American Apparel
Last verified: April 2026
Read our full verification: Is American Apparel Made in USA?Verification Summary
American Score
Manufacturing Location
Los Angeles, CA
Headquarters
Los Angeles, CA
Founded
1989
Products Verified
3 products
Evidence Breakdown
Factory Location Specificity
Specific factory city identified
Website Claim
Brand website explicitly claims Made in USA
Manufacturing History
Established USA manufacturer
Known Overseas Production
No known overseas production
Verification Notes
Los Angeles, California basics brand originally founded in 1989 by Dov Charney. Went through bankruptcy 2016, restarted with Canadian ownership but maintains Los Angeles manufacturing. Website explicitly states Made in USA. T-shirts, underwear, basics sewn in Los Angeles. Strong domestic manufacturing identity even through ownership changes.
Last verified: April 2026
American Apparel has been manufacturing products in Los Angeles, CA since 1989. We carry 3 verified American-made American Apparel products.
Heritage & History
American Apparel was founded in Los Angeles in 1989 by Dov Charney, who built one of the largest domestic apparel manufacturers in the United States by keeping production in a city that was losing its garment industry to overseas competition. At its peak, American Apparel employed thousands of workers in a massive downtown LA facility — a counterexample to the industry consensus that domestic production was economically impossible.
The company went through a difficult period including bankruptcy in 2016, but the Los Angeles manufacturing model survived under new ownership. American Apparel's core thesis — that made-in-USA basics can be competitive on quality and sold at prices that support domestic wages — remained the foundation of the restarted brand.
Made in Los Angeles, California
American Apparel manufactures its t-shirts, underwear, sweatshirts, and basics in Los Angeles, California, maintaining the domestic production philosophy that defined the original brand. Los Angeles has the largest remaining garment manufacturing workforce in the United States, and American Apparel's presence in that ecosystem provides both employment and a market for the city's apparel-making infrastructure.
The brand's products are notable for their quality of construction — jersey weight, finishing, and durability that exceed most comparably priced basics — and for their fit, which is designed around American body proportions rather than European fashion shapes. A blank American Apparel t-shirt is the standard substrate for screen printers, promotional apparel buyers, and anyone who needs a shirt that will print cleanly and last.
Quick Picks
Frequently Asked Questions
Is American Apparel made in the USA?
Yes. American Apparel manufactures 3 verified products in Los Angeles, CA. American Apparel has manufactured basics, t-shirts, and underwear in Los Angeles, California since 1989, building a brand identity around domestic production, direct employment, and the simple proposition that American-made clothing can compete on quality.
Where is American Apparel manufactured?
American Apparel is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. Manufacturing takes place in Los Angeles, CA.
What American Apparel products can I buy?
We carry 3 verified American Apparel products across Clothing & Apparel. Every listing links directly to Amazon with verified American manufacturing.
When was American Apparel founded?
American Apparel was founded in 1989. American Apparel has manufactured basics, t-shirts, and underwear in Los Angeles, California since 1989, building a brand identity around domestic production, direct employment, and the simple proposition that American-made clothing can compete on quality.
Does American Apparel ship from Amazon?
Yes, all American Apparel products listed here are available on Amazon with free shipping for Prime members.