MARSHALL LOEB'S DAILY MONEY TIP
Steer clear of goods that spell child labor
By Marshall Loeb, MarketWatch
Last update: 7:30 p.m. EST Feb. 11, 2008
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- For years American consumers have faced the
challenge of recognizing and avoiding goods manufactured by child
laborers, estimated to number 218 million by the U.N.'s International
Labor Organization. But having penetrated key industries such as
apparel and agriculture, the offending merchandise is not always easy
to reject.
Forbes' magazine writer Megha Bahree suggests several steps you can
take to minimize the chances that the things you buy have passed
through the hands of a child laborer.
Know the company and learn about its labor policies. Every time you
buy an im****ted homemade carpet, an embroidered pair of jeans or a
soccer ball chances are you're acquiring something fa****oned by a
child. Such goods are available in places like GapKids, Macy's, ABC
Carpet & Home, Lowe's and Home Depot. These retailers say they are
aware of child-labor problems, but a supply chain has many links and
even a well-intentioned im****ter can't police them all.
Check the label. This may seem obvious, but if you are serious about
fighting child labor, check the item's registered identification
number (RN) on the label against the Federal Trade Commission's
database ( http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/rn/index.shtml).
Among the
noteworthy offenders are Mali, Cambodia and Guatemala, with 63%, 38%
and 23%, respectively, of children working.
Keep an eye out for certifications. While no universal certification
exists for child-labor-free products, there are groups that monitor
specific industries. The Rugmark Foundation (www.rugmark.org)
certifies rug manufacturers that adhere to strict labor standards.
TransFair USA (www.transfairusa.org) monitors commodities like coffee
and tea and makes sure farmers are paid a far price for fair-trade-
certified goods. Additionally, when you see the emblem of the AFL-CIO
(www.aflcio.org) on a product or store, you can rest assured the
employees who make the product are fairly treated members of a union.
Avoid counterfeits. Counterfeit items such as watches, purses and
clothing don't just shortchange the companies that produce the real
thing. Their proceeds often sup****t criminal activity, and there's a
fair chance the goods were made in a sweatshop.
Marshall Loeb, former editor of Fortune, Money, and the Columbia
Journalism Review, writes for MarketWatch.
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