Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge - The Daily Reveille by Frederick Holl - September 6, 2010
Every fall, University students flock to retailers around campus to buy clothes and show off their Tiger pride, but they rarely think of the people who make the products they buy.
One company is trying to change that.
Alta Gracia Apparel, a subsidiary of Knights Apparel, the leading supplier of collegiate-logo apparel in America, does what no other apparel manufacturer in the world does: pay a living wage, said Knights Apparel CEO Joseph Bozich.
The roughly $500 a month Alta Gracia pays its workers is two to three times the minimum wage in the Dominican Republic, Bozich said.
Despite paying higher wages and providing better working conditions, Alta Gracia apparel prices are comparable to premium brands like Nike. Alta Gracia T-shirts and hoodies are currently on sale in the LSU Bookstore for $18 to $20 and $35 to $40, respectively.
The difference between Alta Gracia and other factories in the Dominican Republic is huge, said Alta Gracia Worker Union President Maritza Vargas. Read Full Story Here
