Kansas City, MO — In a world where nearly nine percent of the global population lives in extreme poverty, one Kansas City-based company is taking action to make a difference. GOEX Apparel, a fair-trade clothing brand headquartered in Kansas City, is creating ethical employment opportunities for workers in Haiti, the poorest country in Latin America and the Caribbean.
According to the United Nations, around 700 million people survive on less than $2.15 a day, making the need for fair-wage jobs more urgent than ever.
GOEX Apparel’s Mission to End Exploitation
Founded on the principle of providing sustainable and fair employment, GOEX Apparel seeks to empower communities where exploitation is common and stable work is scarce.
Jessica Ray, President of GOEX Apparel, explained that the company’s philosophy centers on the transformative power of a steady job.
“To have fair-wage jobs in a place that has so much extreme poverty, so many companies leaving because they’re just not willing to deal with it,” Ray said. “The power of a job and the ability to care for one’s family through work, instead of trying to be reliant on outside aid, which in a place like Haiti just isn’t coming anymore, is absolutely life changing.”
As reported by FOX4 Kansas City, GOEX Apparel has faced significant challenges in recent years.
Rebuilding After Violence and Loss
For several years, GOEX operated a factory in Haiti that employed dozens of highly skilled garment workers. However, the facility was destroyed amid escalating gang violence, a crisis that has crippled much of the country’s economy.
After months of relocation and reconstruction, Ray confirmed that the company has officially reopened a new factory in a safer area. Once fully operational, it will employ nearly 100 Haitian workers at fair wages.
“It is light and bright, which is not normal for an apparel factory,” Ray said. “We have ergonomic chairs for our employees, we buy them lunch every day — which in essence gives them a raise of about $2 a day — and our management there is all female.”
The factory’s reopening marks a major step toward GOEX’s goal of helping rebuild local communities through dignified, fair employment.
A Message to Holiday Shoppers
As the busy holiday season approaches, Ray is urging American consumers to reflect on the real impact of their purchases. She said that while fast fashion may seem affordable, it often comes at the cost of workers’ well-being.
“If a purchase seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Ray said. “Maybe not for the purchaser, but for somebody up the supply chain. So, before another SHEIN haul, think through what that means for the person at the sewing machine, and make a choice that cares for people instead of trapping them.”
Ethical Shopping and the Future of Fair Trade
Experts say initiatives like GOEX Apparel’s represent a growing movement among ethical brands to prioritize transparency, worker rights, and sustainability over mass production and low costs.
By reopening in Haiti and focusing on female leadership, GOEX hopes to set a new standard for socially responsible business operations in regions affected by poverty and instability.
“Every purchase has power,” Ray emphasized. “The question is — are we using that power to help or to harm?”
GOEX Apparel’s continued commitment to Haiti serves as a reminder that meaningful change often begins with fair pay, safe conditions, and human dignity.
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