CBP Bans Prison Glovemaker

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at all U.S. ports of entry will detain work gloves manufactured by Shanghai Select Safety Products Company, Limited and its two subsidiaries..

CBP issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against Shanghai Select Safety Products Company, Limited and its two subsidiaries Nantong and HK, based on information that reasonably indicates the use of convict labor in violation of 19 U.S.C. § 1307 in the production of that merchandise.

In May 2023 a Wisconsin Watch investigation found evidence that prisoners from Chisban Prison in Hunan Province were paid pennies to make work gloves bearing the iconic brand of Milwaukee Electric Tool Co.  That month WalMart announced they discontinued Milwaukee Gloves for ethical reasons.

The use of convict labor to produce goods imported into the United States in order to sell goods below market value is a violation of Section 1307, and "exposes consumers to the risk of making unethical purchases," according to CBP.

With this WRO issuance, CBP currently oversees and enforces 52 WROs and eight Findings under 19 U.S.C. § 1307. This law prohibits the importation of “[a]ll goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in any foreign country by convict labor or/and forced labor, or/and indentured labor under penal sanctions . . . ,” which includes forced or indentured child labor.

When CBP has information reasonably indicating that imported goods are made by forced labor in violation of Section 1307, the agency will order personnel at U.S. ports of entry to detain shipments of those goods. Such shipments will be excluded or subjected to seizure and forfeiture if the importer fails to demonstrate proof of admissibility in accordance with applicable regulations.

“We have been clear that we will not tolerate any form of forced labor in U.S. supply chains,” said CBP Executive Assistant Commissioner AnnMarie R. Highsmith. “We encourage like-minded partners to join us in supporting fair competition in the global marketplace.”