Millions of people work grueling hours and live in poverty with no sure possibility they will have enough food for themselves or their family at the end of the day.
This is the everyday challenge of many people who work in sweat shops around the world.
In the town of Villa Altagracia, in the Dominican Republic, people have the possibility to earn a living wage for themselves. Knights Apparel has created a new brand of clothing named Alta Gracia, which means “High Grace,” to be sold on college campuses across the nation, and to give those who purchase the clothing the opportunity to help the workers who sew the apparel for a better life.
Alta Gracia sells T-shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts for both men and women.
The wages the workers receive are three times greater than the average sweatshop. With better pay, families are then able to survive and better their future. The clothing is currently sold at more than 350 universities across the United States, and is no more expensive than major brands such as Nike and Adidas.
Kinesiology major Brynn Juanarena feels the program would be a great help for everyone.
“I think it’s good because it’s supporting people to make a living,” Juanarena said. “People need to make money somehow and why wouldn’t others help?”
The program is currently being implemented at 23 California campuses, but Fresno State is not one of them. Dr. Matthew Jendian, department chair and an associate professor of sociology, is trying to bring the program to campus.
“I was invited to join the Faculty No-Sweat Network and promote the Alta Gracia label of no-sweat clothing at our own campus bookstore,” Jendian said.
Jendian is one of more than 300 faculty members who are part of the “Faculty No-Sweat Network.” They stand along with the workers who make university logo apparel.
Although the program is for a good cause, there is no doubt many students are facing financial woes and could possibly overlook buying Alta Gracia clothing.
“It’s great and effective, but I don’t know if I would buy it because of my money problems,” freshman Jamila Woodfork said.
Jendian feels optimistic that students will pick a garment of clothing a few dollars more that doesn’t exploit its workers rather than one that does.
“It’s all in the marketing of the items,” Jendian said. “I think the fact that many of our students also coming from families who have experienced exploitation in the workplace might be particularly empathetic to others in similar conditions.”
Workers at the Alta Gracia factory are paid 338 percent more than the legal minimum wage in the Dominican Republic. The Worker Rights Consortium, the labor rights watchdog, set the wage based on a study of living costs in the local area of Villa Altagarcia. The WRC continues to monitor the factory on a regular basis and all Alta Gracia clothing has a WRC verification tag.
Jendian spoke with the Kennel Bookstore and has high hopes Alta Gracia will make its way to Fresno State in the future.
“My hope is that our campus will provide students with the opportunity to promote the rights of workers through their own purchasing power,” Jendian said.
To find out more about Alta Gracia and to help bring the program to campus visit www.altagraciaapparel.com