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US consumers admit they are not knowledgeable about the global apparel industry; however, they hold positive beliefs about US apparel industry labour practices. Consumers have much less regard for the foreign industry. There is a slightly higher level of concern for US workers versus foreign workers. Governmental regulations, labelling and store boycotts are agreed upon solutions for abolishing sweatshops. Implications of consumers' beliefs and attitudes to the global apparel industry and governmental policy are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether consumers' intentions to purchase apparel products from an alternative trading organisation (ATO; an example of socially responsible consumer behaviour) could be explained by their societally‐centred values and attitudes, as well as attitudes more specifically related to purchasing. Data were collected with a nationwide mail survey of US consumers (n =344) randomly drawn from the stratified mailing list of one North American ATO. Theory‐based relationships, suggesting a hierarchical system of effects among values and atti‐tudes, were tested and supported with path analysis. Comparison of two different path models revealed that attitude towards the behaviour of purchasing apparel from the ATO was a better predictor of purchase behaviour than was attitude towards the apparel itself; however, the two concepts were determined to each contribute valuable information for understanding purchasing behaviour.

Case studies were conducted with two small apparel businesses in Mexico to determine the physical and human resources critically influencing full‐package apparel manufacturing and export. Data analysis deductively focused on the use of local resources, the role of technology, understanding of the export market and the ability to develop a product suitable for that market, business skills needed for production and delivery, and availability of capital. Based on the results, a study guide was developed for use by individuals, small business owners, cooperatives, and communities as they promote development and job creation in Mexico through apparel production and export under NAFTA.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the organic apparel consumer. Is the recent upsurge in organic cotton products another fashion trend or is there a segment of consumers genuinely interested in purchasing organic cotton apparel based on the benefits of organic agriculture to the environment?

Data were collected with a mail survey of US health and natural foods consumers. Conjoint analysis revealed salient product attributes and cluster analysis identified segments of consumers with different attribute preferences. Factor analysis uncovered latent variables from among the large number of items and the clusters were examined for differences in their psychographic profiles.

It was found that the 38 percent of consumers who found used organic cotton content salient had positive attitudes toward organic and sustainable agriculture, preferred to “buy locally” and had a strong self‐identity as environmental, organic, and socially responsible consumers.

The sample of US health and natural foods consumers means that the results cannot be generalized too widely. Research is currently under way to relate the self‐reported purchase behavior of organic apparel consumers discussed here to actual purchase behavior.

Survey respondents interested in purchasing organic cotton apparel agreed that organic farming is good for the environment, suggesting that consumers would be receptive to marketing messages that place an emphasis on the environmental benefits of purchasing organic cotton apparel.

The paper provides insight into the attitudes and motivations of environmentally concerned US consumers of organic apparel and provides information on focusing marketing to these consumers.

The purpose of this paper is to present innovative strategies to promote sustainability‐focused education, in a case study of a multi‐institutional program designed to prepare students for management positions in global apparel and footwear companies. The program is unique in focusing upon management education occurring outside the business school, extension of faculty resources through inter‐institutional collaborations, and use of the internet for course delivery.

Faculty from three institutions collaborated to develop ten 1‐credit web‐based graduate courses and delivered them inter‐institutionally. Through collaboration with global companies and other stakeholders and through field research, the faculty built a shared vision of sustainability education, identified learning outcomes, developed practical and applied learning experiences and created tools to assess learning.

Industry experts agreed that the courses and learning outcomes were important and addressed industry needs. The internet‐based platform and learning activities engaged students and encouraged development of creative strategies for addressing sustainability issues.

Students and institutions benefitted from the award‐winning program. Specific outcomes are discussed.

The strategies used in development of the program provide examples for other educational institutions for how to negotiate institutional factors in pursuit of the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education.

A consumer survey of a probability sample of 1,628 married adult consumers residing in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai, China was used obtain basic knowledge on market segments of Chinese consumers with the potential to buy foreign apparel. The paper used conjoint analysis to identify the product attributes salient to consumers' apparel purchase intentions. With cluster, multiple regression, and other statistical analyses, six market segments prioritizing similar product attributes were identified and profiled. The six market segments were then described by their demographic and geographic characteristics, apparel expenditures, and perceptions of US‐made pants. Suggestions are provided for apparel marketers wishing to pursue two especially promising market segments with the potential to buy US‐made and US brand apparel.

This study investigated how Chinese retailers perceive their foreign brand apparel suppliers and explored the use of power theory for explaining these relationships. A survey of 150 apparel retailers operating in Beijing, China provided data for the study. Referent power positively influenced retailers' attitudes toward and non‐economic satisfaction with their suppliers. Greater referent power also reduced channel conflict and enhanced economic satisfaction with business performance. The importance of this source of power seems to be linked with the concept of guanxi in China, where respectful relationships are valued. Coercive threats to withhold necessary merchandise, service, or contracts increased channel conflict. Surprisingly, greater channel conflict was associated with increased economic satisfaction with business performance. This relationship is contemplated from a cultural perspective and recommendations are made to foreign brand apparel manufacturers wishing to access China's retail market.