Yesterday we heard that Star Magazine was about to come out with a cover story accusing some of the Kardashian brands, including K-Dash and Shoedazzle, of using slave labor in China to manufacture their products. Star interviewed a couple of spokespeople from human rights organizations who went on the record to say that the Kardashian brands were manufactured in sweatshops. One of the human rights activists interviewed by Star, Charles Kernaghan, called in to TMZ Live yesterday. He clarified his comments and said that Star took his quotes out of context. Kernaghan admitted that he hasn’t personally seen the factory where the Kardashian Krap is made. He said they were just starting their investigation and trying to figure out where exactly the goods were made, and that it was merely in a region of China known for atrocious working conditions. He told TMZ “We are very suspicious the garments could be made under decent conditions. It doesn’t work like that in China.” So Star called this guy up, got some quotes and ran with this story.

For their part the Kardashians issued a statement through their spokesperson saying they’d never heard these claims and that they were taking them “very seriously.” Their rep told Radar “This is the first we are hearing about it and take it very seriously as we would never condone this. We are presently investigating the situation.” Meanwhile Kris is probably going to sue over that story:

The Kardashian family is preparing for war — gearing up to unleash a legal attack on everyone who claimed their clothing line is manufactured in child slave labor sweat shops in China … TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the family tell us … Kris Jenner is furious — claiming the guy who runs the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights had no right to accuse the Kardashian brands of wrongdoing because he has no tangible proof to back up his claims.

Kris must have seen I.G.L.H.R. honcho Charles Kernaghan on “TMZ Live” Wednesday — when he flat out admitted he didn’t actually go to the factories in question … and is making the ASSUMPTION based on years of research on the Chinese manufacturing industry.

Jenner also believes Star Magazine’s cover — which screamed “Kardashian Sweatshop Scandal” — was not only unfair … but libelous … and it should have to pay for any damage that has been caused to the brand’s reputation.

As TMZ previously reported, Kris — along with one of their manufacturing companies — adamantly deny the use of child slave labor in their factories … insisting they have people who are constantly patrolling for any possible violations.

[From TMZ]

I’m so sure the Kardashians are super concerned about labor violations in factories and have people out there all the time. I do agree with Kaiser’s story yesterday, however. I think that this is a widespread problem among goods manufactured overseas, and that it’s not fair to just point a finger at the stupid Kardashians and whatever krap they’re slapping their name on this month. Cheap consumer goods means cheap labor, which means that people get exploited. It’s wrong and it should be stopped. I don’t expect the Kardashians to make it a priority, though, other than a PR one.