Anderson Cooper's Mom Uses Sweatshop Labor to Make Her Fashions

[BurtWorm]

Of course, Wal-Mart uses them too. This whole report in today's New York Times makes for disturbing but important reading. The age of No Logo is not yet upon us.


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/03/business/worldbusiness/03clothing.html?ei=5087%0A&en=a5f7e010488b8a84&ex=1146801600&pagewanted=print

Several Bangladeshis said there were terrible conditions at factories that made clothes for Wal-Mart and Jones Apparel, which owns brands like Gloria Vanderbilt and Jones New York.

Ms. Keck, the Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said company inspectors recently identified "serious violations" of its labor rules at three Jordanian factories. At Honorway Apparel Jordan, for example, which manufactures sleepwear for Wal-Mart, inspectors found employees working off the clock, managers who refused to pay overtime and wages that "could not be verified," Ms. Keck said. At the Ivory Garment Factory, which Wal-Mart ceased working with two years ago, inspectors found "egregious working hours."

Joele Frank, a spokeswoman for Jones Apparel, said the company had also found "serious problems" at the Ivory Garment Factory, which produces Gloria Vanderbilt clothing, and said it would "monitor the situation closely." A spokesman for Sears Holding, said the company was investigating potential problems at Honorway, which produces clothes for Kmart, a division of Sears Holding.

A Kohl's spokeswoman denied workers' accusations that clothing sold by the company was made at several Jordanian factories with poor conditions. Target said it worked with only one factory that has come under criticism— Al Safa Garments, which Wal-Mart recently cited for labor violations.

Many retailers said their policy was, after discovering violations, to work with a factory to improve conditions, rather than automatically withdraw their business. Wal-Mart says it gives factories a year to fix serious problems, reinspecting them every 120 days.

More at link....

EDIT: COPYRIGHT. PLEASE POST ONLY 4 OR 5 PARAGRAPHS
FROM THE COPYRIGHTED NEWS SOURCE PER DU RULES.

[SeattleGirl]

1. That should really have anything to do with AC, though

She's had her business for years, and has made a decision as to where her clothing will be made. It really doesn't have anything to do with Anderson Cooper. (Not trying to flame you, Burt. Just sayin'....) :hi:

[BurtWorm]

4. I'm just sayin' too.

;)

[roguevalley]

16. I'm not sure she makes a lot of the stuff that carries her name anymore

does she? I thought she sold a long time ago.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

2. Tell it to his mother

Leave AC out of it. That's not his business, and it's unfair to put it on him.

[BurtWorm]

6. How about putting him on it?

As a media person and journalist?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

7. No

His job has nothing to do with his mother, and that's proposing a very, very ugly conflict for a guy who's just doing his job. Let CNN or whoever he works for report it, but leave him out of it.

That's just bad form. Like demanding that Chelsea Clinton cover her father's adultery.

[BurtWorm]

10. Chelsea Clinton is not a journalist

and adultry is not getting rich off human rights abuses.

Bad form to expect an influential network anchor get anywhere near a story like this? I disagree.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

12. Lord almighty,

you didn't understand the simile.

Bad form. Disagree. End of this silliness.

[BurtWorm]

14. I don't understand the comparison, no.

Apples and oranges. I'm talking about the kind of bad form that virtually enslaves people so Americans can wear something with Gloria Vanderbilt's name on it or Wal-Mart can superstock it and undersell all the competition. Adultery as bad form doesn't compare, no. Adultery is not news, for one thing. It's gossip. And I don't think Anderson Cooper should be excused from noticing what's being done in his mother's name because she's his mother. If he can be excused from noticing stories like that, he's in the wrong business.

[TomInTib]

3. It's not Ms Vanderbilt's company any longer, it's Jones Apparel.

n/t

[Erika]

5. Southern Florida moves their garment sweat shops weekly

They have a tie in to the great Florida Bush government who notifies them a week ahead of time as to who is going to be inspected.

Isn't it nice to know we've embraced the third world style of treating "guest workers".

[yngliberal]

8. American Apparel

If you don't want to support companies that use sweatshops, shop at American Apparel (www.americanapparel.net) The clothes are made in downtown Los Angeles and they seem to last a long time.

[Zen Democrat]

9. Gloria Vanderbilt is in her 80's and ....

she just licensed the use of her name in the first place -- it's not her company.

[BurtWorm]

11. It's her name. Is she proud of how it's being used?

Maybe she doesn't give a shit?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

13. You got something up your butt

about Gloria Vanderbilt?

Jeez. This is funny.

[BurtWorm]

15. Why don't you pay attention to what's being done in her name?

Forget the woman. Pay attention to what her name is going on.