The Common Threads project, Globalization, Sweatshops, and the Clothes We Wear, is designed as a study tool for students interested in the relationship between major clothing brands and the people and places where they are produced.
As a case study, Guatemala is presently a country with approximately 240 maquilas (factories) contracted by the major brands to produce clothing mostly for the North American market. This arrangement has profound implications for the workers in Guatemala, the owners of the maquilas and North American consumers. It also involves many related areas such as the environment, human rights, labour rights, women's issues, free mark trade agreements, globalization etc.
The relationship of these various areas is complicated and students are invited to view as many sides of the situation as possible in order to start to understand the implications of buying the clothes they do.