Kardashian Sweatshop Scandal: The Facts Behind ShoeDazzle Factory Conditions
Dec. 21 2011, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
By Breaking Celebrity News Staff
In a world exclusive exposé Star magazine revealed that several of the brands sold and endorsed by the Kardashian family are manufactured in China under sweatshop conditions, sometimes by employees as young as 16 years old.
The allegations about Kardashian products in this post have nothing to do with their products sold at Sears.
One of the brands, ShoeDazzle, has denied all allegations, insisting they have a full time employee living in the Chinese region of Guangdong that checks on working conditions daily, and that, "Factories are routinely inspected and always pass inspection."
Furthermore, ShoeDazzle COO Deborah Benton, who has visited the region herself, says, "This issue of child labor is of paramount importance to us. We've been very focused on this from the very beginning." Benton insists she's never received a report of "slave labor" conditions.
However, Star magazine can take you inside the Guandong factories to decide for yourself on whether the working conditions constitute slave labor or not.
ShoeDazzle has built its empire from cheap Chinese labor, amassing three million registered customers in the United States at a $39.95 per month subscription — all to receive a pair of shoes or purse every 30 days.
Of the company’s 85 suppliers, 75 are in China -- with more than half, 48, originating from the Guangdong Province.
More specifically, Star has traced six of ShoeDazzle's manufacturers --