Noted: Slavery Footprint

Thanks so much for posting about this! Looking forward to taking the survey when their site is back up. As a designer who's worked in the industry I know oh too well about how the supply chain works. It's heartbreaking to see how people are forced to work or the facilities they're working in. Slavery is present in so many factories... its a reality most of us will never know but SHOULD know about. Hello!! There's a reason a t-shirt might be $5.99, shoes $19.99 or a pair of jeans $25 at such and such department store. Lets not be ignorant about these things!

This article made me remember Save the Children's video report on child rug weavers. Reputable manufacturers will now tag their items as being "child free" woven. Change can happen - slowly. And I don't know my number. Yet.

So true, and I know we don't even know the half of it. I saw a small glimpse in China and was appalled. It is good that you are bringing this hot subject to the forefront.

Sobering food for thought.

Another good reason to buy locally, buy handmade, and forgo buying stuff you don't really need.

The book "The Story of Stuff" (as well as the 20 minute or so film) is quite powerful. Annie Leonard, the author, dives into the aspects of consumer society and reveals the framework of the system for what it really is. She includes a lot of information about laborers around the world who put their lives on the line to mine minerals for electronics, etc. I myself feel guilty about the consumer life I live, but I am very impressed and become hopeful when scientists, non-profits, and other people expose these flaws and help the common person to realize they can change their lifestyle for the better good. Awareness and a way to create change are the keys.

Interesting...thought provoking........thanks!

great article!

GREAT article! Consumers are becoming more aware as a whole, this was great to see posted here, thank you Etsy :)

Very enlightening!

I really appreciate this post. As the founder of Breaking Chains (www.breakingchains.webs.com), this often-ignored issue is very close to my heart, and I would really like to see more Etsy sellers (as well as ANY seller) take responsibility for their buying power.

I can't wait to actually be able to take the survey. It's down right now as they switch over to new servers due to demand. I know as someone who makes most of my own clothes and possessions I often give myself a pass, but it's not accurate. As a participant in this society I'm absolutely guilty of benefiting from slave labor. I really appreciate the actions steps they've included and this post for waking me up!

I used to work for a company that imported apparel from China. We along with the customers who bought from us would visit and evaluate each factory, supplier and mill yearly. Make sure the companies you buy from take great steps in auditing their factories. Most of your large corporations do, but put a magnifying glass on the small ones.

the fact is that there is a larger proportion of people living in slavery today than ever before in human history.

Awesome post. Thanks for sharing and bringing it to our attention!

Excellent post. I know I need to become more aware.

thank you for your tips about pricing our artwork. It is so difficult for me to price my work and it is so true to underestimate the value of it! Thanks! Ariane

Thank you for posting this. It is so important for people to be informed of how their goods are produced and by who. Very few companies make the grade in my book and I am very, very careful how I spend my money as to me each and every dollar is a vote. The majority of my clothes are custom made by a few different Etsy sellers here. B Corporation Rates Businesses and how ethically they practice. http://www.bcorporation.net/ Here are some of my favorite off Etsy favs http://outlier.cc/ http://www.patagonia.com http://www.earthlust.com/ This is a topic I am very passionate about.

This is an incredible way to influence our next generation of consumers & I'm proud to be a part of that. I have strong fears that my son will grow up in a world that promotes wastefulness & I think the first step in conquering that is to teach him to value the person who makes a product as much as the product itself.

Great article! I checked out the website and it was too busy for me to take the quiz . However, I just want to make one small criticism about the intro. At one point it says, "It's the supply chain, stupid." That completely threw me off. If they're trying to educate people in hopes of promoting change in the world, it might not be wise to talk to people that way. Just a thought :)

Well let's get the taxes down in the United States so businesses can come back home. That's why they left in the first place. It's that simple to fix. Miss Ruby Sue

Excellent post, such a great way to bring it to our attention because I think a lot of people are ignorant to the way their everyday lives are linked to slavery in many ways. Like the article notes, most of us immediately react with "what? no slaves work on my behalf, of course!" but sadly it isn't always the truth.

thanks for bringing this to light! It is something i think about all the time. Remember when Michael jordan and Kathie lee were chastized for having laborers... Now it is common place and people just turn away and don't care.

Thank you for posting this! The site is currently so busy they are switching servers!

Yippeeee! This makes me so happy that you are sharing this info with everyone! Mindfulness of source is one of my top priorities! Thank you for bringing this to your front page, Etsy!!

Nice article and thank for the link! Curious to see what my number is.

This is so sad, so many people are being exploited. Thank you for this great article !

I think about this everyday. I think about it every single time I buy a supply from a factory I cannot see, working conditions I cannot verify. It's paramount in our quest to run better businesses to ask this question each and everytime we purchase for our businesses. I have turned down outsourcing from companies unwilling to open their doors, but I have also entered into some amazing relationships with firms in other countries who operate with transparency.

We should all be trying to buy products that are produced with respect... for the planet, the workers, the wildlife. That's relatively simple for some products, but can get complicated for items such as electronics. But still, we have a responsibility to keep trying to work to make things better.

Thank you for this link! It looks like the site may be a little overwhelmed right now, I'll have to try it out later.

Thank you so much for posting this!!!!

Thanks for a very thought provoking article. These are issues that most of us never ponder. The thought of slavery in another part of the world or even in your world is unthinkable. These issues need to stay in the forefront.

Posts like these always baffle me. What are we supposed to do...besides feel guilty.

Great post. Thank you!

Great article ! Awareness is the first step towards personal change.

Buying cheap clothes it's synonymous of having someone getting paid a misery for his/her job... it feels bad, so bad! I buy almost exclusively on sale, so there's when we discover those already low prices could drop even more, and they did. So, someone got paid nothing, and I buy it at almost equal cost. The solution? Buying less clothes or second hand, sew or our clothes, doing swaps, and supporting causes on the Internet!

Is there data available for actual study?

Excellent article! Am I correct to suppose that in light of this study admins will finally be cracking down on Asian factory sellers here on Etsy? Or ...

Very interesting and thought provoking. Thank you!

This is fascinating- thank you.

Very good article, these things need to come out into the open and discussed - thanks for sharing!

Thank you so much for keeping these issues on the front burner. Keeping up with trends and staying fashionable at the hands of forced labor cannot be tolerated, no matter what era we're in. I'll do my part!

Great article. It's amazing to think there are still slaves in this day and time. Glad more and more light is being shown on this issue.

Very relevant information to chew on. Thanks for posting this article.

Such a sobering post. Everyone needs to do their part to make sure to be better consumers.

Wow thank you for this amazing post!!!

This is tragic; and to only add to the tragedy is where there is slave labor, there is sex trafficking/slavery (many, many young children). What can we do? Yes, find out our numbers. REDUCE those numbers, one number at a time. Financially support the missionaries and organizations that assist those trapped in slavery of any and all kinds. It won't change over night; but remember the lesson of Oskar Schindler saving one Jewish person at a time from the Nazi death camps? One person at a time. Blessings.

"I believe in the safety net. You know, we live in a competitive society. We live in a capitalist society. For those who can compete and do well, fine. Some Americans can't compete. I think we have a responsibility as a people to help those who can't compete. But do we have a responsibility to help those who won't compete? I would have serious doubts about that." ~~~~John Boehner, Speaker of the House, January, 2011

Very informative! Thank you so much for bringing it to our attention and reminding us why it is so important to buy handmade :)

That's why I buy "MADE IN AMERICA" ....Every chance I get.

If there is exploitation of people it is the women and children who suffer the most - always seems so in my opinion anyways - Thanks for the reminder to spend our dollars/pounds wisely this coming Christmas!! Baby steps by many folks = big strides towards a nicer world ;-) Happy Etsying to all, Fairytale13 x.

Thank you for the wonderful post. If this post has changed one person's thinking it will change many lives, imagine the ripple effect it will have on the world. We must be thoughtful and wise in how we spend, save and are being charitable.

This is heartbreaking...I just hope it's not one of those things that I care about today and forget about in two weeks... I will keep checking back until they get the server back up to take the survey. Anyone ask their brands yet? I'd love to know what products y'all already know are "Made in a free world"

I do care about where the things I buy are made, in the uk marks and spencers do a great job of pointing out their free trade and low impact factory produced clothes.

Defintely will be posting this on my FB for all to see. Thanks for the eye opener!

This is article is important and of course slavery in it's truest term, is inhumane. The article seems somewhat one dimensional and does not sound like all the examples and depths of slavery in the marketplace has been described. I would like to have read a story that has explored this form of slavery with deeper and with greater depth.

Thank you for posting this. This is a topic I am very passionate about. Every dollar is a vote in my opinion. My "Do Not Buy From" list is mighty long. B corporations is a great site that grades companies in respect to how they treat their workers, their production practices, sustainability, etc. It has over 400 businesses listed and is a good starting point if you are interested in changing your spending habits. There are some really responsible companies. I am finding they are few and far between though. They look all green and shiny on the surface and well that's just the surface. I have started having my clothes made by a few Etsy sellers. I have been really happy so far with what I've purchased. I just can't bare the thought of someone being exploited so I can save a few bucks.

Mindful consumerism is awesome. Part of the problem is that a lot, if not most people, are peripherally aware of the kinds of processes that go into the production of many of their consumer goods, but when one feels as though there's nothing they can do to affect a positive change to these modes of production, they'll ignore it as best they can for the sake of their own mental well-being. Hell, I worked in cultural studies for about six years, and constantly being exposed to this kind of knowledge, yet feeling useless to enact positive change, left me feeling emotionally drained and saddled with an awful lot of useless guilt. I think this is something a lot of us carry around. So I really, really, really hope that this project actually serves to create change beyond mere consumer awareness. I really, really, really do.

So happy to see this. It is so worth having less stuff, to pay a little more for someone's valuable time, put into a well made item. Thanks for being aware, Etsy.

We need to free ourselves from wasteful consumption, reuse, and take back the jobs we didn't want.

i try so hard to avoid big companies and support local, family owned ones. but its disheartening to know just how many billions don't. all we can do is educate ourselves, share the information and do our best in our own families.

Great article! Ignorance is not bliss..........

Definitely something to think about. Thanks for the great article!

great article. One more reason to rid etsy of resellers...would be nice.

AsianBrocade, I went to your site, but it didn't give me anything??? I found the slavery footprint site a couple of weeks ago, but the site is still in transition!! I did find a related site that we can get involved with: http://chainstorereaction.com/home/. We can send in letters to companies asking that they take responsibility for their production processes! In these contemporary times, this is a little-thought about issue. It's time we did, especially with holiday shopping around the corner! Thank you Etsy!

This article is eye opening! Thanks purplmama for posting the chainstorereaction.com what a great site. Good point about holiday shopping too! Indie Christmas. That is my goal is to only purchase hand made gifts this year! ( I'd make my own but i am in nursing school! lol)

Great article. I think it's important to think about sourcing material close to home and paying a little more, it's worth it!

Wow, very interesting. Cheaper isn't always better. If only it were easier for consumers to be educated about where the materials really come from!

thanks for sharing! now i just have to wait for the website to be back up..

I agree with jamiespinello. I can't bring myself to believe Etsy actually cares about modern slavery when they turn a blind eye to resellers.

lol I was wondering when someone would post about the resellers. Seems kind of hypocritical when resellers are flagged daily and aren't taken off the site even though people will link the items from other sites being sold here. Get rid of resellers!

Really interesting and important stuff! Gorgeous website as well.

Resellers are a problem here on Etsy, but really, they're only a major problem to ME if they sell the kind of stuff made in sweatshops. There seem to be a lot of jewelry items hand made or assembled in the far East, but just because someone puts them together by hand doesn't make them artisan quality items equal to the things turned out by the jewelry studios some of my friends work in. However, there are items sold by resellers that I wouldn't want to see removed... one that springs to mind is a shop selling metal art from Haiti. The items aren't made by the person who posts them on Etsy, but they fit in with the spirit of Etsy all the same. It's a fine line to judge, but not all resellers are equally guilty, some are providing an outlet for genuine artistry. (I never thought I'd be sticking up for resellers! LOL)

I can't take the test right now because the servers are overloaded. What a cool presentation, though! Fair trade is a huge issue and I switch my buying habits as I learn more. This reminded me of the biting point the Yes Men made in their WTO spoof- that exploiting poor people is more cost efficient than slavery because you had to buy the slaves and provide them with health care and housing, whereas economic slaves are free and if they get sick you can just fire them and get new ones.

This was a great article. I agree, we need to stop and think about the people and entities behind the products we purchase. I hope to see more articles like this on Etsy.

It is humbling to note that as an individual, we have the power to affect the lives of other people even without us intentionally meaning to. In the end everything in our world and the universe are linked together by an invisible chain. Just like our individual impact on the environment. The destruction of one thing will lead to the devastation as a collective.

Thank You for posting this! Another reason to police Resellers and Design Pirates to keep them off etsy.

Thanks for introducing Slavery Footprint to us. I know for one slave working for me, my wife who helps me with sewing of my leather works. : )

Interesting article!

Very courageous! Thanks for being a light in the darkness!

Much thanks for sharing this with us and for reminding us to be more in the solution then the problem. This is vital to my farm, my products and my purchases. I can't wait to pass on this article.

As much as we all can, we should minimize purchasing items made in countries with poor labor and environmental standards. As I sit here in my Ralph Lauren shorts, I wonder if, even though they are a product of a reputable company, whether they are made in satisfactory conditions? We should also all strive to minimize our interaction with peoples that will not honor our rights as artists to maintain control of our original works. Those who allow our designs to be stolen with no consequences sure are not honorable in other matters. Lastly, as responsible business owners, we need to source our supplies, not as cheaply, but as ethically as possible.

Great Article!!! Hopefully things will change for the better for everyone.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that immediately thought - "But Etsy loves resellers, aren't they supporting this "slavery?"

I'm really glad to see this subject addressed. I've seen child labor in Egypt making carpets, and I've seen more slave labor in more industries in China than I can count. What amazed me, is the citizens in the free world that would make it a point to purchase items from these "slave camps". I didn't purchase anything that was made there, as I felt it would be like I slapped each one of those poor laborers. There is so much that isn't known to us, but the more informed we can be, the better the lives of everyone in the world can be.

Another fabulous article...thank you for bringing this to my attention. All the more reason to buy handmade and support one another. I make it a point to buy from my fellow etsians and not go elsewhere because it might be less expensive. I think we all need to remember not only to sell handmade but to support it as well.

This is a fantastic post! The fact that the website has crashed shows that people do care when they are told about it. It is a very easy thing to push out of your mind but it is one of the reasons I love buying (and selling) vintage as re-using clothes means no (more) people suffer. Love, Ruby

Thanks to Purplmama, I just went to http://chainstorereaction.com/home/ and sent off letters in behalf of slave trade. It's amazing how many stores I frequent have ties to this horrendous issue. Thanks for a thought provoking cup of coffee.

great article! With today's media controlled by big corporations, I wish there was a way for this question to reach as many consumers are possible.

Wow! tried to take the survey and the website apparently has had so many hits they are looking to get bigger servers. And are down for now. at anyrate i will certainly keep this in the forefront of my mind as I consume anything in the future. A small drop can create a wide ripple!

Awesome article!

Thanks for sharing this,we foget how lucky we are in this world to live free.

Dear TeenAngster, Thank you for this reminder of reality. It's so easy to overlook others' hardships. Like nine18glass's comment above, I think this article may be a good topic to discuss with my daughters to teach them the value of the person who makes the product and what their dollars support. Susan : )

Buying local doesn't necessarily mean that slavery isn't/wasn't involved. Slavery can exist even without large corporations as well.

Does anyone have ideas how we can learn more about what to buy (and not buy)? I try to buy second-hand and handmade as much as possible but what else should we know? You can look for the fair trade label at stores like Whole Foods but I guess that's just a start really. Need to find out more...

A true wakeup call for us all. Many thanks.

Amen! I went to some seminars on modern day slave labor and we did some eye opening roll playing about the processes involved in making parts that go into our phones....very eye opening and disturbing!

Ok the spammer posting links to cheap goods made by underpaid workers in foreign countries on an article about slave labour for our commercial goods is making me LOL at work...

Thank-you for bringing this article to the forefront, very informative!

wow what an eye opener! not that I didn't know about this but to see it in writing like this is really much more ' to the point!' It is sad and I am hoping to take the survey when the site comes back up. I am sending this to all my friends too. thanks for the info

Buy American made! Thanks for sharing this very informative article!

This is why we need to rid ourselves of the income tax and bring back tarrifs. It will encourage businesses to produce their products in the US, where slavery is illegal and workers' rights are protected, rather than outsourcing their production to places like China and Taiwan where people live in deplorable conditions because they have no rights whatsoever. America is going under and China is on the rise, and WE are making it happen.

This is nice and all, but banning resellers from Etsy would actually do something to stop the support of sweatshops. BAN RESELLERS. Not doing so is hypocritical and supporting slave labor.

What "TheFro" said! Beautiful, beautiful irony.

how about an article about the unfair fair trade act?

ETSY, please stop allowing resellers. The reputation and integrity of Etsy has really plummeted due to the blatant disregard of actual artists by allowing resellers to peddle items made in poor working conditions in countries known to exploit their workers.

"Geekcessories says: I agree with jamiespinello. I can't bring myself to believe Etsy actually cares about modern slavery when they turn a blind eye to resellers." WHAT SHE SAID! Spreading "awareness" is great and all, but actually taking a stand against it and enforcing etsy policy on the resellers would be far more effective against the problem. To me, this is a classic case of ACTIONS speak louder then WORDS

It's not slavery, it's human exploitation. There's a difference, they get a menial wage and very long hours. It's fantastic to think we could could do something about this, but let's face it anyone reading this article will think "Oh...that's sad" and never give it another thought while they're using their "Made in Sweatshop" merch. Etsy certainly doesn't care, what with all the resellers...and their refusal to do a thing about it.

What an eye opening cause; however, I have to say that their site is down and so I proceeded to "like" them on FB. I see that they have just joined and people are a little upset about not having the site up since they wanted to participate. I kindly left a few words of support on their FB page and let them know that it might be courteous if they would respond to people who are commenting about the site since they have not responded in over 5 days and a lot of people support them. They deleted my comment and that put a bad taste in my mouth. What a wonderful cause and what an awful way to respond to my comment.

And by referring to the public as "stupid" (refer to the site) is a little condescending. I'm sorry.

How many slaves does Etsy benefit from? THOUSANDS. Look at all the resellers that go unchecked that sell factory produced merchandise made in third world countries! This is hypocrisy at its worse.

The hypocrisy of Etsy is simply mind blowing. Anyone want to start pointing out all the resellers that are lining Etsy's pockets? These guys make millions off this so called "slavery" then have the audacity to post an article like this.

great. now address resellers, etsy.

though I'm sure etsy will ignore all the comments about resellers here, just as they do our flagging of them

I completely agree with the posters regarding re-selling. Etsy was founded on HANDMADE items (or vintage or craft materials) - and there are TONS of resellers basically selling factory made items and passing them off as home made. Even when this has been brought to Etsy's attention time and again, they seemingly do nothing about it. It is because they earn revenues from these purveyors of slave labor? If so, this article is disingenuous, at the very least.

I'm tempted to post links to all of the resellers I can find on Etsy. This is pathetic. WE CLOSED OUR SHOP on Etsy because we didn't feel like competing with the resellers. I'm sure this will be deleted because Etsy is full of Communists. And we know that communism kills.

Regarding resellers: I'm sorry, but it's not polite to call out in the comments. Let's close this down.

Ok, so this article touches on modern slavery. How about the lack of freedom of speech on Etsy? For Pete's sake, why do we all have to spew out positivity? Do we not all have minds of our own? I agree we don't have to put each other down, but questioning faulty ethics shouldn't call for closing down a thread. It's like as soon as people with brains enter the room, Etsy wants everyone out. It's all about making money.

WE ARE ETSY'S SLAVES.

Maybe if Etsy were really concerned about slavery and sweatshops they would do more to prevent resellers from selling these very items on Etsy. Just a thought. /alibaba FTW

Buying true vintage and second-hand as much as possible is a great way to avoid supporting slave labor.

Calling out in the comments is not polite, but letting resellers hawk sweatshop goods and cheapen the work of actual crafters is somehow cool? Oh, Etsy...this is why I don't trust you. Plus, resellers aside, plenty of commonly available crafting supplies are made overseas, under potentially less-than-great conditions. Look into sustainably and ethically produced paint, adhesives, etc.

Wow, loving those of you bringing up the re-seller issue, especially since Etsy chooses to ignore it and make everything seem all sunshine and skittles.

WRAPPING THIS UP NOW

This is an issue that is festering right here on this site. Resellers on Etsy not only hurt the slave-labor workforce around the world, but are unhealthy competition for artisans on Etsy and in general. They also frequently make products via factory machines, not by hand. How can I compete with a seller who can sell something like I make, but has a workforce of hundreds providing it for cheap? I can't price competitively against them, as I have to pay local cost of living and materials expenses, and that must be reflected in my prices. for a long time, I just could not bring myself to try. In many ways, the presence of these sellers on Etsy is not just encouraging slave labor overseas, but destroying handmade artisans here. Lose-lose situation.

ETSY: More interested in stifling dissenting voices than they are in maintaining artistic integrity. (apple-shift-3)

Nothing gets me geared up to fight slavery like a cutesy website!

How about we put it to YOU, Etsy dear: What's your number? This milk toast piece is offensive because of the overall Etsy shrug to resellers' presence on here.

Also, why aren't there any listing connected with this post? I mean, there is a huge selection of resellers to choose from.

One way I keep down on how much slave labor affects my everyday life is by not supporting the rampant resellers on etsy.

I agree with MereintheAir. There's a difference between flaming a shop and questioning their ethics. And until Etsy actually starts doing something about the resellers, I will continue to view them as major hypocrites. I stay on Etsy because I care about supporting handmade artisans and this happens to be the biggest resource. I do not support Etsy itself and won't until they get their priorities straight.

Resellers are a problem on Etsy I do agree. However this article is a very good one to publish. Hopefully it will get a few folks thinking about where their supplies are coming from. Where do they get their ribbon? Where are their findings from? Their beads? I have a hard time seeing a handmade item made up of all sweatshop components any better than one complete item directly from the factory employing slave wage labor. Is there really any difference other than making it Etsy legal?

Now's your chance to make good, Etsy. Get rid of the resellers and dump the hypocrisy!

This is why I don't buy anything that ships from Asia on Etsy. Yes, I realize that there are many legit artists in Asia, but they aren't the ones selling $5 hand beaded bracelets.

This is why I don't buy anything on Etsy that ships from Asia. Yes, there are many legit artisans in that part of the world, but they are not the ones selling $5 hand beaded bracelets here.

is commenting closed? I've posted a few times and nothing shows up.

etsy.. how did you post this with a straight face? for real. you make so much $ off of resellers.

Slavery and human exploitation is a huge, heartbreaking issue, I agree. It's one we need to be aware of! BUT - at the risk of sounding rude - until you, Etsy, stop plugging your ears to resellers I can't honestly believe you care. It's difficult to respect such hypocritical (if well meaning) words when Etsy is practically putting up protective screens around resellers who pawn cheap sweatshop items. You want me to do my part to abolish slavery? With pleasure! Now how about you do the same thing?

Really? You're just asking to rile up an argument on your practices.. How can you even type an article like this with a straight (moustachioed-on-a-stick) face, or expect not to get barraged with a slew of comments on your double-standards? IF YOU AREN'T HYPOCRITES, PROVE IT TO EVERYONE, INSTEAD OF JUST SILENCING ANYONE WHO SAYS (and can plainly see) OTHERWISE.. "Excellent article! Am I correct to suppose that in light of this study admins will finally be cracking down on Asian factory sellers here on Etsy? Or..." "I can't bring myself to believe Etsy actually cares about modern slavery when they turn a blind eye to resellers." "lol I was wondering when someone would post about the resellers. Seems kind of hypocritical when resellers are flagged daily and aren't taken off the site even though people will link the items from other sites being sold here. Get rid of resellers!" "I'm glad I'm not the only one that immediately thought - "But Etsy loves resellers, aren't they supporting this "slavery?"" "This is nice and all, but banning resellers from Etsy would actually do something to stop the support of sweatshops. BAN RESELLERS. Not doing so is hypocritical and supporting slave labor." "Beautiful, beautiful irony." "ETSY, please stop allowing resellers. The reputation and integrity of Etsy has really plummeted due to the blatant disregard of actual artists by allowing resellers to peddle items made in poor working conditions in countries known to exploit their workers." "Spreading "awareness" is great and all, but actually taking a stand against it and enforcing etsy policy on the resellers would be far more effective against the problem. To me, this is a classic case of ACTIONS speak louder then WORDS" "It's not slavery, it's human exploitation. There's a difference, they get a menial wage and very long hours. It's fantastic to think we could could do something about this, but let's face it anyone reading this article will think "Oh...that's sad" and never give it another thought while they're using their "Made in Sweatshop" merch. Etsy certainly doesn't care, what with all the resellers...and their refusal to do a thing about it." "How many slaves does Etsy benefit from? THOUSANDS. Look at all the resellers that go unchecked that sell factory produced merchandise made in third world countries! This is hypocrisy at its worse." "The hypocrisy of Etsy is simply mind blowing. Anyone want to start pointing out all the resellers that are lining Etsy's pockets? These guys make millions off this so called "slavery" then have the audacity to post an article like this." "great. now address resellers, etsy. though I'm sure etsy will ignore all the comments about resellers here, just as they do our flagging of them" "I completely agree with the posters regarding re-selling. Etsy was founded on HANDMADE items (or vintage or craft materials) - and there are TONS of resellers basically selling factory made items and passing them off as home made. Even when this has been brought to Etsy's attention time and again, they seemingly do nothing about it. It is because they earn revenues from these purveyors of slave labor? If so, this article is disingenuous, at the very least." "I'm tempted to post links to all of the resellers I can find on Etsy. This is pathetic. WE CLOSED OUR SHOP on Etsy because we didn't feel like competing with the resellers. I'm sure this will be deleted because Etsy is full of Communists. And we know that communism kills." "Maybe if Etsy were really concerned about slavery and sweatshops they would do more to prevent resellers from selling these very items on Etsy. Just a thought." "Calling out in the comments is not polite, but letting resellers hawk sweatshop goods and cheapen the work of actual crafters is somehow cool? Oh, Etsy...this is why I don't trust you. Plus, resellers aside, plenty of commonly available crafting supplies are made overseas, under potentially less-than-great conditions. Look into sustainably and ethically produced paint, adhesives, etc." "This is an issue that is festering right here on this site. Resellers on Etsy not only hurt the slave-labor workforce around the world, but are unhealthy competition for artisans on Etsy and in general. They also frequently make products via factory machines, not by hand. How can I compete with a seller who can sell something like I make, but has a workforce of hundreds providing it for cheap? I can't price competitively against them, as I have to pay local cost of living and materials expenses, and that must be reflected in my prices. for a long time, I just could not bring myself to try. In many ways, the presence of these sellers on Etsy is not just encouraging slave labor overseas, but destroying handmade artisans here. Lose-lose situation." "ETSY: More interested in stifling dissenting voices than they are in maintaining artistic integrity." "How about we put it to YOU, Etsy dear: What's your number? This milk toast piece is offensive because of the overall Etsy shrug to resellers' presence on here." "Also, why aren't there any listing connected with this post? I mean, there is a huge selection of resellers to choose from." "One way I keep down on how much slave labor affects my everyday life is by not supporting the rampant resellers on etsy." BAN RESELLERS NOW!!

It makes me cry when my students in China drop out to work in a factory instead of finishing high school.... but hey, THE RESELLERS SELL WHAT THEY MAKE HERE ON ETSY...... so they are totally not exploited right? They are part of the craft community.... Making .80 cents a day is fair, right? Then the re-seller sells that supply to us for a profit, and we make it into something else for a profit... and I use that money to go to China and teach english again.

I will have a caps loc party when re-sellers are kicked out. I cry whenever my students in China drop out to work in a factory instead of finishing high school. But hey... making .80 cents a day isn't bad right? They are totally part of the crafts community because re-sellers sell that supply that my friend made here on etsy for a profit. Then, we buy that supply and make it into something else for a profit... then I use that profit to go back to China and teach english again. Something is wrong here.

oh good.. I thought etsy censored my caps loc. now you get to read the same thing twice.

If you get paid you're not a slave even if it's shitty money. China has BILLIONS of people living there-factory jobs are sought after by young people leaving rural areas to support themselves and family. No one's forcing them to work there they are fighting for it. So hawkers of cheap shit bought on Alibaba aren't necessarily slavers. But the irony of cheap mass produced stuff being resold on Etsy still burns like the heat of a thousand suns.

I'd like to point out I am in no way endorsing unsafe working conditions for Chinese factory laborers or their substandard wages just that it's not "slavery"

"Do you value transparency in the products you purchase?" Absolutely. So what is Etsy doing to keep the site free from overseas slave labor? Does Etsy check out the crafters to ensure they aren't sweatshops? Or is this outright hypocrisy? (I'm guessing this.)

muted in 3...2...1

I have a question: Is it ok if I buy the pendants made in sweatshops, and then buy a chain that was made in a sweatshop, and then put the pendant on the chain and then sell that as handmade?

so when are you going to stop resellers

Stop pretending you care about slavery when most of your listing fees are paid by sweatshops. The resellers here have taken over in droves, and YOU let them participate in commerce here.

@tinyfeltedbird Gluing stuff to other stuff is a hard, time-consuming process, and therefore erases any essence of sweatshop labor involved in your product. Feel free to slap on "handmade" and giggle to yourself, because YOU ARE NOW A TRUE CRAFTER!

There were spaces between the quotes in my first comment before I hit post.. Now it's all illegible, but the point is there, I promise!

HUGE applause to meeshelyse, I also found this article very hypocritical.

No worries, I read it and totally agreed with it, you made very good points!

"Raising awareness" is a valid method of activism when you're in no position of power to change the problem yourself. But if you happen to be a website that hosts a marketplace for goods… including those made in slave-labor conditions… seems like “raising awareness” is a complete copout from taking responsibility. How about this: get the resellers off of Etsy and actually support individuals selling their own handmade goods. It means a lot more than a trite post about slavery=bad. If there’s really no efficient way to get resellers off Etsy (I doubt it), at least post something about how to SPOT and AVOID resellers on places like Etsy and Ebay, and remove resellers’ accounts as they are reported. It’s quite hypocritical to say slave-labor is bad and directly profit off of it every day.

Look who’s calling the kettle black. It’s a shame that there are so many resellers on Etsy because this could (and should) be a fantastic venue to showcase handmade. I hope that all the comments here will be taken seriously. Thank you.

is this written "ironically"? you know, that thing you hipster kids are always doing? that has to be the only way this could have been posted right?

tinyfeltedbird says: Also, why aren't there any listing connected with this post? I mean, there is a huge selection of resellers to choose from. ________________________________ touche

I'm not defending resellers or Etsy or anyone, but it does go beyond this site. When I go to the craft store, just to get something to do, virtually everything on the shelves is made in China. How many here are buying supplies that are made in China? Even if you're buying them from an Etsy seller not in China, where did that seller get the supplies? I'd like to make some button bobby pins, for example. The bobby pins avaiable from US sellers are more money for less quantity than the ones available from China, but I'm pretty darned sure that the US seller originally got those from someone in China. Too many items on American (and probably other countries) store shelves that weren't made in those countries! This is why I do vintage, and craft from used materials in my other shop. I can find supplies that aren't brand new, or that are new, old stock, or that are brand new that someone decided not to use. But I'm not buying them off the store shelf and encouraging the store to order more. It's not just Etsy, any time you go to a store and buy a set of plastic cups, or some paperclips, or pony tail holders, you're probably contributing to the country. We can make our stands with the stores and companies that import these things. We can bring jobs back to our own countries and stop the neo-slavery by letting our wallets talk. Because right now, money is tight and stores like Target and Walmart and Joann's want every penny they can squeeze out of us.

Wow..this isn't closed yet? The cupcake brigade must all be out for tea and crumpets or is that lattes and biscotti? I think some of my "whimsicle" sisters are here. It's nice to see you and with your thinking panties on too.

Popping popcorn and hitting the refresh button.... It's how I roll...baby. This ought to be good for a few yucks.

I know right, sister? I've noticed some posts are conspicuously "gone" but the thread itself is still going... There's a few good yucks up there though, that's fo sho.

I commend Etsy for leaving this post open, and hopefully they will read and listen to some of those questioning the sincerity of the article in light of Etsy's blind eye towards resellers, and then take action. You are in such a greater position to do something than each individual seller.

Resellers are part of the slavery issues. Etsy making a more aggressive plan to remove them would be great!

Interesting article. Lots to think about. Both in the article itself and in the comments. Hmm.

I like that eyeball ring up there...~.goes to look at shop~.

Great to see some vigorous and honest discussion following this blog-post. Etsy is a reasonably big player in the on-line marketplace and needs to be aware of slavery issues as part of its business practice. I understand that this article was about the individual, and what we can do as 'one person' to address this issue - but I think it was short-sighted of Etsy admin to think they could raise this issue and not discuss how they were dealing with it as an organisation.

I've been pleasantly surprised lately at how many craft materials I can find that are made in the US if I look for them. Did you know Pearler beads are American made? And Red Heart yarn, too! Both are super affordable. It really just takes a little looking, it's worth it. I also agree that working for a low wage isn't slavery. The girls who work in those factories are the lucky ones, a lot of baby girls in China die before they are a year old, or are sold into the sex trade. One interesting thing I read a while back was about how the working poor in China actually have savings accounts because their food and shelter is provided by the factory. Its sad that the working poor in America are in debt instead, probably at least in part because we keep buying crap made in China and so many of our factory jobs are gone that people have to work in the service industry, for even lower wages.

12dollarsurfboard says: The girls who work in those factories are the lucky ones, a lot of baby girls in China die before they are a year old, or are sold into the sex trade. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's not just China. My DNBF list includes Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, India, Bangladesh, Korea, and a bunch of other countries who have these horrific problems. But hey, as long as they make things cheap, and take cute pics that look great in treasuries, it's cool, right?

As far as I can tell our best bet for ethical supply-buying is to check thrift stores and op-shops first. They often have fabric and other craft supplies cheaper than most places, and the money goes to helping the poor of your community, rather than the sweatshop owners overseas.

~irony~

I hope this will lead to Etsy working to rein in the number of resellers on its site. Not only are many of them made in factory conditions, it's often difficult for me, as a buyer, to find genuinely handmade items among the factory-made owlets. And if I'm not here for handmade, why am I here? P.S. "It's the supply-chain, stupid" is a riff off Bill Clinton's very famous "It's the economy, stupid" statement. It's not meant to insult readers.

Slavery is the new handmade. I have 30 + pages of shop names in my favorites that have been selling the same NOT handmade factory products.

I'm an Etsy buyer, with no shop of my own to bias my opinion. Frankly, I find myself shopping here less and less the more sweatshop-produced crap I find clogging the site. There is certainly a place for legitimate international seller-conglomerates, but they are not selling junk that one can easily find on Alibaba for a nickel on the dollar. I'll shop at 10,000 Villages, but not Pier 1, you know? Most disturbing is Etsy's continued response to valid complaints about the resellers. Time and time again, hardworking craftspeople will flag posts, or try to discuss this issue in the forums, and some brain-dead chirping squirrel inevitably pops in to "Wrap things up" because "calling out" is not allowed in the forums...and "calling out" apparently is defined at "anything that doesn't blow unicorn sparkles out the cupcake hole" of Etsy mods.

It's very frustrating to see an article like this, when there are verifiable resellers on Etsy, selling mass-produced items and shipping from countries where slave labor is widely used. It's hard to keep flagging items and see the shops remain, and even harder to stomach when threads about them are quietly "wrapped up" with no forum for actual discussion. The article deals with a serious subject, but because of the resellers on the site, it comes of as insincere.

***Thank you Lanus!*** I completely agree!!! I have bought and been burnt by a number of bullsh*t sellers on this site. I've reported my problems to the Admins only to be shoed aside. I'm taking my hard earned money back to the craft sales and farmers markets in my town.

Maybe Allison (author of this tripe) should wipe the sh*t eatting grin off of her face and start taking those reselling complaints seriously.

Joining all above who are pleasantly surprised that the cupcake brigade hasn't shut the thread down yet, as I read, and prayed, that I would have the opportunity to shriek "BABYJESUSONABULKIEROLL,ARE YOU SHITTING ME"? oh, but wait - how Etsy-there's a fun little game you can play at the end - I love "clever animated prompts"! "Do you value transparency"? My god, you asked that with your bare face hanging out-under a stupid hat. Etsy, if you fail to address the very valid questions raised in this forum concerning your blatant hypocrisy in supporting resellers and sweatshops in any way OTHER than having Nick-I-ee (or whatever she calls herself) make boo-boo face and shut this forum down for "calling out" , I...well, I won't be at all surprised. Kudos to those who suggested buying true vintage and supplies from local thrift/non-profit shops- an excellent point and damn fine idea.

I couldn't get past the obviously professional photograph of people obviously not working in a sweatshop. That didn't stop me from scrolling down further. What really got me was the hipster photo and screenname of the author. After that, I couldn't take anything she wrote seriously.

@mephistopheles: "Korea" doesn't exist. It's either North Korea or South Korea. And I know, for a fact, that South Korea doesn't have a huge sex-trade business. So, I'm not sure exactly where you got your information but it's not correct.

Show us how you deeply and truly care about these issues...stop shutting down threads where people talk about re-sellers, copyright infringements, and other serious violations of terms of service. Oh yeah, and actually do something when people report re-sellers.

just so Etsy gets the message... How about banning resellers!?

DahliaNoir85 says: @mephistopheles: "Korea" doesn't exist. It's either North Korea or South Korea... So, I'm not sure exactly where you got your information but it's not correct. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aha, sorry. I meant South Korea (I've never actually seen anything for sale from North Korea, to my knowledge). And while their involvement in the international human trafficking trade may not be as critical as Thailand or Cambodia, they still have problems issues with human trafficking for forced prostitution and cheap labour. Amnesty International has a lot of information available about it. They're improving though, to be fair.

It is totally creepy that comments are disappearing. And stop silencing people. It's so creepy. It just is.

I'm taking screenshots of the more dissenting comments, okay?

I'm taking screenshots of the more dissenting comments, okay?

Wow... oh the irony and hypocracy!!!! I can't even tell you how many times I've flagged the same, obvious stores that are reselling from China and Malaysia... all to no avail... I'm sure this comment will be deleted.

Unless this means Etsy is cracking down on resellers, this article isn't worth the pixels it's composed of.

unseeliepixie I disagree. I also am perplexed at why some resellers remain after being repeatedly reported with proof provided. I am always pleasantly surprised when I see one removed but far too many are still here. This article is important regardless. If only one person changes their spending habits it's worth so much. If they start reading tags, researching the business practices of different brands and start rejecting items that are not ethically made it is worth it. This topic is bigger than Etsy. I for one am happy to see the word getting out any way possible.

Alright...thank you for telling us stuff that is pretty obvious to anyone who has read a newspaper and doesn't live under a rock. Instead, why don't you tell us how to aggressively solve the issue on our end?

We could, as a community, boycott the resellers? I know its obvious, but a good percentage of the Etsy community is still buying from the resellers as thats why they're still in business, happily selling their stuff a thousand times over. If they've no customer, they'll probably shut up shop. Just a thought?

Just when I had given up on Etsy... thanks for restoring my faith in the Etsy community. And Etsy management, take note. Get rid of the ruddy resellers! Get back to the roots of Etsy. People are sick and tired of trawling through the mass produced rubbish to find the hidden gems created by true artisans.

The situation with international conglomerates paying people low wages in Asia to make goods for the US market is not nearly as simplistic as this ridiculous little article makes it seem. For starters, people who work in these factories are paid, and second they are free to quit at any time-- both tenets that are not "slavery." It is a terrible mockery of those who have suffered as actual slaves to even compare it. The sad fact is that the people who get jobs in factories making "brand name" goods are often making wages far greater than others in the community-- even if it is a fraction of what they would make here-- and they are grateful to have the jobs. The point is to put pressure on the governments of these countries to set and enforce fair labor standards. But of course, then you'd have to be willing to pay $500 for your new coat, $300 for your new pair of shoes, $1000 for a new iPod.

"For starters, people who work in these factories are paid, and second they are free to quit at any time-- both tenets that are not "slavery." They get paid peanuts, they are often kept in factory 'complexes', they have to work at speeds we would regard as inhuman, they have to work unpaid overtime and work in unsafe conditions. There are situations where when the workers have organised for better wages, the shop stewards get murdered and militia suddenly arrive to 'clean house'. Workers get beaten, have their children held hostage, are kept with their passports taken off them after being trafficked. If you'd like to actually check your facts, just go on Amnesty International's website and pick any worker's rights story. Oh and whoever claimed that conglomerates went abroad due to taxes - no they didn't, they took their business abroad to avoid having to pay a living wage, because profit is more important to them than human rights. But yeah, unless Etsy sorts out the resellers, it's as hypocritical as Primark's organic cotton range.

@mephistopheles: I live in South Korea and work in a women's shelter. While some rural Korean men will "buy" wives from poorer, less developed countries, you're not going to find a lot of Korean women being sold. S. Korea isn't a third-world country, as many people believe. Korean women are highly-educated for the most part and are treated a lot better than woman in most other Asian countries.

Easy for you to be so coy, Etsy.

So basically it's ok to support resellers because they bring in lovely capital AS LONG AS YOU 'NOTE' IT. Cool, thanks, Alison. This really solves the problem, because at least you're self-aware.

I'm so glad you bought this up Etsy, I look forward to your follow up post on "freedom of speech" and what we can do to enforce it. So when are you going to tell us what you're doing to help the situation?

Dahlia: That has actually put my mind at ease, I was a bit freaked out when I first read about the buying and selling of women across borders. Mainly because that's the only thing a government will acknowledge is happening when there ARE human rights abuses occurring in many parts of their country. But I know South Korea is a good country. Thanks for clearing that up for me :)

So would Etsy be willing to install a slavery footprint on their own website? Perhaps have every seller fill one out, detailing where they get their materials from? I try my best to purchase (what I hope to be) non-slave created items, from vintage/secondhand to salvage to fair trade. But there are some things I have to buy new. It's nearly impossible to get ethically traded crystals, and I've no idea who makes the wire I buy, or the hooks I use for my cuffs. It would be great if we could tick a little box on search to say 'sort results by ethical star rating', would it not?

@redchief- I agree that this post is simplistic but given the space allowed it is well done. Your take is rather simplistic and a bit naive as well. I can tell you from my own experience choosing to make purchases from ethical manufacturers and indie businesses does not mean coats cost $500 and shoes $300. (Although I do like expensive shoes:) What we can do as consumers is rather simple really. Take yourself out of the equation. I'll say it one more time. Take yourself out of the equation. Take a little time to research where you're spending your money. Buy locally when possible. Avoid big box stores. If you see something you like online and aren't sure of its origins shoot a quick email to the site's customer service and ask. If it's made in an undesirable location write back to let the company know this is the reason you will not be making a purchase. If the company receives enough of these correspondences it may make them evaluate their production practices. Buy handmade but at the same time don't be afraid to ask the seller the origin of their components either. Buy vintage and used when possible. This site http://www.bcorporation.net/ rates has a list of companies with ethical business practices. It is a good place to start and to gain further knowledge on the matter. Lastly think before you buy. Do you really need it? Can you live a happy life without it? Is getting it at a discount price worth the exploitation of others and harm to the environment? See, so simple.

I do not see any comments from admin. here....why? Is it that you do not normally comment on blog posts or are you trying to figure out how to dig yourselves out of this one? Do you preview your blogsters submissions and post them yourselves or are they free to do it without any sort of pre-approval. I just can't fathom how this article could be good for your site at all. Please, someone at Etsy, try for once to see past the dollar signs. There are hard working shops having to close because of the clusterbunk of resellers on your site.

How about ordinary people who can't afford to buy handmade goods? There are people living way below the poverty line in every western country, American included! Not everyone can afford to escape sweatshop products. Etsy is really preaching to the converted here- but what are we going to DO about it? Keep buying handmade! and strangely ignoring those who work on the other side of the world, making clothes for other people down your street. Buying handmade from college grads is actually AVOIDING this problem- it will still persist, sadly.

A few of you have asked why the fuss over buying sweatshop-made goods if American workers make their wares out of the same supplies. Well, when you buy from an American worker, not only are you keeping money in the US that will get cycles around and help keep the artist in a home with food on the table, but you are eliminating the need for foreign exploitation. Just because you can't eliminate exploitation and slavery (sometimes it really is a case of slavery, forced labor) doesn't mean you shouldn't do what you can to lower how much of it you demand in your quest for cheap goods.

I think that a big part of this is that the average person on the street has no idea at all. Slave labor is considered on a global scale by corporations to be a basic tool to make money. This is wrong. We need to do something about this. Unless this is ended, it will spread, and soon none of us will have jobs. The corporate monsters ( which if a corporation is analyzed as a human being they will be judged as sociopaths) will use slave labor unless stopped or robots become cheaper than slaves.

If you want cheap goods made by kids in sweatshops, go on EBay and sort by lowest price. If you want handmade items, go on Etsy - but do your research! I email shop owners all the time to let them know that it isn't right what they are doing, but i never get a response back - because people are buying their crap! Consumers need to be informed, but we know how that goes!!!!

I cannot fathom how Etsy decided that it would be a good idea to bring up this topic when it's obvious to anyone who uses the site at all that it's rife with slave-made products for sale by overseas and domestic resellers. Hey Etsy - what's your number?

I was convicted tonight after reading this article. Slavery and human traffiking weigh so heavily on my heart. I recently bought braided hair extentions from a company, and assumed that it was machine braided. After I read the package, I came to learn that the hair was hand - braided. A knot instantly formed in my stomach, and the thought that the beautiful braids in my hand might have been created by a man, woman or God forbid --a child that was a slave. Tonight, this article confirmed the action I needed to take. I have contacted the seller and I want to know who braided the hair. The pre-braided hair saves me so much time, but I will not have someone abused so that I can have a few extra minutes in my day. Thank you, Etsy for waking me up and convicting me. Reading through a lot of these posts, and I think Etsy administration might need to take a look at some of the sellers on this site. It's a scary thought to think that some of these Etsy shops might be slave run. Please be convicted and do your homework, admin.---for the sake of those lives in bondage...PLEASE!

once more: do something about those resellers!!!

Yes, slavery is horrible. But as others have said, if Etsy really wishes to address the problem banning resellers from posting their wares here would go a lot farther than this little article.

wow. i love how it's always up to someone else to be reasonable...i've stopped selling my work here altogether because of etsy's hypocrisy regarding resellers of cheap overseas manufacturing. they clearly favor the purveyors of this 'slavery' over honest artists and crafters, WTF? must be tough to count all that money with blinders on!

I am overseas seller but my work is handmade and not reseller or slave labor. All stones purchased are from ethically mined sources and stones are purchased by members from my family who cut and polish the stones themselves and i buy them from them to make my goods. The money for the purchase of my stones goes directly into the communities who mine the rough material at the source. There are many resellers on this site and ebay that sell cheap goods using this kind of slave labor and claim to be handmade... but it itsnt true. It is terrible and thought to myself, Etsy can do more to control this kind of behaviour. Etsy should clean its own home before preaching about others!

@mephistopheles do not tarnish us all with the same brush."My DNBF list includes Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, India, Bangladesh, Korea, and a bunch of other countries who have these horrific problems." I cant help where i was born, do not try to make impressions about us all. There are honest hardworking people living in these countries also you know with good education (i am a nurse) and morals and integrity. We can be just as creative and make handmade items just like you in the USA and with a small footprint. I dislike this comment intensly and hope not everyone judges these countries because of the minority of people doing it.

Ummmmmm Etsy Owner Profiteers?? Do you not read these blogs before they are published? Oh wait, that's right... Etsy doesn't care whether hypocritical articles are published on their website.. the same way that they don't care if factory-made, mass-produced crap is sold on their "Handmade Only" website. Sorry for calling you on that... I forget why I've closed my Etsy shop.

etsy needs more filters for resellers. they also should have a closer look at "collectives". it's so easy to start exploiting people especially in business environments, large or small. a recent blog article, "love, family, and labor law" http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/love-family-and-labor-law/ has an unbelievably dangerous attitude towards supporting "free internships", and "volunteers" meaning free labor without any type of oversight. the example of a sudden rush in business and needing volunteers or free labor to fulfill those orders is bad business and irresponsible.

It's a big picture, with a lot of little people in it. The planet doesn't profit. So it's up to us. And, money is like responsibility. There is more to the picture than just "handmade." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15017790

It was very disappointing to see that the calculator doesn't take into account where you get your food or goods. So if I eat fish (a lot), it assumes a slave caught it for me, not the reality that we mostly eat our own catch (98%). Or the fact that we buy a huge percentage of our food directly from small local farms with 5 or fewer employees, or grow our own veggies and fruits to can and freeze, or use vintage clothing or make our own or purchase handmade. We're not saints, but I do feel like this is a tool only for mainstream consumers, not anyone who is already trying to live responsibly, since there was no way to account for the source of goods. Pretty poor...

one of the things that drives me nuts is the people who are super anti-walmart but then think target or ikea or starbucks are any different. don't get me started about old navy, gap, etc. i know it is nearly impossible to not contribute to these horrible practices at all, unless you are off the grid, and i know all we can do is be aware and write letters, but it really is such a sad state of affairs, not to mention the fact that is has killed the economy of our country. then again, i guess you couldn't get an entire outfit for a comparitive $50 back in america's heyday.

i agree with temptress. i do my best to get my fresh foods from local sources in season, and a lot of my clothes are vintage or handmade. lots of my furniture/furnishings are likewise. although i don't know what is required to write a program that would include all of those variables. and i guess loads of stuff would get left out that is bad, too. sigh.

Wow. I can't really take this blog post seriously (especially from an Etsy employee) when I'm in direct competition with Etsy re-sellers (which no one at Etsy headquarters cares about...$$$) from China, Singapore etc . Fail.

Human Trafficking covers more than just the sex trade and more than just the sweat shops. I love working with yarns made in Turkey and I cannot help but wonder if the softness I love comes at the roughness of a human being on the other end. I took the survey and I have 22 slaves (at least) working for me and some are in the United States. Just think - these are the jobs we're mad other folks are crossing the border to take.

You could see sweatshops as exploitation, but I see it as opportunity and a start for economic growth. People don't go to these working places to get exploited. They go there because that job increases their current standard of living. Working on the land is much harder and earns less money. It sucks if you compare it to your current standard of living, but that's because your ancestors had gone trough this stage for you. You can't expect these people to suddenly build microchips or advance machinery. They need knowledge and capital for that. Which they have to build up through cheap labor first. Economies grow, they don't start big.

Etsy Do The Right Thing and ban resellers I wonder what your charter of incorporation says. Anything about resellers? Hummmmmmm

I've noticed that not *one* person actually from Etsy has had the guts to reply to the accusations leveled here -- not even the original author. So, let's put it to you: How much money, Etsy, have you made from resellers hawking goods made in sweatshops or overseas factory conditions? How many slaves do *you* have working for you? I've found numerous items from sellers with THOUSANDS of sales that are obviously mass manufactured. They've been selling them for years and I *know* that you've gotten them reported to you before. Yet, you do nothing. Why on earth would you ban a seller who makes you so much money, even if what they're selling goes against everything you supposedly stand for? Nice show of hypocrisy from the Etsy high-ups. Be realistic: You don't really want people to not buy sweatshop-created items at all, you just want them to purchase the sweatshop-created items from you!

No matter how many times a seller on Etsy is proven to be a reseller and reported, you do nothing and the store is allowed to continue making you profits. You are doing a great job at reducing slave labor!

Take 10 seconds to do an Etsy search for "pocket watch" and you'll see just how much they care about slave labor...

I feel some slave labor treasuries coming on! :D YA!

Etsy: the biggest slave labor enabler since eBay!

Then why does Etsy continue to allow resellers, who get their products made in China for ten cents, to exist? This doesn't make any sense to me. Etsy, if you want me to believe you care about the workers in Cambodia or India, and not all the profits you're raking in from fees from re-sell shops, SHUT DOWN THOSE RESELLERS.

I just learned about this article from last year. This is REVOLTINGLY hypocritical. Etsy supports slave labor more overtly than any other company I've ever heard of. That's appalling enough, but then to put up this article about it? This is an insult to everyone on Etsy who isn't a reseller. Also anyone who can read.

Something to really consider... How much slave labor is Etsy itself endorsing by letting resellers run free in this venue? The point of the article is certainly compelling... But exactly how do you think that creamy necklace you just bought could be priced at 5 dollars? Your hands are far from clean on this one Etsy. Clean out the resellers if you really care that much about slave labor.

Every time I see reseller products on Etsy, I wonder how many of them are made by slave labor. I'm so glad that Etsy's finally decided to do something about this issue.

I hope Etsy takes note of all these people calling b.s. and sees how we take note of their tolerance for resellers. Don't post a cutesy article about slavery and then let the fruits of their inhumane labor run rampant.

I would much rather see Etsy crack down on the resellers than just post an article about how bad modern slave labor is. I'd like to know Etsy's slavery footprint.