What Fairtrade cotton at Monsoon does - and doesn't - mean

Tuesday, 24 October 2006 10:57

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Labour rights campaigners have given a cautious welcome to Monsoon’s new range made with Fairtrade cotton, pointing out that while cotton farmers will benefit, the Fairtrade cotton mark does not guarantee good working conditions in the manufacture of these clothes.

Labour rights campaigners have given a cautious welcome to Monsoon’s new range made with Fairtrade cotton, pointing out that while cotton farmers will benefit, the Fairtrade cotton mark does not guarantee good working conditions in the manufacture of these clothes.

In a letter to Monsoon Accessorize, campaign group Labour Behind the Label has called on the company to apply the principles of Fairtrade throughout its supply chain, saying that “retailers benefiting from the positive PR generated by involvement with Fairtrade cotton should demonstrate that their attitude to ethical trade, as well as Fairtrade, is progressive.”

The letter makes four demands of Monsoon, alongside other retailers involved with Fairtrade cotton:

  1. Make more active use of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI)
  2. Use more effective techniques to get a better idea of working conditions in its suppliers.
  3. Take a pro-active approach to freedom of association.
  4. Publicly disclose the names and locations of the factories manufacturing garments made with Fairtrade cotton.

LBL makes these demands because the Fairtrade cotton mark - an independent guarantee that cotton farmers have received a better deal - does not cover other stages of production, including the cut, make and trim (CMT) stage in which poor working conditions have long been the concern of consumers and campaigners.

Martin Hearson, LBL’s Campaign Coordinator, said:

Fairtrade cotton is a welcome step for farmers, but if Monsoon is serious about ethical trading, it needs to complement this with much greater efforts to ensure decent pay and conditions for the workers producing its clothes in developing countries, across all its products.

We have heard some encouraging things from Monsoon recently, but time will tell whether they prove to be more than just words.

Ends

Notes for editors:

1. Monsoon’s profile on the Let’s Clean up Fashion website is available at <http://www.cleanupfashion.co.uk/companies/monsoon.php>

2. Labour Behind the Label is a campaign that supports garment workers' efforts worldwide to improve their working conditions.  Our members include trade unions and their local branches, consumer organisations, campaign groups, and charities. We are the UK platform of the international Clean Clothes Campaign.

3. LBL’s Q&A on Fairtrade cotton is available at <http://www.labourbehindthelabel.org/content/view/34/57/ >

4. For the full text of LBL’s letter, and an analysis of how Monsoon meets the demands, contact Martin Hearson on 07868 637663

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