General Discussion

pipi_k

(21,020 posts)

31. Here's a clue

Mon May 6, 2013, 10:23 AM

May 2013

(maybe)

The clothing company I worked at (posted somewhere above) was located in a heavily Hispanic area of a local city.

All the people running sewing machines were women.

At least 98% of them were Hispanic.

Many of them didn't have cars. They could walk to and from work, or take the bus. They were relatively uneducated (not their fault). And they were willing to work for the shitty wages that company paid.

So yeah. If it seems a lot of brown people are making our clothing, that's a pretty logical answer. Because factories go where they think they can get cheap labor.

Had that factory moved to another part of the city, the women working there might have been lily-white Irish Americans.

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Should Clothing Stores Be Required to Post [View all] MineralMan May 2013 OP

Here's an example of such a photo: MineralMan May 2013 #1

Am I supposed to look at that and think "OMG, that's horrible" Nye Bevan May 2013 #14

Exactly. Are there surprise audits? Ilsa May 2013 #23

The problem is also that we don't know the context fujiyama May 2013 #44

I've been in dozens of american garment factories, and none was ever that clean. bettyellen May 2013 #16

Haven't seen that many, but pipi_k May 2013 #29

yep, filthy, dangerous and miserable places. most of the sewers were immigrants with bettyellen May 2013 #30

One of the things that surprised me pipi_k May 2013 #34

My first job in that environment was a similar... I was having trouble sketching bettyellen May 2013 #36

the building that fell down and killed 600 people was likely pretty clean and bright too. it was HiPointDem May 2013 #32

I'm sure it was not well kept like that pic. I don't appreciate you making light of this. bettyellen May 2013 #37

you got all that from this? HiPointDem May 2013 #39

that was a nasty dose of sarcasm I "got" as did others here. A hint for you: bettyellen May 2013 #40

did you now? funny. there's no hint of my being 'appalled' & the only outrage appears to be HiPointDem May 2013 #41

just spare us your little lectures and look at the darned OP next time, okay? bettyellen May 2013 #42

I wasn't responding to the OP. and the OP was written in light of the event in bangladesh anyway. HiPointDem May 2013 #43

you were responding to posts critiquing pictures of factories. bettyellen May 2013 #45

That looks clean and bright from here. MADem May 2013 #26

the building that fell down and killed 600 people was likely pretty clean and bright too. HiPointDem May 2013 #33

Looks can be deceiving. MADem May 2013 #35

I think schools should have a sustainability and humanity curriculum at every grade level. NYC_SKP May 2013 #2

Another capital idea! MineralMan May 2013 #5

Schools don't even have Civics and gym classes any more, never mind music or art. MADem May 2013 #27

It's why my kid is at a Friends school. nt msanthrope May 2013 #28

Here's a toy factory, and an electronics factory: MineralMan May 2013 #3

It really translates to the whole "buy local" concept. bluedigger May 2013 #4

And I'm not even posting sweatshop photos. MineralMan May 2013 #7

And ALEC is pushing legislation to prohibit it in American agribusiness as well. bluedigger May 2013 #10

See "150 mile Wardrobe" NYC_SKP May 2013 #9

That is interesting. bluedigger May 2013 #15

Carbon footprint of the textile industry NYC_SKP May 2013 #19

...and here's one in New York... brooklynite May 2013 #6

Yes. That's the idea. Here's where your clothing is made, MineralMan May 2013 #8

By whom? Iggo May 2013 #17

Just post the photos and let people draw their own conclusions. MineralMan May 2013 #18

Wow. Iggo May 2013 #21

Here's a clue pipi_k May 2013 #31

And here's who is NOT making your goods: MineralMan May 2013 #11

I wouldn't trust them not to cherrypick the hell out of such photos. (nt) Posteritatis May 2013 #12

Here's a turkey farm photo for the supermarket: MineralMan May 2013 #13

That could be effective. If the following photo of free range turkeys was also displayed, Nye Bevan May 2013 #20

Free range heritage turkeys are the best. Luminous Animal May 2013 #24

And here's how it would work. Igel May 2013 #22

You're thinking of photos like these ones? Heywood J May 2013 #25

more than that PD Turk May 2013 #38