Blog #1: Globalization effects on consumption

I am majoring in Apparel Design. I am learning more and more everyday about the Industry/ world I will be living going down my career path. I had taken a trip to New York this past spring to visit several companies in the industry. Out of the 16 companies, only 2 of them made all of their product “in House". Out of the whole state of NY, there are probably only 5 companies who produce product “in house”. Before the trip I took, I did not realize how many companies chose to go the route of having their products made abroad. Most all of whom I talked to would do their production in China. Not only is this a social issue considering the labor laws that they implement, but this is also disconcerting "on a personal level" with the amount of jobs that are lost because of the overseas production.

In N.Y.C. I learned more about what these companies actually accomplish here in the states while all the production/labor is abroad. The companies lose the importance of hiring seamstresses, Patternmakers, textile dyers, etc. I feel that most of the technical skills I am learning in my classes are important, and one would need to know them in order to become successful in this business. Though, with the lowered cost for production overseas, companies are losing the need to hire people for these skills. The limitations on what jobs are available to me once I graduate are astounding; and this is not based on my personal skill level that I can/ cannot provide, but rather on the opportunities that are taken from American citizens in the workforce. The need for mass production is the main cause for these actions.

The video we watched shows this in action throughout companies of all industries and statures. Nike was a company that I had always thought I would love to be a part of.  After the video, and visiting several companies in NY, I realized that I would like to be a part of a company who refuses to work outside of the country; to have everything done “in house” and let our country become dependent upon itself.


But what would happen to our relationship with china if most to all production stopped. Does America have the resources and the man labor to produce the amount of product these companies are expecting. Is our relationship with China strictly related to the amount of work we give them? How would this change affect us globally. We, America, already take so much from China as it is. You could say we abuse our power against theirs.