Playing Channel 4's Sweatshop

A new Flash game from the UK's Channel 4 and developer Littleloud called "Sweatshop" takes a light-hearted jab at the issue of apparel makers who use cheap overseas labor to make garments that are sold for high prices in shops across the UK. While the game may be light-hearted in nature, the developers of the game take the subject very seriously and want to bring awareness of the tactics used by businesses to save money - often at the expense of workers who make very little money and don't have any rights in the workplace.

From the official site about the game:

"Many of the clothes available in our high street shops have been manufactured in sweatshops, factories that routinely pay their workers less than the minimum wage, and prevent the formation of unions to campaign for better working conditions.

Sweatshop is a light-hearted game, but it’s based upon very present realities that many workers around the world contend with each day.

 Littleloud and Channel 4 worked with experts on sweatshops to integrate some of these realities into the game design. In addition, there are numerous facts and figures spread throughout the game, highlighting the plight of the workers who may well have made the clothes you are wearing today."

The web site goes on to list a series of facts about sweatshops complete with links offering more information on the subject. You can check out the game, get downloads and find out more about the problem at www.playsweatshop.com.

Thanks to SYSS Mouse for the tip.