Illinois State University - The Daily Vidette by Tobias Wall - September 15, 2010
The ISU bookstore at Barnes & Noble will soon have a new brand of college-logo apparel to offer to customers. In itself, this is not news. However, Alta Gracia is more than just a new clothing brand. It’s a real way out of poverty for those less fortunate.
The brand is a branch of Knight’s Apparel, headquartered in Spartanville, SC. Though their clothes are made overseas in the Dominican Republic, the people who make them are not in a sweatshop typical of the industry. What makes Alta Gracia unique is their workers are not paid the bare minimum required by human rights laws, but rather they are paid a real living wage based on a study done by the Worker Rights Consortium.
A real living wage means workers will make enough to be able to support their families with food, shelter, clothing, healthcare and education. They are also entitled to benefits and were allowed to form a union. To Americans, this seems very normal, but in the Dominican Republic, and throughout the clothing industry, this is highly unusual.
Why would a company take on the financial burden of paying employees three times the regular minimum wage when it would be much more profitable to minimize costs, especially in this economic climate? According to Knight’s Apparel CEO Joe Bozich, it’s about doing what’s right.
“We do believe that we have an obligation to use our business to do more than what is required of us. Doing good can be good business,” Bozich said.
The implications of this business model could be groundbreaking. Workers who are paid a living wage now have access to the kinds of things that could lift them and their families out of poverty. Read Full Story Here
