Press Releases

Media Advisory

AMERICAN APPAREL TO RECYCLE OVER ONE MILLION POUNDS OF COTTON CUTTINGS PER YEAR

Los Angeles Based Sweatshop Free T-Shirt Company Takes Environmental Stand.

-August 13, 2002

Los Angeles ­ Sweatshop free T-shirt manufacturer American Apparel has contracted with Oklahoma based recycling company, Environmental Textiles to recycle all of American Apparel's cutting and fiber scraps. American Apparel has found an environmental solution to disposing over thirty-thousand pounds a week of leftover cotton cuttings that would otherwise be dumped in landfills.

Senior Partner, Dov Charney, who has successfully implemented proactive employee programs, fashioning American Apparel as a sweatshop free company, has extended his conscientious corporate philosophy to help benefit the environment. "At American Apparel we trying our best to promote our workers rights. Now we are also making a genuine effort to manufacturer our product on a more environmentally friendly basis. But we are only at the beginning stages," said Dov Charney.

American Apparel reviewed the recycling alternatives and contracted with Environmental Textiles, who regenerate fabric scraps into high-quality fiber that is spun into new yarn that can be used in many practical applications in any industry. In four short years having become one of the leading high-quality T-shirt manufacturers, American Apparel was faced with the enormous amounts of fiber scraps from cuttings and found it only fitting to also be a part of the recycling community on a corporate scale. "It always bothered me to see all the scraps being thrown away. Actually the reason we started a panty line was to use all our excessive scraps, but now we have a total solution for the stuff we just cannot use," said Dov Charney.

Charney's vision has proven that it is possible to still produce quality garments in the United States (or globally for that matter) without having to resort to the unsavory business practices that permeate the apparel industry globally. Recently PBS profiled Charney and American Apparel for the documentary series Realidades, providing a colorful insight into the company, Charney's business philosophy and the individual stories of the workers at American Apparel. For further information on American Apparel, contact Dov Charney at (213) 488-0226 or visit www.americanapparel.net.

MEDIA INQUIRIES, CONTACT:
Cynthia Semon
818-788-4468
FAX-788-4168
E-mail: cynthia@americanapparel.net