Should parents who insist on buying "designer" label clothes for their children rather than practical yet...

Question

... smart ones as I always did be made aware of the fact that it is possible that *other* children are being exploited in order that their own children get the clothes that they want (rather than what they *need*).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7066019.stm

Yes I do include "trainers" and no : I never bought them for my boys.They had sensible shoes for school/church and so on and canvas shoes,sandals (when little) or pumps to play in.

Answer 1

I don't put my son in Gap. It is well over priced and I don't believe in Child Labour. I buy what is made in the USA or Canada. I had read the story and it is very sad that these kinds of big huge massive brand names have to use children for very liitle or no pay to make things for us in Canada, in the USA and for other countries in the world. I see the Gap store in the mall and I think Mannequins are dressed better than myself and my child and definitely people living out on the streets. I think the whole mall thing is a sham, I absolutely HATE malls.

I walk through it because it is quicker than taking the longer way around to catch the bus to the other side of the mall. Everything is OVERPRICED in malls. I can't stand them anymore.

Answer 2

I buy my son what looks good and is made well. If it has a designer label, fine. If not, I don't care. And just as it shouldn't bother anyone if a child is wearing Target clothes, it shouldn't bother them if a parent chooses designer labels.
Oh, and non - designer clothes like Walmart are often made my exploited children in third - world countries. How do you think they are able to sell clothes at such cheap prices?
Yes, I try to buy fair trade whenever possible, but talk about "designer" labels! The prices are usually through the roof!

Answer 3

At the risk of overgeneralizing, I would say that most cases of ADHD could be handled with better discipline and routine by the parents. Notice I say most, I do realise some children really are afflicted by this condition and life is hard for them and their families and they do need medication or other intervention to help. But, as a teacher time and time again I come across plain, old fashioned naughty children, who know how to wrap their parents' around their little fingers, and come into school thinking they can do the same to the teachers. And it often isn't teachers who want them to be labelled. I'm fairly new to teaching but my mum's been at it for over 40 years. She's worked with plenty of kids that she says have learnt the rules at school, and their behaviour improves, yet the mum takes them to the Dr and without even consulting teachers about how the children are in class the kids are suddenly on medication. Well, personally, I think that if a child can learn to follow rules when they are enforced, such as in a school environment, then they don't have ADHD. They just need the rules to be enforced at home too! Also, not wanting to overgeneralize but I know a fair few children with the diagnosis of ADHD who have been in and out of different nurseries, childminders, holiday clubs and before and after school clubs. So when they are at home, the parents often feel guilty about not spending enough time with them, and let them run riot, and not get enough sleep. And, subsequently, the children's behaviour becomes dire. Also, I think people just don't have high enough expectations of kids behaviour anymore. They let them get away with too many little things, and then by the time the big things start occurring they can't cope and want to slap a label on them. Too often you hear things like, 'Boys will be boys,' well yes they will, but that doesn't mean you can let them run amok in the supermarket while you blithely ignore them and let them knock things over and get in everyone's way! This question reminds me. The funniest label I've ever heard slapped on a child is 'Oppositional Defiance Syndrome.' That's doctor speak for 'won't do as he/she is bloody well told!' And yes, maybe some children really will refuse to do everything because of a medical condition, but I've known children with this condition, and after being in school for a little while they learnt to do as they were told. It was just at home that their parents couldn't enforce things. Perhaps in those cases parenting classes would do more good than labels.

Answer 4

I think the point Joan was trying to make is should we buy designer clothing for our children when we know that the manufacturer uses child labour to produce the goods. Who really knows for sure how many children are involved in such labour practices .I'm sure most companies will plead ignorance to the fact that they employ children to manufacure high priced goods.How much of this top of the designer line goods are pure profit? Sadly .I don't think people will stop buying these goods because they wuold rather that they and their children look affluent. Pretty sad that the children who make these "need to have "items can't afford themself and seldom make a living wage.What a very,very sad commentary on our civilized society.

Answer 5

Are you including trainers? I wouldn't call the ones with the 'swishy' logo a 'designer' label but many would.
Bet you've bought some of those in your time! I never have dare to say. And doubt I ever will. I have continental taste in clothing and find most of the British children's designers absolutely over-rated and definitly overpriced.

Answer 6

Some answers are missing the point of the exploitation of child labour in poor nations to make these overpriced fashion garments.

My ex buys names like Gap for my daughter. It has always annoyed me, since a 1 year old baby doesn't care about brands, but if she always get them, she will soon come to expect them.

Lots of companies exploit cheap labour abroad and then import the manufactured goods. Apart from the appallingly poor wages these children are paid, they are also being deprived of an education if they are in a factory all day, and the awful cycle of exploitation, poverty and ignorance will thus continue. Think about the Indian child having no education the next time your child goes to school in Gap clothing.

Answer 7

I can't afford designer clothes and luckily my 11 month old son is way too young to demand them.

But I think they are pointless and if and when he ever started asking for them he wouldn't get them. Unless our financial situation has changed substantially by then, we just won't be able to afford them.

I see designer clothes as a total waste of money and can't understand why anyone would waste cash on them. They are no better than any other type of clothing. You are paying for a label. Some of the nicest things my son has come from Asda or Tesco - and even Charity Shops! Little children outgrow their clothes so quickly its pointless spending lots of money on them.

Answer 8

it is not just desginer labels that do this cheaper brands are are guilty as well. They use many of the same suppliers as the desinger lables. The only way to be assured is to make it yourself or to by things made in the USA or Europe where this is not common practice. However there is very few things made there because it cost so much most things are made in India, China etc.

Answer 9

The way I look at this if you make enough money that you can afford this then why not. But If you are having to making several sacrifices in your life to dress your children. STOP. I grew up poor. My mom worked hard everyday but I still love her and have turned into what I think a pretty nice person and decently successful in my life. Cost doesn't equal character.

Answer 10

I buy clothes from the gap but only when there in the sale, I buy some designer stuff for my kids but again only when there on sale, you can get loads of nice, stylish clothes from Next, even Tesco and Asda sell great kids clothes!