I recently had the opportunity to participate in a study abroad trip to Hong Kong and China with 23 other students from UNT’s School of Merchandising. The purpose of our trip was to meet with business professionals to learn, and see first hand, where the majority of apparel production is taking place.
One of my favorite factories visited in China was PanYu Denim Washing Mill, a factory that specializes in the washing and treatment of jeans. I watched as workers worked on jeans to stitch together folds, scrunched folds, steamed, and taped to create the whisker lines that we seldom take a second to think about. Next distressing was done using sand and sand paper. They used several methods for this; hand rubbing, putting the jeans on inflatable poles and using a hand sander (like you would on a piece of furniture), or to actually lay them out and blast them with fine particles of sand. The rubbing and sanding creates a softer finish while the sand blasting creates more of contrast look. Chemicals were sometimes added to the surface of the fabric to change the color of the jean. Fold, scrunch, and zip tying the jeans for a wash and dry cycle created still another effect. Ever hear the term “stone washed?” They are actually washed with stones that look similar to volcanic rock. Familiar brands being treated at this particular plant included Arizona, Miss Sixty, Les Halles, Mudd, and R. Marks.
The owner of the factory demonstrated these techniques and while it was all impressive, it was the look on the man’s face that caught my attention. His pride was evident and his beaming face was touching.
Employees work in 8-10 hour shifts and earn approximately U.S. $200-$300 per month with overtime, room and board, and food. Their work mentality is different than that of most US workers. Eight hour day limitations are resisted; these employees want to work as much as they can so they send money back home to their villages as well as trying to gain a financial edge for their future possibilities. At this first factory visited in China my preconceived ideas were shattered. There was a tremendous sense of pride throughout the factory, from the workers to the managers it was obvious they were excited to show us around and elated that we would come to see what they do and what they create, making my visit inspiring and humbling at the same time.
