We live in a society based on money, money makes profit, to make profit you have to minimise outgoings so you cut corners.
If you avoid everyone who hurts anyone you become an utter slave to consumerism, just in the other direction to those who do purchase these things. It gets to a point where you become a slave to your morals also.
I appreciate most of you will not agree with this, but I would rather see humans exploited than animals at least we have *some* right to exploit our own species.
The saddest part is, without a lot of these sweatshops most these children would not be in school, they would be homeless, starving or worse dead. Many towns are entirely built upon the sweatshop industry, an entire family will often work in the same factory to keep the family afloat.
I have been boycotting everything from Proctor and Gamble, relvon, rimmel, maybelline, loreal, primark, new look clothing, garnier, johnson and johnson, virgin vie, tesco, asda, evian, morrisons, listerine, clairol, no17, ribena, macdonalds, KFC, lucozade, playtex (yes the bra people) nivea, kleenex, palmolive, nestle, nescafe, beechams, nair, covergirl, fairy, head and shoulder, gilette, felix, tampax, always, purina, iams, wella, pringles, max factor, pantene, olay, dove, vicks, anna sui, duracell and a LOT of others for about 4 years now. I carry a notebook which I update as soon as I have info with me everywhere all day every day.
Each company has it's faults, I'm not going to go into who does what or to who or where, but please don't assume it's just clothing and jewelry made in sweat shops, chemicals for certain washing powders are mixed by indian children in no protective gear.
For those of you who wear bindis, they are not machine made. Nor are those already handpainted fake nails, those of you who wear human hair extensions would never give up your hair for what the girls who sell are paid and the silk industry would make you cry into your pillow.
When it comes down to it, I have spent a long time boycotting a lot of people. I have done a lot more than not buy products, I have stood outside stores on a box bellowing and handing out stickers, I have been arrested for smashing and lashing out, I have a crimal record for disturbing the peace like the average girl here's MAC receipt, and you know what it hasn't changed a thing!
I have done some things that I seriously regret attempting to change the world as well. I have upset a lot of people who just needed to be told rather than scared.
What it basically comes down to is, on your concience be wearing these items, but boycotting isn't going to make a damn bit of difference to anyone but you.