Kardashian Sweatshop Scandal Stirs Rumors Of Child Laborers, Unsafe Factories

Are the Kardashians unknowingly sponsoring child labor?

Star Magazine published a report today, according to Radar Online, alleging that several of the Kardashian family's lifestyle and fashion brands, including ShoeDazzle and Kris Jenner 'Kollection' for QVC, are manufactured in sweatshops that employ underage and overworked laborers.

The report charges that workers in the area of China where the Kardashimerch is produced aren't held to government regulations, often pushed to toil in hot factories seven days a week with minimal breaks for just $1/hour:

"The Kardashians are in bed with some pretty bad people," Charles Kernaghan, the executive director of the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights, tells Star. "Not only are celebrities like the Kardashians taking advantage of these workers, they are holding hands with a government that spits on democracy and women's rights."

The spokesperson for the E! reality stars, however, says the family was unaware of any wrongdoing:

"This is the first we are hearing about it and take it very seriously as we would never condone this," their high powered rep Jill Fritzo exclusively told Radaronline.com on behalf of the Kardashians. "We are presently investigating the situation."

Kris Jenner corroborated the rep's claim in a statement for TMZ, saying: "As far as I know the factories that are used to manufacture the Kardashian clothing and shoes have nothing terrible going on at all and the factories are very well policed and meet factory standards."

The Kardashian collections under suspicion include their high-end K-Dash clothing line, Kris Jenner's Kollection For QVC and ShoeDazzle, a company Kim founded and for which Perez Hilton has also designed. The alleged misdoings apparently do not relate to their Sears line.

We hope for the sake of the workers that these charges turn out to be false.

Read more about the allegations over at Radar Online.