Most of us choose organic for more than just strictly environmental reasons. Most of us see the broader context of the choices we make. Most of us are concerned about fair labor from the field right through the supply chain to the store.

The new organic gorilla in the U.S. is, of course, Wal-Mart. Not only are they misrepresenting some of their products as organic (don’t they know what it means?), but they are still having trouble in the area of fair labor.

We still need to make our organic choices in context. Don’t be fooled by strictly economic choices that bring higher organic dollars. Do the companies you buy from embrace social justice?

Yesterday I read about Sim Sweatshop. I like a challenge. How would I do as a worker in a sweatshop–beyond that of my own making, of course? Not so well. The game is made to help you lose. That is the point. If you are a visual learner, try playing Sim Sweatshop. This is a digital art piece commissioned by a growing arts festival in Nottingham (England). At each difficult choice you have to make (Do I join a union? Do I buy shoes for my own child?), there is a background story from labor reports.

Put that together with an article on Wal-Mart this past week, and I’ve been grinding away on the idea of fair labor for the masses. Is it possible? Is fair labor clothing already available around the corner? Are Behind the Label and the Clean Clothes Campaign soon to be obsolete? Not so fast. Hold on to your greenback dollars if you plan to buy green.

Dave Robert’s article last week on TomPaine.org reported on the Wal-Mart CEO’s speech to employees last October on greening the company. Even the Rocky Mountain Institute is helping them green their trucking fleet.

One thing that bothered me about organic standards when I first joined the Organic Trade Association (OTA) was the lack of social standards to match the environmental standards of the USDA program. National Organic Program only covers food, though, and cotton is only certified organic under this program because cotton seeds and cottonseed oil are used in food products. Only on the level of agriculture is cotton currently certified organic.

There are several organic textile standards in the world that cover every stage from agriculture through processing, and discussions are advanced to adopt an international standard to harmonize all of the existing standards. The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which will be adopted by OTA, will allow certified products to cross freely into markets around the world. The best thing about GOTS, as far as I am concerned, is the adoption of the adoption of the base code of conduct for trade.

Back to Wal-Mart. I already knew that Wal-Mart has become the biggest single buyer of organic cotton in the world, but I realized the Wal-Mart CEO isn’t a treehugger. I hadn’t read about the CEO-to-employee speech before, though, so I was curious to know what impact this commitment to organics would have on their notorious lack of concern for fair labor in production as well as in store.

It must have been interesting to employees to hear their big boss talk about all of the good Wal-Mart was doing in the world, anticipating what this would mean for them. Will they be paid a fair wage? Will they get health care? “Even slight overall adjustments to wages eliminate our thin profit margin.” Oh. So, is that a no?

How odd is that? If Wal-Mart’s clothing is to be certified under GOTS as it is adopted by the Organic Trade Association and other world certifying bodies, their agriculture and processing will have to follow GOTS minimum social criteria. Producers of Wal-Mart clothing will have the right to collective bargaining and living wages, among other promises. But the sales people in the store will still lack living wage and health care.

Where do you draw the boundaries of sustainability? If you are going to buy organic, make sure your whole supply chain is committed to the environmental and social standards that implies in at least a minimally convincing way. Better yet, by from the small stores committed to whole sustainable communities.

Is your family caught up in the rush of going back to school? Are you either putting curriculum in place for homeschool or maybe buying clothes for children going to public school? I want to offer more curriculum resources. I suggest that you talk to your children about child labor.

We took up the subject of child labor when our daughter asked us about it. We borrowed films from the library—historical dramas and the musical Newsies. We read books on slavery and on the industrial revolution.

Since then, resources on child labor are much more plentiful. You can get historical information from the Library of Congress American Memory Project. This includes a great lesson plan for middle and high school.

Child labor is not, unfortunately, just a topic in the study of the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the postbellum U.S. South. Child labor is a current problem around the world.

Fields of Hope is a teaching resource created with U.S. Department of Labor grant funds. This is a kid-friendly site devoted to child labor in agriculture, with children’s experiences, global reach, and extensive resources.

The Child Labor Coalition is a national network for the exchange of information about child labor. The website is aimed at adults and includes surveys, bulletins, laws, and more.

The Clean Clothes Campaign keeps their focus on the international apparel industry. http://www.cleanclothes.org/ The organization has videos for loan, including Zoned for Slavery, the Child Behind the Label, a short documentary on child labor in Honduras (1994).

The Labors of Love campaign has a sparse website, but they offer a comprehensive list of curriculum resources along with other materials.

Read the Kids Can Make a Difference article about a 4th grade class whose “Justice Do It,” a play on child labor and sweatshops, was cancelled by their principal for being “age inappropriate.”

For general resources on helping children, UNICEF is always a good resource.

It just makes sense that you wouldn’t want to send your children back to school in clothes made by children who don’t get to go to school.

Groups concerned about global trade have come together as the Ethical Trading Initiative and have devloped a Base Code of conduct for trade. The Global Textile Standards use this base, with the addition of one item specifying scope. The Organic Trade Association will soon sign onto the global standard. Through our sister company Fuzbaby, we are a member of the Organic Trade Association. I am very happy to see such standards of fair trade as part of the standards of our industry. Firefly Diapers whole-heartedly supports and practices the following standards.

1. Minimum social criteria

1.1. Scope
The following social criteria currently apply to the textile processing level only. As far as a practical quality assurance system for the farm level will be in place, these social criteria shall apply for the farm level.

1.2. Employment is freely chosen
There is no forced or bonded labor. Workers are not required to lodge “deposits” or their identity papers with their employer and are free to leave their employer after reasonable notice.

1.3. Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected
Workers, without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively. The employer adopts an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organizational activities. Workers representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace. Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, the employer facilitates, and does not hinder, the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.

1.4. Working conditions are safe and hygienic
A safe and hygienic working environment shall be provided, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards. Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course of work, by minimizing, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment. Workers shall receive regular and recorded health and safety training, and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers. Access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, to rest areas, food consuming areas and sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided. Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of the workers. The company observing the code shall assign responsibility for health and safety to a senior management representative.

1.5. Child labor shall not be used
There shall be no new recruitment of child labor. Companies shall develop or participate in and contribute to policies and programs which provide for the transition of any child found to be performing child labor to enable her or him to attend and remain in quality education until no longer a child; “child” and “child labor” as being defined by ILO. Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions. These policies and procedures shall conform to the provisions of the relevant ILO standards (C138, C182).

1.6. Living wages are paid
Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income. All workers shall be provided with written and understandable information about their employment conditions including wages before they enter employment and about the particulars of their wages for the pay period concerned each time that they are paid. Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted nor shall any deductions from wages not provided for by national law be permitted without the expressed permission of the worker concerned. All disciplinary measures should be recorded.

1.7. Working hours are not excessive
Working hours comply with national laws and benchmark industry standards, whichever affords greater protection. In any event, workers shall not on a regular basis be required to work in excess of 48 hours per week and shall be provided with at least one day off for every 7 day period on average. Overtime shall be voluntary, shall not exceed 12 hours per week, shall not be demanded on a regular basis and shall always be compensated at a premium rate.

1.8. No discrimination is practiced
There is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.

1.9. Regular employment is provided
To every extent possible work performed must be on the basis of recognized employment relationship established through national law and practice. Obligations to employees under labor or social security laws and regulations arising from the regular employment relationship shall not be avoided through the use of labor-only contracting, sub- contracting, or home-working arrangements, or through apprenticeship schemes where there is no real intent to impart skills or provide regular employment, nor shall any such obligations be avoided through the excessive use of fixed-term contracts of employment.

1.10. No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed
Physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation shall be prohibited.