What Evah! - Chinese Factory - Not Possible!

I was commenting on a post about biodegradable sneakers, when I thought of how hard factories in China would try to make these possible. One thing about Chinese people, is that they are clever an industrious. Not that there aren't lazy or sneaky, cheating, deceitful people there, just in general, most are hard working.

I also made mention that, although you will get anything you want, not without being told that "It's Impossible".

I can't begin to tell you how many times I've been told by the workers or managers "that's impossible" or "no, we can't do that". Who taught those people that word anyhow? If you teach English to anyone Chinese, please do not teach them the word "impossible"

I've never even asked anyone at the factory anything that I couldn't do myself. So when I was told it was impossible, I would show them I could do it myself. If a carver said it was impossible, I would grab their tools, if a painter said they couldn't do it, I grabbed the paint and brushes.

Not really sure I could make eco friendly sneakers though. But even though the workers would like to complain, in the end they would always find a way to do what you wanted. I swear they just say it's impossible to make themselves look better when they finally complete the task.

I just can't begin to tell you though, how much clever and inventive ways my Chinese friends would come up with to make my wildest imaginings come true.



Images via http://www.chinaenvironmentallaw.com/2009/08/14/recyling-in-china/ and http://www.weirdasianews.com/2007/06/08/beer-sunshine-hot-water/

What Evah! - Chinese Factory - Lost in Translation

restaurant near factory

I didn't much like the movie Lost in Translation, even though I'm a Huge Bill Murray fan. Maybe it was just the state of mind I was in when I watched it, but it just seemed so, pedantic and slow. Not so funny and not so touching. I did, however really relate to the sentiment as I was on a 17 hour trip to Southern China to work in for a few weeks in a factory there. Actually you take a jet or 2 to New York and board a jet to Hang Kong and either take the ferry, a bus, or a car into China to your final destination.

To get into China you have to have a passport and a visa which you get by having a letter of invitation from the factory you are visiting and then have it approved by the Chinese Government. You also have to get a quickie health inspection to pass the border, most of the time now since SARS. Basically they shoot a temperature scanner your way, so if your temperature is above normal, no crossing the border either way. You get sick in China, you stay in China. 

So what's it like to work in China? Well imagine a bathroom with a stall that has a shelf about 6" taller than your toilet seat. And imagine crawling up on the shelf with toilet paper in hand, without touching the walls or platform because you have no idea what has touched those walls or platform. Now imagine pulling down your pants, but holding them up so they don't touch anything with the tissue in your hand. Now squat over the hole that you are balancing over on the platform 2 feet above the ground, and aim for the hole. Don't dare miss. Now try to clean yourself without dropping your pants on the platform and DON'T toss the tissue in, because that will ruin the septic. It has to be thrown in the wastebasket outside the stall with all the other soiled tissues.

no closets - no dryer - hand wash laundry hangs on balcony

Now are you ready to go to work in China? Don't laugh, I spent one solid month doing that every day. No days off. 14 hour day, but with long lunch and dinner breaks. At least for the workers. Some days they actually worked longer, and I'd leave for the day, but I'd stayed the full 14. For lunch I walked to a local restaurant with one of the factory managers. The food at the factory was not deemed "safe" for me. Not that the restaurant down the street was much better. We had the same food every day, because the other food was too scary. I tried something different and was sorry I did.

Workers were wonderful though. I just loved the people, and amazingly enough, was even able to communicate with some, with a VERY limited Chinese vocabulary. I could tell them when something was good, very good, bad, very bad and beautiful. Usually I had to just show them what finishes I wanted on what pieces by putting the finish next to a sample of the product. It took a while, but I could communicate without an interpreter eventually. I really miss those wonderful people. I did spend a lot of time with them.

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Some of the bad things were, no EPA, toxic fumes everywhere. Lighting was horrible. Heat and humidity was unbearable for me and even the AC in the office was bad. I had to work practically naked, tank top and light weight skirt or pants, and a rag for the pouring perspiration. Electricity in China is subject to the whim of the government and often off. Puts a big dent in production. I was working in R and D or research and development. Not actual production, but I did often visit other factories and see their production. 

I actually worked in many factories on China, some actually had flush toilets for visitors. But often, even restaurants had squats. Flush squats, but squats. And those are flush and run, because the whole floor flushes. Hard to describe, unless you've seen them. 

Food can be scary too, depending on the kindness of your host. Some factory owners like to screw with Americans, and it's rude to refuse anything offered. I think I've eaten everything offered to me. I even ate something from the sea that looked kind of like a trilobite or giant bug. There was no meat and it had no taste so I know the host was just screwing with us. I, being a woman often had to keep up with the men to be taken seriously. 

Picking up 3 peanuts at a time with your chopsticks and eating them is a boastful and brave feat for an American Woman. I did not, however keep up with the drinking. I did drink, but you can't out-drink the Chinese, so why try.

There are so much to tell that this is only a tiny touch on what working in China was like. 

It's kind of like these batteries that were made in China. Lost in Translation.

China vs Etsy

Cafe near China Factory 

First I want to say that I love and support Handmade, but there is a balance, I also support factory made in the US and Overseas, because we aren't all artists and we all need work.

Lately, I've been thinking about this China factory issue. I know that Etsy sellers and other indie artists on sites like Artfire and Zibbet are upset that as soon as they post a new design on their site, a China factory is copying it and ready to ship to the US. As a former product designer that worked in China factories, I'd like to give you a more global look at what is happening to you and to others like us.

I don't deny that it's a crime that can't be stopped, that other countries are copying  our designs to retail in the US at a fraction of what it takes us to produce. But is it the fault of the Chinese or any of the other countries, like Vietnam and India, who also produce for our purchasing pleasure? Not really. We ourselves are to blame. Our need to have, have, have and at the lowest cost possible is what drives this. 

Product would not be made overseas if we as a nation were not buying it. Our US companies are driving the overseas factory to watch our seller sites and copy merchandise. The Chinese have no idea what will sell here, they are directed by Americans as to what to copy. Believe me, it is true. 

The Chinese citizens are for the most part kind, hard working, and very talented people. I have been to a lot of countries for work and never have I enjoyed the people more. Like us, there are a few bad eggs, but for the most part it is a wonderful country, very different than ours, but wonderful.

There is another aspect that I would like you to consider. Like my own story, design jobs are getting harder and harder to find. There isn't a need for product designers anymore when designs are readily lifted off the internet for free. Why would a company need to pay a staff of designers? Some do as they boast in house design, many smaller firms don't care in this economy, so many of my design colleagues are out of work or finding new careers like selling craft as an indie. 

There are so may sides to the geodesic dome of life. We should all consider what is on the side we can't see.