Gap has sweat shop in India

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Gap Inc. has been forced to disavow a sweatshop in India that employed young children in reportedly miserable working conditions.
A report Sunday in London's Observer newspaper described a sweatshop in New Delhi working on Gap (GPS:The Gap, Inc
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11:58am 10/29/2007

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GPS 18.68, +0.07, +0.4%) products, where children as young as 10 have been employed and abused in violation of the apparel chain's policies.
In a statement released later Sunday, Gap said it was only informed of the sweatshop earlier this week, and "immediately launched" an investigation. Gap said it found that "a very small portion of a particular order placed with one of its vendors was apparently subcontracted to an unauthorized subcontractor without the company's knowledge or approval."
"As soon as we were alerted to this situation, we stopped the work order and prevented the product from being sold in stores," Gap North America president Marka Hansen said in the statement.
Hansen added that, "We have called an urgent meeting with our suppliers in the region to reinforce our policies."
Clothing made at the New Delhi sweatshop for the company's GapKids division had been destined for export for Christmas sales at retail locations in the U.S. and Europe, Gap spokesman Bill Chandler was quoted as saying in a report Sunday by the Associated Press.
"We appreciate that the media identified this subcontractor, and we acted swiftly in this situation," Chandler said, according to the AP.
In its report, the Observer detailed youngsters who told reporters they had been sold to factory bosses by their families, and were not allowed to leave until they had repaid that fee.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/g ... 0283AC1%7D


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So will you boycott Gap now?

Do you assume this is an issolated incident and can't imagine it happening again?

Or do you assume that this is a big problem, since Gap has shut down other plants last year due to noncompliance from vendors?

Do you see Gap as part of the global problem, or helping the poor in other countries get work?

Do you see Gap as part of the American need for consumption, the slippery slope of sending off work for our needs for cheap consumption?

Re: Gap has sweat shop in India

So will you boycott Gap now?

I don't have the money to shop there, unless it's a major sale, and the quality IMO has gone down over the years. But in saying that, their jeans and bras fit me, and it's really hard to find clothes w/out altering... so for the future I don't know. I would watch to see if the problem was taken care of and over for good. But... I dunk a lot of our money for clothes at Old Navy... I sure hope there isn't a problem cause I need Old Navy! - or do I ?

Do you assume this is an issolated incident and can't imagine it happening again?


I don't know, but I would assume a true sweat shop w/kids probably. But... I wouldn't be surprised to find out it was going on w/American companies, sad to say.

Or do you assume that this is a big problem, since Gap has shut down other plants last year due to noncompliance from vendors?

Something isn't going well for Gap, to be shutting so many places down. I think I hear 40 were closed for last year. So yeah, bad labor seems to be a problem, and maybe they should bring their work back over here.


Do you see Gap as part of the global problem, or helping the poor in other countries get work?


absolutely a problem

Or do you see Gap as part of the American need for consumption, the slippery slope of sending off work for our needs for cheap consumption?


It's a horrible problem. I feel much guilt that my life is aided through Wal-mart and Target by products made so cheap they had to shut plants in the USA, and get cheaper labor over seas. I would gladly pay more for products made here if I could afford it. But as it is, local companies making their own products here, you pay more. To buy a toy made in the USA, costs more, and I feel guilty I can't help keep the work here. One day I will gladly pay more and have less to consume, cause honestly we have to much in the first place.

[DCJenn]

Re: Gap has sweat shop in India

So will you boycott Gap now? I haven't purchased anything from the Gap in decades. Why? because the customer service sucks, the quality has deteriorated and nothing there fits me. Ever.

Do you assume this is an issolated incident and can't imagine it happening again? I would assume it's not an isolated incident. In fact, I assume that most clothing made overseas is more likely made in some crap-hole conditions by marginalized women and children.

Or do you assume that this is a big problem, since Gap has shut down other plants last year due to noncompliance from vendors? It's a big problem for the Gap, that's for sure.

Do you see Gap as part of the global problem, or helping the poor in other countries get work? It's not that simple. It's part of the problem as much as it is part of the solution as far as I can tell.

Do you see Gap as part of the American need for consumption, the slippery slope of sending off work for our needs for cheap consumption? America is a consumer-oriented society. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Jenn

[SuzySunshine]

Re: Gap has sweat shop in India

I don't really shop at Gap either, haven't found a pair of jeans that fit me there in years. DH still gets a few things there but nothing major.

Speaking of their customer service, a co-worker returned a sweater that she has received as a gift last week. Never worn, tags still attached but no receipt so instead of activiating a card right there for store credit they told her she'd have to wait until it came in the mail. A WEEK later she finally got her refund - THAT is bad customer service, ridiculous.

There are more clothes/shoe stores out there that have sweatshops then people know about. Otherwise how can a company with the overhead of store rent, corporate staff and product cost still sale things for next to nothing (i.e. Old Navy).

You're only true choice is to make things yourself or bury your head in the sand and neither one of those are good options IMO either. :huh:

[planet]

Re: Gap has sweat shop in India

There are more clothes/shoe stores out there that have sweatshops then people know about. Otherwise how can a company with the overhead of store rent, corporate staff and product cost still sale things for next to nothing (i.e. Old Navy).

This is very true. I don't buy from Gap for myself but their jeans and pants fit my daughter beautifully so I will still be buying from them. :huh:

True, true. We can't afford a lot of the concious living we'd like to be doing. We don't shop at Gap, but have plenty of items from Old Navy, which along with Banana Republic are the same ownership. Few cheap items can be found totally guilt free.
:| :|

[SuzySunshine]

Re: Gap has sweat shop in India

I also suspect the only reason this is really hitting the news is b/c Gap is currently running their RED campaign.

Re: Gap has sweat shop in India

I think Gap is trying to crack down on the issue and I saw that they already released a statement that they're looking into it. They have a program set up to try to catch vendors who use child labor, but with operations globally I think it's hard for them to keep up.

There are so many other problems in the world that I don't think I'll be boycotting the Gap. When I saw about it on CNN over the weekend, it was disheartening to hear, but I recall seeing another CNN story on child sex prostitute rings in Thailand just a few weeks ago, which upset me way more than child labor.

The difference is that Nike and Gap both have the corporate dollars to do something about it, so the media singles them out to set an example. I believe Gap isn't going to just let this issue be swept under the rug, but it's going to take time to put controls in place.

[Cumberland]

Re: Gap has sweat shop in India

I dont necessarily think child labor can be cut and dried into being only a horrible thing. What if all these kids that were put out of work now cannot eat or have a place to live because their families were dependent on their income? What if both parents are too ill to work and now the family is doomed? It is not like these kids will walk out of the gap sweatshop and head over to school then little league in the afternoons. By hiring them and then firing them, Gap may have made their lives even more difficult.