Textile and Apparel Industries

Analyzing Polycrises, Moral Responsibility, and Sustainability according to The Next-Generation of El Salvador’s Apparel Manufacturing Workforce

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Abstract

Since the 2006 implementation of CAFTA-DR, Central America has become a critical hub for U.S. apparel production. While El Salvador, one of the main Northern Triangle countries, dominates in regional apparel production, it also has intensified political, social, and workplace pressures, often characterized as polycrises (Mark et al., 2023). Simultaneously, Generation Z employees entering the apparel manufacturing workforce demonstrate heightened awareness of sustainability, workers' rights, and corporate moral responsibility (Pandita et al., 2023). Guided by the Moral Responsibility Theory of Corporate Sustainability and Supply Chain (MRTCSS; Ha-Brookshire, 2017), this qualitative study explores how El Salvadoran Gen Z professionals perceive polycrises related to moral responsibility and sustainability. Using interviews, focus groups, and factory observations with early-career apparel professionals in El Salvador, findings reveal strong expectations for corporate accountability, clear sustainability goals, and opportunities for professional growth. Results expand upon MRTCSS by centering Gen Z voices within the modern apparel supply chain.

Keywords: Global apparel supply chain, international classrooms, workforce readiness, experiential learning, ethical supply chains

How to Cite:

Robertson, C. M., Kim, S. E. & Quintana, P., (2025) “Analyzing Polycrises, Moral Responsibility, and Sustainability according to The Next-Generation of El Salvador’s Apparel Manufacturing Workforce”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.22059