Fashion Accessories

• There is a limited amount of publicly available information on labor conditions specifically in the production of fashion accessories. However, the production of fashion accessories typically falls under the light consumer manufacturing economic sector. In countries where there is a documented risk of labor abuses in other light consumer manufacturing – including garment and apparel production – there is likely to be risk in the production of fashion accessories, as well.
• Fashion accessories are often made from a variety of materials, including base metals and precious metals, the mining of which may involve risks of forced labor and child labor. Traceability efforts should consider the inclusion of upstream raw materials.
• Subcontracting is a common practice in fashion accessory manufacturing, which is likely to limit the transparency of the supply chain and increase labor risks. Downstream brands should prioritize robust mapping efforts and spot-checking information provided by their suppliers.

• The U.S. Department of Labor has noted the presence of child labor in the fashion accessories industry in the Philippines.¹List of Goods Produced by Child or Forced Labor. Bureau of International Labor Affairs, 23 June 2021, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-goods?tid=All&field_exp_good_target_id=5787&field_exp_exploitation_type_target_id_1=All&items_per_page=10. 
• Although information is limited, it is likely that labor rights risks exist in other countries with documented risks in related sectors, such as the garment and apparel sector and other light consumer goods sectors.

• The making of fashion accessories is commonly subcontracted to dispersed, unorganized, or informal small producers.²Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf
• The prevalence of subcontractors and middlemen indicate a high likelihood that there are multiple points of aggregation and co-mingling of both raw materials and finished products.
• The fashion accessories supply chain is highly complex due to a variety of raw material inputs and the involvement of many layers of actors and middlemen at different nodes.³Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf.  In addition, subcontracting is a barrier to supply chain transparency, which can increase labor risks.⁴Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf; Preventing Hidden Forced Labour. A Guide For Companies and Employers. The Danish National Board of Social Services, 2014, www.gla.gov.uk/media/1578/guidelines-riskmanagement-eng-version-1-0.pdf. 

• Child labor has been reported in the manufacturing of fashion accessories. Additionally, the mining of raw materials for fashion accessories, including base metals and precious metals, may involve risks of forced labor⁵Addressing Forced Labor in Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM). Alliance for Responsible Mining, 2014, www.responsiblemines.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2014_ARM_ForcedLaborToolkit_finalversion_Nov14.pdf.  and child labor.⁶Child labour in mining and global supply chains. International Labour Organization, 2019, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_720743.pdf. 

Fashion accessories are made from different materials, including base metals such as aluminum, brass, copper, pot metal, and nickel-silver.⁷“11 Common Metals Used in Costume Jewelry You Should Know”. A Fashion Blog, www.afashionblog.com/metals-used-in-costume-jewelry/#What_is_Costume_Jewelry_And_why_Costume_jewelry_use_the_following_metals.  They may also be plated with precious metals like gold and silver.⁸Better Trade Tool: Classification Methodology. U.S. Department of Labour, 2021, www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ILAB/Better-Trade-Tool-Classification-Methodology-09-03-2021.pdf. Some fashion accessories include worked shell and coral.⁹Better Trade Tool: Classification Methodology. U.S. Department of Labour, 2021, www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ILAB/Better-Trade-Tool-Classification-Methodology-09-03-2021.pdf.

There is a limited amount of data on the production of fashion accessories. The fashion accessories supply chain is highly complex due to its use of subcontractors and middlemen.¹⁰Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf.  Further upstream, suppliers hire subcontractors for either the purchasing of raw materials or the making of the finished products.¹¹Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf.  The making of fashion accessories may include threading or stringing beads; employers often prefer children for these tasks because they believe children to possess more nimble fingers and to be more patient than adult workers.¹²Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf.  Quality controllers then check the finished products, and purchasers and agents sell them to exporters.¹³Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf. 

• 1
  List of Goods Produced by Child or Forced Labor. Bureau of International Labor Affairs, 23 June 2021, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-goods?tid=All&field_exp_good_target_id=5787&field_exp_exploitation_type_target_id_1=All&items_per_page=10. 
• 2
  Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf
• 3
  Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf. 
• 4
  Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf; Preventing Hidden Forced Labour. A Guide For Companies and Employers. The Danish National Board of Social Services, 2014, www.gla.gov.uk/media/1578/guidelines-riskmanagement-eng-version-1-0.pdf. 
• 5
  Addressing Forced Labor in Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM). Alliance for Responsible Mining, 2014, www.responsiblemines.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2014_ARM_ForcedLaborToolkit_finalversion_Nov14.pdf. 
• 6
  Child labour in mining and global supply chains. International Labour Organization, 2019, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_720743.pdf. 
• 7
  “11 Common Metals Used in Costume Jewelry You Should Know”. A Fashion Blog, www.afashionblog.com/metals-used-in-costume-jewelry/#What_is_Costume_Jewelry_And_why_Costume_jewelry_use_the_following_metals. 
• 8
  Better Trade Tool: Classification Methodology. U.S. Department of Labour, 2021, www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ILAB/Better-Trade-Tool-Classification-Methodology-09-03-2021.pdf.
• 9
  Better Trade Tool: Classification Methodology. U.S. Department of Labour, 2021, www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ILAB/Better-Trade-Tool-Classification-Methodology-09-03-2021.pdf.
• 10
  Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf. 
• 11
  Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf. 
• 12
  Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf. 
• 13
  Employers’ Demand for Child Labor in the Pyrotechnics and Fashion Accessories Industries in the Philippines. International Labour Organization, 2005, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-manila/documents/publication/wcms_437077.pdf. 
• 14
  List of exporters for the selected product in 2021. Product : 7117 Imitation jewellery. ITC Trade Map, https://www.trademap.org/Country_SelProduct.aspx?nvpm=1%7c%7c%7c%7c%7c7117%7c%7c%7c4%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c1.
• 15
  List of exporters for the selected product in 2021 Product: 960190 Worked bone, tortoiseshell, horn, antlers, coral, mother-of-pearl and other animal carving material, and articles of these materials, n.e.s. (excluding ivory). ITC Trade Map, www.trademap.org/Country_SelProduct.aspx?nvpm=1%7c%7c%7c%7c%7c960190%7c%7c%7c6%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c1https://www.trademap.org/Country_SelProduct.aspx?nvpm=1|||||7117|||4|1|1|2|1|1|2|1|1|1.