A recent investigation has led to findings that Australian surfing brand, Rip Curl, had sold goods produced in slave-like conditions. The report released by the Sydney Morning Herald revealed the brand had produced its 2015 line of ski clothing in “slave-like conditions” at a North Korean Factory.
Rip Curl denied having knowledge of the conditions prior to production, and said it was only made aware after the goods had been distributed. The brand blamed subcontractors for the practice.
“This was a case of a supplier diverting part of their production order to an unauthorised subcontractor, with the production done in an unauthorised factory, in an unauthorised country without our knowledge or consent,” said Tony Roberts, chief financial officer, Rip Curl.
Although, Dr. Helen Szoke, chief executive, Oxfam Australia said Rip Curl had no excuse for not tracking clothing produced within its own supplier factories.
