American Apparel has become a veritable epitome of what our sister site trendwatching.com calls the (still) made here trend—consumers' growing preference for things produced locally, ethically, authentically. Along similar lines, there's Blank, a Canadian company that sells blank T-shirts and clothing made entirely in Quebec. Unbranded and sweatshop-free, just like American Apparel.
Founded in 2005, Blank sells a range of clothing items and accessories for men, women and children with the goal of creating Quebec jobs and promoting local talent. Everything from fabric manufacture to dyeing, cutting and sewing is performed in Quebec, and through Blank's wholesale services retailers can even customize items with the colours, fabrics and formats of their choice. The company operates two Montreal stores, both of which also serve as production sites—large windows at the back allow customers to see the clothes being made.
Whereas almost 18,000 garment jobs were lost between 2003 and 2004 in Quebec, according to the province's Institut de la Statistique, Blank's sales doubled in 2006, allowing it to open its second store (source: the McGill Daily). Which just goes to show that the opportunities still abound for locally made goods. It's not just still made here—it's also still profitable!
Website: www.portezblank.com
Contact: info@wearblank.com
Spotted by: Alexandre Renaud
I wonder if the AA and wearblank model could somehow work in Hong KOng, where the garment industry has also seen a drastic decline in employment.
Yet, with China right at its doorstep, where can Hong KOng have an edge over the country just over the border, where leadtime certainly is no longer an advantage.