Entrepreneurship and human rights: Knights Apparel’s ethical business model

27 March 2012

Time: 4:30pm - 6:00pm

clothing Founder of Knights Apparel, Joe Bozich, shared how Alta Gracia, a brand of Knights Apparel, is replacing what has been seen as a sweatshop model of manufacturing with a new model of ethical business through its factory in the Dominican Republic. Formed in 2001, Knights Apparel is the largest supplier of college licensed apparel in the United States, a position previously held by Nike. Knights Apparel also holds exclusive apparel rights with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Hockey League (NHL) in America.

Alta Gracia is the only apparel brand in the world that has been independently verified to pay a ‘living wage’ to the people who make its clothing. This means paying workers enough so they can provide their families with food, clean water, clothing, housing, energy, transportation, child care, education and health care. Alta Gracia workers are paid more than three times the minimum wage for apparel workers in the Dominican Republic.

From the beginning, Bozich has engaged labour experts, retailers, university students and the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) in developing the Knights Apparel business model. Hear how this important collaboration is helping secure a sustainable pathway out of poverty for workers while also building the Alta Gracia Brand and strengthening Knights Apparel’s bottom line.