The Capital Times - By Todd Finkelmeyer - October 28, 2011 Are Bucky backers socially conscious?
It was one year ago that Alta Gracia, a fair-trade apparel company, started selling Bucky Badger logoed sweatshirts and T-shirts through the University Book Store. And to date, sales have kept pace with comparable merchandise produced by companies such as Champion and Jansport, says University Book Store President Patrick McGowan.
"The sale of these fair trade products has definitely caught on," says McGowan. "It's a combination of the university and student groups getting behind it, as well as the customers deciding this is something that's important to them. We've also made efforts with signage to let the customers know that this product is different from most everything else we sell."
For more than a decade there's been a small but vocal group of students, faculty and staff on the UW-Madison campus trying to curb sweatshop abuses at companies that produce college-logoed apparel. And in recent years there have been some noteworthy victories against sportswear giants such as Russell Athletic and Nike.
But significant change in this industry isn't going to take place until consumers start shunning companies that have little interest in paying living wages -- and start buying from those that do.
"A few people have tried selling fair trade products in the past and had a little success, but these are the first guys that look like they'll be able to, I hope, keep it going," says McGowan. "I hope it continues to grow because it's a good product at a good price, combined with the fact that it's made under good working conditions. It's kind of a win-win-win. I hope it continues, but check back in eight or 10 months to see if it's still going strong."
Those that produce logoed apparel for UW-Madison already must follow a university code of conduct for producers, but Alta Gracia's commitments go well beyond these minimal standards.
Alta Gracia's "fair labor" model is committed to paying 130 unionized workers who sew the clothing at a factory in the Dominican Republic a wage that is more than three times the local minimum wage -- $114 per week compared to $33.
McGowan says the Alta Gracia items are priced at $15.99 for T-shirts and $34.99 for hooded sweatshirts, which is comparable to similar merchandise produced by others.
The brand is named for Villa Alta Gracia, the town in the Dominican Republic where the factory, which opened in April of 2010, is located. This product is being backed by Knights Apparel, a leading supplier of collegiate sportswear. Alta Gracia is one of three fair-trade lines currently available at the bookstore.
"The bottom line is these guys (Alta Gracia) have more resources than most other fair trade companies have," says McGowan. "They built a factory specifically for the purposes of supporting this product line and all around the nation they have people jumping on board."
However, there are signs that Alta Gracia's endeavor is struggling. The Georgetown University student newspaper reported last month that "the factory is producing at an unprofitable level of 40 percent capacity."
Alta Gracia's success at UW-Madison is part of growing consumer awareness of labor conditions, Lydia Zepeda, a professor in human ecology, notes in this university news release.
"Fair trade is relatively new for most consumers, but interest is growing particularly when people know about the low wages and poor working conditions that garment workers experience," Zepeda says.
To view the original article on madison.com, click here.
