The Sweatfree Purchasing Consortium works to end public purchasing from sweatshops. Decades of research shows widespread human rights and labor rights violations in the global apparel industry. We strive to align public spending with respect for workers' rights in global apparel supply chains by convening public procurement officials and labor advocates to create demand for decent working conditions and worker-led monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to sustain them. Learn more.

Join the Sweatfree Purchasing Consortium

If your city, state, or other public entity buys apparel, join the Consortium to make sure it is made in decent working conditions. Go here to join.

Resources for Sweatfree Purchasing

Is your government entity considering sweatfree purchasing?  Use the Consortium's Model Policy as a starting point.  The premise of the model is that fair and open competition for public contracts and decent working conditions in the procurement supply chain go hand in hand.  More>>

Many cities, states and other government entities have worked for many years to ensure they buy products made in decent conditions.  We have assembled their resources in the Sweatfree Purchasing Resource Libary. More>>

Check out the online worker complaint form, our labor compliance questionnaire, and additional resources.  More>>

Check out Sweatfree LinkUp!

This is a database of apparel factories, manufacturers, and vendors in the government procurement supply chain. It is a tool for increased transparency and labor rights accountability in the industry. More>>

The government must do better. Federal agencies can start by disclosing the names of all factories they use; Congress could then order an investigation of the labor violations in those facilities. Next, agencies should jointly develop a code of conduct for overseas factories as well as an inspection regimen. Washington might also consider joining the retailers who have agreed to improve building safety in Bangladesh. In these and other ways, the federal government would improve the lives of millions of workers and set an example for the private sector to follow.

-The New York Times Editorial Board

Read what members say about the Consortium.