OT, the making of a t-shirt

[AngryScientist]

pretty interesting if you've got a few minutes. multiple "chapters".

http://apps.npr.org/tshirt/#/title

[notsew]

I've been following this on the podcast, thanks for the link to the vids.

I'm a bit bummed I missed out on a shirt with the martini-swilling squirrel.

[Liv2RideHard]

Ha! Been following this story on my commute. Been a good one and interesting. Like the last time...they bought toxic assets.

[Louis]

As long as it's cheap, I don't care what's behind the curtain.

Nor do I want to know how many Bangladeshi's had to die in workplace fires or collapsed buildings to keep the price of the t-shirt when it leaves the factory at $0.50 each, and finally sold in the US for $27.99. Don't tell me.

[ctcyclistbob]

Very interesting; thanks for the link.

[henry14]

I've been following this on the podcast, thanks for the link to the vids.

I'm a bit bummed I missed out on a shirt with the martini-swilling squirrel.

Still available. http://shop.npr.org/planet-money-t-shirt-men-s


Thanks for the link to the vids as well.

[ORMojo]

Still available.

Thanks! Just ordered one, along with a "Wait, Wait, Don't Smell Me" onesie for the upcoming new addition to the family (and we happen to be fans of that particular NPR show).

That t-shirt story is great. Although nothing like the Bangladeshi factories, closer to the Columbian ones, I have toured a couple of absolutely huge garment factories in Thailand. The production capacity was amazing. And although I prefer small-scale local economies, I have to agree that the withdrawal of garment manufacturing from Bangladesh (or any number of other similar examples) would be devastating to the people there. The TGMA (Thai Garment Manufacturers Association) is seriously concerned about . . . and yet several of its members are investing in . . . the cheaper production capacity available in neighboring Myanmar (labor costs about one-third those in Thailand), now that Myanmar has made significant movement toward democracy, stability, and, most importantly, loosened their foreign investment laws. In just the past year or so, six of the largest Thai garment manufacturers have announced, or commenced, up to $60 million USD investment in Myanmar that will create employment for up to 3,000 workers there. I know first hand that some rural Thais are nervous...

[downtube]

Thanks for posting, it has made me think about a lot of things.
chuck