"So if the alternative to a sweatshop is homelessness and starvation that's better?" No viable choice exists precisely because the current system is tolerated.

"So if the alternative to a sweatshop is homelessness and starvation that's better?" No viable choice exists precisely because the current system is tolerated. Is this something individual workers can fix? No, maybe not, but as long as people collectively put up with sweat shops, companies who wish to treat workers better have a huge uphill battle to compete with the low overhead. Things can't get better till the practice is halted.