Nudie Jeans pays
living wages
to workers in India
SINCE AUTUMN 2012, Nudie Jeans has paid living wages to the workers at our T-shirt supplier in India.
We believe that everyone who participates in the manufacturing of our clothes should have a wage enough to live on. This is part of our strategy to take responsibility on how our products are manufactured. During 2012 we offered our first denim collection completely made from 100% organic cotton, and this is a natural step in the same direction.
Today more than 90% of our garments are made in Europe where wages are on a different level.
The supplier in India is our only Asian partner. We joined partnership in 2011, and it is also the first supplier we work with concerning living wages. In order to suceed with such work, it requires genuine and long-term commitment from both parties.
We think it’s important discussing this issue in the low-wage countries where there is a big difference between minimum wage and the actual living wage.
The living wage level has been calculated in cooperation with the supplier and the aid of the Asian Floor Wage benchmarks, and is an increase of approximately 17% of a worker’s annual salary. So far, our share of the total production is limited, which means that it requires several companies producing at this supplier to pay their share. It’s only then the salaries will reach the level of living wage for all workers, and can be extended throughout the manufacturing chain.
Paying our share of the living wage is a step in the right direction and Nudie Jeans is proud to be part of that development. We hope to inspire other brands to follow this initiative.
