Advertorial · Paid content from RetailerLos Angeles Apparel · After American Apparel
American Apparel closed. The people who made it kept sewing.
American Apparel went bankrupt twice and its name was sold. Its machines, and a lot of the people who sewed for it, ended up four miles south in a factory that's still running. This is what it makes now.
Made in South Central LA · Ships from LA
The downtown factory
For years, half the plain tees and zip hoodies in your drawer came from American Apparel. Behind them was a big factory in downtown Los Angeles, sewing for stores around the world.
Bankrupt, twice
American Apparel filed for bankruptcy in October 2015, then again in November 2016. In January 2017 a court approved the sale of the brand to Gildan for about $88 million. Gildan didn't take the stores. They closed, and the downtown factory went with them. Thousands of people who made those clothes lost their jobs.
The receipts
American Apparel files for bankruptcy.Fortune
It files again, the second time in just over a year.Fortune, 14 Nov 2016
A court approves Gildan's bid of about $88 million for the brand. No stores.The Fader, 12 Jan 2017
Los Angeles Apparel opens in South Central, about four miles south of the old factory.The Business of Fashion
Four miles south
American Apparel's founder, Dov Charney, had already started again. His new company, Los Angeles Apparel, set up in South Central LA. Much of the equipment came out of the old American Apparel factory, and many of the people who'd sewn there came too, the Business of Fashion and KCRW reported.
You might not know their names, but you know their work. Today more than 1,500 people work there. They knit the fabric, dye it, cut it and sew it, all under one roof.
The era you miss is still being sewn. Now you know where.
What it makes now
A factory that size also turns out samples, seconds and one-offs. We buy them by the pallet and go through them piece by piece, and the best of it goes into our drops. Right now that's the 1801 heavyweight tee, garment-dyed long sleeves and 14oz heavy fleece. All made in LA.
What you're getting
- Made by Los Angeles Apparel in South Central LA
- Knit, dyed, cut and sewn under one roof
- Samples, seconds and short runs from the factory
- Ships from Los Angeles
- Any known flaw written on the listing
What people ask
Is it really Los Angeles Apparel?
Yes. Every piece here was made by Los Angeles Apparel in its factory in South Central LA. We buy it from them and sell it here. Retailer isn't part of LA Apparel.
Why is it less than LA Apparel's own price?
These are samples, seconds and short runs, bought in bulk. Most are slightly imperfect. Where a flaw is known, like a small hole, an off shade or a loose thread, the listing says so.
What size should I get?
Each listing is one lot, usually in one size, and the size is on the card. Measurements are on the product page.
How fast does it ship?
It ships from Los Angeles within 72 hours, tracked. To Australia it's tracked and insured, door to door.
Do I have to join Retailer+?
No. Every piece has a price on its own. Retailer+ is Retailer's membership: members pay 35% less on every order. It starts with a free trial, then it's monthly, and you can cancel in one click. The terms are on the product page before you buy.
American Apparel the brand was sold. The way it made clothes wasn't. It's still running in South Central, and these pieces came off that floor.
