astrx

after my second pair of no sweat sneakers exploded i have decided i need something a little more durable for the old clips and straps, but just as a preference, i don't want 8 year old vietnamese girls sewing them. any suggestions?

vasracer

what were you riding before?

bigdufstuff

It says right in his post. He was riding no sweat https://nosweatapparel.com/

dijos

new balance are made in the usa.

kmart

...but there is likely some sweating involved. THINK ABOUT IT!

prufrock

I'm down for fair-trade, but what about my 8 year old Vietnamese cousin who cannot eat because she lost her job making shoes because no one wants to buy shoes made by children. Ever wonder why an 8 year old is making shoes in the first place? If you can answer that, then by all means buy nosweat shoes. I just hate hipsters who buy all fair trade things because everyone else does. Understand what you are doing. That said, I'm going to drink my fair-trade coffee while wearing my Nikes.

making

I wish I could get some work out of my kids.

humancongereel

what do you have against 8 year old vietnamese girls?


just kidding, new balance is all i can think of. they have some that seem pretty good, but i've never ridden with them. most of my shoes i got for free....college kids can be wasteful and get rid of brand new shoes a lot.

Severian

I think Merrels may be safe.

Klink

SAS Comfort shoes.

humancongereel

what gets me is that sweatshop employees have no rights and no way of bettering the situation, and the conditions and treatment are so awful. also, child labor is a little ****ed up. i dunno, when i was 8 i just read and rode bikes. why should i be privileged like that and other kids have to sew shoes and get beaten and trapped in that situation?

not to mention that companies do this very purposely in order to make profits and that in itself is sick.

bonechilling

You realize that you have no idea what you're talking about, right? I mean, everything you just said was completely ignorant of reality, for a variety of reasons. It's so insipid and flatly wrong that even sweatshop defenders don't take that stance.

prufrock

All I'm saying it is easy to be all high and mighty here in the US where children don't have to work. They can just read and ride their bikes. I just ask people to think about context.

No one wants children working in factories.

I have seen the slums in the Philippines first hand. Children running around large slum villages built in the landfills. There is a reason why these children are working in factories. They aren't rounded up in the local villages by the great big white man to work in these horrendous factories. These children either come by choice or are sent by their parents to these terrible factories because the family needs to money. The reason these factories exist is because we demand cheap goods. If we wanted to pay a "fair" price, we might as well just keep the factories here in the US so we can employ US citizens rather than employing children. But if we did that, where would these children work? Its a complicated situation and buying "nosweat" clothing isnt going help the children as much as many people think it would.

How is it I don't know what I'm talking about? I never claim to be an expert, I just ask for people to think about the context. If you have any additional information, I'm glad to learn.


I agree that it is sickening that all companies do is seek profits, but it is what keeps corporate progress going. People are naturally greedy - "success" is built on greed. Furthermore, it is easy to exploit people. Sweat shop workers need rights and better conditions, but this is an added cost. You and me would be willing to pay that added cost to retail prices, but most people do not give a rat's ass. Everything is calculated, as it should be (for rational decisions). It is sad when people become numbers, but it is the world we live in.

dijos

FYI, child labor was common practice in this country well into the 1930s and probably 40s. https://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu...s_history.html

MyBikeGotStolen

Great, if no one buys shoes that were sewed my 8 year old vienamese girls then they will be unemployed and unable to buy food. Id rather buy shoes made by them so they can afford food to live off of.

People are not forced to work in these "seatshops" they do it because its the best job they can find to feed their families. I hope it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside to be trying to put them out of work and hungry.

Edit: I guess I should of read the whole thread, I guess I'm not the only one here that doesnt whine about crap and react off of FEELINGS and not logic.

making

I washed dishes in a hot kitchen at a local resturant when I was twelve for my first Fuji (early 70's), was that a sweatshop? I do think we (rich westerners) are very quick to pass judgement on others. Actually I have been working ever since, bummer.

urban_assault

Aww geez, I must be wearing knockoffs. All 3 pairs of New Balance I have are Made in China. Am I going to hell now?

dijos

OOh, burn on me. Some new balance are made in the us.

elementary

I think the No Sweat Apparel is still made in these south east Asian countries (the sneakers are made in Indonesia), but the workers are unionised and slightly better paid. Buying these kicks means a bigger proportion of what you pay goes to the people who produce the shoes. It isn't taking money out of the hand of an 8 year old Indonesian girl, it's paying her mum enough to look after her, and giving the mother working conditions that will allow her to live long enough to to take care of her.

So, a super idealised and oversimplified example...but you see the general idea. So do what you like, buy what you like, but at least do it in an educated manner.

elementary

That said, mine blew out in a few months too. Not sure if I'll get more or not...

MyBikeGotStolen

Goodwill has shoes for $4

nathbdp

and smelly used shirts!

marcusprice

macbeth is made in san diego. they also make vegan shoes.

roadgator

that is the real answer. If you are worried about the ills of your consumption, stop consuming and start reusing.

crushkilldstroy

Assuming you can find a pair that are actually comfortable and don't look like ass, Simples are delightfully sweatshop free. They're recycley sustainey too.