| There are few essentials in life and clothes, along | | | | are not paid enough to feed their families or to get |
| with food, water and shelter, is one of them. | | | | ahead in any way to help themselves. |
| While the majority of our daily food and water | | | | In countries with workers rights, people are paid |
| supplies are sourced locally and we have a fair idea | | | | more. This allows them to not only supply basic |
| of the source of our housing supplies, clothing is | | | | needs of their families but allows them choices in |
| something we generally accept has come from | | | | where they live and how they choose to prosper. |
| overseas. | | | | By choosing to purchase clothes made in countries |
| In today's multi-national marketplace clothes are | | | | where no rights exist for workers, consumers are |
| typically made in countries that do not have equal | | | | implicit in this process. Finding clothing that is ethically |
| opportunity guidelines set out and enforced by their | | | | produced is a challenge and it's companies like People |
| governments. Clothing companies who then | | | | Tree in the UK that are taking the range of free |
| outsource their manufacturing to these countries do | | | | trade designer clothing to a new level. |
| so because the labor is cheap. | | | | Purchasing clothing is necessary but it needn't be at |
| Cheap labor means that the clothes we purchase are | | | | the expense of other people. Companies must give |
| cheaper or that the company that manufactures the | | | | consumers options so we can make educated |
| clothing is able to provide more profits and siphon | | | | decisions about what we buy. As knowledge about |
| those profits to shareholders. | | | | the effects of unfair trade becomes widespread and |
| Whichever way you look at it, cheaper clothes or | | | | more options become available for consumers, |
| more profits for the company also means that the | | | | companies may find that there is a significant market |
| people who make the clothes are underpaid. They | | | | for ethically produced clothing. |