Made in Italy, by Chinese workers

When you guys finish with your verbose diatribes about your respective levels of privilege and awareness of handmade quality in leather goods, I recommend reading a bit of David Harvey. He's about the most famous geographer out there, and a master of Marx. Read up on capitalism and the inevitable, episodic crises that occur and lead to restless capital seeking out new markets, new resources, and new labor. The spatial fix is a real ***** too.

Dear AmericanGent,

You are doubly arrogant - you pretend to speak on my behalf although unasked whilst you aid his slanderous diversion from his lack of concentration.

dear subdivide,

Who am I to criticize the intellectual accomplishments of a Harvey on circulation, obviously a very hard working member of the faculty. Nevertheless, as Neo- Marxist, a materialist prejudiced and unscientific in regard to the spiritual side of the human being. Like any other of his species, he has achieved partial insight into injustice and exploitation. Fame and master of Marx, I doubt that this Harvey is known beyond librarians and his own sect, the master of the serf is serf according to the master, these are your criteria for truth? In view of culturalgeography, your master would be ignored as too egghead where empirical materialism is true religion - remember, unconscious nominalism hears only words.



AmericanGent said:

Presently living in Europe and before this I lived in Japan.  I can tell you Americans are the worst offenders, but I believe that people are starting to wake up.  I see a movement in the US back toward local, responsibly made foods and products.  Most evident in cities like Portland and Seattle.   

For instance- I bought a coffee maker by the American brand KitchenAid for $100.  The little electric brain died after about 18 months and the coffee maker was ruined- had to throw it out.  So, I wasted money on a ****** Made in China American product because of its established brand name.  On the other hand, my mother still has the same iron she received as a wedding present in 1966.  Not just that, she has the same blender, roaster oven, hand mixer and electric carving knife- all being used for almost 50 years, which is how these name brands earned their reputation.

Out-sourcing labor to factories that are not invested in the company they work for is a recipe for disaster.  I really hope that people outgrow this trend. 

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Could it be that your KitchenAid coffee maker broke not because Chinese people lack pride in their work, but because companies deliberately choose countries with low labor costs in order to manufacture poorly made, cheap things? That is, it's poorly made by design?

China has some pretty leading engineering right now. I'm sure they could make a decent coffee maker if a company was willing to pay for its production.



Naive said:

If I purchase trousers made in Italy sold by New & Lingwood, or pochettes made in Italy offered for sale by duchamp, how can I know or ascertain under what conditions these articles have been made?

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[VIDEO][/VIDEO]



dieworkwear said:

Could it be that your KitchenAid coffee maker broke not because Chinese people lack pride in their work, but because companies deliberately choose countries with low labor costs in order to manufacture poorly made, cheap things? That is, it's poorly made by design?

China has some pretty leading engineering right now. I'm sure they could make a decent coffee maker if a company was willing to pay for its production.

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Yes, absolutely. I actually wrote more about this but erased to keep my post shorter.

Dear dieworkwear,

Your attached video doesn't answer either question I asked about how my trousers were made or the pocket squares I could possibly afford. You sent me a filmed parody about the origin of chicken in which the waitress tries to answer when questioned by two guests in a restaurant (Gilt Club, but according to Internet, new boss and lots of meat, meat, and more meat on the menu - what a Pearllite is, who hangs out there after ten pm? Cocktail heaven - I avoid alcohol, especially those under its influence.) I don't have this problem because I don't eat chicken. In Germany there is controversy about mass production of animals, including chicken, the Swiss take quality of food pretty seriously, too. I don't think your film is funny and I wonder who paid to get it done and how much it cost.
I hitchhiked from SF to Portland once, where I met a drug addict on a methodon programm and two friendly sisters who invited me to their family's ranchhouse outside the city. I imagine all of them today are very serious about the kind of food they eat. One of the girls seems to be connected with a kind of kindergarten for preschool age children.
PS: What appears as Gilt Club on Internet doesn't fit the organic claim ridiculed in this superficial and manipulative propaganda posing as amusement. It really is fiction intended to keep people stupid and unhealthy.



AmericanGent said:

http://www.saddlebackleather.com/ - (made in Mexico by skilled leather workers who are paid and treated well.)

EDIT: spelling

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do we have any proof saddleback is run and operated ethically?

this is the same company that came and blatantly and shamelessly shilled on this forum, until they were called out on it, against which they vehemently denied, until finally admitting that it was a "relative" of the owner that did the shilling, "unbeknownst" to the owner himself......

Very funny. I lived in Seattle for over 6 years so this is right on. Don't feed em.

Trompe le Monde said:

do we have any proof saddleback is run and operated ethically?

this is the same company that came and blatantly and shamelessly shilled on this forum, until they were called out on it, against which they vehemently denied, until finally admitting that it was a "relative" of the owner that did the shilling, "unbeknownst" to the owner himself......

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Proof- no. All of the articles and news pieces I have seen say yes, and I have seen nothing to indicate that it is not true. I don't know about shilling on the forum- I see that they are vendors but I have not dug through the old posts. I did read that the owner's brother does all of the social media and forums, but that's all I have heard on the subject.

EDIT: spoiler added



AmericanGent said:

Very funny.  I lived in Seattle for over 6 years so this is right on.  Don't feed em.   


Proof- no.  All of the articles and news pieces I have seen say yes, and I have seen nothing to indicate that it is not true.  I don't know about shilling on the forum- I see that they are vendors but I have not dug through the old posts.  I did read that the owner's brother does all of the social media and forums, but that's all I have heard on the subject.

EDIT: spoiler added

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it blew up here and earlier in that thread
http://www.styleforum.net/t/145269/saddleback-v-m-w-traveler/100_100#post_2586087

but the smoking guns (plural) of course predates that thread. all of which were redacted, deleted, or archived. (ive been here years before registration date).

i find it distasteful the self-styled presentation of their company as blue-collar "gee golly its just me, me dog, and me brother dave". you're selling 600$ bags out of the poorest and lowest-earning country in the OECD. get over the pretense. this disingenuity reeks from every post and article of theirs.



JubeiSpiegel said:

Anyone read "Deluxe: How Luxury Lost it's Luster"? Good stuff..,

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Yes. An excellent read, and one of the many reasons I'm outspoken against "handmade" goods that aren't hand-made at all.

AmericanGent said:

Sadly, this has been going on for quite some time- maybe 15-20 years.  I don't know for sure, but these brands were once family owned companies and they were gobbled up in the 1980s.  The truth is, hand labor is crushingly expensive- which we understand and willingly pay for.  And it's not just Italian brands like Prada, Gucci etc., but also LV and Hermes...and down the list.  These brands play up the image of an artisan lovingly making your shoes by hand, but sadly it is no longer the case.  You are paying for a dream. 

Also of concern is the fact that goods are made in China, then finished in Italy in order to legally have the "Made in Italy" tag. 

This is why I am for the most part in a "post brand name" stage of buying.  I'll spend too much money on local Neapolitan brands (while I am still living here) but never again will I spend money on Louis Vuitton, Burberry or any of those other mega-brands.  I do not desire low production cost, high-profit items wrapped in logos that have been made by people in near slavery conditions.  I'd rather have leather goods made by a small company - I will list some below.  These things are much finer to my eye than a luxury label.   I never get complements on my LV wallet or Burberry accessories, but my Saddleback stuff gets tons of questions. 

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Don't forget me. The ideal you talk about does exist, but you're right in regards to the fact that you will no longer find it in big brands. That doesn't stop them from trying, though. Simply infuriating to me.