If you are anything like myself, you simply cannot resist a good deal! The bold, red words of “SALE” and “Clearance” immediately grab my attention and draw me nearer to the stands. However, there is always the hidden cost of being cheap.

As I shop at places like Nike and Walmart, I tend to conveniently ignore the stories and experiences of labor and unfairness that are behind the discounted prices. I casually shop and gleam at my good fortune, ultimately forgetting the true cost for these low prices.

According to DoSomething.org, approximately 168 million children (ages 5-14) in developing countries are forced to work against their will. Their places of employment are usually unsanitary, unsafe, and sometimes even illegal. For example, there have been several cases of child laborers that work for Nike who have died due to the horrendous conditions in the sweatshops.

Additionally, companies like H&M have received backlash for their apathy and refusal to create safer working conditions..even after over 20 workers died in a factory fire. These are just two examples of the injustices that occur globally, and far too often. Many children and young adults suffer from the conditions in sweatshops and other unfair employment avenues.

Even with this being said, the topic of sweatshops actually remains controversial, as some argue that sweatshops give people in developing countries an opportunity to work and earn a wage. However, this does not account for the working conditions, or whether or not the wage they receive is actually enough to support the cost of living.

Other Examples of the Inequity Within the Workplace:

- Lack of safety standards for construction workers in Dubai

- Bangladeshi girls (age 7+) working in sweatshops full time

- Apple sweatshop workers with high suicide rates

- In India alone, 5-30% of the 340 million children under age 16 are categorized as child laborers.

To be truthful, I cannot promise that I will never purchase another product from Nike or H&M ever again, but I can promise that I will be more conscious of where I choose to shop. I vow to try harder to make sure that the production process is something that I can support, and I will support businesses that utilize ethical, fair working conditions and wages for all employees, domestic and abroad. I hope that you will join me in this mission to be more conscious of the businesses you support.