“Once trafficked into one form of labor, there is a strong likelihood that children may later be sold into another. For instance, a high percentage of girls from rural India, recruited to work in garment factories, are trafficked into the sex industry ” —June 2004 United Nations study

Child labor is a crime committed against one out of every seven children around the world.

Despite laws prohibiting it, child labor is rampant in many parts of the developing world, especially in regions of South Asia, Sub-Sharan Africa and South America. Apparel manufacturing is among the top export products in many of these regions and children ages 4-14 are routinely kidnapped or sold and forced to work as many as 18 hours a day. They are subject to malnutrition, impaired vision, deformities from sitting long hours in cramped surrounding and respiratory diseases from inhaling harsh chemicals

While some people mistakenly think it is better when all members of a family work, child labor actually makes poverty worse. The more children are forced to work, the fewer opportunities there are for adults to earn a living. By driving down adult wages and depriving children of education, child labor ensures that poverty will be passed down from generation to generation. A study by the International Labour Organization (ILO) found that it would cost $760 billion to end child labor, but the benefits to the economy would be more than six times that—an estimated $5.1 trillion in economies where child laborers are found.

By building awareness about the widespread use of child labor in the apparel manufacturing industry and by donating 5% of all revenues to our “Partners For Change”, Greenlight is making a difference in the fight against child labor. Greenlight has helped rescue and free over 600 children from forced child labor in it’s first year of operation and helped avoid over 37,000 sweat shop hours. Nonetheless, this is just the beginning of our mission, there’s a great deal that needs to be done—and we need your help to eradicate child labor globally once and for all.

FAQs

How is Greenlight working to end child labor?

GO knows that there are fantastic organizations out there helping to find and remove child labor as well as rehabilitate the children affected by the ills of child labor. By donating 5% of all it’s revenues to their “Partners Of Change” Greenlight is working to create lasting, positive solutions to some of our planet’s most compelling social and humanitarian problems. We are not just looking to have purely transactional relationships but instead to create real and lasting partnerships that expand the reach of both parties. Operating in conjunction with our community partners we have the potential to innovate together, in service of changing the world for the better.

How does Greenlight Source it’s products?

The popularity of this question is a testament to many factors, including people’s increased attention to where their clothing comes from and a heightened awareness of workers’ rights and conditions globally. Majority of all our products are produced in our own manufacturing facility in India that is Fair Trade and ISO 9002 certified. We also manufacture certain products in other countries like Canada and China. Besides working with manufacturers with whom we have long-established relationships, we have created a code of conduct with which they must comply. Our Code of Conduct addresses three major areas: human rights, environment, documentation and review. The human rights section addresses issues related to voluntary employment, child labor, freedom of association, fair and equal treatment, nondiscrimination, compensation, hours of work, overtime, and health and safety.

How can my corporation or I get involved with Greenlight?

Our biggest source of business is word of mouth leads from people like you. You can help spread the word by asking your event manager to source Greenlight merchandise for your next event. Greenlight specializes in producing custom merchandise solutions for large corporate events and marathons.

How can using Greenlight Apparel help my event, business and brand?

Using Greenlight Apparel for your corporate and promotional merchandise is an excellent way to distinguish your business and capitalize on the growing market of consumers who are interested in buying socially responsible products. You’ll also have the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping end illegal child labor.

Is the demand for Greenlight Apparel Improving?

In the past two years, sales of Greenlight Apparel products have increased by nearly 200 percent. Today Greenlight Apparel is the choice of over 20 marathon events and 30 large enterprises. Meanwhile, the market for socially responsible goods overall has skyrocketed to an estimated 65 million consumers, or 23 percent of the U.S. adult population.

About Child Labor

What is child labor?

The International Labour Organization (ILO) recognizes child labor as work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally harmful to children. Instead of going to school and experiencing childhood, 218 million children around the world are involved in this type of work.1

In addition to interfering with child development and education, child labor also drives down adult wages, keeping communities trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty. Of the total number of children working, 126 million are engaged in the worst forms of child labor, defined in ILO Convention 182 as “work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children,” such as bonded labor, extremely hazardous work and other work that separates children from their families.

What is the economic impact of child labor?

Ending illegal child labor would help the global economy. The ILO’s 2003 Investing in Every Child report shows that it would cost $760 billion over a 20-year period to end child labor. The estimated benefit in terms of better education and health is more than six times that—over $5 trillion in economies where child laborers are found.2

Isn’t it true that children in poor countries must work to feed themselves and their families?

Child laborers often work as bonded laborers and never see a penny for their work. Those who are paid make far less than adult workers, and adult workers make less in environments where child labor is used because child labor drives down wages. 1,3

Some child laborers work at home, side by side with other family members. Aren’t they better off than child laborers in factories?

Sometimes children working at home are worse off. It’s easier for inspectors to enforce fair labor standards in a factory setting than in the privacy of a home. Anything can be hidden behind closed doors. It is legal for children to work in the home, as long as they attend school full-time and are not working against their will.

If children are forced to leave apparel-manufacturing industry, won’t they turn to crime or prostitution?

We ensure that rescued children have an opportunity to go to school. When they’re old enough, children rehabilitated by Greenlight sponsored programs have the opportunity to learn a trade if they’d like to.