Articles of Interest Made in USA
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Jan 16, 2026 
In this engaging conversation, Sarah Gonzalez, a skilled reporter and host for NPR's Planet Money, dives into the complexities of the U.S. garment industry. She shares her firsthand experiences with Maria, a trimmer in Los Angeles, highlighting the demanding piece-rate pay system that often leads to subminimum wages. The discussion reveals that 'Made in USA' doesn't guarantee ethical pay, and experts explain the challenges of wage theft and factory practices. Sarah also reflects on the industry's decline and the personal toll of garment work on families.
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Stopwatch Methods Embedded Low Wages
- Time‑and‑motion studies set piece rates by timing tasks with a stopwatch.
- Those engineered rates institutionalized very low per‑piece wages across the industry.
Many Hands, Tiny Pay For One Garment
- A simple garment can require a dozen-plus workers, each earning only cents per task.
- A $62 bra could amount to only a few dollars in total pay for all the workers combined.
The U.S. Fell Behind In Specialized Production
- The U.S. lost most apparel jobs in the 1990s and stopped investing in factory innovation.
- Other countries advanced specialized, subsidized factories that outcompete U.S. production.