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Fab Flash: Primark Clamps Down on Child Labour

FabSugarUK — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 03:00:47 -0700

Watching Blood, Sweat and T-shirts left me rethinking my wardrobe choices but now major bargain retailer Primark are rethinking theirs. It has been announced today that they have ditched three of its suppliers in Southern India due to use of child labour.

"Primark is an ethical business that demands the highest standards from its suppliers. It has a strict Supplier Code of Conduct which expressly bans the use of child labour."

When asked how they can keep their prices so low they explained, "We don't overcharge our customers. Most of our clothes are bought from the same factories as other fashion retailers. We use simple designs, our overhead costs are extremely low and we don't run expensive advertising campaigns."

Primark also said that they would launch the 'Primark Better Lives Foundation' to provide financial assistance to organisations devoted to improving the lives of young people.
Source

Blood, Sweat and T-shirts: Part 4

FabSugarUK — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:00:26 -0700

Last night Blood, Sweat and T-shirts came to an end with many of the fashion fanatics actually wanting to do something to improve conditions for workers in India. For their final challenge they worked in a factory within a slum and were shocked at the amount of children involved in the production process.
They then returned to the UK and the BBC caught up with them four months later to see how the experience had changed their perspective. Whose life do you think was most affected by the series?

Image courtesy of the BBC.

Fab TV: Radiohead, All I Need

FabSugarUK — Sun, 11 May 2008 02:00:52 -0700

If you've been watching Blood, Sweat and T-shirts then you're probably already considering the implications of your purchases. However, Radiohead and MTV have worked together on this video for All I Need which shows two young boys going about their everyday lives on two different sides of the world. Let me know what you think!

Blood, Sweat and T-shirts: How Hard Should They Work?

FabSugarUK — Wed, 07 May 2008 09:00:03 -0700

The weeks seem to just keep getting harder for the six young fashion enthusiasts over in India. Just when they thought it couldn't get any worse than last week's back street factory the group took a long packed train out of the main city to a cotton farm. The group also had to pay rent for the first time as the job provided no accommodation. They saw a few properties but eventually settled for the most expensive realising this would mean having to work very hard and experience slight sacrifices with food.

The cotton farm required hard manual labour from the group which had to work without Amrita due to her cotton allegy. At the end of the second day they were unable to complete a days work claiming it was unfair to expect them to work as hard as Indian workers who had been doing the job for many years. How hard do you think they should work?
Image courtesy of the BBC

Blood, Sweat and T-shirts: How Hard Should They Work?

As hard as their Indian colleagues

Half as much work as colleagues

As hard as they can

Just enough to understand how hard it is

They shouldn't put any effort in

Blood, Sweat and T-shirts: Part 2

FabSugarUK — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:00:25 -0700

This week saw the six fashion fanatics pushed to the limit as they worked and lived in a workshop producing blouses for the UK. The team were required to make the whole garment from start to finish making 36 blouses in three days between them. They struggled to even make the blouses, let alone reach the quality control standards.

The experience became too much for Richard who wanted to quit and became agressive concerning the others. At the end of their three days in the workshop they had only managed to make 15 acceptable pieces at 12 rupees a piece earning them roughly 40p each. They were then allowed to stay in a hotel before heading on to their next challenge. Should they have been allowed to spend one night in a hotel? If you missed the episode, catch up here on BBC iplayer.

Blood, Sweat and T-shirts: Part 2

Yes they definitely deserved it

Not sure

No way, it changed the experience

Don't care, they're all spoilt anyway!

Blood, Sweat and T-shirts: Part 1

FabSugarUK — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:00:58 -0700

Blood, Sweat and T-shirts premiered on BBC3 last night. The documentary follow six young people to Delhi, India where for the first half of the programme they worked in a sweatshop producing clothes for the likes of Zara, H&M, French Connection and Gap. The four girls and two guys worked and lived like factory workers but struggled to cope with the harsh conditions.

Did the realities of the industry change your opinion on bargain shopping? If you missed the show you can watch it now on BBC iplayer.