Sean Combs’ ENYCE labels found in Bangladesh factory fire

by geertjan — last modified 2013-04-24 09:50
US rapper and producer, Sean Combs, more commonly known as Puff Daddy or P Diddy, is called upon by campaigners to take action today after his ENYCE brand was linked a tragic fire which killed 120 Bangladeshi garment workers on Saturday. Labels from his ENYCE brand were found in the wreckage of the burnt out Tazreen Fashion garment factory by local activists.

  • Labels and documentation of US and European brands found in burnt out remains

  • C&A, Li and Fung confirmed as buyers

US rapper and producer, Sean Combs, more commonly known as Puff Daddy or P Diddy, is called upon by campaigners to take action today after his ENYCE brand was linked a tragic fire which killed 120 Bangladeshi garment workers on Saturday. Labels from his ENYCE brand were found in the wreckage of the burnt out Tazreen Fashion garment factory by local activists.

“We are sure that Mr Combs will be as shocked as we are to find that his company is implicated in such an horrific tragedy” said Liz Parker of the Clean Clothes Campaign. “We urge him to use his influence to make sure clothing factories are safe places for people to work”.

Other labels and documentation found in the factory relate to Walmart, C&A, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Piazza Italia , Kik, Teddy Smith, Ace, Dickies, Fashion Basics, Infinity Woman, Karl Rieker GMBH & Co., and True Desire (Sears). To date only C&A and Li & Fung, a Hong Kong based sourcing agent, have confirmed they were buying from the factory at the time of the fire.

The Clean Clothes Campaign and its partners is working to seek confirmation from each of these brands on the sourcing relationship they have with Tazreen Fashion and is urging each company to publicly state their involvement with Tazreen or their owners TUBA group.

The Clean Clothes Campaign is also calling on all buyers from Tazreen Fashions to immediately investigate the full facts of the case and to ensure that adequate compensation is paid to the victims and their families. It is particularly urgent to ensure those injured in the fire receive the immediate medical treatment they require.

To prevent further factory fires the Clean Clothes Campaign along with trade unions and labour rights organisations in Bangladesh and around the world have developed a safety programme of independent and transparent inspections, mandatory repairs of building deficiencies, a review of all existing laws and safety regulations, a commitment to pay prices that can cover the costs involved and the direct involvement of trade unions in worker training on health and safety. The Clean Clothes campaign is now renewing its demand for brands to sign up to this programme immediately.

The fire in Tazreen Fashions brings the total of workers that have died in factory fires in Bangladesh since 2005 to around 700. A second fire reported to have broken out in Dhaka today injuring workers demonstrates once again the need for immediate sector wide measures to prevent future tragedies.

Widespread protests about the fire are spreading across Dhaka and internationally to demonstrate anger and despair about the tragic loss of so many lives. Says CCCs Ineke Zeldenrust: “Brands, employers and authorities all are to blame for this needless suffering. This has to end now - there can be no more excuses, and no more delays or yet more workers will live in misery and die in pain to produce our clothes”.