Date of publication: December 14, 2008
Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
Author: Sheryl Harris
PLAIN DEALING
A weekly column about consumer affairs
Q: I found a rug at a local chain that looks to be very poor quality, and I'm afraid it was made in a sweatshop. The only label I can find is a piece of tape that says it was made in India.
I asked the store buyer about it, and he said it wasn't made in a sweatshop. Things like that are harder to find out than I would have thought. I don't know what I expected -- a tag that said, "Made by bonded children," perhaps?
-- Bonita Kale, Euclid
A: It is hard to find out the conditions under which imported goods are made.
The RugMark Foundation certifies imported rugs as being made without child labor. RugMark requires certified manufacturers to sign legally binding contracts forswearing child labor and allowing unannounced inspections...