sweatshop
Low-wage factory
A sweatshop is a factory or workshop where workers labor under harsh conditions—long hours, low pay, and unsafe environments.
The term emerged during industrialization and remains common in discussions of global labor practices: The company was accused of using overseas sweatshops.
Figuratively, any exploitative workplace may be called a sweatshop.
Given inadequate wages
- child laborMinors performing paid work
- forced laborCompelled toil, no consent
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
- wage theftEmployer withholding earned compensation
poverty · abuse · coercion · intimidation · debt bondage · illegal immigrants · vulnerability · powerlessness
Article of clothing
- textileMaterial from woven fibers
- sewingCraft with needle and thread
- assemblyConstructing from components
- pieceworkPay per unit produced
stitching · knitting · weaving · dyeing · cutting · ironing · folding · packaging
Trend-driven cheap apparel
- garment industryClothing manufacturing sector
- apparelClothing collectively
- footwearGarments for feet
- clothingBody coverings worn daily
textiles · electronics · toys · subcontracting · outsourcing · supply chain · offshore · factory
Filled beyond capacity
- unsafeLikely to cause harm
- squalorDirty, degraded living conditions
- inhumaneCallously causing suffering
- ventilationCirculation of fresh air
hazardous · unsanitary · fire hazard · locked doors · long hours · exhaustion · heat · cramped
Equitable exchange between parties
- living wageIncome covering necessities
- labor rightsEmployees' legal workplace entitlements
- trade unionsWorker collectives for negotiations
- activismDirect effort for reform
boycott · ethical consumerism · corporate accountability · transparency · regulation · inspection · certification · advocacy
underpaid
Given inadequate wages
- child laborMinors performing paid work
- forced laborCompelled toil, no consent
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
wage theft · poverty · abuse · coercion · intimidation · debt bondage · illegal immigrants · vulnerability · powerlessness · fear
garment
Article of clothing
- textileMaterial from woven fibers
- sewingCraft with needle and thread
- assemblyConstructing from components
piecework · stitching · knitting · weaving · dyeing · cutting · ironing · folding · packaging · tailoring
fast fashion
Trend-driven cheap apparel
- garment industryClothing manufacturing sector
- apparelClothing collectively
- footwearGarments for feet
clothing · textiles · electronics · toys · subcontracting · outsourcing · supply chain · offshore · factory · globalization
overcrowded
Filled beyond capacity
- unsafeLikely to cause harm
- squalorDirty, degraded living conditions
- inhumaneCallously causing suffering
ventilation · hazardous · unsanitary · fire hazard · locked doors · long hours · exhaustion · heat · cramped · windowless
fair trade
Equitable exchange between parties
- living wageIncome covering necessities
- labor rightsEmployees' legal workplace entitlements
- trade unionsWorker collectives for negotiations
activism · boycott · ethical consumerism · corporate accountability · transparency · regulation · inspection · certification · advocacy · organizing
- labor systemsbonded labor, chattel slavery, child labor, compulsory labor, contract labor
- workjob, 9 to 5, jobs, labor, employee
- labourmanual labour, forced labour, child labour, labourer, toil
- exploitationexploit, predatory, sex trafficking, take advantage, human trafficking
- Gilded AgeGilded Age, robber baron, robber barons, Carnegie, Rockefeller
- labor historyAFL-CIO, workers, labor movement, CIO, laborers
sweatshopworker cooperative
Firm owned by its labor force
union shop · safe workplace · antisweatshop · Costco · Patagonia
sweatshopfair labor
Ethical treatment of workers
ethical labor · collective bargaining · worker empowerment · labor rights · fair employment
- sweatshop laborExploitative factory work
- sweatshop workerExploited manufacturing employee