I’d asked. I’d been told. Now what am I going to do?
Because I asked for an Hermes lookalike, she told me the story. IThey were made by little children, supposedly no more than 9 or 10. “Because their hands are better for delicate work,” she told me. She added, “But they’re always wanting to go out to play. To keep them still, the factory owners fracture a leg and tie it to their thighs.” I tried not to look affected. “Surely they’d want their slave labour whole,” I argued with her. I demanded, “Show me the youtube. Till I see with my eyes, I won’t believe.” “Do it yourself,” she retorted. It wasn’t her so-called-Vuitton burning against her side. She didn’t have fake Ferragamos pinching at her heels I had a lot to lose if I believed. But … because I asked, I went off and searched. I found videos on boys making the paper cups that shield our ice-cream cones, others working in the fields, still more in brick factories. I did not see the sewing children but I saw enough. I’d asked. I’d been told. I’d seen. Now, what am I going to do about it?
Reader and Writer - Praying Woman - Gardener - Foodie 
Audrey – I’m afraid I can’t bring myself to follow your links, my imagination has already done a terrible job – I am now wondering where you were when you asked this question, of whom you asked it and – what are you going to do about it? What can you do about it? M
I have a friend who travels to Thaiand and China a lot and likes to give us ‘lookalikes’ for Xmas n birthdays. I have never felt.very bad about it because I felt the originals were unjustifiably expensive. Until last week, I mostly thought copycatting clothing etc was a victimless crime, a strike against the establishment even. Now I know better.
What to do? Counterfeiting is profitable because the prices of the real stuff are so high it is possible to make quite a lot of money selling the fake stuff. So first off… no more being seduces by the status goods in Harpers and Vogue. 2nd… no more accepting vfakes for gifts. 3rd… Spread the message. Regarding the other types of child labour… It is really about supporting local trafficking enforcers and the ILO and also regional projects promoting a better livelihood for these children’s parents. All the countries they come from could do with better govt of course. And don’t get me started on the global market system … But tt isn’t something i can immediately affect.
Well, I just shared it on FB – if ‘friends’ who buy expensive or fake goods read it maybe it will start a tiny, weeny little ripple – let’s hope so.
Oh Audrey such sadness when children aren’t allowed to be children. Breaks the heart, I thought there might be more laws against such things, but by the looks of these links its happening to many innocents.
Yes sad.