While outsourcing to China is no longer defined by cheap, shoddy labor, that's not to say it doesn't have its downfalls. I don't know where Jiberish purchases fabric from, but I can safely say it's not purchased from next door to the manufacturer. In order to get a run of clothing made, Jiberish purchases fabric from a source, has it shipped to the manufacturer in China, then shipped back to the US as a finished product, and often then shipped BACK to Europe for sale. That's a ton of fossil fuels/water/energy wasted, not to mention the labor is being outsourced-something our economy needs to step away from.
Manufacturing apparel domestically is definitely a hardship, but what's to say it shouldn't be attempted? We (The AN& Brand) design and construct all of our clothing in the US, our fabric comes from Quebec and Oregon, and our cut & sew pieces this fall will most likely be organic cotton.
Like I said, it's not easy, but we know it can be done. We have spent many long nights learning about fabric, sewing machines, sewing techniques, etc and there's plenty more of those long nights ahead of us. I'm intimately familiar with all of the gripes you have with so-called ski-based "streetwear" brands... they're the reason we started AN&. If you guys show us love we'll make sure to always remain a brand you can relate to and appreciate, without making your wallet too much lighter.
We're dropping our summer website tomorrow, and stay tuned for the fall line coming at the end of the summer. I hate paying $80 for a hoodie just as much as you guys, so you know we're not going to pull that on you.
www.theandbrand.com