...
According to Consumer Reports Magazine, approximately 97% of all clothing is made overseas, but nearly 80% of Americans now would prefer to pay a bit more for items produced domestically. In addition to decreasing the dependence on other countries, here are a few more benefits in support of a Made in America initiative:
Economic, the more people who purchase products manufactured in the USA, the greater the likelihood for manufacturing growth and job creation.
Environmental, less travel / distance means lower carbon footprint, and the more stringent environmental regulations mean the manufacturing process will be more socially responsible causing less water, air, and soil pollution.
Human Rights, labor laws minimize the risks of unsafe working conditions, so by patronizing these companies we work towards increasing ethical standards while rewarding organizations treating their employees properly.
Companies that make their products in the USA are generally more conscious of the effect of their actions on their employees, their community, and the environment. That is why minimal hustle™ has adopted these core values and operating standards for itself and all partnering organizations. Hence, purchasing from one, directly and indirectly helps with all of these things; why we do it wholeheartedly, and why we believe supporting American Made is most certainly worth it.
Company Values:
The core, inherent and sacrosanct cultural cornerstones that help guide our decision-making paradigm and construct the foundation we will continue to build our company from. Here are ten deeply ingrained principles that shall not to be compromised, either for convenience or short-term economic gain:
- Passionate About Doing Things Differently: We are contrarians, deeply focused on sustainability and efficiency in order to advance the interests of our customers, workers, and local and global communities.
- Fair Wages: Workers earn fair wages; starting employees make at least $20 an hour. The garment workers at partnering factories are experts in their field and make an estimated $35 an hour with productivity bonuses in a safe and ethically managed environment.
- Highly Trained: Employees that work together as a family, blending classic production methods with advanced technology and contrarian thinking to create high-quality garments that are both sustainable and durable.
- Commitment to Create Jobs: We, and our partners are growing, and strive to continue to grow further. We partner with organizations intending to employ thousands of workers in the Los Angeles area and set an example of how the garment industry can return to the United States. We believe in local manufacturing from both an efficiency and an ethical point of view.
- Vertically Integrated: We control our manufacturing from start to finish. We will rarely subcontract and we never use any off-shoring. This ensures our quality and sets our standard. This is our commitment to our customers.
- Support Domestic: The Farmers and The U.S. Domestic Yarn Industry. We buy textile, felt, and yarn products made in the United States to support our domestic manufacturing. Over half of our yarn consumption is derived from domestic sources. A strong domestic farmer and yarn industry is good for our company’s financial viability in the long run. It also helps us serve the interests of our customers, is good for the health of the domestic and continental manufacturing base, and is ultimately good for the environment by reducing the impact of our supply chain’s carbon footprint.
- Environmentally Friendly Sourcing: We strive to continue to integrate more environmentally friendly grown cotton or organic cotton, and recycled or reclaimed cotton in our supply chain.
- Sustainability: We continue to lead the charge on ethical production practices and nearly 100% of our production and shipping byproducts are recycled — including our scrap fabric, paper, boxes, plastic and everything that goes into manufacturing garments. We are consistently developing new products that use our leftover and scrap fabric to create one of a kind and limited edition pieces and finding new ways to up-cycle damaged or dated garments. California has the most stringent environmental protection rules imposed by the industry in dyeing, so by dyeing and finishing all of our textiles or garments in California the processing is environmentally friendly.
- Quality Basics: We are committed to eliminating the trend of fast fashion within our industry, instead focusing our efforts on producing high-quality pieces that will last you for years and play a versatile role in your wardrobe. We develop our products with comfort, function, durability and sustainability as key concepts for timelessly effortless pieces to incorporate into your day to day.
- Support Free Trade: We believe we can compete globally and still produce value for our customers while remaining true to our sustainability and efficiency commitment. We want to sell our products to the world and we understand the importance of other countries having access to our market.