Is investment in the garment industry in Africa a helpful development tool? The Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has, since 2000, provided free access to the U.S. market for specified goods produced or processed in the poorest African countries. Most AGOA benefits are taken by oil producing countries. The largest investments in manufacturing are in the garment industry. However, throughout the world, garment industries have been the most footloose, moving from country to country following government incentives and low wages.

Aren't workers happy to have jobs in apparel, toy and electronics factories and on plantations? After all, don't these companies provide lots of jobs, especially in developing countries?

ITGLWF/InditITGLWF/Inditex Professor of Ethical Fashion Doug Miller's lecture from last year's Maquila Solidarity Network's ethical fashion week is now available for download in PDF format. Entitled "Beauty & the Beast," the lecture looks at the back-story of environmental and human rights issues (the Beast) behind the fashion industry (Beauty).

TransFair USA is one of twenty members of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO), and the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States.