Canadian designer Dov Charney founded American Apparel in 1989 while studying at Tufts University in Massachusetts. Based in Los Angeles, the brand is known for its basic knitwear including everything from T-shirts, underwear, and leggings to dancewear and lingerie. The vertically integrated company is also known for locally manufacturing its products and producing provocative and controversial advertising campaigns.

"Commerce is the key driver toward societal change. If everyone that produces the goods the world consumes starts concerning themselves with sustainable, low-impact practices, the world will change." — Dov Charney