Join the campaign for Fair Trade and Sustainable Clothing from Kohl's and Macy's

Between now and Black Friday (Nov. 25), The Human Thread calls for sending postcards to the CEOs of Macy’s and Kohl’s in support of a living wage at the sites where our clothes are made. I'd be grateful for your help.

When we visit a supermarket, we can purchase organic and fair trade items. When we visit an auto dealer, we can buy a hybrid. Some chains build their identity and customer base by offering those options. We know that the hybrid and the organic, fair trade items may cost us a bit more, but we are willing to pay for them for a broader benefit.

Except for a few niche clothing items sold in a few boutiques, as of yet, no major chain sells clothing sourced in other countries that is fair trade. But we know that most of it comes from places we read on our labels: Bangladesh, China, India, Vietnam, Honduras, Mexico. Pope Francis has called the wages paid those workers: “slave labor.”

Given the woeful wages in garment-producing countries, did the workers who made my clothing receive a wage that will support them and their families? Knowing that the garment industry is the second biggest user of water and the consequent immense harm that the garment industry does to the environment, we also ask what care and provision was made for the care of creation in the production of this garment?

For years members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility have engaged retailers, including Macy’s and Kohl’s on supply chain issues. However they have rejected calls to address wages at the sites where our clothes are made.

After the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh, Professor Jerry Davis of the Ross School of Business wrote a letter to The New York Times. In it he said that change never comes about from investor/shareholder actions without an accompanying consumer effort. This is our effort to make such a difference. We’ve shared this Campaign with him; he is very supportive.

If you agree with us, we'd ask you to sign, stamp, and mail a postcard to Macy's and to Kohl's telling them as much. Both of these companies have good track records in various areas but, if they would support this effort, things would be so much better. We are telling them: If they will lead, we will buy.

If you want to ask others, friends or members of any of your organizations, to get involved, please  email our campaign manager at campaignmanager@humanthreadcampaign.org, indicating your postal address and how many postcards you need. They will be sent by return mail.

More information can be found here: http://www.humanthreadcampaign.org/advocacy/campaign-with-macys-and-kohls/