Big Australian fashion brands have been named and shamed in a Christmas "Naughty or Nice" list for continuing to secretively exploit overseas factory workers.
Myer, Just Jeans, Peter Alexander and Katies are among those in Oxfam's worst-performing Naughtiest list, meaning they are refusing to reveal which factories their clothes are made in and have made no commitment to paying living wages.
But on the flip side, the Nice brands list has ballooned to more than double the size of the Naughtiest list – with low-cost and discount retailers leading the charge.
Among the top performers are Best&Less, Kmart, Target, Cotton On, David Jones, H&M and Bonds. And climbing up to the Nice list for the first time on Friday November 22 were Jeanswest and Forever New.
With shoppers about to fork out billions of dollars in the lead up to Christmas, Oxfam is calling on Australians to use their voice to demand their favourite brands pay living wages and break the poverty cycle.
"The Naughty or Nice list calls out the naughty brands who are yet to make a real commitment to paying a living wage to the women who make our clothes," says Sarah Rogan, labour rights spokesperson at the charity.
"We have been really excited to see a number of brands come on board this year and we really congratulate them for that. Earlier this year, we saw Kmart, Target and Cotton On jump on by making that real commitment.
"And then just in the last month, we have seen brands like Gorman, Best&Less and Bonds also make that commitment to a living wage. We are going to keep monitoring them to make sure they stick to their word."
Busting a common misconception, she says brands that offer cheaper products like Kmart and Best&Less can have higher standards for overseas workers than premium brands that sell more expensive goods.
Oxfam says the majority of consumers do care about where their clothes come from.
Plus size retailer City Chic – which has moved onto the Nice list - announced plans last week to open 15 new stores within the next three years.
Big W is on the mid-range Naughty list for failing to commit to paying living wages, as is Zara for failing to publish details of factories where clothes are made.
Others on the Naughtiest list are Rivers, W Lane and JayJays.
Despite recording a net profit after tax of more than $100 million in the most recent financial year, Premier Investments (which owns Just Jeans, Peter Alexander and JayJays) has failed to engage on the issue since the deadly Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh in 2013.
