“Made in China” really doesn’t mean what it used to

[NOHSAD]

"Among shoppers in the West, the notion persists (pdf) that “Made in China” indicates—to put it bluntly—junk. Many still prize labels boasting a product was made in, say, Italy—even if a growing number of Italian products come from factories that are Chinese-owned and staffed.
But the quality of Chinese-made clothes is rising fast. China’s garment industry has been investing in manufacturing technology and training for decades now, and its workforce has collectively gotten better at stitching and assembling garments as China makes a growing share of the world’s clothes.
There are still dim, claustrophobic sweatshops—too many, sadly. But China is also home to a highly skilled, highly specialized garment industry, one that supply chain managers of global mass-market clothing brands, and even some high-end labels, regard as offering the best mix of price, speed, and—yes—quality."

Read more:

http://qz.com/417052/made-in-china-really-doesnt-mean-what-it-used-to/

[stagename]

That's an interesting marketing problematics, i.e., how to differentiate what is good vs. bad based on your country of origin. It's great for Italian Chinese manufacturers who are piggybacking on the legitimacy of years of Italian craftmanship, but an interesting wall to climb for Chinese ones ...

[MJRH]

Japan, thirty-odd years back, supposedly underwent the same process China is currently going through, with technology and automobiles especially—any good (short-ish) reads on that, anyone? Or, insightful comments on the difference between the two scenarios? History repeats, at least sometimes...

[porthidium]

I work for a fashion company that manufactures both in Italy and China.

General consensus is that the needlework is superior from China. Unfortunately, perceived value is based upon country of manufacture - not actual skill or product.

[MJRH]

The issue is less about superior quality, which is in the main chimaerical re:country of origins, and more about ethics of production, see recent RO stuffs. Any clothes that have seriously fucked up on me have done so because of fabric, not sewing. Any more information you can give on "superior needlework" from China? Without being surprised, I'm curious about that.

[acebrotura]

Interesting read, that perception is undeniable for some in the US, but this type of improvement had to be expected at some point (like in the Japan example mentioned).

It briefly touches upon it in the article, but I still feel the most pressing issue in where garments are being produced are the environment and working conditions they're being derived from. Even China's incremental increases in wages, skills, and labor has prompted a shift to cheaper labor areas like Bangladesh (that have systemic and well-documented disregard for the protection of their garment manufacturing employees) to save their profit margins. It's a depressing dance of ethical quandaries and perceptions.