FASHION INDUSTRY ETHICS & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 

Fall 2020 FMD 255
FASHION INDUSTRY ETHICS & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
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Made in USA
Writing Assignment #2 (20 pts)
Due: 11PM Wednesday, 10/7. Submit via the BeachBoard Dropbox.
The number of clothes and shoes made in the U.S. has consistently increased over the last
several years in what could be described as a small, but growing, trend. But what does ‘Made in
USA’ really mean?
Objective: To identify the meaning of ‘Made in USA’ in practice and discuss ethical issues due to
the growth of ‘Made in USA’ trend.
Task: Write a short paper (approx. 2-3 pages) in question/answer format. Please do the
following in order.
1. According to Federal Trade Commission, what is ‘Made in USA’?
1) Made in USA Standard: Go to the “Federal Trade Commission (FTC)” website below, and
read the followings:
FTC Complying with Made in USA Standard: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/businesscenter/guidance/complying-made-usa-standard
Selling ‘American-Made’ Products? What you need to know: https://www.ftc.gov/tipsadvice/business-center/guidance/selling-american-made-products-what-businesses-need-know-about
* I have posted a summary note of the FTC Made in USA standard in our course Week 5 module > Readings.
2) Answer the following questions a-e (answers can be found in the above website. DO
NOT COPY. Rephrase):
a. Who is in charge with taking actions against false or misleading “Made in USA”
claims?
Fall 2020 FMD 255
FASHION INDUSTRY ETHICS & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Dr. Mun
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b. To use the Made in USA claim, a product must be all or virtually all made in the
United States. What does “all or virtually all” mean?
c. Does the FTC pre-approve Made in USA claims? Any potential problem that may
occur because of this?
d. What factors does the FTC consider to determine whether a product is “all or
virtually all” made in the U.S.? Be specific (2 factors were given).
e. What is a qualified Made in USA claim? Give two examples.
2. Ethical Issues related to ‘Made in USA’ claim
1) Read the following four articles:
• Special Report: Made in USA
• Making Made in USA claims? Hang your hat on accuracy
• When Made in USA doesn’t actually mean what it says
• Made in USA Proposed Rule (2020)
* The links to the above articles are also provided in our course Week 5 module > Readings.
2) Write your answers to the following questions and provide a short reflection:
a. What is the ethical dilemma seen in these articles? Any ethical dilemma faced by
manufacturers? Marketers? or Consumers?
b. What is the problem/issue that needs to be addressed? How can the problem/issue
be resolved? Would the new proposed rule (2020) help?
c. Write a short reflection (at least 200 words). Think about the following questions:
• What does ‘Made in USA’ mean to you? How important is ‘Made in USA’ to you
when shopping?
• Reflection of the readings above: What was interesting to you? What did you
learn? Any changes to your perspectives about the subject? How would this
information help you as a future professional in the industry?
See NEXT PAGE for Requirements and Grading Rubric
Fall 2020 FMD 255
FASHION INDUSTRY ETHICS & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Dr. Mun
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Requirements:
1. Paper has been proofread for English and word errors.
2. Name and date is in the header of the paper on the right side.
3. Name your file following the course guideline. [last name][first initial]_Assignment2.docx
4. Paper is word processed using 12 pt font, double space, and one-inch margins on all sides.
5. Save your paper as a .doc, .docx, or pdf file ONLY.
6. Submit via BeachBoard Drop box -> writing assignment #2
7. See the Grading Rubric
Grading Rubric:
Criteria Description Points
Quality answers Answers to questions:
• demonstrates a clear understanding of the
questions
• identifies critical issues when answering
questions
• presents a robust argument of the issues
raised by the questions
• lays out a very clear line of reasoning that
answers the question substantively.
• demonstrates depth and breadth of
knowledge
(10 pts)
Quality Reflection Reflection:
• provides description of the experience,
observation, or activity
• provides description of intellectual and
emotional response to the experience
• questions or evaluates prior
perceptions, actions, or beliefs
• leads to plans for future action
• Connection to readings and course
materials
• met word count requirement
(7 pts)
Mechanics Communicates effectively. Grammar, Spelling,
follow required format (e.g. naming of your file)
(3 pts)
Total (20 pts)