Indian children found working in sweatshop for Gap Kids

This is the whole inevitable issue the western world is going to face - if we're not okay with child labour or toxic materials in our products or unethical manufacturing, we need to simply pay more for everything we buy - and buy less overall.

The super-hyped consumer culture - the Wal-Mart culture of plentiful, disposable crap for ultra-low prices - has to end in favour of more sound human rights, third world and environmental practices.

We don't need even a half or a third of as many toys, clothes, and treats that we buy. I'm guilty of it too - and often feel like I need to go on a consumer holiday.. and learn to be happier with less. (or, better put - learn to be happier by buying less crap, more higher-quality stuff and then throwing away less junk over time).

So yeah, child labour will end - as soon as Americans and Canadians in particular decide they're willing to pay more, and not be the world's materialistic gluttons.

Wouldn't it be amazing if we could turn that tide?

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Guh. I hope this doesn't extend into their other companies, such as Old Navy. :(

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Amen to that, Kate. We have done just that. Taken a break. Stopped buying. Stopped caring about sales or cheap mass produced crap. We're those lame parents who bring an all wood educational game to your child's birthday party when everybody else bought him Transformers. We're the meanies who have asked all of our relatives to please donate to the local Toys for Tots instead of dropping more gift wrapped plastic junk in front of our son this Christmas. He is receiving a wood kitchen set this Christmas and a few goodies to go along with it (free trade plantation wood crafted). He will love it. The planet will not suffer for it. And we have taken the first steps away from the American consumer lifestyle.

If we want cheap crap, the big companies will provide us with cheap crap. Made with the cheapest available labour and of the cheapest available materials. Is that the legacy that we want to leave our children? We did it for you. Sorry about the suffering and the environmental destruction and your lead tainted development. You had some good toys though, eh?

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Kate, Nicola, you're right on!! As long as "we" support these companies, they'll keep at it.

This year, like last year, I'm doing all my holiday shopping at etsy.com and local arts/crafts fairs. Not only does this support independent crafters, I know exactly where the gifts come from. Better all around.

That said, this article depreses the hell out of me. I just shopped there yesterday. uugghh. I'll be returning those size 7 pants...

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While I agree companies need to do all they can to ensure their suppliers are not, directly or indirectly, using abusive child labor, I don't agree that it's wrong to source labor from countries where "slave labor" exists.

The reason "slave labor" exists in those countries is that there is so much poverty there. Not poverty in the North American sense - most of us have no idea. Poverty in the sense that in many cases, it is stupid for a child to go to school because she will starve there, and if she has a job, at least maybe she will eat.

If we really want to do away with abusive child labor, we need to keep providing jobs for their parents and older siblings, so the children can both eat AND go to school. If you really have a heart, DON'T insist on North-American-made products. Insist on ethically-produced products that may be made anywhere.

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There is no way any garment retailing for under $20 is not made by either slaves, children or enslaved children.

$20 retail = $7 wholesale = $2.80 cost

$2.80 cost = $2.10 for fabrics + $0.50 for parts which leaves $0.20 for labor.

Old Navy, GAP, H&M, Walmart etc. all demand the lowest bottom prices from Asian factories, it's corporate practice for many decades.

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