Oh and by the way, having visited shoe factories in China and Vietnam (never been to El Salvador) having a bunch of 15 year old girls who are locked in and sometimes made to work 24 hour shifts, whatever your political inclinations, is not the best way to get well-made merch...
Actually, sweatshops in China have gotten a lot better. Many less developed countries these days have it much worse (like countries where the vast majority of poor "15 year old girls" who can't get sweatshop jobs become prostitutes). Every single economist actually considers sweatshops important factors to many Asian countries' developments, haha. So as the countries develop and quality of life improves, generally sweatshop workers are paid more, and sometimes even need better, more expensive tools to make their wares. This is why so many companies no longer make things in China: not because of the stigma, but because its simply getting more expensive. I wouldn't be surprised, with the way quality of life is improving even for the poor in China right now, if China's workers continue to improve the quality of their merchandise.
BTW IM NOT trying to argue the fact that these sweatshops make well made merchandise, as good as the handmade Italian ones, etc. I'm merely pointing out a misconception many in developed nations have about sweatshops.