A few students on campus will not be wearing the clothing line deemed “For Every Generation” this holiday season, or any season for that matter.

Students that say the Gap uses sweatshop practices are boycotting the store for the holiday season.

United Students Against Sweatshops [USAS] is organizing this action across the country, especially at larger universities.

This action against Gap manufacturers in El Salvador and South Africa began because “workers at the factories asked us to pursue a campaign,” said Ben McKean, national organizer for the group.

The workers at these factories tried to organize themselves, but the Gap closed the factory rather than bargaining with the workers, McKean said. USAS and these workers are “working in solidarity,” to educate the public about the boycott, especially Gap’s major customers, McKean said.

Here in Ames, the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA) has recently “taken an action that dealt with fair trade,” said Cicely Schramm, the group’s president.

Many members of FMLA don’t shop at the Gap at all because of believed sweatshop practices, said Mike Faris, senior in English.

Schramm, senior in genetics, said the group has talked about taking action concerning the Gap, like the boycott that the USAS has started.

“It is possible,” Schramm said.

Faris said a campaign in Ames against the Gap would not stop people from shopping there. The group’s main focus would be to inform shoppers of the consequences of their decision.

“Some would [stop shopping there], but unfortunately, a majority wouldn’t,” Faris said.

Schramm agreed. She said the campaign would be “more about education.”

“[Sweatshop labor is a] great concern because it is mostly women in sweatshops and most are earning beneath the living wage,” Faris said.

Schramm said the FMLA “supports equality of all nations and classes.”

It is “not fair” to work under the conditions faced by those in sweatshops, Schramm said. It is not only the Gap FMLA believes is running sweatshop labor.

“There are plenty of other companies [using sweatshops],” Schramm said. “It’s not only the Gap.”

Schramm said in North Grand Mall it is “difficult” to find things that are not made in sweatshops.

The Gap declined to comment. According to a statement on their Web site, “All of us at Gap Inc. want factory workers to be treated with dignity and respect. We also want them to work in a safe and healthy environment.”

According to www.gapinc. com, the company has a code of conduct for its vendors and also uses “Vendor Compliance Officers” to make sure vendors are acting within the code.