US Olympic Outfits

[ruby_woo]

I'm not saying this to be snarky, but it's a genuine question- is there really that large of a labour pool of sewers, cutters, patternmakers, etc., in the US these days that would make setting up a garment production facility an easy enough thing to do?

Reason I'm asking-

I head up the recruiting for a company here in Vancouver that designs and produces outdoor clothing and equipment, and roughly 30% (I believe) of our manufacturing is done in Canada. Finding people who have experience working on a production sewing floor, cutting floor, etc., isn't easy. To be blunt, these aren't really jobs that Americans and Canadians are being trained for anymore. The average person working in our factory is a 50-year female Chinese immigrant.

I don't even want to tell you how I feel when I saw the Patternmaking Manager rounding the corner with a personnel requisition form. I frequently have to source patternmakers from the US, and even then there aren't many to choose from.

And there's cost. Our 200+ factory employees mostly make above minimum wage, have health care benefits for their families, we maintain the factory to comply with all safety standards, we have lots of parties, start all employees with 3 weeks vacation, and we just renovated the lunch room and it looks fierce. We're happy to do these things for our employees because we want to be a good company to work for- and we have the awards to prove it. But these things cost money, and in order to maintain a bottom line that our parent company is happy with, our products cost more. And boy do we get complaints about the cost (along with compliments about the quality).

I can completely understand the sentiment behind wanting the US Olympic clothing to be made in the US, and I would hope that they at least tried to source a factory that would be willing to do a special production run for them. However, in my experience as an employer, running a garment factory in Canada isn't an easy thing to do- the labour pool isn't there, and consumers really do complain about the costs, even if the quality is there. And not to brag, but again we do have the awards to prove the quality.

I don't really know where I'm going with this to be honest, other than to offer the perspective of an employer that does manufacture outside of Asia, South America, etc. Sorry, I don't feel comfortable posting the name of the company because if anyone is LinkedIn savvy you could find me a minute lol.

[*Anya*]

Originally Posted by ruby_woo

I'm not saying this to be snarky, but it's a genuine question- is there really that large of a labour pool of sewers, cutters, patternmakers, etc., in the US these days that would make setting up a garment production facility an easy enough thing to do?

I snipped all but the above quote Ruby.

As included in the WWD article I posted below. The jobs were here in the US, with plenty of people to do the work, until they, little by little disappeared overseas. Would there still be folks here to do those same jobs now? We will never know because they are gone now:

"Today, just 3% of apparel in U.S. stores is made in the country, according to the Cotton Incorporated Retail Monitor™ survey. In 1960, American manufacturers produced 95% of all apparel sold here, according to STGC."

[Hollylane]

Way off topic...but...

If we don't start somewhere (companies committed to bringing jobs home, who will train US workers for the garment or other industries currently outsourced, and who receive incentives from our government to make it all a little easier), we are going nowhere.

Succinctly...If no one has a dependable income, and no hope of having security in keeping a job that you trained for and are doing well, how can the economy possibly recover?

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by ruby_woo

I'm not saying this to be snarky, but it's a genuine question- is there really that large of a labour pool of sewers, cutters, patternmakers, etc., in the US these days that would make setting up a garment production facility an easy enough thing to do?

Reason I'm asking-

I head up the recruiting for a company here in Vancouver that designs and produces outdoor clothing and equipment, and roughly 30% (I believe) of our manufacturing is done in Canada. Finding people who have experience working on a production sewing floor, cutting floor, etc., isn't easy. To be blunt, these aren't really jobs that Americans and Canadians are being trained for anymore. The average person working in our factory is a 50-year female Chinese immigrant.

I don't even want to tell you how I feel when I saw the Patternmaking Manager rounding the corner with a personnel requisition form. I frequently have to source patternmakers from the US, and even then there aren't many to choose from.

And there's cost. Our 200+ factory employees mostly make above minimum wage, have health care benefits for their families, we maintain the factory to comply with all safety standards, we have lots of parties, start all employees with 3 weeks vacation, and we just renovated the lunch room and it looks fierce. We're happy to do these things for our employees because we want to be a good company to work for- and we have the awards to prove it. But these things cost money, and in order to maintain a bottom line that our parent company is happy with, our products cost more. And boy do we get complaints about the cost (along with compliments about the quality).

I can completely understand the sentiment behind wanting the US Olympic clothing to be made in the US, and I would hope that they at least tried to source a factory that would be willing to do a special production run for them. However, in my experience as an employer, running a garment factory in Canada isn't an easy thing to do- the labour pool isn't there, and consumers really do complain about the costs, even if the quality is there. And not to brag, but again we do have the awards to prove the quality.

I don't really know where I'm going with this to be honest, other than to offer the perspective of an employer that does manufacture outside of Asia, South America, etc. Sorry, I don't feel comfortable posting the name of the company because if anyone is LinkedIn savvy you could find me a minute lol.

Ruby oh how i get this.

i feel it's rather hypocritical to demand it (MADE IN USA) on such a specific item, only because of what it represents to the rest of the world, when it is not the usual way things are done in the USA. The way the uniforms were originally ordered is just the way things are done in the USA, so i don't get why people were outraged. Will it fool people into feeling that most items in the USA are made by Americans in American factories?

How much did it cost to toss the Uniforms already made (Ralph Lauren no less) and new ones ordered? i bet it's A LOT. Would their have been a complaint had they been made in Switzerland?

[*Anya*]

Originally Posted by Cajun_dee

Would their have been a complaint had they been made in Switzerland?

Hi Dee!

Yes, I would still feel that uniforms for the USA Olympic team should be made in the USA regardless of where they were made-even if made by our neighbor and friend, Canada!

It is my personal belief that it is the very least we can do to support American businesses for the Olympics!

[Wolfsong]

Originally Posted by *Anya*

Hi Dee!

Yes, I would still feel that uniforms for the USA Olympic team should be made in the USA regardless of where they were made-even if made by our neighbor and friend, Canada!

It is my personal belief that it is the very least we can do to support American businesses for the Olympics!

I have to agree. This should not have even been anything that they had to think about. I would have thought RL could have done better for us. We look like reject French flight attendants

[jac]

To me they have that flight-attendant look to them, which btw is a great look... if you're a flight attendant!!

I think the uniforms are all too stiff for my liking. And yes, the skirts are pathetic!!

They're athletes for gripes sake. They can go out in their uniforms and warm-up suits. This should not be a freakin' fashion show and waste of money IMO... ugh!!

[chefhmboyrd]

This whole thing would not even be an issue were it not an election year; the olympic uniforms are always ugly, and gender biased, and made in a foreign country, been that way for years.

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by Wolfsong

I have to agree. This should not have even been anything that they had to think about. I would have thought RL could have done better for us. We look like reject French flight attendants

i agree as well.

The other day i made it a mission to look at items around the farm, and see where they were made. About 90% said MADE IN CHINA.

i'm in Canada, but i believe it to be the same as the states, and just feel like it's hypocritical to demand made in the USA for the Olympics when we outsource just about everything on a daily basis. The made in China uniforms were a better example of how things really are in the states, but i get that this is the almighty Olympics and we better represent ourselves well.

i would still love to know how much it cost to have the whole uniform process redone and how many starving children could have been fed with that money.

[Ciaran]

Originally Posted by *Anya*

Hi Dee!

Yes, I would still feel that uniforms for the USA Olympic team should be made in the USA regardless of where they were made-even if made by our neighbor and friend, Canada!

It is my personal belief that it is the very least we can do to support American businesses for the Olympics!

Sure, American corporate plc has already done more than enough to ensure that American businesses are supported for the Olympics.


Why worry about uniforms when, thanks to McDonalds' food sponsorship, all spectators are being banned from taking any personal food items into the stadia. Meanwhile, when we eventually get inside, we can only pay by Visa because Visa is a "preferred provider" to the Olympics which is corporate-speak for having paid out a lot of $$$ for the privilege.


The Olympic spirit is dead - it died years ago. Where the US team uniform are, or are not, manufactured changes that not one iota.

[Okiebug61]

Originally Posted by Ciaran

Sure, American corporate plc has already done more than enough to ensure that American businesses are supported for the Olympics.


Why worry about uniforms when, thanks to McDonalds' food sponsorship, all spectators are being banned from taking any personal food items into the stadia. Meanwhile, when we eventually get inside, we can only pay by Visa because Visa is a "preferred provider" to the Olympics which is corporate-speak for having paid out a lot of $$$ for the privilege.


The Olympic spirit is dead - it died years ago. Where the US team uniform are, or are not, manufactured changes that not one iota.

This saddens me! I refuse to give up the fight to do what's right. I will not win every time but if I do not try I will never know what the outcome might have been. Red said one of the best things ever to me early into our partnership. She said if you are an excuse driven person then your live will be one big excuse. I refuse to go out of this world spewing excuses.

[Ciaran]

Originally Posted by Okiebug61

This saddens me! I refuse to give up the fight to do what's right. I will not win every time but if I do not try I will never know what the outcome might have been. Red said one of the best things ever to me early into our partnership. She said if you are an excuse driven person then your live will be one big excuse. I refuse to go out of this world spewing excuses.

No one is making excuses and, if you think I am, then I would respectfully suggest that you re-read my post. Rather, all I am doing is telling it as it is and without any sugar-coating.

The Olympic Games is one big corporate-fest and it's driven by globalisation rather than pride in individual nation states. Yes, many of us will read, and get a warm glow, from stories such as that of the Lesotho team even though such coverage tends to be both patronising and condescending.

I am fortunate enough to be able to attend some of the Olympic events this summer but enthusiasm for the games here in London is lukewarm ay best. Furthermore, until a few months ago I lived on the edge of a historic park which now houses an ugly stadium that will, in all likelihood, be used during the Olympics and then rarely used again - as was the Athens 2004 experience.


You go ahead and fight for the US uniforms to be made in the USA ..... Personally, I think that the USA has many more pressing issues to deal with.

[*Anya*]

Originally Posted by Ciaran

You go ahead and fight for the US uniforms to be made in the USA ..... Personally, I think that the USA has many more pressing issues to deal with.

Thanks for that Ciaran. You are certainly entitled to your opinions as all of us are and I think we all realize that there are global issues bigger than all of us here that are worth debating.

The issues the majority of us have been focusing on in this thread are pertinent to the United States of America, the uniforms for the Olympics being made in a country not the USA, the loss of manufactiring jobs to other countries and the impact of this loss to the economy of the USA and I do believe you are a citizen of the UK, not the USA, correct?

Globalization is a topic for all. No debate on that at all. I think we recognize that. I think we also recognize that the USA has many serious issues to deal with. Our economy is a critical one.

USA Olympic uniforms not made in the USA, yes, is a topic of concern for those of us that live here and pay taxes here. The uniforms being made in China is simply a tangible symbol to those of us that are citizens of America for the loss of jobs to other countries.

Those of us that live here are certainly entitled to to discuss the importance to our economy of the loss of manufacturing jobs to other countries.

[Wolfsong]

Originally Posted by Ciaran

Sure, American corporate plc has already done more than enough to ensure that American businesses are supported for the Olympics.


Why worry about uniforms when, thanks to McDonalds' food sponsorship, all spectators are being banned from taking any personal food items into the stadia. Meanwhile, when we eventually get inside, we can only pay by Visa because Visa is a "preferred provider" to the Olympics which is corporate-speak for having paid out a lot of $$$ for the privilege.


The Olympic spirit is dead - it died years ago. Where the US team uniform are, or are not, manufactured changes that not one iota.

Well now that they allow professional athletes to compete the bloom is off of the rose for me. I watch sports that I rarely get to see otherwise (like curling, track, gymastics, bob-sledding etc).

Fortunately for Olympic attendees, McDonalds didn't completely get their way. You cannot bring your own food in, however that is the rule for most sporting, music, and theater events anyway. There are going to be around 800 other vendors serving the Olympics according to Mail Online, and commercial partners Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Cadbury, Nature Valley, and Heineken will be the only branded products sold at the games.

McDonalds did accomplish one thing that people will find to be fairly annoying.....they have engineered a ban to force all 800 food retailers at the 40 Games venues across Britain from dishing up chips (fries) because of 'sponsorship obligations.' The only loophole in the agreement, announced in a memo to staff, is that chips can be served with fish - safeguarding Britain's most famous dish. The Brits, who seem to prefer everything with chips, are bristling at the fry ruling but unfortunately for them, Mickey D's threw enough cash at the Olympics to make the ruling stick. French fries are one of their biggest money-makers (Happy Meals are actually #1)

As for the Visa thing you are 100% correct. The Link machines at Olympic Park have been disabled or moved and Visa is the only card that can be used at ATMs in the park. I'm not certain if this also applies to other vendors (such as McDonald's) but I bet that would be a fight that Visa would lose if they tried to fight it. McDonald's corporation has long been a customer of mine for the last 20years or so and I have seen them do some things over that time that just make you shake your head. (I also have not eaten fast food in years, with exceptions made for Jimmy John's and Chipotle)

Where the uniforms come from and what they look like does matter. With the unemployment rate so high, the infrastructure of the country in less that desirable shape, the economy in the shitter, and the drought having destroyed most of this year's crops it matters more now than ever. We could use a few heros right now. This is a world stage. We need to be able to stand up and feel the strength of our own resiliency. Nothing else that we are doing seems to be working.


Ok, I am going to shut-up now because the voices inside my head have now started humming America the Beautiful while I type.

[stepfordfemme]

Originally Posted by ruby_woo

Finding people who have experience working on a production sewing floor, cutting floor, etc., isn't easy. To be blunt, these aren't really jobs that Americans and Canadians are being trained for anymore. The average person working in our factory is a 50-year female Chinese immigrant.

Here's a question though, aren't these jobs that would in fact say 20 years ago, train their employees-- without the expectation that these employees come in ready with experience?

I think this is a big shift in the labour market that large companies like to complain about labour pool shortages as a way to outsource and bring in immigrant workers.They don't wish to spend large amounts of money in order to train new workers. In the past companies TRAINED employees in order to keep them, create loyalty and shape the workers that they need. The expectation wasn't that employees came ready suited for the work.

And there's cost. Our 200+ factory employees mostly make above minimum wage, have health care benefits for their families, we maintain the factory to comply with all safety standards, we have lots of parties, start all employees with 3 weeks vacation, and we just renovated the lunch room and it looks fierce.

I think people do want these jobs, but I am also from the generation where young people are applying to what seem to be "entry-level" jobs where they require insane amounts of experience/education for what is "skill-level" work. I can think back to a job that I applied to a few months ago which required a university degree for an admin assistant job!

The burden is now on the employee to fund and pay for their training to even get a job in the first place. I think that this impacting greatly why people would bother to invest a ton of money to get trained to do skill level work. I think that this was a burden that never happened to previous generations. There was a sense of company loyalty, that a company could give you a path for advancement. Don't even get me started on trying to get a company to help you to get trained to benefit them! Whole other thread right there.

I'm not trying to de-rail a thread here & I truly appreciated this post.I have some friends in recruiting and I see their frustrations as well. I believe that supporting local companies that don't outsource will foster better jobs in our communities. Skilled workers are a tenet to a solid economy, so as consumers we need to support companies that do encourage keeping jobs & manufacturing in our own countries.