American Apparel, inc5000 Article

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No. 308 American Apparel

Los Angeles, CA

Year	2006
Founded	1998
Growth	439.9%
Revenue	$211.0 million
Employees	4000

What it does: Manufactures cotton clothing in its Los Angeles factory, selling it wholesale and through a network of 140 stores.

Why it's growing: Thanks to a rash of publicity--most of it related to the company's "sweatshop free" ethos--American Apparel is a hot brand. Founder Dov Charney misses no opportunity to remind people of his commitment to ethical manufacturing, a message that resonates with young people in urban areas. What's next: Having established a presence in most large U.S. cities, Charney says American Apparel must now look beyond U.S. markets. He expects to open 100 new stores in Europe over the next few years.

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