Canadian clothing label Joe Fresh confirmed Wednesday that some of its garments were being produced at a factory in Bangladesh that collapsed and killed more than 80 workers and left dozens trapped under rubble.
The company issued a statement:
We are extremely saddened to learn of the collapse of a building complex in Bangladesh and our condolences go out to those affected by this tragedy. The large complex, housing a commercial bank and shopping mall, also included a factory that produced a small number of Joe Fresh apparel items for Loblaws Inc.
We will be working with our vendor to understand how we may be able to assist them during this time.
Loblaws Inc. has vendor standards, which spell out the standard requirements of working with us to ensure that products are being manufactured in a socially responsible way, and specifically prohibiting child harassment and abuse or forced labour; and ensuring fair pay and benefits and compliance with applicable health and safety regulations. We audit against these standards on a regular basis.
Earlier in the day a number of media outlets tweeted photos of a garment with a Joe Fresh label found at the factory. Other users of the social media network have also begun to react to the news. See some of the best tweets in the slideshow below.