/AP

Monday , October 29, 2007 at 15:02

US-based clothing retail chain Gap has recalled some of its clothes made in India after discovering that children had been involved in making them.

Gap, which intended to sell the garments for Christmas at the popular GapKids branches in the US and Europe, has pulled the order completely.

In an investigative operation, British newspaper The Observer discovered that children as young as 10-13 were making clothes for Gap in filthy conditions, in a derelict building in Shahpur Jat, Delhi.

The Observer quoted the children as saying that they had been sold to the sweatshop in Delhi by their families.

The children, some of who worked for as long as 16 hours a day sewing clothes by hand, said they hailed from Bihar and West Bengal. They added that they were not being paid because their employer said they were still trainees; nor would they be allowed to leave till they could repay the amount for which they were bought from their families.



Read more: http://www.ibnlive.com/news/gap-recalls-clothes-outsourced-to-india/51358-3.html

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The Gap is surprised.......surprised, I tell you. :sarcasm:

[fasttense]

1. Don't you just love this "free market"

Where scared and hungry little children get to compete for jobs alongside adults. Where child, slave and prison labor are encouraged by corporations that pretend it's all the subcontractor's fault when they are caught. Seems this "free market" ideology of the Friedmanites is just an excuse to use abusive labor practices.

When greed is the basis of your economic plan, corruption and abuse are inevitable.

[otohara]

2. Good For The Gap

I like the Gap, I like the Red campaign they are doing w/ Bono - they are sticking to it and cranking out some cool looking clothes.

[Tempest]

3. Bad for the Gap

The child labor wasn't discovered by the Gap, it was uncovered by The Observer.

Apparently the Gap doesn't believe in inspecting the sources of their products, even when it's known to be made in a country that takes advantage of a lack of child labor laws.

[Skittles]

4. yes- they didn't "know" because they didn't CARE to know

L I A R S

[otohara]

6. Okay Fine - Fuck The Gap

every American company is outsourcing garment and shoe manufacturing. It's rare to read where one of these companies and you know there are thousands of factories in China, India, Cambodia - etc.... who are fucked and our corporations do nothing. One does something positive in the area of Aids in Africa and makes a move to correct a problem in India and of course it's a bad thing. Shit, people over here get treated like shit in service jobs everyday and nothing is done because it's here.

[Tempest]

7. The Gap was hiding behind Bono

And hiding the sweatshops from the world.

BUSTED!

[Quantess]

10. Sweet! I'm sure that the Gap is very embarrassed.

Horrible for the kids, though.
I'm sure both the Gap and probably Bono are very embarrassed. The Gap was too greedy and satisfied with the high production rate of that factory to do their homework. What a tragedy.
(edited after reading the article)

[Akoto]

5. So, what happened to the kids?

There seems to be a strange amount of focus upon the Gap's image, and not so much upon the kids who are being forced to work in deplorable conditions.

[nam78_two]

12. I was thinking the exact same thing

:shrug:
It always seems to be the case with these sorts of things :-/.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[CreekDog]

9. This is the first time I've seen a recall associated w/ child labor

But here's my thing...should these kids go back to their families? Their families sold them into the trade.

Anyone here, what would someone have to threaten you with for you to "sell" one of your children into this kind of situation?

Can you think of anything?

[Sabriel]

11. Recalled to a Gap Outlet near you.

Seriously, what happens to these clothes they "recall"? Anyone know?

[OhioChick]

13. They Likely Wait Until

Everyone has forgotten about it and probably end up on the shelves of Walmart. Just kidding...........Although it wouldn't surprise me.