LuluLemon has a cult following. It has millions of followers on social media and over 300 stores in the United States alone. Their yearly revenue exceeds $3.5 billion and it's owner Chip Wilson has a net worth of $4 billion. All while 99% of their supply chain is anchored in Southeast Asia where the garment workers who fuel their astronomical profits makes on average a $1.68/hour in inhumane working conditions.
Yet "woke" consumers in America continue to condone this human rights atrocity by purchasing leggings that cost what a worker (many times with a family) makes in a month. I hear it so many times- "but I LOVE my Lulus" - "nothing fits me like my Lulus" - what your really saying is "my butt looking good is more important than these people". Many times these same consumers will cry out for a minimum wage of upwards of $14/hr for even the most menial jobs in the United States- yet willingly look the other way when skilled craftspeople are paid pennies on the dollar for those amazing leggings they swear by. The irony is absolutely haunting. Lululemon is not alone in taking advantage of the globalization of the manufacturing supply chain and chasing the cheapest labor. This common practice by American brands has had a devastating affect on human rights advancement when our great country should be leading the way in this movement based on our past.
While we know that there will always be companies who choose profits over people and consumers who look the other way- Stars & Stripes Collective would like to highlight brands who go the extra mile to manufacture here in the United States. It is not easy and their bottom line may never be as robust as a LuluLemon- but doing the ethical thing is always worth it! By manufacturing in the USA these brands accomplish so many positive things whether it is their overall intention or not.
- They are paying a fair wage upwards of $13/hr PLUS benefits such as healthcare, paid vacation, union representation and 401ks. Many of the 100+ companies we personally work with have generations of the same family and/or entry level workers making their way up to upper management in the years they are employed with that company.
- They are closer to their supply chain and therefore can make critical design decisions and implement them quickly- many times in the same day. This mitigates waste from over production of the wrong design which is a huge problem in the global market where millions of products are thrown away due to changing trends or defective designs.
- The finished product has minimal distance to travel to make it to its final destination. Many of these companies have factories producing their clothing just down the street from them. No container ships or cargo planes - the difference in carbon emissions is colossal.
- The United States is ranked 27th out of 180 countries by the Environmental Performance Index site which measures 24 indicators in 10 different categories spanning ecosystem vitality and environmental health. Southwest Asian countries are consistently ranked at the bottom. (China: 120 -Bangladesh: 179 - India: 170 - Vietnam: 132 - Thailand: 121)
We hope you will join us and pass on overpriced Lulus with their multi-million dollar marketing campaigns and their huge profit margins that go to executives and shareholders. Instead choose these lesser know American Made small companies producing high quality workout wear for about the same or even lower price tag. Now is the perfect time to support them- #ShopSmall #BuyLocal #ChinaIsNotLocal.
Goldsheep - Woman owned, designed and made in LA. Donating cute masks for everyone purchased right now along with tongue-in-cheek COVID fleeces. Regular workout wear will be back on their site this Summer.
Montiel: Woman owned, designed and made in LA. 25% off everything with code: SPRING
Strut-This: Woman owned, designed and made in LA. $10 off your order when you subscribe.
Beyond Yoga: Woman owned, designed and based in LA. 15% off first purchase when you subscribe.
Onzie: Woman owned, based and made in LA. 15% off first purchase when you subscribe or purchase from Stars & Stripes Collective for 30% with code: FitUSA. Just launched an eco-friendly line.
Koral: Woman owned, designed and made in LA. 15% off first order when you subscribe.
La Collective: Designed and made in LA. Representing several different fitness brands. 30% off right now.
Joriki: Based and made in Chicago. Gives back to charity. 50% off site wide right now with code: BLOWOUT.
Vimmia: Designed and made in LA. Gives back to charity. 30% off with code: NEWSPRING30
WSI Sports: Designed and made in Minnesota. Donating a mask for every one purchased. Large selection of high tech fabrics for many different sports.