2008 Shop with a Conscience Consumer Guide

Women Men Babies Shoes Coats T-Shirts Sports
Stores Map More Union Sources

Women's Wear

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The Shop with a Conscience Consumer Guide is brought to you by SweatFree Communities, Sweatshop Watch, and International Labor Rights Forum.

Justice Clothing offers a wide-range of sweatshop-free apparel. Justice Clothing sells only union-made clothing, because members of independent unions earn higher wages and benefits, and have a voice on the job. Order online at www.justiceclothing.com

Sources of products: Artex Mills in Westville, New Jersey; Edith Lances Corp. in New York, New York; Forsyth of Canada in Mississauga, Ontario; Jerome Cutting/Snap-n-Wear in Bronx, New York; Kenneth Gordon in Harahan, Louisiana; King Louie America in Adair, Oklahoma; Lifewear in Pottstown, Pennsylvania; Maine Neckwear in New York, New York; New Jersey Headwear in Newark, New Jersey; Platinum Sportswear in Norcross, Georgia; Riviera Inc. in Quebec, Canada; Schott Brothers in Elizabeth, New Jersey; Scottyā€™s Fashions of Lehighton in Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania; TYCA in Clinton, Massachusetts; Union Line, Inc./Graybear in Chicago, Illinois; Wigwam Mills in Sheboygan, Wisconsin; Windjammer in Bangor, Pennsylvania.

Maggie's Organics / Clean Clothes provides comfortable, durable, affordable and beautiful articles of apparel and accessories made from materials that restore, sustain and enhance the resources, including human, from which they are made. Consumers may request that their order be filled with garments sewn only by cooperatives. Based on availability, Maggie's will confirm via email before shipping. Order online at www.maggiesorganics.com

Sources of products: The Fair Trade Zone in Managua, Nicaragua; Cia Textil Centroamericana S.A. in San Jose, Costa Rica; Coopecostura in Cartago, Costa Rica.

No Sweat Apparel offers union-made footwear & casual clothing. Its gear is produced by independent trade union members in the United States, Canada, and the developing world. No Sweat believes that the only viable response to globalization is a global labor movement. Order online at www.nosweatapparel.com

Sources of products: Arja Textile Co. in Beit Jala, Palestine; Artex Knitting Mills in Westville, New Jersey; New Jersey Headwear in Newark, New Jersey; PT Sepatu Bata TBK in Jakarta, Indonesia; Quality Knitting Limited in Toronto, Ontario; Saddler Belts & Leathercraft in Redhill, South Africa; Union Line in Chicago, Illinois; Universal Sportswear in Bangor, Pennsylvania; and Wigwam Mills in in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Men's Wear

DeMoulin Apparel manufactures formal men's wear, including tuxedo pants, jackets, shirts, and bow ties as well as a wide variety of school and work outerwear. Over 150 workers at two locations are members of UNITE HERE Local 546. To order, call: 1-800-228-8134. To view: www.demoulin.com.

Sources of products: Own factories in Greenville and Centralia, Illinois.

Kenneth Gordon makes the finest quality men's dress shirts. The factory had to shut down after Hurricane Katrina, but is back in business. The workers are members of UNITE HERE Local 2647. Order online at www.mensapparel.com.

Source of products: Own factory in Harahan, Louisiana.

Protexall carries a line of casual men's wear, including pants, shirts, and jackets. The company has also manufactured quality workwear and uniforms for over 100 years. The workers are members of UNITE HERE Local 920. Order online at www.protexallinc.com.

Source of products: Own factory in Galesburg, Illinois.

Traditions Fair Trade sells men's dress shirts, sneakers and leather shoes made in four worker-run factories in Argentina. Order online at www.traditionsfairtrade.com.

Sources of products: Desde el pie in Laferrere/La Matanza, Argentina; Ceres in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Pupore in Barcelona, Buenos Aires; Cooperativa Unidos por el Cazado in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Justice Clothing, www.justiceclothing.com. See description under Women's Wear.

The Working World, www.workingworld.org. See description under Footwear.

Baby Clothes

Rage Baby sells fun, off-beat, irreverent t-shirts for your baby to express herself! Baby t-shirts are organic cotton and fairly-traded from a cooperative in Nicaragua. Order online at www.ragebaby.com.

Source of products: COMAMNUVI (also known as Nueva Vida Cooperative and Fair Trade Zone) in Managua, Nicaragua

Maggie's Organics / Clean Clothes, www.maggiesorganics.com. See description under Women's Wear.

Shoes

Autonomie Project is a new Fair Trade fashion company offering high-quality, sweatshop-free and eco-friendly footwear. Autonomie works with a fair trade certified facility in Pakistan and looks forward to offering clothing and accessories from independent worker-owned cooperatives located in rural and developing areas of the world. Order online at www.autonomieproject.com or call 1-877-218-9131.

Source of products: Talon Sports in Sialkot, Pakistan

The Working World is a non-profit organization dedicated to the expansion of economic democracy. Their core project is a fund that provides productive capital directly to workers through fair loans and investments. They also help market products from the cooperatives and democratic workplaces they support. Order online at www.workingworld.org.

Sources of products: Desde el pie in Laferrere/La Matanza, Argentina; Ceres in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

No Sweat Apparel, www.nosweatapparel.com. See description under Women's Wear.

Traditions Fair Trade, www.traditionsfairtrade.com. See description under Menā€™s Wear.

Coats / Outerwear

Leather Coats is your home for leather outerwear and accessories. Their workers are members of UNITE HERE Local 73. Order online from their USA union-made section at www.leathercoatsetc.com.

Source of products: Own factory in Kewanee, Illinois.

SterlingWear of Boston was founded in 1968. The company produces Navy-style pea-coats and outerwear. Over 50 manufacturing workers are members of UNITE HERE Local 1. Order online at www.sterlingwear.com.

Source of products: Own factory in Boston, Massachusetts.

Justice Clothing, www.justiceclothing.com. See description under Women's Wear.

T-Shirts

Donnelly/Colt is a two-person home business that has been committed to working with union-made and imprinted garments for 33 years. Request "union-made"¯ when ordering. Mail order from www.donnellycolt.com or call 1-860-455-9621

Source of products: Lifewear in Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Just Shirts works in partnership with a women's worker-owned cooperative in El Salvador to produce high quality fairly-traded and sweatshop-free t-shirts, hoodies and canvas bags. Order online at www.justshirts.ca.

Source of products: Cooperativa de Madres Solteras (Single Mother's Cooperative) in San Salvador, El Salvador

Nicaraguan Garment Workers Fund sells sweatshop-free, fairly-traded, and 100% certified organic tees and shirts. All of the profits go directly to supporting the development of the Nueva Vida Cooperative in Nicaragua. Order online at www.ngwfund.org.

Source of products: COMAMNUVI (also known as Nueva Vida Cooperative and Fair Trade Zone) in Managua, Nicaragua

North Country Fair Trade, www.ethicalgoods.org. See description under Wholesale.

No Sweat Apparel, www.nosweatapparel.com. See description under Women's Wear.

Sports Equipment

Fair Trade Sports offers the first full line of union-made, eco-certified, certified fair trade sports balls for football, soccer, basketball, volleyball, rugby, and more. Order online at www.fairtradesports.com.

Source of products: Talon Sports in Sialkot, Pakistan

Wholesale

For a complete list of wholesale shopping options, see our Wholesale Sweatfree Shopping Guide

EthixSupply.com wholesales union-made in the USA headwear, bags, shirts and more. They can do custom screen printing, embroidery or direct digital printing for your Local, organization, or company. Order online at www.ethixsupply.com or call 877-709-3845.

Sources of products: New Jersey Headwear in Newark, New Jersey; Lifewear in Pottstown, Pennsylvania; Union Line, Inc./Graybear in Chicago, Illinois.

Fair Trade Uniforms offers an opportunity for schools to wear their commitment to ending poverty on their sleeves. Their production partners are projects established by the Sisters of the Good Shepard. Order online at www.fairtradeuniforms.org or contact Allen Thayer, Coordinator, at 718-204-0909.

Sources of products: Taller D'Taris in Leon, Mexico; Isan Weaving in Nong Khai, Thailand.

North Country Fair Trade specializes in the sale of blank t-shirts and tote bags to schools, stores and organizations that want to imprint their logo on a promotional product. Oxford style men's shirts made from organic cotton with a hand woven trim from Guatemalan fabrics are also available. As partners in the business, members of Maquiladora Dignidad y Justicia divide income earned by the production team and divide earnings equally among members. Order online at www.ethicalgoods.org.

Sources of products: Maquiladora Dignidad y Justicia in Piedras Negras, Mexico; and COMAMNUVI (also known as Nueva Vida Cooperative and Fair Trade Zone) in Managua, Nicaragua.

Union Maid Screen Printing is a democratic, soon to be worker-owned company, providing quality silk screen services. Union Maid is committed to providing sweatshop-free products. To order, go online at www.unionmaidscreenprinting.com and send them an email.

Source of products: Platinum Sportswear in Norcross, Georgia.

Shop sweatfree in your local stores

The following are a sample of sweatfree products made by organized workers available in your local stores. Look for the brand label and "made in Canada" or "made in the USA"¯ to be sure of buying sweatfree.

Jack Victor is a family-owned corporation that manufactures fine quality men's garment using the experience of the traditional know-how and the most modern equipment to maintain the highest of quality standards. Find a store at www.jackvictor.com. Look for Jack Victor "made in Canada."

Source of products: Own factory in Montreal, Quebec

Metro Sportswear makes down-filled Canada Goose brand coats. The workers are members of UNITE HERE Local 437. Find a store at www.canada-goose.com. Look for Canada Goose "made in Canada."

Source of products: Own factory in Toronto, Ontario

Resistol has made great western style hats since the 1920s. Over 200 manufacturing workers in two production locations are members of UNITE HERE Locals 128H and 129H. Find a distributor at: www.resistolhat.com. Ask for Resistol "made in the USA."

Source of products: Own factories in Garland and Longview, Texas

Schott N.Y.C. makes pea coats, aviator jackets, and motorcycle jackets. The workers are members of UNITE HERE Local 169C. Find a store at www.schottnyc.com. Look for Schott "made in the USA."

Source of products: Own factory in New York City, New York