Final answer:
Apparel importing involves brand conglomerates that outsource manufacturing to reduce costs, which can lead to sweatshop conditions. Offshoring has led to significant U.S. textile job losses, prompting protectionist measures that increase clothing costs for consumers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The types of companies involved in apparel importing that own a portfolio of brands and might do some apparel manufacturing or source garment assembly from vendors are often referred to as brand conglomerates or apparel retail brands. These companies, such as Nike, Lululemon, H&M, and Urban Outfitters, outsource their manufacturing to factories around the world to maintain low production costs and meet high demand. This results in pressing the factories to produce quickly and cheaply, which can lead to sweatshop practices, including underpaying employees, forcing overtime, and maintaining unsafe work environments.
In response to criticism, many apparel companies have claimed to take steps to ensure proper treatment of workers. However, the complexity of supply chains and the use of subcontractors make it challenging to verify these claims.
The transfer of apparel manufacturing overseas, primarily to countries like China, is an example of offshoring. The increasing reliance on imports has significant economic implications, including the loss of U.S. jobs in the textile industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there was a 42% decline in U.S. textiles and apparel jobs from 2007 to 2012. Protectionist measures such as tariffs and quotas have been implemented to safeguard domestic jobs, but these also lead to higher clothing costs for consumers.