Discussion questions: (for students in FASH455, please address at least two questions below in your response. There is no need to repeat the question, but please mention the question #)
- #1 How do you see the importance of the garment industry to Lesotho—economically, socially, and politically?
- #2 Why and how could the 15% additional tariff have a significant impact on Lesotho’s garment industry?
- #3 What responsibilities do U.S. fashion brands and retailers have toward Lesotho in the situation described in the videos?
- #4 If you were a U.S. garment worker, would you support more favorable trade terms for Lesotho? Why or why not?
Background
- According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), textiles and apparel accounted for 56.6% of Lesotho’s manufactured goods exports in 2023.
- UNComtrade data shows that between 2023 and 2024, about half of Lesotho’s apparel exports went to the United States, its largest export market. Other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) made up an additional 44% of Lesotho’s apparel exports.
- Industry sources further indicate that between January 2024 and July 2025, about 60% of apparel labeled “Made in Lesotho” for sale in the U.S. retail market were tops, including 41% of T-shirts. All of these clothes targeted the mass and value market segments, and they were typically priced even lower than those “Made in Bangladesh.”
- The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade preference program enacted in 2000, has played a critical role in supporting Lesotho’s apparel export to the U.S. market.
- Data from the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) under the U.S. Department of Commerce shows that U.S. apparel imports from Lesotho totaled $151 million, or 0.19% of total U.S. apparel imports, in 2024. Notably, all of these imports claimed the AGOA duty-free benefits, and 96.8% were entered under the “third-country fabric” provision, which allows least developed countries (LDCs) like Lesotho to use textile raw materials sourced from third countries.
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FASH455 Global Apparel & Textile Trade and Sourcing 
This made me realize how much responsibility U.S. brands have when they source from Lesotho. Since the garment industry is such a big part of the country’s economy, it feels important that companies make sure workers are treated fairly and have safe working conditions. I also didn’t think about how much impact it has if brands suddenly leave when trade policies change, that can really end up hurting the workers and their families. This made me see the bigger picture of fashion and responsibility and how closely they are related.
After watching these two videos, I definitely see the importance of trade and manufacturing within the country of Lesotho. Being such a small country, textile manufacturing is definitely a huge source of labor and revenue for the country, and they are definitely reliant on these processes.
The garment industry in Lesotho accounts for a large percent of their economic income, lifestyle, and political state. With the loss of hundreds of jobs, these workers are unable to provide for their families, and in turn, unable to bring revenue to small businesses within the community, due to their lack own lack of income. Their economic structure is definitely at risk. Additionally, politically speaking, the country’s trade with the U.S. has been cut, leaving Lesotho without valuable resources.
It is very upsetting to see how much of an impact the U.S. tariffs have on the workers in Lesotho. Specifically women in that this is their only source of income. This just proves how globalization is happening every day — the fashion industry is very connected and has an affect on many different areas of people.
Economically, the garment industry is huge for Lesotho because it creates so many jobs and brings in a lot of foreign exchange, with more than half of their manufactured exports being apparel. On the social side, a lot of these jobs go to women, which means they’re able to support their families and communities in a big way. Politically, Lesotho relies heavily on AGOA and its trade relationship with the U.S., so stability and keeping those agreements in place is really important for the country’s future.
#1 : I thought that one important thing from the garment industry for Lesotho was social connections. By making connections with these other countries, Lesotho gains money and exports for their manufacturing. After listening to the videos it showed that after the tariffs, Lesotho said that they did not know where they stood with these other countries. This is a problem since this is their source of income.
#4 : If I were a a U.S garment worker I would not support more favorable trade terms for Lesotho. I would be too scared to lose my own job and would be worried that my wage would be lowered.
#1 How do you see the importance of the garment industry to Lesotho—economically, socially, and politically?
The textile industry in incredibly important to Lesotho because textiles are the majority of the their economy. Many people rely on the garment industry to sustain the country and their personal lives. It is also the country’s largest trading tool for global trade, especially since they are considered the denim capital of Africa.
#4 If you were a U.S. garment worker, would you support more favorable trade terms for Lesotho? Why or why not?
If I were a U.S. garment worker I would support more favorable trade terms for Lesotho. This is because they seem to be facing a lot of backlash from the increase of tariffs. Many garment workers are experiencing these difficulties, so I would support more favorable trade terms for any company if I were a U.S. garment worker. This would stem also from the fact that there are already so few garment factories and workers in the U.S. so I would want to do whatever I could to keep mine up and running so I were able to make at least somewhat of a livable wage.
After watching both videos in class and participating in a class discussion with the people around me, I believe the garment industry is essential to Lesotho (#1). Economically, apparel accounts for more than half of the country’s manufactured exports, directly driving job creation and foreign exchange earnings. Socially, the factories provide one of the few large-scale employment opportunities, especially for women, which supports families and local communities. Politically, Lesotho’s relationship with the U.S. through AGOA is critical, since most of the apparel exports depend on the trade preference program. This creates leverage but also vulnerability; if tariffs rise or AGOA benefits change, the whole sector could face instability.
Julia Newman
Because there are a lot of factors that are out of control of the brands and retailers, it is crucial that they give support to the parts of their supply chain. They should ensure that their workers are treated well, paid fairly, and protected throughout the entire process. Because the US plays such a huge part in the supply chains in countries in Lesotho, they have a responsibility to be transparent with their works and customers and make sure everything is done ethically.
If I were a U.S. garment worker, I would most likely not support more favorable trade terms for Lesotho. Due to all the competition, there could be a high percentage of job losses for garment workers. If they expand to foreign manufacturers and producers, it can threaten their employment. This is a huge risk, so I can sense that others would also agree and not support more favorable trade terms for Lesotho.
In terms of what responsibilities U.S fashion retailers and brands have toward Lesotho because of the 50%, now 15% tariff that aided in the loss of so many garment worker jobs includes, investing in the local community to support workers, ensure fair wages, and also safe working conditions. It is important for these retailers and brands to adhere to international labor standards so workers can still support their families and themselves. In terms of economic responsibility, rather than abandoning Lesotho due to the tariffs, brands could explore more long-term strategies to keep production stable by investing in efficiency and exploring new kinds of markets for their garments, so employment can be more stabilized.
The importance of garment industry economically: 90% of their exports are from the garment industry, and the industry employees more than 30,000 workers. The tariff increase leads to less orders coming in due to price increases for buyers, and workers loosing their jobs as a result. U.S fashion brands ideally should continue to buy from Lesotho, but realistically this would never work as it would lead to higher costs. If I was a U.S garment worker, I would not fully support favorable trade terms with Lesotho because this would affect my work. If there are less imports from then, this would lead to more work for me domestically.
I learned that trade and manufacturing is very important because a small country like Lesotho this could be a major source of income and revenue.
The 15% additional tariffs have a significant impact on Lesotho’s garment industry because it affects the 30,000 workers who are employed at these textile factories, leaving most unemployed and unable to provide for their family. Due to limited orders for the factories to manufacture, these factories have now become empty, waiting to hear if they will have work or if these factories will be shut down, especially since the U.S. is their largest export market.
U.S. fashion brands and retailers have responsibilities toward Lesotho, mainly being transparency. These worker are waiting day by day to hear for U.S. brands if they need orders manufactured or not. These brands should at least let Lesotho factories know if they are not needed anymore so they can try and find ways to fix the huge loss of U.S. exports. The garment industry is changing due to these tariffs and keeping these factories in the know could help them pivot to new areas in order to continue to provide work to the small town of Lesotho.
The garment industry is extremely important to Lesotho’s economy since it employs more than 30,000 of their workers. The tariffs imposed have caused factory closures and thousands of jobs losses which will make it more difficult for Lesotho to compete with other nations in manufacturing. Lesotho’s industry is very dependent on the trade negotiations it has with the US and has relied on the AGOA to guarantee job security and the stabilization of the industry.
I found these videos very insightful in terms of the garment industry and hearing about how tariffs have impacted the lives and working conditions of many individuals. One key takeaway that I learned from these videos is the environments that factory workers are experiencing to make garments. I feel that fashion brands do have a responsibility toward Lesotho in the situation described in the videos because it is up to them to ensure that their workers are being treated fairly and paid accurately for the production of their products.
It is so sad to see how just a 15% tariff can impact so many Lesotho people. This chain reaction can lead to factories shutting down in Lesotho for good or impact their reputation and workload if they ever get back to where they were before (Q#2). Additionally, if I were a U.S. garment worker, I would not support more favorable trade terms for Lesotho. The opportunities they lose because of the tariffs translate into more job opportunities for U.S. garment workers like me (Q#4).
I completely agree with what you said. The actions of the U.S. create a massive domino effect on other countries’ economies, as we are so dependent on others for the manufacturing and production of everyday products. I also completely understand your standpoint on why you wouldn’t support more favorable trade terms if you were a U.S. worker, because at the end of the day, it would provide you with more work if we transfer the majority of production to the United States.
The garment industry is a complex both economically, socially, and politically. It provides job opportunities for individuals, brings in major profit for the economy, and produces goods and services for consumers. With current issues concerning the initiation of tariffs on imports, fashion brands and retailers need to be more transparent than ever. Workers need to know what next steps are happening within the company, and customers need to know exactly what they are paying, especially if prices begin to rise. Fashion brands are also responsible for providing their employees with fair wages amidst current issues in the industry.
1.
– many workers in Lesotho are losing hundreds of dollars of income each month due to declining orders because of the tariffs.
– families in Lesotho are completely dependent on these wages for survival.
– Their heavy reliance on outsourcing makes Lesotho particularly vulnerable to new tariff policies and changes in trade.
3.
– U.S. fashion brands should acknowledge their reliance on Lesotho’s manufacturing and their consequences on that community when outsourcing is facing reduction.
– As the manager stated in the second video, the are facing complications with buyers, particularly with unreliable communication. So, U.S. buyers need to communicate more transparently with factories and workers about future demands.
– The U.S.’s current lack of clear communication creates instability for workers who suddenly lose income despite ongoing production.
The garment industry is a huge factor in Lesothos economy. Employing over 30,000 jobs these tariffs have damaged their economy by putting so many families out of work. In addition, if people don’t have money to spend on other goods, the whole economy becomes unstable and it starts to have a ripple effect. For such a small country, the garment industry is a key factor in their people’s wellbeing.
The US fashion brands that work with Lesothos have a certain responsibility to them. When they’re economy relies on this work, they expect that orders will come in and that previous agreements about production will continue. Although a stressful time for brands, keeping a good relationship with countries they’ve been working with for decades on producing goods should still be a priority. This will inevitably have effects on the relationship between these entities and ensuring you’re factory workers are paid is an element of ethically responsible production.
Hey Bridget! I agree with you that Lesotho’s reliance on the garment industry makes the impact of tariffs all the more severe. I also another great point you made was about the responsibility U.S. fashion brands have in maintaining these long-term partnerships. If brands suddenly pull out, it’s not just about losing potential orders, it’s about entire communities suffering. It makes me wonder how much more stability there could be if trade agreements or sourcing decisions took the welfare of workers into account more alongside profit.
#1 The garment industry is very significant for Lesotho because 90% of their exports come from garment production, employing over 30,000 people. Due to tariffs causing significant decline in their exports as buyers are not placing as many orders with their factories, the Lesotho economy and their people who rely on these production jobs are suffering. Socially, their people are very distressed without their usual source of income and are struggling to find other ways to support themselves. The Lesotho government is also struggling to understand how to navigate tariff negotiation and trade with other countries.
#2 The additional 15% tariff can have a significant impact on Lesotho’s garment industry because it can cause even more factories to slow production, and therefore cause more people to lose their jobs. Garment production is the greatest driver of their economy, so if it is slowing down from the tariff rate, it can be nearly impossible for their economy to recover. It will also impact their production prices, which will have a ripple effect to buyers who still purchase their produced goods.
4. If I were a US garment worker, I would support more favorable terms for Lesotho. I believe that they deserve job opportunities and the ability to support a life. Trade is the foundation of the fashion industry among others and is crucial to our (and international) economy, society and politics regardless of tariffs. If we don’t have international manufacturers a lot of the stress and demand of the fashion industry would fall elsewhere – potentially on me and my company as a garment worker. The ability to keep up and have enough stock would be a concern to me without the support of International trade.
The garment industry is truly a lifeline for Lesotho—economically, socially, and politically. It employs tens of thousands, especially women, and plays a key role in reducing poverty and empowering communities. The recent 15% tariff has had devastating effects, triggering mass layoffs and undermining years of progress fueled by trade partnerships like AGOA.
U.S. fashion brands have a real responsibility here—not just to maintain ethical sourcing but also to advocate for fair trade policies that won’t destroy the livelihoods of workers they depend on. As a consumer (or even a U.S. worker), supporting more favorable terms for Lesotho isn’t just about economics—it’s about standing for dignity, equity, and sustainable global development.
#1- The garment industry is very important to Lesotho’s economy, as it provides the majority of jobs for its people. Many of the employees at their factories are the primary breadwinners of the family, so with this major job loss it takes a huge toll on these families and communities. Socially, these weakened relationships between factories and buyers have created instability, leaving workers with job uncertainty. The country has already been hit by tariffs so regardless of the change or not, the damage to these people’s livelihoods has already hit.
#3- U.S fashion brands and retailers have a responsibility to keep open communication and good transparency with their suppliers in Lesotho. Even though they can’t directly control government policies, they can ease the stress of uncertainty by communicating honestly and working more collaboratively and avoiding aggressive competition with each other.
#4- If I was a U.S garment worker I would support more favorable trade terms for Lesotho because it would provide a relief during a very difficult time and it would help preserve relationships and show commitment.
So the first thing comes to my mind is that how important an individual industry like textile manufacturing industry can be for the economic of small less-developed countries and economic. Due to the lower level of the wage and GDP, the same amount of investment from brands or buyers can be more influential on them than on the big and hinger-wage level economics.For countries like Lesotho and Bangladesh, the textile manufacturing industry can easily take up like 30% of the GDP. So Losing orders from that industry can cause huge chaos.That’s why this tariff can have huge impact on these countries.
Another thing comes to me is that the brands has responsibility to keep supporting those economic by keeping oder from them and dealing with the tariff policies themselves.This is a part of their social responsibility and sustainability.
If I am a worker in the industry in the states, I don’t think that I will have a positive attitude on the high tariff policies. Because the “Made in USA” doesn’t really mean madding in USA. The high tariff policies can cause dramatical increase on the materials and fabrics which are imported abroad. These increases will end up forcing the brands to lower or shut down the manufacturing, because they can’t make profits. And then obviously, I will lose m y job.
The garment industry is vital in Lesotho, as it provides many jobs that help stimulate the economy. The introduction of tariffs has since put a strain on the relationship between the U.S. and Lesotho, as it has taken away those critical jobs from those who truly relied on the income they provided. With the increase of tariffs and their negative effects on other countries, I think the U.S. should have some sort of agreement with countries they work with to ensure that innocent people aren’t losing critical jobs and to ensure the safety of these countries’ economies. This could also help preserve political relationships, as our actions would have less of a negative effect on others.
I agree with you that the garment industry plays a critical role in Lesotho’s economy and that tariffs can create ripple effects that hurt workers and their communities. I like how you talked about the importance of political relationships and that trade isn’t just about economics, it’s also about having trust and stability between countries. I also think your point about creating agreements to protect jobs is really important, if trade deals cared about the human impact more directly, it could help balance out the economic benefits for both sides while reducing unintended harm.
2. The 15% increase tariff will effect the Lesotho garment industry because many people, especially the workers, are reliant on this job. This will cause many buyers to step down and not want to pursue to buy garments because of how expensive it will be. With less buyers means less orders which means workers are not needed. In addition, economy will be affected because no one will want to buy and many country’s economy will go down.
4. If I was a garment worker, I would favor better trade terms for Lesotho because they put in all this hard work and are very dependent on their jobs. Increasing the tariff is not fair and is only going to cause more setbacks in the economy especially for people and their families.
The 15% additional tariff would have a significant impact on Lesotho’s garment industry because there would be a decrease in orders as shown in the second video. With the tariff being so high, it pushes the US to look to different countries with cheaper prices to produce. Not only this, but it could lead to potential factory closures if they are unable to produce. The responsibilities that US fashion brands and retailers have towards Lesotho would be transparency. The second video discussed how many of the garment workers in Lesotho were left in the dark and therefore weren’t able to take care of their families since they were no longer working. I think that it’s also very important to make sure that these workers are being treated fairly. In all, when tariffs are being imposed and hurting garment workers in different countries, it’s important to take responsibility so that no one is being treated poorly or unsafe.
#1. The garment industry is critical for the country Lesotho. Economically, it is the largest private sector job market. Socially, about 30,000 of the people of Lesotho are employed by the garment industry and are out of work now. Many of whom are the main income for their families. Politically, this industry is heavily affected by tariffs that are implemented on Lesotho by the USA, due to the uneven trade relationship they have. These tariffs cause the factories to shut down production due to less orders being received. #2 The reduced tariff could bring back some of the orders that were lost and in turn bring back the economy of Lesotho as this was the largest private sector job in the country. While the 15 percent is much better than the previous 50 percent, there is still that percentage that could deter US brands from returning to Lesotho in the same capacity they once were. It could result in a “too little, too late” change for these factories and ultimately these workers and their families.
Q1 Response: The statistics shared in the video showed how important the garment industry is to Lesotho. They described that 90% of Lesotho’s exports were garments, meaning that these tariffs have a higher impact on the country’s economic standing. If they don’t have buyers due to higher costs, it means they will lose their competitive standing in the industry and lose buyers. Additionally, this has serious implications for their society. The video shared that garment workers, whose main source of income comes from the garment industry, are losing their jobs. This suggests that they won’t be able to support their families or earn a wage that could support them. These tariffs will ultimately trickle down to have more localized effects within Lesotho.
Q3 Response: US fashion brands that pride themselves on ethical sourcing and sustainability must uphold their mission and goals. Although some brands would turn away from Lesotho to turn out higher profits, it’s important to recognize how that would affect their suppliers. The video showed both economic and social impacts for Lesotho that leave their country in a vulnerable position. US brands that attempt to ethically source and remain sustainable should try to maintain loyalty to Lesotho suppliers. And if they decide to change who they source from, I think they should be transparent about their changes and how it affects Lesotho or other countries that experience similar situations. I think this question varies depending on how ethical and sustainable a brand is and how true they are to ethical and sustainable sourcing.
I completely agree with your Q3 response. Individual companies have to evaluate their promises in regards to ethical sourcing. This also makes me think about the size of US companies, and how their financial positions impact their decisions to spend more money sourcing from more expensive countries.
#1 Lesotho is a relatively small country, especially compared to the United States. Apparel production accounts for over half of its exports, so a decline in orders caused by tariff-induced price increases leads to significant job losses and hurts the economy. Textile manufacturing is the largest private industry in Lesotho, accounting for over 30,000 jobs. When the textile industry weakens, the quality of life for Lesotho citizens declines because they depend heavily on this income. The effect of tariffs on Lesotho highlights that tariff policies should be evaluated individually instead of broadly, considering the nuanced disparities between sourcing partners and their impact on the economic, social, and political well-being.
#3 In a perfect world, US retailers would value their ties to manufacturers in small countries to protect their economies. But, unfortunately, most brands make decisions based on profit margins. It’s not the corporate responsibility of US fashion brands to support foreign economies, such as Lesotho. Still, it is a social responsibility, especially for brands that preach a commitment to ethical practices. Moral dilemmas are so difficult to classify because there normally isn’t a true right or wrong.
Your response to Q1 really stood out to me as your highlight the diversity among these countries that impact how well a country can adjust to tariffs. For more developed countries, they may have better infrastructure and an economic standing to take on these tariffs. But for less developed countries, it creates increased challenges that will have an effect on the country as a whole and not just the industry. I also really enjoyed that you highlighted how tariff policies should be evaluated individually, its a great point of discussion for policymakers in order to be more mindful of the consequences.
Lesotho depends heavily on the textile sector since it generates jobs that enable people to sustain themselves and their families. The tariffs created a chain reaction on these people who relied on their jobs to make a living. The additional 15% has had a significant impact on Lesotho’s garment workers because it led to fewer buyers, as companies and consumers do not want to pay higher tariffs, which then led to many people being laid off. U.S. fashion brands and retailers have responsibilities and should be held accountable to protect their brand image, but more importantly they should ensure ethical sourcing practices, fair treatment of workers, and long-term sustainability for the communities that depend on this industry.
Lesotho workers depend on the textile sector since it generates jobs that enable people to sustain themselves and their families. The tariffs created a chain reaction on these people who relied on their jobs to make a living. The additional 15% has had a significant impact on Lesotho’s garment workers because it led to fewer buyers, as companies and consumers do not want to pay higher tariffs, which then led to many people being laid off. U.S. fashion brands and retailers have responsibilities and should be held accountable to protect their brand image, but more importantly they should ensure ethical sourcing practices, fair treatment of workers, and long-term sustainability for the communities that depend on this industry.
In this video, we were given a short glimpse into the importance of the garment industry to Lesotho and just how much this industry does for the country. Economically, the garment industry is one of the largest manufacturing exports for Lesotho, so they need that money they are earning from trade to support themselves and their infrastructure. Socially, garment factories provide employment opportunities to local communities and pay them the wages that directly affect people and their families on a daily basis. Politically, the garment industry is important to Lesotho because of the trade agreements they have, especially with the U.S., that support the country and facilitate profits through exports that are crucial for Lesotho.
U.S. fashion brands are a major importer of manufacturing goods from Lesotho, so it is up to the American companies to do their research into where they are sourcing from and ensure there are no ethical or human rights violations occurring in their factories. Also, it is important for U.S. fashion brands to consider the fallout that would be created if they were to ever decide to move their production elsewhere, like for example because of a change in trade policy. This would be harmful to garment workers in Lesotho because they would be out of employment and a stable income to support their families. U.S. fashion brands have a responsibility to fairly compensate and care for the workers who put in so much effort to keep their company operating in the first place.