The long line of injustices and suffering caused by fast fashion, as blatantly seen through the recent Rana Plaza disaster, call for a radical change in the way our clothes are made. Enter the Industrial Revolution II – a new kind of garment factory founded on the principles of socially responsible and integrated manufacturing; a factory where social advancement for workers, their families and neighbors is just as important as providing the highest quality, affordable garments and accessories to the market. 

Based in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Industrial Revolution II may be the answer that ethically adept producers and consumers have been looking for. The Rana Plaza disaster caused a global audience to realize the injustices of the fashion production process, subsequently causing manufacturers to scramble up statements for stricter rules and auditing procedures.

However, founder and CEO of Industrial Revolution II, Rob Broggi, thinks that tougher regulations and more rigorous audits are not the answer for real change, but rather a completely new factory infrastructure and level of consumer awareness. This is the anti- fast fashion.

Collective prosperity is the main goal of Broggi’s factory, as is the ability to provide dignified designers, brands and eventually consumers with high quality and ethically produced garments that are not out of reach in price. His factory is for those “who value responsible sourcing practices as much as beautiful production results,” and who want to be able to provide transparency and highly responsible sourcing practices at no extra cost.

The operating philosophy of the factory is based on an egalitarian “shared value” business model whereby the company and community prosper equally by feeding each other’s needs. The recently completed 35,000-square-foot facility contains an annual capacity to cut, sew and digitally print up to five million knit and woven units at fair wages and affordable prices. In return for hard work, the management invests 50% of all profits into health care, education, training and infrastructure for workers, their families, and the local community.

Industrial Revolution II aims to make a significant difference in the way fashion is produced, and is on the right track with support from recognizable advocates like Matt Damon, Donna Karan and New York Fashion Week creator Fern Mallis. Thus far the revolutionary factory has received orders from brands like Threads 4 Thought and Boxercraft, with more anticipated to join the ranks in the coming months.

As Broggi puts it, “the race to the bottom is ending, and a new industrial revolution is beginning. This time, the revolution’s rewards will accrue to all participants, not just a few.” The textile and apparel industries will change as the brands on top realize how deeply consumers care about the viability and responsibility of the items they purchase. The first step towards this is pulling back the curtain to show everyone how the machine works, revealing what that $0.99 t-shirt really costs.

Images: Industrial Revolution II

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