Athleta, the sportswear brand of US apparel retailer Gap will offer a collection of styles created in a factory certified by Fair Trade USA. Athleta has taken the initiative with an aim to empower female factory workforce. The spring collection of Athleta will feature more than 40 Fair Trade styles while more will be added throughout the year.

Fair Trade USA is an organisation dedicated to create social and economic opportunities for factory workers around the world. Working with Fair Trade USA enables Athleta to enhance its commitment to empowering women by supporting the female-dominated workforce in the manufacturing facilities with which it sources. Factory workers directly earn an additional financial premium for every Fair Trade certified product being sold. The debut styles are produced by a newly certified facility in Sri Lanka, supporting more than 2,100 workers of whom more than 80 percent are women.

“Supporting women in their ability to come together to reach their full potential is core to our brand,” said Nancy Green, president, Athleta. “Partnering with Fair Trade USA is an important and natural step in directly enabling the women who create Athleta clothes to positively affect their communities and families.”

 “Fair Trade allows each of us to live our values through our everyday choices–through a simple purchase,” said Paul Rice, president and CEO of Fair Trade USA. “When you choose a Fair Trade Certified item from Athleta, you are not just getting an amazing product; you’re also helping empower and improve the lives of the women who made it.”

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