Unaware American Consumers

Purchased t-shirt

Just yesterday, I made an uneducated decision: I bought a t-shirt without researching. Just after we had talked about who makes a given shirt, where it's made and if the person/people making it are treated fairly, I may have unknowingly supported human rights violations.

Solely based on aesthetic appeal, I bought the pictured University of Alabama t-shirt before returning home after a soccer showcase in Alabama. Before I looked up the details of the shirt, I selected it, gave it to the cashier, paid the $19.99 for it, and put it into my carry-on. No other thoughts involved. After re-triggering my memory of our class discussion Thursday with our class period today, I looked further into the details.


I looked up the company that made the shirt and found that everything checked out fine. In fact, they printed the individual shirts on site in Comstock Park, Michigan. Their facilities appeared pristine, as can be seen on their webpage. Although in my case I won't be feeling guilty every time I put this shirt on, many other situations may be different though unknown. Human rights like proper working conditions and wages may be being violated by other companies without consumers realizing. In fact, I find it to be an extremely American value to find something that looks good and is cheap. Whatever may be the "Best Value" or "Most For Your Money" is a draw for us Americans. Such mentality is dangerous and can lead to the unknowing violation people's rights worldwide.

Do you as a consumer research before buying? Would you pay more for fair produced products? Please let me know your thoughts.