Ben Cohen Plans No-Sweat Shop

Dairy Foods, Oct, 2001

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Ben Cohen is ready to sell the shirt off his back. Actually the cofounder of Ben & Jerry's isn't in financial trouble, but he is getting into a new line. A clothing line that is. Inspired by the anti-sweatshop movement, Cohen is laying the groundwork in Los Angeles for the nation's first high-profile "sweat-free" clothing line.

Rollout could be as early as next year. "The conventional wisdom is that we have to have sweatshops because that's the only way that we can make the stuff cheap enough that people are willing to buy," Cohen said. "We believe that's not true." Cohen's new plant would use state-of-the-art machinery, and workers would be paid enough to support their families, would able to buy stock in the company and would be allowed to form unions. The company hopes eventually to hire 100 people for the operation, including former sweatshop workers.