Survey Finds Sweatshops Leave Consumers Cold

Consumers do care whether their bluejeans or T-shirts are being manufactured in garment sweatshops, according to a survey released by Marymount University in Arlington, Va.

The university’s second annual national consumer retail survey--conducted by the school’s Center for Ethical Concerns and its department of fashion design and merchandising--shows that Americans are overwhelmingly in favor of publicizing the names of retailers that are helping to end the abuse of garment workers in the U.S.

A significant number of poll respondents also agreed that retailers selling goods manufactured in sweatshops should be held at least partly responsible for the problem.

Other results of Marymount’s survey of 1,023 adults selected at random:

* Four out of five respondents said they would avoid shopping at a retail outlet that sells goods made in sweatshops.

* Six in 10 respondents said they’d be more likely to shop at retailers that are known to be working to end the abuse of garment workers.

* More than 80% of respondents said they would be willing to pay an additional $1 for a $20 item that is guaranteed not to have been made in a sweatshop.

Women, who account for most retail purchases in the U.S., were more likely than men to support government intervention aimed at ending sweatshop abuses.

“For too long, many consumers have believed that sweatshops were part of the garment industry’s past,” Marymount University President Eymard Gallagher said. “Our annual survey shows that consumers are aware that sweatshops are, unfortunately, part of the industry’s present and can be detrimental to the industry’s future.

“Clearly, consumers care about this issue and are willing to show that concern where they shop this holiday season.”

Greg Johnson covers retail businesses and restaurants for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-5950 and at greg.johnson@latimes.com.