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Jeanswest

OVERALL

Owned
HKG
Rating
Criticism, some praise

Clothing

Bought from its Australian founders by Hong Kong company Glorious Sun in 1994, who sold it to Howsea in 2017. Jeanswest entered voluntary administration in Jan 2020, before being bought by Harbour Guide in 2020, the third Hong Kong company in a row to own Jeanswest.

Company Ownership

Jeanswest Corporation Pty Ltd   AUS     website   email   facebook   twitter
  Harbour Guide Ltd   
   owns 100% of Jeanswest Corporation Pty Ltd  
HKG              

Clothing

Hong Kong based company owned by Mr Chun Fan Yeung and his family interests. Bought Jeanswest in 2020.

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE CRITICISM INFORMATION
Jeanswest Corporation Pty Ltd
Social B+ grade in 2019 Ethical Fashion Report
B+ grade in the Baptist World Aid Australia's 'Ethical Fashion Report 2019', which grades companies, from A to F, on the strength of their systems to mitigate against the risks of forced labour, child labour and worker exploitation in their supply chains, as well as protect the environment from the harmful impacts of the fashion industry. Assessment criteria fall into five main categories: policies, transparency and traceability, auditing and supplier relationships, worker empowerment and environmental management.
Source: Baptist World Aid Australia (2019)
Social Efforts to pay a living wage
Oxfam Australia's Company Tracker compares the big clothing brands on their efforts to pay a living wage to the women working in their factories. This company has released the names and addresses of at least 70% of their supplier factories, and has taken some action towards paying a living wage within a set timeframe in the supply chain.
Source: Oxfam Australia (2019)
Social Uzbek cotton commitment
This company has signed the Cotton Pledge with the Responsible Sourcing Network, signifying a public commitment to not knowingly source Uzbek cotton for the manufacturing of any of their products until the Government of Uzbekistan ends the practice of forced labor in its cotton sector. The Uzbek government uses local government officials, hospital directors, and school presidents to mobilize workers; and detains and tortures human rights defenders seeking to monitor the harvests.
Source: As You Sow (2019)
Environment Supply chain practices in China
This company received a score of 2.4/100 (retrieved 10-Oct-2020) in the Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI), a system for evaluating supply chain practices in China, particularly in regards to environmental management and water pollution. Scores are calculated using government compliance data, online monitoring data, and third-party environmental audits, as well as trends in the environmental performance of factories in the company's supply chains.
Source: IPE (2020)
Social Forced labour in China
The Chinese government has facilitated the mass transfer of Uyghur and other ethnic minority citizens from the far west region of Xinjiang to factories across the country. Under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour, Uyghurs are working in factories that are in the supply chains of at least 83 well-known global brands in the technology, clothing and automotive sectors, including brands owned by this company.
Source: ITUC (2020)
Social Use of PP spray
Many of this company's products are produced using PP (potassium permanganate) Spray, a dangerous practice for the health and safety of workers. It is done with a spray-gun that transforms chemicals into micro-particles absorbed by people who perform this technique although precautions taken and causing them lung problems. An alternative production technique using lasers is available.
Source: company website (2017)
Social Forced labour in China
In 2019 ABC's Four Corners revealed that ethnic minorities are being subject to forced labour in factories in Xinjiang, China. Four Corners identified several brands as sourcing cotton from Xinjiang, including Jeanswest.
Source: ABC (2019)
Animals Fur free
This company has formally undertaken not to use or sell real fur.
Source: Animals Australia (2017)
Animals Angora ban
This company has taken angora items off the shelves and promised not to use angora again, following a PETA campaign launched in Dec 2013 which revealed the cruelty inflicted on angora rabbits in Chinese factory farms, where 90% of the world's angora is produced.
Source: PETA (2018)
Business Ethics Supplier Factory Disclosure List
This company is one of of a handful of major Australian fashion retailers to publish the names and addresses of their supplier factories.
Source: company website (2018)
Business Ethics Community support
This company supports a number of charities including Children's Medical Research Institute (since 2006) and the Red Cross.
Source: company website (2017)
Business Ethics Responsible sourcing claims
This company has responsible sourcing claims on its website including a code of conduct and disclosure of the locations of some of their production factories.
Source: company website (2017)
Harbour Guide Ltd
No assessment data currently available for Harbour Guide Ltd

> About the Icons

Company Details

Type Wholly-owned subsidiary
Revenue $168 million in 2015
Employees 680 in 2020

Contact Details

Address 14-16 Yarra St, South Yarra, VIC, 3141, Australia
Phone 03 9860 8888
Website www.jeanswest.com.au

Products / Brands

Jeanswest
Jeanswest Womens Fashion
Jeanswest Menswear (casual)
Jeanswest Denim


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