Gildan is an apparel company that is found around the globe. In fact, they are one of the world’s largest clothing producers. Their most popular items include activewear, underwear, and socks. You may not recognize the name Gildan, but chances are you will of some of their partner brands like Silks, Peds, and American Apparel.
Though the company began less than 40 years ago, today, Gildan employs over 50,000 people in 30+ locations, including twelve different countries around the world.
From the company’s historical endeavors, it’s clear that sustainability and fair trade are important to them. From seeking early accreditation to owning its own facilities, Gildan has aimed to provide goods responsibly. In 2020, The Wall Street Journal named it one of the world’s most sustainably managed companies.
Among their sustainability efforts is the acquisition of US-based yarn spinneries. Though this tells us that some raw materials are sourced from America, it doesn’t reveal the overall manufacturing process.
Let’s look a bit deeper to find out more about Gildan.
Verdict: Is Gildan Made in the USA?
No, Gildan is not made in the USA…at least not from start to finish. The company employs manufacturing hubs out of North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and Bangladesh. The only function of their US-based hub is as a yarn spinnery.
Though born in Canada and moved to the USA, Gildan outsources its manufacturing to overseas facilities. The first of these offshore moves was in 1997, when Gildan began using a sewing plant in Honduras.
Along with their production locations in Honduras, they also own operations in the Dominican Republic, North Carolina, Nicaragua, Bangladesh, and more.
The company has a series of T-shirts made with 100% US Cotton. Gildan sources most of its cotton from the US. According to its own data, it consumes over one-third of the cotton grown in America.
However, the production line doesn’t stop and end with cotton growing. We took a look at their most recent (2020) Environment, Social, & Governance Report. You can see their general supply chain detailed below.
Though much of the raw material begins in the US, manufacturing is completed abroad. It’s interesting that Gildan’s products would then be designated “made overseas with US materials” when what you typically see is “made in the US with imported materials.”
We also reached out to their customer service email team. Here is the response we received, verifying the information we found above:
We have to say, we appreciate Gildan’s transparency. Their published ESG Report is easy to access and made available to anyone looking for it. Below is our research on some good American-made alternatives.
Popular American Made Gildan Products
- None that we could find
Popular Gildan Products Not Made in the USA
- Gildan 18500 Adult Hooded Sweatshirt
- Gildan 64000 Adult T-shirt
- Gildan 18600 Adult Full Zip Hooded Sweatshirt
