Kendall and Kylie Jenner brand responds to claims that it did not pay garment workers

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
Jul 5, 2020

Kylie and Kendall Jenner have issued a response following claims that their clothing brand did not pay garment workers in Bangladesh. 

The allegations began with an article from Remake, a nonprofit dedicated to creating an ethical fashion industry. In the article, Remake noted that the Kendall + Kylie Label was listed as an "affiliated label" on the website of apparel company Global Brands Group (GBG) until June 23 (originally, Remake claimed the brand was "owned" by GBG).

According to Remake, GBG "refused to pay its garment suppliers for orders produced in February and March following a drop in sales caused by the coronavirus pandemic," leaving factory workers "starving around the world." 

On June 24, Remake released an update, saying that they had "received word from a Kendall + Kylie representative that the label does not have 'current' orders with Global Brands Group and will pursue legal action if we didn’t remove our posts and apologize."

The organization continued: "Until we receive clear answers from the Kendall + Kylie team and are given proof that they have paid garment makers, we will continue to investigate." 

On July 2, a statement addressing the issue was posted to the Kendall + Kylie brand Instagram account. 

Addressed from "the Kendall + Kylie team," the statement called the claim that the label "neglected to pay factory workers in Bangladesh as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic" an "incorrect rumor," and emphasized that GBG does not own the label as Remake initially claimed. 

"The Kendall + Kylie brand is owned by 3072541 Canada Inc., not GBG. The brand has worked with CAA-GBG in the past in a sales and business development capacity only, but we do not currently have any relationship at all with GBG."

The post continued: "We know that these are trying times for the fashion industry and garment workers as a whole, and we continue to support all of our partners working in the factories who produce our products. We manufacture in countries all over the world and have not received any concerns from the factories who produce our goods."

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In its most recent update to its original article, Remake said it had "invited the Kendall + Kylie team to dialogue with us to learn more about the women who bring their label to life."