If I look at the tag on the back of my DKNY trench coat, I will see the name of the designer. The name stands out, it makes me look like I can afford expensive clothes (which, let's be honest, I can't), but do you ever wonder who actually made the expensive coat? Those small tags that say, "Made in Taiwan" or "Made in Cambodia" tell us a lot more than what the designer tells us. Do you ever wonder about the person who manufactured and distributed the iPhones, Lou Vuitton purses, and the expensive Nike Jordans? I know for us it's an in convenience to think of such things, but maybe to the person who made it, it was enough for them to buy food for their family that week. Sad to think about, no?
Really sad. There was a time there where I thought I would stop spending money at Walmart because so much of it is made in China. But then I attempted to lower my budget all around, so it was back to Walmart for me. I was the daughter of a small business owner (manufacturing) and now my husband owns his own business (law firm) - so I know what it means to the middle class to try to support small business. I just hate that the price difference is so outstanding. I wish there was more our government would do in the way of tax breaks for small business to boost our home economy.
I know. It's hard to avoid these days because everything has become so expensive and Wal Mart is just more convenient. It's a never-ending cycle where major corporations feed off poverty because they know poor people have no other choice. Buying locally is the ideal way to go and avoid getting your hands dirty with slave labor, but the sad part is no one can afford to buy locally. Small businesses have to be expensive in order to pay for business expenses and gain profit. Therefore it can only cater to a certain demographic of people where the rest of us go for the deals.
I know that I'm supposed to feel terribly sad, but I can't say that I do. I want everyone to have safe and humane jobs, but I also know those people in those situations also just want a job. You know, working in a chicken processing factory is dangerous as many have lost fingers and limbs, but to not work in America is a horrible thing, so I wish them safety and eventually the chance to move onto something better, but I also know they want to eat and have shelter, so that is the chance they are willing to take.
I think about them... a lot. I live in one of the countries doing the manufacturing/creating on behalf of a bigger firm. Aside from Nike, I know that most iPhones are made in China. There was a report recently that around 6 or so Chinese employees contracted cancer while working for an iPhone 6 factory in (now I'm having qualms buying the phone). Anyway Daily Mail's got the scoop:Log In.
I agree with you. I remember reading an essay about how the Clinton Administration wanted to shut down sweatshops somewhere in Bangledesh (I can't remember where it was exactly) and the people were furious. To us it might look like slave labor, but to them it's a job that puts food on their tables. They feared the sex trafficking trade would flourish and people would be forced into more horrible working conditions. I wish there was a better way for them to earn money, but unfortunately those sweatshops are what keeps things going for them. I am not suggesting we feel guilty about the clothes we buy or the things we spend lots of money on, but that we shouldn't take such things for granted and remember where they came from and who worked their butts off to make it.
I think there's really not much we can do if their own government allows people to be overworked and underpaid. It's a sad plight, and China isn't even a 3rd world country, but it's expected that major companies will take advantage of very low labor fees over there.
I think it's the factory who made my clothes. I am not that rich, or anywhere close to that level to afford someone who will make my clothes hand-made. But in part of them, the making of them are of course the designers that are hired by the companies where I shop my clothes in to design those clothes. They are also the makers. I am not sure if it would be proper to consider the factory workers for making the clothes. Honestly, I think that they shouldn't, because what I think they simply do is manipulate the machines that do the process to get the clothes done.
I do read labels, but I am not always able to choose American made goods. I shop almost exclusively at thrift stores, so at that point it doesn't really matter because that sale is a domestic sale entirely. If you can't even afford to buy new clothes, you don't really have the luxury of picking through things and finding ones made in America or countries you want to support. With other things, I do try to avoid Chinese goods because I do not like them and do not support us doing so much business with them.
Unfortunately, China dominates a majority of the things we use in the United States. Things like iPods, cell phones, etc. So it would be really hard to avoid buying or using anything made from China. Though I do wonder if there were similar jobs like that in the United States would they pay better and do you think it would help with jobs?
