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Don't wear that gear!

For years well-known brands like Nike, Adidas, Fila and the like have been accused of using sweat-labour in poor conditions - mostly in third-world countries around the world - in the manufacturing of their products.

With the World Cup upon us all the sporting-manufacturing brands are pushing for part of the huge advertising opportunity the Cup presents - and the sale of their products. At the other end of the spectrum it appears from this piece in The Independent that in practical terms little has been done to alleviate the conditions of workers in factories making all those shoes and garments, etc.

As the article opens:

"The world's top sportswear manufacturers stand accused of continuing to use a number of foreign factories which deny workers union rights and decent wages, despite claims they have cleaned up their act."

Read the full Independent article, here, and its analysis of what all the manufacturers [you know those brands you wear!] are doing - with details of how manufacturers are still exploiting people around the world. It makes for a sad indictment of our world when profit is being driven at the expense of poor people.

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