Forever 21 Analysis

When shopping the average consumer does not look beyond the physical product, ignoring the production process or considering what went into the creation of the product. Forever 21 is one of the world’s leading clothing stores, with it’s headquaters in Los Angeles, CA, it is considered the fifth largest retailer in the United States making $4.4 billion in revenues (projectjust.com). As of 2015, they had 723 locations, the company employs over 30,000 people (ProjectJust.com). Forever 21 is known for their inexpensive clothing attracting a wide range of consumers, however, what is not as well known is the process they goes into their clothing. To keep their prices low, Forever 21 buys their supplies from sweatshops, home and abroad.
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The United States Labor department has been called in to investigate on more than one occasion based on claims of unfair working conditions. However, Forever 21 does not directly employ the workers in the factory, as a result they are able to avoid sort of penalty. The Labor Department is only able to penalize a company for breaking labor regulations when the company directly employs the workers (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-wage-theft-forever-ross-20161116-story.html ). While Forever 21 does not directly employ the factory workers, their business supports and keeps the factories running. Without Forever 21 constantly buying from these factories, they would not be

Their main audience is a younger audience from early teens to college age. These consumers are looking for the lowest prices and are willing to overlook the quality of the clothes because of that. Under Friedman Forever 21’s action are justified because the company is working to make the maximum profits by buying from these sweatshop factories. Conversely, Freeman would not justify Forever 21’s actions as a result of the low value of the product. The product is not only made from cheap products to increase profits but it is made from sweatshops and child labor driving the value to almost nothing. Moreover, Kant would also not be able to justify Forever 21’s actions. Kant believes that all people should be seen as equal by preying on the desperation of the immigrants and not paying fair wages the factories are diminishing their value as a human being. They are saying that they are not worth fair treatment or wages. In the end Forever 21 is a business, they are working to make money. By looking at their target age group and the fact that affordable prices keep the customers coming back it begs the question of if Forever 21 would be able to survive without buying from these sweatshop factories. If they were to buy from an ethical and fair factories their prices would begin to rise. The company would begin to lose their trademark of