Where am I Wearing?: A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People That Make Our Clothes

In September 2007, Timmerman marries Annie. The vows “for richer and poorer” and “in sickness and health” make him reflect on their privileges compared to those of the garment makers he has met. He and Annie are unlikely to experience poverty and will likely die of conditions related to old age rather than preventable diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.

Before embarking on his quest, Timmerman did not know that his grandmother was a poorly paid garment maker who made Lee overalls in an Ohio factory. During his honeymoon to Niagara Falls, he schedules a visit to the factory in Perry, New York, where his favorite shorts were made. Timmerman’s Champion USA shorts are 16 years old and are the same style worn by the winning American basketball team at the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Timmerman notices that the American Classic Outfitters (ACO) factory has a parking lot—a significant feature since most garment workers cannot afford cars. He is greeted enthusiastically by ACO’s president, Mark. Mark explains that the factory was at its peak in 1989, employing 850 workers. In 2002, Champion production moved to Mexico, and the factory was taken over by a local furniture store owner who founded ACO.