A Killer Bargain

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Are inexpensive consumer goods really a bargain when they carry such a high human cost? This program goes to textile production centers in India to reveal the downside of cut-rate fabrics, from the growing of cotton using carcinogenic pesticides through the dyeing of cloth with harmful chemicals, to fabrics' final sale as towels and sheets in Western stores. Wreaking havoc on workers' health as well as on local biosystems, the textiles industry operates at the mercy of global markets as factory owners are pressured to sacrifice safety to remain competitive-and even corporations with stated commitments to buy only from ethical suppliers cannot be trusted to enforce these principles if it means a price increase.