In the late 90's student activist from around the country stood up to say they will not allow their university's apparel, from team uniforms to collegate sweatshirts, to be made in sweatshops. With victories across the nation many universities now force their apparel licensees, the companies like Nike that make the clothes, to disclose each and every factory university apparel is made in. This was a crucial step that created the independent factory database and monitor, the Workers Rights Consortium, (WRC from here on) which could now visit and inspect factories making apparel, put pressure on retail corporations, and alert student activists of workers struggles that needed support.

Yet, the apparell industry continues its race to the bottom seeking ever lower wages and closing factories at the first sign workers are organizing. These corporations, and the universities who licence them, must be held accountable and respect workers struggling for a better life, not close their factories and move to China, a country where abuses and low wages are the norm.

With much work ahead, a geographic visualization of the university apparel supply chain could be invaluable to activists and independet factory monitors alike. It could show where factories are in the world, which retailers contract those factories and which universities licence those retailers.

The tool could display changes in factory use over time, for which data exists, it would allow activists to educate their community by showing corporate flight from factories where workers have won stronger protections. It could engage people on the need to force universities and retailers to maintain long term contracts with good factories and galvanize actions towards that end.

Students could easily see who makes their clothes and where, allowing for more creative and targeted tactics as they pressure their universities and retailers.

A geographic visualization would also help independent monitors to make decisions about which factories to report on and maintain corporate transparency.

For more information on the cause please visit, United Students Against Sweatshops.