Pietra Rivoli in this book explicates the story of producing a piece of T shirt to be sold in America in term of politics, economic and social issues. She was intrigued to investigate this issue when she attended a demonstration against globalization in Georgetown University. Rivoli began her investigation with a $5.99 T-shirt that she bought at Walgreen and literally she unveiled the story behind the production of that T-shirt. Rivoli starts by tracking down the printing manufacturer of that T-shirt and this leads her to Lubbock, Texas, the place where the cotton of that T-shirt probably originates. In Part I of the book, Rivoli reveal the historical detail of American cotton industry. According to Rivoli, the American cotton industry has been strongly subsidized by the government and this is one of the reason that explain why America are still of the top cotton producer in the world. Besides high subsidy, the efficiency and entrepreneurship of the cotton farmer in the US also is one of the factor that contribute to this achievement.
After Texas, the cotton that has been harvested was shipped to China. The competitive advantage that China has in term of cheap and huge labor supply, and obedience of their worker put China as the ideal place for textile industry. Also, the implementation of hukou class system in China that prevents rural people in China to migrate to city has created a huge supply of excess labor. This excess of labor has been place in construction and textile industry. Although, the working condition there is bad and their right is limited but according to Rivoli in a way, the migration of the worker from farm to textile industry has created a sense of freedom to these workers.
Surprisingly, after travelling to another part of the world, China, the travel of Ravoli’s unfinished (without graphics) T-shirt continues to Miami or New York City. Here, her T-shirt was printed with graphics by the wholesaler or retailer and ready to be traded into the market. The reason why the T-shirt was completed in United States, rather than China is because of complex trade rules involving quota system that shape clothing and trade with China. Finished T-shirts are likely to be more quotas restricted than unfinished T-shirts, so the importer have to import unfinished T-shirts to enable them to have bigger quota and revenues.
Rivoli also discusses the role of politics in the T-shirt trading process. She explains the responsibility of politicians at Washington D.C and how they affect the trade movement of clothing industry in the United States. Due to incredible complicated special-interest rules, political affairs and trade policies, the travel of Rivoli’s t-shirt get a little bit complex here. Although the United States textile industry is declining, it continues to be very dominant because of the implementation of quota limits, high tariffs, and political influence by the policy makers here in D.C. For example, a bias and nonflexible quota system restricts the quantity of Chinese clothing items that can be imported into the United States. Indeed, Chinese imports are among those most profoundly controlled. The United States clothing trade policies are heavily influenced by representative of textile and apparel organization that want to protect the local textile industry from cheap imports from developing country that can jeopardize small American communities.
Rivoli argues that the globalization of textile industry to compete in free trade is good for everyone. For Americans, the inflow of cheap T-shirt into the country will boost their purchasing powers and incomes. For developing countries, the emergence of new factories will provide employment sand eliminate poverty that can heighten their living status. However, Rivoli also clarify that free trade “may not be the best course” in the short run because local community will be negatively affected.
The next stage of Rivoli’s T-shirt will be textile recycling. Once American consumers are done with their T-shirts, they usually will donate them to charitable organizations such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army to be recycled, in this case to Tanzania. In other cases, if the T-shirt was ragged or else damaged, it will be predestined to be shredded. Later it will be used as raw material for furniture padding and throw rugs all over the world. Finally, landfill will be the last final stop for the T-shirt.
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