January 29th, 2009
Sometimes after learning about the Nike sweatshop issue, people say, “Where can I get clothes that aren’t made in sweatshops and that I feel good about buying?”
My reply to this question is… This campaign is not about you feeling good. Being a part of Team Sweat is being a part of a solidarity movement. It is about joining in the struggle to help Nike’s workers get justice. We need to work with our brothers and sisters in places like Indonesia to help get them the wages and union contracts that they deserve. Your buying sweatfree stuff so that YOU can feel good is not the end for which we are striving. What then are we striving for? We want you to take some concrete action to let Nike know that you are in this fight and that you are on the workers’ side. So, click on the FIGHT section on the Team Sweat homepage and start kicking some butt with us.
Now, having said the above, I do think that supporting companies that are trying to produce their products in ways that respect and honor workers’ rights is something else that social justice warriors can do, but it should never be confused with the solidarity work we are committed to doing at Team Sweat. To help you take this additional action, I have in included a short list below of sweatfree shoes and clothes.
Enjoy!
Peace, Jim Keady
Sweatshop-Free and Fair Trade Products:
CHECK OUT THE EFJ FAIR TRADE CO.
Sneakers:
Hersey Custom Shoes (running shoes)
No Sweat (casual Converse replicas)
Black Spot (casual Converse replicas)
Sports Apparel:
Fair Trade Sports
Casual Apparel:
No Sweat Apparel
(offering tank tops, t-shirts, business / casual wear, hoodies, jeans, socks and more)
Justice Clothing Company
(offering winter hats, outerwear, casual and sportswear)
Store location: 48 Main Street, Bangor, ME 04401
All-American Clothing Company
(offering jeans, fleeces, jackets and dress shirts)
Protexall, Inc.
(offering jackets, pants, shirts, coveralls, and uniforms)
Ben Davis
(offering pants, overalls, shirts, hats/caps and jackets)
Maggie’s Functional Organics
(offering camisoles and a variety of shirts)
NOTE: The products made in sweat-free conditions are Criss Cross Tops, Camisoles, Unisex tees and Womens tees.
Wholesale Apparel:
(Large orders for schools, athletic teams, and fundraisers)
Windjammer, Inc.
(offering T-shirts, Sweatshirts, Shorts, Pants, Golf Shirts, Hats, Jackets, Fleeces)
525 North Main Street
Bangor, PA 18013
ph: 800.441.6985
Plains T-shirt Company
(offering T-shirts and Sweatshirts)
10 Sarah Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18705
ph: 800.634.2602
Lifewear, Inc.
(offering T-shirts and Sweatshirts)
1280 Laurelwood Road
Pottstown, PA 19465
ph: 610.327.9938
King Louie International
(offering a wide variety of polo shirts, other dress shirts, outwear, and hats)
NOTE: Not all King Louie products are made in sweat-free, union factories. Those made in union factories are distinguished in the catalog.
January 29th, 2009
Team Sweat:
I am currently looking for schools to fill out my lecture calendar for the spring semester. If you would like to bring “Behind the Swoosh: Sweatshops and Social Justice” to your school, please send me an email at info@teamsweat.org or call 732.988.7322. For more information about the program, click on the LEARN tab on the teamsweat.org homepage.
Here is a listing of where I will be this semester and the available dates:
February 3rd, 4th, 5th OPEN
February 10th Georgia Southern (GA)
February 11th Florida Gulf Coast (FL)
February 12th OPEN
February 17th, 18th, 19th OPEN
February 24th, 25th, 26th OPEN
March 3rd OPEN
March 4th Southern Connecticut State (CT)
March 5th OPEN
March 10th Franklin Pierce (NH)
March 11th Southern New Hampshire (NH)
March 12th Canisius (NY)
March 17th, 18th, 19th OPEN
March 24th OPEN
March 25th Wheelock College (MA)
March 31st OPEN
April 1st Shippensburg University (PA)
April 2nd OPEN
April 7th UNC-Charlotte (NC)
April 8th, 9th OPEN
April 14th, 15th, 16th OPEN
April 21st, 22nd, 23rd OPEN
April 28th OPEN
April 29th Creighton University (NE)
April 30th OPEN
I am looking forward to visiting your campus!
Peace, Jim Keady
January 29th, 2009
Team Sweat:
I am writing to let you know that my planned research trip to Indonesia with Nike executives that was scheduled for January 2009 has been moved to the late spring/early summer. This was done for a number of logistical reasons and I believe that it will actually allow us to have a more productive trip in the long run.
If you have any questions, drop me an email at info@teamsweat.org
Peace, Jim Keady
January 15th, 2009
Team Sweat:
Here are comments from more consumers that have joined the fight against Nike’s sweatshops.
Peace, Jim Keady
I recently listened to Jim Keady speak at the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in Columbus, Georgia. The presentation was extremely enlightening and empowering both to myself, and my classmates. In fact, the talk motivated us to initiate a justice week at school with the Team Sweat movement as our primary focus. As I browse through the website, I am extremely excited about all the opportunities and ideas you provide for us to start a campus movement. I attend Regis Jesuit High School in Denver, Colorado, and would absolutely love to have Jim Keady be a guest speaker during this justice week.
- Catherine Reidy
I want to join Team Sweat because I want to help the Nike employees to get reasonable wages and not have to struggle for their basic needs on a daily basis.
- Bonnie Albright
I joined Team Sweat because I believe in the dignity of all workers and dream of a world where they will have the opportunities that I have.
- Ken Homan
(I joined Team Sweat) because I am concerned about the working conditions in other countries and would like to be an activist on (the workers) behalf.
- Linda Coffey
I have the opportunity to make competitive wages and have rights at work, everybody else should too. We need this planet to unite in peace and be free from poor working conditions, hunger, and strife. I am joining to inform others around me of these issues!
- Crystal Brecht
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