News and Updates

Alone and Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the U.S.

Arriving in record numbers, they’re ending up in dangerous jobs that violate child labor laws — including in factories that make products for well-known brands like Cheetos and Fruit of the Loom. It was almost midnight in Grand Rapids, Mich., but inside the factory everything was bright. A conveyor belt carried bags of Cheerios past…

Consumer Pressure Is Key to Fixing Dire Labor Conditions in the Clothing Supply Chain

Originally published on November 02, 2022, in the Harvard Business Review – Operations And Supply Chain Management SUMMARY: The plethora of different audit systems and standards for assessing labor practices in factories in the apparel supply chain continues to produce disappointing improvements in working conditions. An approach under development would change that by using data from…

Stories of Impact Podcast: Ethical Apparel with Dr. Robert Handfield and Dr. MD Rejaul Hasan

Tavia Gilbert: Welcome to Stories of Impact. I’m your host, Tavia Gilbert, and along with journalist Richard Sergay, every first and third Tuesday of the month, we share conversations about the art and science of human flourishing.Only one week remains before the midterm elections in the United States. Before I vote on November 8, I…

The Effects of CSR Performance and Price on Consumer Purchase Decisions: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

Authors: Junhao Vincent Yu, Tim Kraft, Robert Handfield, Rejaul Hasan, Marguerite Moore ABSTRACT: Problem definition: Once a feature primarily associated with premium goods, the disclosure of corporate social responsibility (CSR) information has become more common for affordable products. While the literature has found that communicating good CSR performance can positively impact consumers’ valuations of a…

Are those clothes you’re buying ethically made? NC State researchers hope to make customers better informed

Ending unfair labor practices around the world is a problem that laws and trade embargoes can’t seem to end. So now a national philanthropy has given a grant to North Carolina State University to figure out a way for consumers to use their buying power to stop unfair labor practices. Right now, most people who…

NC State researchers work to make sure you know your purchases are made under fair labor practices

It’s one of those things most of us do – we buy clothing without knowing just what the conditions are in the factory where the item made. But, if that information is right there for you to see, would it change your decision to purchase? “We look for things like child labor, are they being…

Study Details Baseline Needs to Bring Factories into Compliance with Labor Standards

Researchers from North Carolina State University have conducted an in-depth study to establish all of the actions apparel factories will need to take in order to come into compliance with international labor standards. The study is a first step toward determining what such compliance would cost consumers, and building support for making the needed changes.…

OpenText Survey Shows Increase in Demand for Ethically Sourced Goods

New research shows that consumers are increasingly expressing a demand for ethically manufactured goods, and supports the necessity of the Ethical Apparel Index. According to a 2019 survey conducted by Open Text, approximately 88% of participants prioritized purchasing goods from brands who are committed to responsible sourcing. The research highlights a growing importance for companies…

Helping Consumers Change the World When They Shop

Researchers at North Carolina State University are launching an initiative aimed at improving working conditions in clothing factories on a global scale. The project hopes to help workers by developing and marketing a tool that lets apparel shoppers know how items of clothing were made. This is far from the first such project that aims…