I experienced American made first hand for 2 years working at a garment manufacturer in Chicago. I’m talking local, the bootstrapped American dream. The perfect story of an immigrant and his young family fleeing persecution, starting small and delivering pizzas as he built an empire. 

But beyond this admirable beginning, what I witnessed resembled the same stories I read about in the global news. My coworkers were:

underpaid,
overworked,
not valued,
screamed at,
threatened.

They faced health hazards, sometimes leaving work hours early with symptoms that wouldn’t pass. But conditions were never improved. Instead, whoever complained was moved into a different role and replaced by someone else more disposable. 

Most of my coworkers were immigrants; for many their English null or minimal. My boss used every bit of this to his advantage. He would do seemingly generous favors for people - help some buy cars, gain citizenship. All an act to make them feel indebted indefinitely.

The Made in USA I experienced was caught up in the merry-go-round of profit over people; caught up in the complications capitalism creates. I wanted that place to burn, but simultaneously feared that for my coworkers, having a shitty job was better than no job.

In a way, this experience has left me more disillusioned. While I venture out to create my own work, there is nothing to lean on. What do we do as makers who want to do better, and consumers who are telling us to do better. 

For me, it means starting really fucking small. 

being honest. I know that I'm going to falter repeatedly and I want to talk about it when I do. I also know that my participation in this industry cannot ever be truly free from abuse or exploitation. 

staying humble. I still know next to nothing. I'm here to learn and I'm here for people to call me out when I fuck up, who will force me to pivot. 

remaining transparent. The fashion industry has a way of being so pervasive, yet so tight lipped. I want to make it all accessible, even the shit I'm not proud of.  

It feels weird to want to participate in an industry that is so wrong so often, but not starting a brand will not dissolve suffering. I hope that by working in it, I can uphold the stories that need telling and help rewrite this narrative of exploit.

In the words of the physicist David Bohm “Everybody not merely depends on everybody, but actually everybody is everybody.”

- meredith