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238 Comments
- Syric, on 02/09/2009, -1/+153I can't stand AA myself, but that slideshow was just about the least informative series of images I've ever seen.
- civilizedevil, on 02/09/2009, -9/+156whoooooooooooooooooooo cares?
- violetcakes, on 02/08/2009, -2/+122Cool story, though I'm surprised. The hipsters in SF often look like an american apparel/urban outfitters threw up on them.
- GoKings, on 02/09/2009, -14/+103I'm so glad that they devoted their time to such a major problem. It's not like we don't have more pertinent issues in this country or anything.
- lepetitmousse, on 02/09/2009, -4/+82Hate their clothes all you want, but aa isnt exactly the most evil corporation out there.
Whereas most other companies selling clothing in the United States base production elsewhere, American Apparel bases its manufacturing in an 800,000-square-foot (74,000 m2) factory in downtown Los Angeles, California. The company also owns and operates its own fabric dye house, garment dye house, and knitting facility, all based in Los Angeles. American Apparel has decided not to outsource its labor, paying factory workers an average of over $12 dollars an hour. Garment workers for similar American companies in China, earn approximately 40 cents per hour. It claims to have the 'highest earning apparel workers in the world'.
The company tends to reject midtown, high rent locations and generally avoids in-mall stores. The stores are often hubs for urban renewal since the company looks for low-rent but high traffic locations like Houston, Little Tokyo, New Orleans, college towns and most recently across from the Apollo Theater on 125th in Harlem. In some stores, the decor features Penthouse Magazine covers from 1970s and 1980s - a style that has been controversial. When scouting for locations, it considers urban areas that can be revitalized.
The sexually charged advertising has been criticized, but has also been lauded for honesty and lack of airbrushing. American Apparel images often display subjects with their blemishes, imperfections and asymmetrical features highlighted and attached with brief, personal descriptions. According to company policy all ads inside American Apparel stores - excluding art exhibits - are untouched.
As of 2008 the company employs over 10,000 people and operates over 200 retail locations in 18 countries. The company pays its manufacturing employees an average of US$12 per hour
Employees also receive benefits such as paid time off, healthcare, company-subsidized lunches, bus passes, free English as an additional language classes, on-site masseurs, free bicycles and on-site bike mechanics, free parking in addition to the proper lighting and ventilation.
As early as 2001, American Apparel has been a vocal advocate for reform of U.S. immigration laws. On May 1, 2002 American Apparel shut down its factory to allow the company's workers, many of whom are immigrants, to participate in a pro-immigration rally in downtown Los Angeles.
The company promotes environmentally friendly practices. American Apparel maintains a bicycle lending program for its employees and according to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals it is a vegan-friendly clothing company
Headed up by the past sustainability director, Roian Atwood, AA installed a 146 kilowatt solar electric system on its factory roof, designed to reduce power costs by at least 20%. These panels power as much as 30% of the factory. The company also recycles its fabric scraps. Much of the company's underwear line is made from these recycled fabric scraps that would have otherwise been wasted. According to estimates, it saves about 30,000 pounds of cotton per week.
2005, the company hosted a bikini car wash benefit with the American Red Cross to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Two employees of the company packaged and delivered 80,000 shirts to the relief effort. As an underwriter of Farm Aid, American Apparel donates the blank shirts that the organization prints and sells as merchandise.
Now ill be honest, i despise the style of their clothes and i really hate how chains and franchises have robbed our country of culture, but i think were picking on the wrong business here. From those pieces of information, it looks like American apparel is doing just about everthing that typical diggers ask of a company. Why are we still hating on them? - Charun, on 02/09/2009, -2/+69Irony: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3335/3251994715_614 ...
- Ardiente, on 02/08/2009, -1/+63It's not like looking like a hipster isn't mainstream these days.
- pradaaddict, on 02/09/2009, -4/+54Hipster douchebags fighting hipster douchebags for sidewalk space? How ***** stupid
The people who shop on that street should be making the decision of wether or not they want to shop there by voting with their dollars. Merchants can't pick their neighbors anymore than the rest of us can. - drifter, on 02/09/2009, -1/+46This is so funny considering American Apparel clothing and especially their models are people I would expect to be from SF. Secondly, American Apparel prides its self for being a sweatshop free company and making their clothing in LA. Isn't that the ultimate hippy movement?
Not like it matters, American Apparel just opened another store here in Boston on Newbury street, now there are two on one street. - StigNordas, on 02/08/2009, -1/+42I could think of worse national chain stores that could have opened. Where do you draw the line?
- sutherbj, on 02/09/2009, -1/+42God damn bicycles, with their ability to transport people and provide exercise. Just pisses me off.
- twertyto, on 02/09/2009, -6/+42Obscure. What happened to tolerance?
- tackle, on 02/09/2009, -2/+37What the hell is "formula retail"?
- Mankind121, on 02/09/2009, -1/+36Does this ***** really need to make the front page?
- Typhoon2009, on 02/09/2009, -1/+36San Francisco's an odd place to be frank. I visited it last summer for the first time ever. I loved it, but it seems a little odd that San Franciscans are fighting "hipster" stores when a hell of a lot of people I saw there fit the definition of "hipster."
It's sort of like this very liberal restaurant in DC called Busboys and Poets. Decent food and all, but it's a bit funny that they've got books about the horrors of gentrification when restaurants like it are the very symbol of gentrification in that area. - drbadass, on 02/09/2009, -6/+40good thing you're here to complain about it on the internet, where you can really deal with those pertinent issues.
- had3l, on 02/09/2009, -6/+38Except... If American Apparel survives and the local shops don't it's because people actually WANT to buy stuff there instead of your mom-and-pop stores.
What we have here is basically a minority trying to speak for everyone, which they don't. Because if they did, they wouldn't have to protest it at all, people just would boycott the new store. - firebirdx01, on 02/09/2009, -2/+33The irony is all the protesters look like they're dressed in American Apparel.
- cyhunter, on 02/09/2009, -1/+31And now, the court will hear the case of Douchebag v. Douchebag.
- RobotKeaton, on 02/09/2009, -1/+30A ***** slideshow? Really?
- heiroglyph, on 02/09/2009, -5/+34What's American Apparel and why do they care?
Answer these and I might possibly give a *****. - inactive, on 02/09/2009, -1/+27Hahah it's like a perfect storm of douchebaggery
- inactive, on 02/09/2009, -7/+29I bet those ***** ride bicycles
- tikal2k, on 02/09/2009, -2/+24American Apparel is made in Los Angeles
They're such LA haters in SF - googooly, on 02/09/2009, -5/+26***** power diggers. sometimes they submit all kind of *****
- mytealjacket, on 02/09/2009, -6/+26It's a chain clothing store. We're against it because all these chain stores are ruining the diversity of our cities. SF is big on supporting mom-and-pop locally owned stores.
Notice how most cities have the same *****, starbucks, macdonalds, urban outfitters, etc. It's the homogenization of our culture. - diskit, on 02/09/2009, -4/+23Why, what's wrong with American Apparel.
In all seriousness, someone explain it to me. - Deveak, on 02/09/2009, -2/+20maybe I don't get out enough (wait...no I don't) but wtf is this *****? how is this news and why should i give a *****?
- AManWithNoName, on 02/09/2009, -0/+18Half the people in SF are hipsters. The other half are hipsters who think they're anti-conformist because they buy their hipster clothes at thrift stores, and hate the hipsters for being hipsters.
All-in-all, I can't say I hate either group. It's a whole ***** lot better than the 'gangsta' style that's just now dying down. At least hipsters can keep their pants up. - swicepick, on 02/09/2009, -0/+15Why?
- Moterreal, on 02/09/2009, -2/+17"Fing Hot Topic"
"Used to be a Banana Republic" - heiroglyph, on 02/09/2009, -0/+15Thank you for the explanation.
- JCH897, on 02/09/2009, -1/+16There's nothing wrong with American Apparel. Their factory is in the U.S. and they don't exploit immigrants, but give them opportunity and respect. If you don't think that's worth the price of their clothes, nobody's making you buy them. Personally, I'd rather drop $40 on a comfortable AA sweatshirt than $80-100 to be a walking advertisement.
In short, American Apparel is a great company. It's the hipsters and their "bottled rebellion" that give ethical companies a bad name. - inactive, on 02/09/2009, -1/+15Living in San Francisco, everyone here (that I've spoken to about this) is extremely bias against chain stores. I can understand why; if you ever come here, there are many charming mom and pop stores. I've traveled to places like New York and Tokyo; it gets quite boring when the stores in Japan are identical to the stores in the US. Though personally it's not that big of a deal to me.
Exceptions to the bias are stores like Gap and Levi's, because they are SF based anyway.
Side note: I know that everyone doesn't care about my opinion, but I always enjoy it when those living in the area (of the stories on Digg) voice their opinion—so I'm doing the same. - charlietuna, on 02/09/2009, -8/+22Most of my posts are left of center, Having said that, lefties can be the most intolerant of all.
- raygunn, on 02/09/2009, -0/+13I'm too old to know what passes for a hipster, can someone find me a diagram of what to look for?
- elliotys, on 02/09/2009, -1/+13Nobody important.
- TrevorBelmont, on 02/09/2009, -1/+13All I hear in this thread is "I don't know but I'm hip so I hate it"!
- CptBuck, on 02/09/2009, -4/+16Stay classy San Francisco.
- wiggin, on 02/09/2009, -4/+15YEAH MAN READING IS HARD
- inactive, on 02/09/2009, -2/+13seriously crap photos
- thekronz, on 02/09/2009, -1/+11It's ridiculous, that's all you need to know.
- Perk, on 02/09/2009, -2/+12http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e ...
- Moterreal, on 02/09/2009, -1/+11Dugg for being correct my good sir, per se.
- binky79, on 02/09/2009, -2/+11You aren't going to beat these large companies in planning commission meetings. You are going to beat them with with a superior product at a competitive price. Trying to stop a superior company from opening a competitive business in your area is tantamount to not letting the fastest guy race because you don't want to lose.
- benthedart, on 02/09/2009, -2/+11yeah that would be a bet you would lose retard.
- belebih, on 02/09/2009, -1/+10"Wannabe hipster" is one hell of a redundant phrase.
- diemunkiesdie, on 02/09/2009, -1/+10You'd loose that bet. It's all made in LA.
- ahwang, on 02/09/2009, -2/+10From the article...
Speaker after speaker took the mike to rail against the store Valencia. It was a who's who of Valencia Street and Mission area business representatives: Eileen Haasi, owner of Ritual Roasters, and Sean Quigley, owner of Paxton Gate, both spoke. Representatives and employees from Artists' Television Access (whose storefront is adjacent to the one AA had dibs on), Retrofit, City Art, Therapy, Inverted Eye, Needles & Pens, Radio Habana Social Club, City College of San Francisco, Borderlands Books, and others all took turns.
this doesn't have anything to do with hipsters. this was more about the local community not wanting american apparel to move into a shopping area devoted to small businesses since AA would probably destroy the smaller stores because of their brand power. i mean i've never heard of ritual roasters, paxton gate, retrofit, inverted eye, needles and pens...
the same thing happened in my local town when dunkin donuts arrived--a lot of mom-and-pop stores had to shut down because people preferred the established brand. -
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