Under a page headlined "Sweatshop Free Stories" on American Apparel's website is a video profile of a young Honduran man, Heber Lopez, a garment worker at one of the factories in San Antonio, Honduras responsible for producing the retailer's clothing.

In October, International Textile Group, acquired by a private equity firm a year ago, announced plans to close the storied Cone Denim White Oak plant in Greensboro, N.C. That factory was a 112-year-old shrine to bluejeans and the last major manufacturer of selvage denim in the United States.

Fashion retailer Zara says it is working on establishing a hardship fund to reimburse a group of Turkish workers who were left unpaid when a supplier factory closed down.

After a year of stagnation the luxury market has returned to growth and will likely set a new record of $1.4tr in 2017, said a study released on Oct. 25 by consulting firm Bain and Company.