NO Sweat - buyer help

[Crunkenstein]

Hello, I'm a young chap who needs a boot for the winter season, just enough to keep the snow off my socks. My choices for shoe shopping are fairly limited: Walmart, Target or perhaps a cheap shoe-store like Payless. I'm willing to spend a little bit more for a shoe that lasts and goes easy on my conscience, that it wasn't made in some Chinese sweat-shop by a person who'd kill to be in my shoes, no pun intended. So my question is how can I find out more about my future perfect boot? If I want to save up for Doc Martens how do I know what the companies ethical score is? Are there any guides out there to help the consciencous purchaser?

[ellipsis]

There is a company which called no sweat, i think which makes converse hi-top style shoes without sweat shop labor, they might make boots too.

[Crunkenstein]

That company hasn't made new shoes in at least 4 years, and only sells unsellable sizes on their site, probably leftover from when they did make shoes. I might buy one of their shirts in the future, but right now I'm worried about an ethical boot.

[Drace]

If you don't buy it from Walmart they will probably just throw it away. (http://peppsl.convio.net/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=13453&news_iv_ctrl=1008)

[Crunkenstein]

Oddly, that doesn't make me want to purchase from Walmart.

[Honggweilo]

That company hasn't made new shoes in at least 4 years, and only sells unsellable sizes on their site, probably leftover from when they did make shoes. I might buy one of their shirts in the future, but right now I'm worried about an ethical boot.
I bought a pair.. and sadly they are veeeeery uncomfortable, they are not at all ergonomic and dont let through any air, i get tremendous blisters from walking on them.. also they dont ventilated, so its like a feet-sauna. Good iniative, bad execution :(

[CELMX]

Sorry, i'm probably being very unhelpful, but i think buying stuff from non-sweatshop places won't stop sweatshop labor, unless you have a mass movement of boycotters. So, individual boycotts wouldn't help much.
I know it sounds horrible, but just buy normal boots for now. The only way to end sweatshop labour is through...REVOLUTION!!:D

[Crunkenstein]

I've read about ethical consumerism only creating a niche market and so on, I don't give a shit. I'm not waiting for the Revolution just so I can finally go out shopping and I don't plan to change the world with my shopping either. I just want to do my small part because it makes me feel good. In other news, I've found out that Doc Martens apparently moved their operation to China in 2003 and only have a few expensive "Made in England" originals that they sell online and a few local stores like The British Boot Company. The style I want is called corcoran, jump, or paratrooper and it emulates the full lace and ankle support need in WW2 by the American soldier. The DM paratrooper ryan is a pretty lady's shoe at Macy's that's expensive and sweat made. Numerous designers of military footwear have corcorans, for a little over a hundred dollars, that are supposedly Made in America but what does that really even mean? Some sweat items are made in territories controlled by the US military which makes it legal to put the Made in USA tag on them and there are unethical practices here in the US.