Sweatfree Breakthrough for College Apparel

Next month college campuses across the country will give students the chance to buy “sweatfree” collegiate apparel thanks to a breakthrough initiative in the Dominican Republic.   A unionized factory paying a living wage where workers face none of the abusive conditions typical in sweatshops across the globe is now producing apparel for the college market.   The factory, owned by Knights Apparel, is therefore unique; whether it serves as a model that will be expanded will depend in part on the success of its brand, Alta Gracia, on student campuses.  

The factory has the blessing of the Worker Rights Consortium which is working closely to monitor conditions at the factory and the support of United Students Against Sweatshops, who led a campaign in support of a union at the same plant years ago when it was known as BJ&B.   Congratulations to USAS and the WRC and, especially, to the union SULTRALPRO (The Union of Workers of Altagracia Project) for this major breakthrough. And thanks to Knight Industries for doing the right thing.