Discussion: Sweatshop-free running shoes?

I've been thinking more about how my actions have effect on a global scale, and I really want to buy some running shoes that aren't manufactured in sweatshops. Can anyone recommend some brands that pay their workers a decent, liveable wages or who contract out to companies that do? Thanks

A couple of orienteers I know wear (or at least, used to wear) Scarfo running shoes. They're made by Joe Scarfo in Massachusetts.

Walsh are hand-made in the UK. http://www.walshsports.com/
Not sure what NZ availability will be like, but you can probably order from UK if you don't mind paying P&P

Thanks!

There's probably a custom shoe manufacturer somewhere in New Zealand, too.

Might one deduce from these replies that Icebug, Inov8, et al, are not sweatshop-free?

Here is Inov8's ethics policy.

http://www.inov-8.com/New/Global/Manufacturing-Eth...

"You give man a fish you feed him for a day, you teach a man how to fish you feed him for a life"

In 1991 you could hire top notch college grad for $10,- per month in Latvia. I applied but I was not "smart" enough for initial wave. I would have agreed to work for $8,- per month if hired but I was not. However with influx of foreign money it did not take long when minimal salaries were raising rapidly. When I was finally "smart" enough in 1993 my monthly salary was about $200,-

Today I am extremely thankful to my first "sweatshop" owner for the opportunity I was given. Most of my coworkers from 20 years ago are doing well as well.

My other option 20+ years ago would have been sit, do nothing, rely on foreign charity organizations that were donating second hand clothing, canned foods, etc. etc. and I probably might have done better short term but I strongly doubt I'd be where I am today if I did so.

Former "sweatshop" worker,
Gil

That's like saying, "my daddy beat me when I was a kid and I turned out just fine" as a justification for hitting your own kids.

Living standards and expectations vary widely from country to country, of course, but there are some things that I think are worth pressuring companies about - not forcing female workers to have abortions, for instance, or forcing workers to do dangerous work without adequate safety measures in place. There's a hell of a lot more to it than just paying low wages.

Actually that explains a lot.

When I chimed in regarding sweatshops I did not do to glorify them. When I was working in sweatshop environment we complained about our boss every other day.

Link explains all the pros and cons of sweatshops probable better then I did but I concur with all of pros mentioned since I lived it, not just theorized about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweatshop

Please note that every modern day prosperous country went through sweatshop stage. If you fight against sweatshop you might as well just say it that you don't want country to prosper.

None of the kids who got beaten up by their parents would never say "I turned out just fine". Below is Frank Shorter's story

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-239-...

My dad disciplined me and I never ever experienced terror what Frank Shorter described in this article.

Obviously I'm not being clear. Less bad does not mean good, and countries did not rid themselves of sweatshops through some magical economic evolution - it takes social movements. People will disagree on the best way to encourage this change, but ultimately I believe we should be support companies who move in the direction of treating workers like humans, giving them safe working conditions, and allowing them to organize. This won't happen without social pressures.

But back to shoes. Everyone here can make their own decision on whether to buy shoes from a particular company or not and decide whether they think their actions make a difference one way or the other. This is AP, so I hope whichever shoes everyone buys last more than 500 miles. :-)

You would need two pairs of shoes to be the man who falls down at your door.

I'm going to have that song stuck in my head all day now. Thanks a lot.

Hi, I'm referring to the Nike sweatshops in Indonesia that pay workers $2.60 (That's NZD) a day. Although that's for their clothing sweatshops, not sure about shoes. I didn't create this post to argue about the validity of sweatshops, I just want to buy shoes that aren't made in factories where workers are underpaid and overworked, and that's my choice!

Nike conditions in Indonesia were horrible 10 years ago but they've made huge improvements (thanks in large to public pressure). Workers get paid very little but it is minimum wage and more than they can generally earn on their own. I've talked to women who in factories there and most feel lucky to have a job.

Plus if they work there long enough, they could soon be promoted to the position of Gil.

Glad to hear they're improving!

@Aunt_Doggie - thanks for chiming in on this subject and pointing out that #1 as ridiculously low it sounds like $2.60 per day is more they would be getting anywhere else; #2 - most workers feel lucky to have factory job.

@Siobhan - I genuinely believe that your intentions are and were good towards so called "sweatshop" workers however what I was trying to call to your attention is that by boycotting particular company or product line there are chances that Nike might just close particular shop(s) and leave workers without a job. I shared this thread with co-worker of mine who is from one of the developing countries originally and his comment was that if not for sweatshops alternative for women, children working there would be prostitution, stealing, begging, living on streets.

@tRicky - did you know that regulation golf ball has 336 dimples?

You have justified my faith in you :-)