Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 92 Fashion Marketing &Merchandising
national economy. Retailers and manufacturers are
encouraged to prominently feature “Made in USA”
labels, such as in Figure 5.14.
Ethics and Social Responsibility
The way textile, apparel, and retail companies oper-
ate contributes to the excellence and image of the
industry, too. Companies are making serious efforts
and great strides toward high standards of ethics and
social responsibility. Ethics are moral principles or
rules of conduct that distinguish right from wrong.
Trustworthiness, fairness, honesty, and respectful
manners all demonstrate ethics. Ethical companies
have fair pricing and advertise truthfully. Their prod-
ucts are safe, labeled properly, and not produced by factories with child labor
or substandard working conditions.
Social responsibility is going beyond what is legal—to do what helps soci-
ety. Successful fashion fi rms have a corporate culture of caring. They are
concerned with education, family care, health issues, and the safety of their
employees. Some companies provide high school equivalency programs, con-
tinuing education courses, and college tuition assistance for their workers.
Others have on-site child care centers for children of employees. Additionally,
some help with tutors for school-age children of their workers, or offer free
counseling services and substance abuse rehabilitation programs. Many offer
fl exible work hours to help employees juggle work with the demands of their
family lives.
A corporate commitment to community involvement encourages employ-
ees to do volunteer work for charitable organizations and to be community
leaders. Some companies allow employees to have paid time off for volunteer
projects. Some sponsor AIDS benefits, support cancer research or other chari- fi
table giving, or help to build houses for those with fewer resources. A few
specifi examples include the following: fic
• A retailer helped to remodel a home for abused mothers and now has some
loyal employees from that home.
• A well-known apparel manufacturer sponsors academic teams in the local
high school, which helps the school and gives the company high-esteem
in the community.
• A leading knitwear manufacturer put a store into a school in which stu-
dents can learn how to merchandise and display products, and sell them.
The company provides products at cost, and the school keeps the profitsfi
from sales to use toward educational materials.
By helping to satisfy needs of individuals and communities, companies
attract and keep a qualifi and more productive workforce, while spread- fied
ing a good message about themselves and the industry. Their actions also
encourage good customer relationships. Other companies want to do business
with them, and consumers think highly of them and want to buy their goods.
Max Yozhikov/Shutterstock.com
Figure 5.14 American textile/apparel companies are
encouraged to use labels, such as this one in domestically
produced apparel to help promote domestic production.
national economy. Retailers and manufacturers are
encouraged to prominently feature “Made in USA”
labels, such as in Figure 5.14.
Ethics and Social Responsibility
The way textile, apparel, and retail companies oper-
ate contributes to the excellence and image of the
industry, too. Companies are making serious efforts
and great strides toward high standards of ethics and
social responsibility. Ethics are moral principles or
rules of conduct that distinguish right from wrong.
Trustworthiness, fairness, honesty, and respectful
manners all demonstrate ethics. Ethical companies
have fair pricing and advertise truthfully. Their prod-
ucts are safe, labeled properly, and not produced by factories with child labor
or substandard working conditions.
Social responsibility is going beyond what is legal—to do what helps soci-
ety. Successful fashion fi rms have a corporate culture of caring. They are
concerned with education, family care, health issues, and the safety of their
employees. Some companies provide high school equivalency programs, con-
tinuing education courses, and college tuition assistance for their workers.
Others have on-site child care centers for children of employees. Additionally,
some help with tutors for school-age children of their workers, or offer free
counseling services and substance abuse rehabilitation programs. Many offer
fl exible work hours to help employees juggle work with the demands of their
family lives.
A corporate commitment to community involvement encourages employ-
ees to do volunteer work for charitable organizations and to be community
leaders. Some companies allow employees to have paid time off for volunteer
projects. Some sponsor AIDS benefits, support cancer research or other chari- fi
table giving, or help to build houses for those with fewer resources. A few
specifi examples include the following: fic
• A retailer helped to remodel a home for abused mothers and now has some
loyal employees from that home.
• A well-known apparel manufacturer sponsors academic teams in the local
high school, which helps the school and gives the company high-esteem
in the community.
• A leading knitwear manufacturer put a store into a school in which stu-
dents can learn how to merchandise and display products, and sell them.
The company provides products at cost, and the school keeps the profitsfi
from sales to use toward educational materials.
By helping to satisfy needs of individuals and communities, companies
attract and keep a qualifi and more productive workforce, while spread- fied
ing a good message about themselves and the industry. Their actions also
encourage good customer relationships. Other companies want to do business
with them, and consumers think highly of them and want to buy their goods.
Max Yozhikov/Shutterstock.com
Figure 5.14 American textile/apparel companies are
encouraged to use labels, such as this one in domestically
produced apparel to help promote domestic production.