#MADEBYIMMIGRANTS
This Independence day we want to say THANK YOU
to the people who make our American Made clothes.
Made in America means better quality, supporting local jobs, and
Made by Immigrants.
BEHIND THE SEAMS: MEET THE MAKERS
Yak: Pattern-maker for NSF
"I grew up in countryside of Guatemala. My family had a farm and our income came from planting and selling corn. February was always our slow season; so my father decided to register me in the local pattern making school. I remember I hated pattern-making. I would see all the other kids learning to sew and that is what I wanted to be doing. So instead of spending my time learning patterns like my father thought, I spent my time learning to sew.While in school for sewing, my teacher took us to town to visit the expensive boutiques and I fell in love with a pair of pants. They cost around 250 Guatemalan quetzal and around that time an average person would earn around 7 quetzal. My teacher saw how much I admired the pants so he bought me the exact fabric and told me to figure out how to make them myself. I didn't have a photo of the pants so I made them from memory, my teacher was extremely impressed.A year later I moved to the capital in Guatemala to work in a factory as a sewer.From there I met friends who were going to the US, I decided to go with them and worked in an LA factory for 5 years as a sewer.At the factory i became friends with a couple guys who told me that a new company was looking for a pattern maker. I applied to the new position and had a trial day as a pattern maker. I was extremely slow compared to the other pattern makers and they would make fun of me and tell me I didn't have the talent to be a pattern maker. I still decided to take a risk and took the job as a pattern maker.When I started, the company couldn't match my pay but said after 6 months they would give me a pay increase. I decided to try my luck and 15 years later I am still here as the Head Pattern Maker.I'm thankful to my father for introducing something to me that changed my life. I am very passionate about what I do. I truly love my job and I feel very blessed to wake up every morning and have the ability to do something I love. "
Douglas: Wash Developer for NSF
I was born in Guatemala and have been in the states for eighteen years. In 2001, I started as a mechanic with the night shift fixing washing machines. I would fix any machine that broke down and also fix the delivery cars from 6pm-6am. I started at this wash house from the beginning and now it has been over 15 years that I've been here, the people at this factory are like my family.Through time, I learned different roles within the wash house and went from my position in mechanics to developing different washes. I am very thankful for the people I met and the position I am in today.
Juan: Sample Sewer for NSF
I was born in the same countryside town of Guatemala as Yak, but moved to the capital for better opportunities. At the time, I didn’t even speak Spanish only my native dialect so I took a job pressing clothes in the factory. I was so poor I only had the clothes on my back and a pair of rain boots with holes in the front. I was earning 30 quetzals a month, which was barely enough for a week’s worth of food.I eventually moved to the states in hopes of earning more. Once in LA, I kept getting jobs where companies would shut down, it was a continuous struggle. Now I’m really thankful to NSF , I’ve expanded and learned so much and now I get to make real fashion items not only press clothes.”
Johnny: Dye Developer for NSF
“I was born in Guatemala and moved to the US in 2004. I started at the bottom just loading machines. but thankfully, I’m a fast learner so I moved up quickly as a dye developer. My job is very stressful, if I mess up one little thing, it can ruin the color or fabric of huge loads of production. There is a lot of pressure in my role, there’s a science behind it and it requires a lot of patience. I’ve learned from trial and error to just trust in myself.”
Made by immigrants. Pro Families. Pro Humanity. Pro Decency.
#FamiliesBelongTogether
"As a mother and a compassionate person, I can't imagine the idea of my child being taken from me, especially in the moments I am most vulnerable and asking for help. As my 5 year old daughter put it, this march is about Love." - Jamie, Creative Director