So I've been so busy with living, in general.I am just burned out. I know I have it better than most of the global population. Tired.
I see buttons everywhere, all shapes and sizes. They are trims I am developing for many of my customers.While zoning out, I opened my old blog and started writing. (Since no one sees this anyways....)It hit me. Thoughts. Although this industry has taught me a lot, it brings out thoughts.I can never buy at my favourite retail stores without second guessing the cost and quality. If I stand there and carry my mind in to deeper thoughts, I start thinking about who would've made this. Thank goodness I hate shopping whereas I'll move along quickly so I don't fall into deep thoughts..I only follow trends with my mind and my friends are always wondering why I don't dress up anymore.
I've said many times before, anything ending with -logy is depressing. What I've learned in Environmental Biology, Anthropology, even Sociology; has hit me as soon as I started working in this field. Being involved opens your eyes to all angles of the garment producing industry (it can just be me) I prefer buying local products for groceries and always rant about consumption; yet the hypocrisy of all this is - I myself can't live without depending on imports and non-green products. Wanting to be environmentally friendly and signing petitions for the end of unfair labor laws worldwide is just as how far my powers are (internet and sometimes some effort in actually going to these places).
Ironically, I am indirectly engaging in a similar situation or I am willingly interacting with the circumstances of my work.I am proud to announce that my overseas office does not treat genders differently or have unfair compensation. (Vietnam is still a county that has most men believing they are more important than women) What I do not know is - what happens in the factories we use. I know for certain the factories do not have child workers but I have no information on overtime or working conditions. I assure you it is not as bad as the horror stories I've heard of (one of the reasons why I pause when I look at clothing made in Bangladesh) Yes, yes.. I shouldn't base my opinion on just one case. Hence, new slang in Korea 'Ke-Ba-Ke' a.k.a. case by case.
My point was, sometimes I feel like I am helping and being a part corporations taking advantage of underdeveloped countries. If I look at this in a optimistic way as my friends suggest, it is work for me and overseas. I just hope everyone is happy.I also believe this is another cycle, it won't end. Humans have always surpassed the resource/supply value. Population is soaring and more than half the world is hungry. This reflects on my job also.
Resources are a survival for my business, we survive by having the best material cheapest as possible. Sooner or later, this industry is going to start making factories in new countries. China's wages and resource prices have been rising so a lot of factories are emerging in Vietnam. Ten years down the road, this industry will want to start elsewhere because of the same occurrence. Mexico? Cambodia? You have to calculate freight/culture/policy/safety.
