"In 2010 America imported $365 billion worth of products from China, and according to the Economic Policy Institute, the trade deficit with China has cost the United States nearly 2.8 million jobs, or 2 percent of our domestic employment."
Cline reviews the story of Knights Apparel Alta Gracia division makes clothes for Colleges. Back in the 1990s there was a widespread college protest on how these clothes were made. Alta Gracia changed their business model and started paying their employees in the Dominican Republic a living wage. They know they are paying more but feel it's the right thing to do. I guess they were tired of all the protests too. (A google search shows that Knights Apparel was sold in 2015 to Hanes. Fortunately, it did not include Alta Gracia.)
The problem with most of the manufacturing is 99% of Chinese factories subcontract. That means finding out if they are following ethical standards is near impossible.
Companies send mix messages in how they handle manufacturing. For example, H&M said they wanted the government in Bangladesh to pay more to the employees but at the same time they demanded lower prices from these same factories to "stay competitive" for the garments.
One way to know that what your buying is safe from employee abuses is to buy from a Fair-Trade Certified source. (I've found several sources for Fair-Trade clothing and will share later in future posts.)
I think the mystery as to why most of my older clothes came from China but the more recent ones from other countries was solved after reading this book. China has become a little too expensive and easier to make products (like t-shirts) that are made cheaper elsewhere. China though has the most experience and therefore is where companies go for more complicated garments. Unfortunately for workers and the environment China's population is getting interested in fashion over the last decade. They are starting to turn to fast fashion.
Next I will talk about the Documentary The True Cost.
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