Unfortunately, despite years of enforcement, there are many documented cases of US based sweatshops. According to a 2016 article, “… investigators have found that the root problem lies squarely with the pricing structure dictated by retailers…” The US consumer demand for quick turn around and volume has encouraged growth of the sweatshop industry within the US, largely by manufacturers who needed to resolve the time delays that often occur with foreign manufacturing.
In November 2016, violations were found in 85% of the Los Angeles based apparel factories, equating to more than $1.3 Million owed in back wages. While this sort of situation is pervasive in the global apparel industry, it gets little attention, until something bad happens, like a building collapse or death. Even less attention is given to the reality that this kind of mistreatment occurs on US soil.
If it is important to you to know how the people who made your garments were treated, we encourage you to take the same caution with "Made in USA" tags, as you would with "Made in China". Research must still be done to ensure a dignified work environment is provided. At Adored Boutique, we have done the research for you. Shop with us in-store and online (www.adoredboutique.com) for a variety of ethically manufactured products.
https://wwd.com/business-news/government-trade/sweatshops-persist-in-u-s-garment-industry-10716742/