Is Los Angeles Apparel good quality and worth it?+
For heavyweight, made-in-USA basics, Los Angeles Apparel is one of the most trusted names. Because it's a vertically integrated manufacturer that does its own knitting and dyeing in Los Angeles, the consistency from piece to piece is a real strength. If you want substantial cotton staples rather than throwaway fast fashion, it earns the spend.
What's the difference between Los Angeles Apparel and American Apparel?+
They share a founder. Dov Charney started Los Angeles Apparel in 2016 after he was terminated from American Apparel, the company he had originally founded. The new label is openly modelled on American Apparel's wholesale roots, and about 90% of the factory's machinery once belonged to American Apparel, bought in the bankruptcy sale. Think of it as Charney's continuation of the same made-in-LA idea.
Where is Los Angeles Apparel made?+
In Los Angeles, specifically South-Central LA. The company is a vertically integrated manufacturer with knitting and dyeing done in the city, and it employs over 1,500 people. That local, all-under-one-roof production is the whole point of the brand.
Is Los Angeles Apparel really sweatshop-free?+
That's a core part of its identity. Like American Apparel before it, the company states a commitment to sweatshop free manufacturing, all done domestically in Los Angeles. In 2017 it even printed the names and faces of the workers who made the garments onto the labels, to underline the people behind the product.
What does Los Angeles Apparel make?+
The brand focuses on wardrobe foundations: T-shirts, sweatshirts, cotton bodysuits and swimwear. It started as a wholesale business supplying screen printers, apparel companies and boutiques, so the emphasis is on solid, blank-canvas basics. If you want elevated everyday staples, that's its sweet spot.
Who founded Los Angeles Apparel?+
Los Angeles Apparel was founded in 2016 by Dov Charney, who is also the founder of American Apparel. He launched it as a wholesale business shortly after leaving American Apparel, echoing how American Apparel itself began back in 1989. So the brand carries his long history in domestic garment manufacturing.
Why did Dov Charney start Los Angeles Apparel?+
He founded it in 2016 after being terminated from American Apparel by its board. Charney rejected a $4.5 million severance package and a 'creative director' role at his old company, and instead launched Los Angeles Apparel as a fresh wholesale business. It was, in effect, a restart of the made-in-LA model he had built before.
Is Los Angeles Apparel an ethical, locally made brand?+
It positions itself that way. The company is a vertically integrated, US-based manufacturer that does its knitting and dyeing in Los Angeles, employs over 1,500 people locally, and commits to sweatshop-free production. For shoppers who care about domestic manufacturing and transparency, those are meaningful credentials.
Did Los Angeles Apparel have any controversy?+
Yes. In 2020, public health officials ordered the factory shut down over flagrant violations of mandatory public health infection control orders during the pandemic. Reporting noted that 300 workers were infected with COVID-19 and four workers died before the factory was ordered to close. It's worth being aware of when you weigh the brand's record.
How should I shop Los Angeles Apparel basics?+
Lean into what it does best: heavyweight cotton tees, sweatshirts and bodysuits made in its own LA factory. Because these are substantial, structured pieces rather than soft draping styles, consider how you like a basic to fit before buying. Built right, they're meant to be wardrobe workhorses you reach for constantly.
