Key Takeaways
- The U.S. garment industry has significantly declined due to offshoring.
- "Made in America" labels often mask low wages and poor working conditions.
- Piece-rate pay can lead to garment workers earning below minimum wage.
- California's ban on piece-rate pay faces circumvention by factories.
Deep Dive
- Maria, a trimmer in Los Angeles, is one of the few remaining garment workers in the U.S. industry.
- She has worked for nearly 30 years, cutting loose threads from clothing.
- Half of the remaining U.S. garment manufacturing is concentrated in Los Angeles.
- Garment workers are paid by the piece; Maria currently earns 15-16 cents per piece, up from 3-5 cents in 1994.
- Simple garments like sports bras allow faster earning compared to complex items with buttons or multiple seams.
- Apparel manufacturing expert Lynn Bouredie timed worker tasks to set rates, a practice she now regrets due to the risk of repetitive motion injuries.
- Maria successfully negotiated an extra 1-2 cents per piece on difficult garments, increasing her daily earnings by about $10.
- A $62 American-made sports bra may collectively pay workers only $3.90, contrasting sharply with significantly lower wages in other garment-producing countries.
- Consumers often perceive "Made in America" as signifying better factories and labor conditions, which is frequently inaccurate.
- The U.S. garment industry saw a significant decline in jobs, primarily in the 1990s due to offshoring, and lacks technological innovation compared to international facilities.
- Garment manufacturing jobs are unlikely to return en masse to the U.S. due to a loss of expertise and specialization in countries like Sri Lanka.
- U.S. production persists for prototyping, niche markets (e.g., environmentally conscious consumers), and for the U.S. military due to the Berry Amendment requiring domestic production.
- Aisha Barenblatt of Remake states that "Made in America" does not guarantee better labor or environmental conditions, citing consistent low pay around 20 cents per garment.
- California law prohibits piece-rate pay, classifying it as wage theft, yet factories circumvent this by having workers clock in while still paying by the piece and coaching them to deceive state investigators.
- Numerous brands, including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and 'Good American,' have used contractors who paid garment workers by the piece.
- Factories often evade investigations by closing, relocating, or changing names to avoid back-paying workers, a practice indicative of sweatshops.