Tuesday, April 30, 2013


About clothing made in Bangladesh

 

 As is my norm, I awoke Monday morning to my local CBC Information Morning show. Lisa Drader Murphy, designer, manufacturer, retailer and proprietor of Turbine in Halifax,  was discussing the garment manufacturing industry in light of the tragedy in Bangladesh.  I listened with interest for this is a subject on which I hold many opinions!

When I was in high school I coveted a sweater set from Marich’s store.  All the in-girls in my class had a sweater set; they were beautiful and soft, made in Nova Scotia from a blend of mohair, and lamb’s wool.   The price was in the thirty dollar range; my father earned about thirty dollars a week (when he had work).  I was already working part time at McCain’s making ninety cents an hour so in theory I could have saved for the sweaters.  However the money I earned was used to supplement our meagre grocery budget, purchase toilet paper and feminine needs and buy the ingredients for school lunches for myself and my siblings.


mine was a "kitten" brand
My then supervisor at McCain’s announced a special project, a three day straight run.  I received permission to be out of school, worked the project and had an extra cheque; forty five hours work equalled one sweater set.  I made the purchase, of course I chose blue!  I wore it, I loved it, and I valued it. 
 
 
 
Shopping local offered a limited selection so my friends and I often went to Maine. One came home with a synthetic twin set, I was appalled.  While I wanted to spend less and have more I sensed that I was on the precipice of a slippery slope!  At sixteen I understood that my sweater set involved the farmer who grew and sheared the lamb’s wool, the imported mohair and the garment manufacturers who worked  where Canadians were paid a fair wage.  I would buy quality Canadian made garments.
Occasionally I would take the low road and on a trip to Presque Isle pick up a cheap garment. It never fit quite right or survived our vigorous wringer washer.  I valued my twin set and washed those sweaters by hand.  As the years progressed I thought less of clothes, it was the 1970’s and if you had a pair of jeans, a long billowy dress or two (I confess I once fashioned a dress from one of my Aunt’s good linen table clothes; without her knowledge) and sandals – you were good to go.
Then I had children, the only choice for their clothing was those displaying our Maple Leaf.  Snow suits were a necessity for children in our fierce New Brunswick winters.  We purchased Brand name suits that retailed for $100 and up, they kept the children dry and the quality was such that you were able to use that same suit for another year or for a younger child.  While Inferior suits were available, they did not darken the door at our house. My friends and I prided ourselves in having the “best” for our children.  We were all on limited budgets but quality Canadian made clothing was as important to us then as organic foods are to today’s mothers.

It was in the 1980’s that I came to the realization that not all “thinking” people shared my philosophy re well-made clothing.  I was at a party when a man complained about the cost of his shirt.  I inquired as to the price and he replied $15.00. When I responded “well, it was not made in Canada”, his retort was “who cares”?  I tried to use my illustration about working one week in the 1960’s to buy the sweaters and now he had worked only one hour to purchase a shirt, and the effect that was having on our garment industry.  It made no impact.  Most of the people at that party were union members, I attempted to rally them round.  My rally fell flat.

One by one; and in the case of Toronto, ten by ten, the garment manufacturers have folded up. While some moved off shore, many simply ceased to exist.  I bore witness to the toll; garments cut smaller and smaller because Asians could not believe North Americans could be so large.  Inferior materials and construction, no more preshrunk garments and zippers!  I went back to sewing and used fabrics milled in the US or from the UK.  Sewing is no longer possible for me, but I am still a clothing snob.  I am retired and live on a low fixed income, even at that using my teen ratio I should be paying about $600/700 for a winter coat.  I would if I could but the realities of cell phones and heating costs have hijacked my budget.

I read about the tragedy in Bangladesh and feel we are to blame. While the big name brands scurry for cover renouncing their ties to the building; meanwhile touting that their marketing campaigns advocate progressive causes.  Do not worry; you are not alone in your guilt.  The millionaire sports who purchase Nikes made in slave conditions, the retailers who have knock offs made for pennies, and me.    Yes I am guilty, for I am part of the North American society who has demanded more and more for less and less.  I will shake out my principles, purge my closets and continue to buy local.  And I just might check out the clothing from Turbine! 


Foot note; one day later as I get dressed I notice my yoga pants, purchased from Giant Tiger, are made in Bangladesh!  Do I hide them; dispose of them, write GT to protest their sourcing?   Probably none of the above, however my next purchase shall be from Penningtons.  Oh no!  I just checked the label in my Pennington’s pants and they were made in Bangladesh as well!

 
Check your  closet; are most of your clothes made off shore?  Cost before quality or quality (ie locally made) first? share your thoughts!

 

4 comments:

  1. It's hard to find Canadian made clothing but when you do the quality is excellent.

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    1. I received three Linda Lunstrom, made in Canada , garments for Mother's Day. They do still exist!

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  2. this is a comment posted on Facebook -
    Very well said Mum and sadly completely true. ( of course it is,you wrote it ...). As you know, and perhaps many of your friends and faithful Blog followers are aware, I have spent almost 30 years in retail. (Wow, that's a long time! ) the reality is that the retailers are less to blame than the consumers, in my opinion.

    A hard pill to swallow for some, but I like you, will step up and own my share of the blame. I want more for less. I remember in the early 1980's working at Tip Top Tailors ( where I would spend the next 17 years) we had the " pant wars" . Back then the " vestibule" of your stores was used to attract the traffic from the mall, Saturdays it was my job to ever so slowly inch my huge enormous rounders of men's dress pants out into the mall. My other job was to walk around and see who was selling men's pants and for what price that day, then I came back to my store, fired up my trusty marker and made a new sign, beating the competitors price ( yes folks this was how we Ad matched in the olden days! ) Tis worked quite well typically I need only lower my dress trousers by a buck or two, and I would be beating Sears and the like.

    Then everything changed. New retailers began to pop up in the late 90's and their dress pants were HALF the price! What!!! All the store mangers got on the phone and fax's ( yes we still used both those back then to communicate) and we began to report this ridiculous situation to our head office. All of the dress clothing, including suits, dress pants, sport coats etc were at that time made in Toronto. We were told, there wasn't much we could do to compete with these ridiculous prices, and so we as managers began the impossible task of trying to sell and explain to our customers why they should pay twice as much for our pants , because they were made in Canada. I recall working in the Scarborough Town Centre ( outside Toronto) and as I began my spiel the lady put a hand up and stopped me. " Really" she said. " I have 3 children, my husband needs dress pants, I have to buy groceries, my children need clothes too, so I should pay twice as much for these, and perhaps not buy groceries this week? " ....she didn't buy the pants from me, and I spent the next 20 years trying to talk people into paying more for " made in Canada". Large retailers go to great lengths to ensure that they are working with manufactures and factories that are meeting the health and safety standards. Those jobs in these developing Countries provide a living ( yes meagre) living to hundreds of thousands of employees, as much as it has taken our jobs away in Canada it has provided employment in Countries so desperately in need of it.
    Boycotting Loblaw ( one if the only True Canadian owned and operated companies left in retail in Canada ( other than shoppers and CTC) is not going to help. Not buying products made in Bangladesh, is not going to help. Making a decision that u only need one pair of shoes for a season, versus 10 in all variety of colors and styles, will make a difference. Deciding that you will save every cent you have and pay 500 for a winter jacket ( minimum) will make a difference. Only buying vehicles which are manufactured in Canada will make a difference. I believe that ship has long since sailed. The factory collapse is a horrible accident, and the owners of the building should be held accountable for their crime. The rest ( calling for boycotts etc) are social media rankings which in the end will make no difference what's so ever. IMHO.

    19 hours ago via mobile · Like..











    Valerie Bauer well said! That's my gal!

    19 hours ago · Like..













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