Montreal, Canada-based Gildan Activewear – owner of American Apparel – has announced that it will stay true to American Apparel’s domestic manufacturing roots while still offering the lower-cost wares that Gildan makes in other countries.
“There are consumers who really want ‘Made in USA’ so we are going to cater to those consumers,” said Gildan’s Chief Executive Officer, Glenn Chamandy, adding, “But there are consumers that didn’t want to pay the actual price but they love the brand, so now they can also buy the brand.”
Also Read – Gildan Activewear to manufacture American Apparel clothing in US
It’s pertinent to mention here that ‘Made in USA’ gear could be priced as much as 25 per cent higher than the apparels imported overseas. But, since American Apparel is a symbol of quality in US, Gildan believes to capture that consumer segment who would be paying only for domestic made garments.
Furthermore, a new American Apparel website will open at the beginning of the third quarter which would offer the US versus overseas options, according to Chamandy. Eventually, American Apparel gear could reappear in brick-and-mortar stores, though the company hasn’t made a decision on that yet.
Additionally, to capture US’ market through US-made clothing, Gildan has formed a new management team in Los Angeles to work on marketing and advertising. The team is staffed with former American Apparel personnel, and focused on keeping the brand stylistically relevant and fashion forward.
