Mountain Khakis announced it will offer Fair Trade Certified apparel beginning with its Spring 2016 collections for men and women. The partnership “gives workers a voice, and ensures rigorous standards that improve worker health and safety, ensure gender equality and reduce environmental impact,” said the company.
Mountain Khakis will launch four new styles for men and women in its Spring 2016 line that will be Fair Trade Certified, with additional styles planned for Fall 2016. The styles include long- and short-sleeve Go Indie Shirts for men made of 100% Indigo-dyed cotton, the women’s Contour Dress and the women’s Wildflower Dress.
“Mountain Khakis is committed to responsible apparel manufacturing, and our partnership with Fair Trade USA is an important step in our continuing efforts,” said Ross Saldarini, president of Mountain Khakis. “Having the Fair Trade Certified label on our apparel lets the consumer know that MK is committed to workers earning fair wages, investing in their communities, working in safe conditions and protecting the environment.”
For every Fair Trade Certified style produced, Mountain Khakis will pay a portion of the garment cost into a designated fund managed by the factory employees. The employees then determine how best to use those funds, called Community Development Premiums, to address critical needs like education and healthcare.
“As a design team, we are focused on bringing sustainable manufacturing practices to the forefront of the outdoor industry,” said Ned Hutchinson, product manager at Mountain Khakis. “At Mountain Khakis, we believe we can affect real change by making both our customers and our manufacturing partners aware of the critical importance of adopting sustainable apparel for the future. We hope to inspire and educate our outdoor and apparel brand peers to take similar steps.”
“Today’s shoppers now have the opportunity to make a real difference in the world with their purchases of apparel from companies like Mountain Khakis,” said Maya Spaull, director of apparel & home goods at Fair Trade USA. ”More and more consumers want to know that their clothes are being made under safe, fair, transparent conditions. Fair Trade makes that possible—just look for the label.”
