US Olympic Outfits

[Okiebug61]

Made IN China! WTF

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/team-usa-decked-uniforms-made-china-010545973--abc-news-topstories.html

And why are the woman being dressed in skirts?

[Soon]

Made IN China! WTF

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/team-usa-decked-uniforms-made-china-010545973--abc-news-topstories.html

And why are the woman being dressed in skirts?

I wonder if the women can choose pants or a skirt? Hope so. :blink:

[Linus]

Did anyone look at the prices of those things?! $800 for a blazer?! Really?

The Canadian Official Olympic apparel, sold by Hudson's Bay, is also made in China. I think that's the unfortunate reality.

[Toughy]

Thanks to Mitt Romney and Bain Capital for starting the off shoring of US manufacturing jobs this is the reality. I am amazed anyone is surprised. Where do you thing your clothes and shoes are manufactured?

I think there needs to be a letter writing campaign (to US Olympic Committee) about the women in skirts stupidity if there is not a slacks/pants option.

[The_Lady_Snow]

Looks like for the 2014 Winter Olympic Ralph Lauren uniforms will be U.S. made, it's to "late" to redo the stupid ones that they will wear soon.

:| BOO!

[SnackTime]

Looks like for the 2014 Winter Olympic Ralph Lauren uniforms will be U.S. made, it's to "late" to redo the stupid ones that they will wear soon.

:| BOO!

I heard on ABC World News that there are U.S. companies who employ U.S. citizens that could still make the uniforms in time for the Olympics however, I am tired so perhaps I misunderstood the statement...

[The_Lady_Snow]

I heard on ABC World News that there are U.S. companies who employ U.S. citizens that could still make the uniforms in time for the Olympics however, I am tired so perhaps I misunderstood the statement...


Yes, BUT they would not be "Ralph Lauren", I suspect money trail.

[Andrea]

I find the uniforms very old fashioned and an insult to women.

[LaneyDoll]

Personally, I do not like the outfits. Now, though it is atypical of me, I do not mind the "Made in China" part but only because the Olympics are about bringing the world together in the spirit of competition. What I do mind is that they were made in China where the workers are paid a pittance and yet the "replica" uniforms are being sold for unreal amounts.

To me, the outfits look like something a stewardess would have worn, back in the day.

:sparklyheart:

[*Anya*]

I find it profoundly sad that it was not too terribly long ago that clothing was still made in the USA.

That the US Olympic team bought uniforms made in China instead of the USA blows my mind.

I know I am old but I still have some clothing I bought in the early 80's that still looks new, that has the Ladies Garment Workers union label inside.

Let's see if clothing not made in the USA can last that long and still look good almost 30 years later!

I still remember these commercials too. Anyone else that can still sing along?:blush:

7Lg4gGk53iY

[homoe]

To bad Ralph Lauren isn't more interested in proudly displaying a "Made in America" label on his clothing than farming out jobs that save him millions in wages~

[Ciaran]

Let's see if clothing not made in the USA can last that long and still look good almost 30 years later!


Leaving aside the issues of whether the US team's clothing should be made within the USA and the styles, there's absolutely nothing that is intrinsically superior to clothing (or other goods) manufactured in the USA than any other part of the world.

I've purchased many items of clothing made in lower cost parts of Asia that are of very high quality and, in many instances, much better than most clothing manufactured in the USA (or the UK or continental Europe for that matter).

[Okiebug61]

Leaving aside the issues of whether the US team's clothing should be made within the USA and the styles, there's absolutely nothing that is intrinsically superior to clothing (or other goods) manufactured in the USA than any other part of the world.

I've purchased many items of clothing made in lower cost parts of Asia that are of very high quality and, in many instances, much better than most clothing manufactured in the USA (or the UK or continental Europe for that matter).

Are the workers who make these clothes paid well?

[*Anya*]

Leaving aside the issues of whether the US team's clothing should be made within the USA and the styles, there's absolutely nothing that is intrinsically superior to clothing (or other goods) manufactured in the USA than any other part of the world.

I've purchased many items of clothing made in lower cost parts of Asia that are of very high quality and, in many instances, much better than most clothing manufactured in the USA (or the UK or continental Europe for that matter).

1. As a citizen of the USA, I stand by my belief that outfits for the USA Olympic team should be made in the USA. Besides the fact that it supports the workers in our/my own country, I feel the employers in our/my country should keep jobs in this country.

2. If you have also had clothing that you bought in the early 80's, in China, that still looks good as new today and that you still are able to wear today-that is outstanding.

My personal experience has been different than yours.

[Ciaran]

Are the workers who make these clothes paid well?

My post made no reference to the remuneration of clothing employees in Asia - rather, it was to counter a post that implied that items produced in the US were superior to those produced overseas.

Most of us are aware that outsourcing / offshoring is primarily to reduce costs so I'm not going to try to argue that those who work in offshoring roles in Asia are well paid and, similarly, most of us are aware of "sweatshops", poorly regulated, that exist across much of Asia.

That said, last time I looked, many US workers in the garment industry weren't well paid and, furthermore, with the cost of living in the US, you'll find that the quality of lifestyle of many full-time workers in the US is often not much better (and can be worse) than those in comparable roles in much of the developing world (BRIC nations and the Next Eleven).

[Hollylane]

Even Ralph Lauren's sketches show all the women in dresses or skirts. WTF? How am I supposed to show pride in my country(the one these athletes are representing), when our athletes are forced into little gender suits with a Ralph Lauren label displaying "made in china"??? Is this my country? Really? Grrrr...

[Ciaran]

1. As a citizen of the USA, I stand by my belief that outfits for the USA Olympic team should be made in the USA. Besides the fact that it supports the workers in our/my own country, I feel the employers in our/my country should keep jobs in this country.

2. If you have also had clothing that you bought in the early 80's, in China, that still looks good as new today and that you still are able to wear today-that is outstanding.

My personal experience has been different than yours.

No issue with you wanting jobs kept in your own country or supporting workers in your own country. I feel the same way but about my own country, not about the USA.

Rather, my post related to your comment about quality of clothing. I don't have any 1980s clothing from China and, being honest, I don't really want any as it's probably not my fashion. Furthermore, I'd prefer not to retain clothing for 30 years.

However, your post implied that "clothing not made in the USA" was somehow inferior to clothing made in the USA and that's simply not the case.

I buy a lot of clothes and, in my experience, the quality of clothing from China or the Philippines can be exceptionally good whereas the quality of clothing from the USA can be extremely shoddy and vice-versa.

If you want to bury your head in the sand and think USA manufactured clothing is necessarily better than clothing that originates overseas then so be it.

[Okiebug61]

http://www.americansworking.com/clothing.html

[Hollylane]

My post made no reference to the remuneration of clothing employees in Asia - rather, it was to counter a post that implied that items produced in the US were superior to those produced overseas.

Most of us are aware that outsourcing / offshoring is primarily to reduce costs so I'm not going to try to argue that those who work in offshoring roles in Asia are well paid and, similarly, most of us are aware of "sweatshops", poorly regulated, that exist across much of Asia.

That said, last time I looked, many US workers in the garment industry weren't well paid and, furthermore, with the cost of living in the US, you'll find that the quality of lifestyle of many full-time workers in the US is often not much better (and can be worse) than those in comparable roles in much of the developing world (BRIC nations and the Next Eleven).

I hear that you are saying that you are aware about the pay and treatment of outsourced workers.

While they are saving money, those savings are not showing up in the costs of these outfits, and we are not saving face in the eyes of the world by participating in giving more jobs to a country who so obviously does not care about their own people, our people, or the environment. In my opinion, by doing this, we are becoming a country of people who doesn't care about our people (jobs, even temporary ones are better than no employment opportunities), their people (workers who are forced to work for pennies, forced to work long hours, threatened, forced to live in unsanitary living quarters...etc...etc), or the environment (we do not hold their factories to the same standards of our own).

Is this the face of America? I hope not. I think it is the face of American Corporate Greed. It is a side of America, but not one that I'd like to see so prominently and shamelessly displayed at the Olympics.

As far as quality goes, I don't need to claim that American made clothing is better than what is produced in any other country. But, I will say that in my experience, most of the clothing I have ever purchased that was made in China, has not been of the best quality, and rarely keeps its shape or color through a few washes.

As a personal choice, I do not want to purchase anything that is made in another country that has something on it about our country. To be clear, I mean that I try not to purchase a Mt St Helen's sweat jacket, that is made in another country. If I want a memory of Washington, I'd like that article of clothing to at least be American made. It just doesn't carry the same memory value otherwise.

Admittedly, I just went into my closet and discovered that I am sometimes a hypocrite when it comes to my choices. I guess I have to work harder at sticking to my guns when it comes to my tourist type purchases.

[Okiebug61]

I'd like to get back to the original subject please! If anyone wants to argue about who's country or what country makes the best clothes then please start your own thread.

[*Anya*]

**I believe that we are allowed to take the topic in any direction we deem appropriate unless a moderator or admin tells us otherwise**

From Women's Wear Daily

Global Sourcing Spinning Faster
Cotton Incorporated

One of the major factors in the country's stubborn unemployment numbers is the loss of manufacturing jobs — 5.6 million in the last decade. All the off-shoring paired with the still-tenuous economy has given momentum to U.S.A.-made product, including apparel.

Government figures show the textile and apparel industries in particular lost more than a million manufacturing jobs in the last decade. More than a quarter-million positions went to China alone, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

Congresswoman Jackie Speier, D-CA, says for America to continue to be strong, the country has to invest in it. She's been active in supporting Make It In America (MIIA) legislation, and has hosted an MIIA exhibit for two years at her district's county fair.

"There's no question Corporate America has the right to manufacture wherever it wants,” Speier says. "We're just trying to create incentives and value to manufacturers here in the U.S.," she says in describing the MIIA legislation. "But I think as salaries in China increase, and demands for work safety and transportation costs increase there, many apparel manufacturers will realize there's a value to making their product in the U.S."

More than half of all consumers (55%) say it is "very or somewhat important" that the apparel they buy is made in the U.S., according to the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor™ Survey. Consumers age 35-to-70 are significantly more likely to feel that way (66% versus 40%).

Erica Wolf, executive director of Save The Garment Center (STGC), a trade association devoted to promoting New York City's Garment District, says a major step in fulfilling this consumer preference depends on the corporate mindset.

"It has to be a concerted effort by a company," she says. "You have to want to change your business model. You have to see the value of producing something locally and what that does for your community."

That is where the MIIA legislation could help. Among other things, it expands lending and offers tax incentives to small businesses; preventing the outsourcing of U.S. jobs by closing tax loopholes for companies that send jobs overseas.

"I hope there's something behind it," says Warren Brand, co-owner of M&S Schmalberg, a custom fabric flower manufacturer in New York's Garment Center since 1919. "We've been doing this a long time and it's really hard now. There are girls here that are not working or leaving early because we don't have the work. We're paying bills, taxes and hiring union employees. I hope the government changes things, or styles change or something brings us back to where we need to be."

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.

Roger Cohen is CEO of Regal Originals, a specialty trim stitching company and Scrub/ink, a hospital scrubs manufacturer. At one time, the company, which Cohen's father-in-law began Regal in 1950, took up two full floors. Today, it takes up only half a floor in the Garment District.

"Save The Garment Center is building awareness about the consequences of not purchasing products made in America and not supporting American workers. In industries like ours, we employ minority groups, and these groups are now hit with tremendously high unemployment — up to 20% percent in some areas. So in this economy, this legislation can only help."

Cohen suggests a campaign demanding manufacturers bring production back to the U.S. "You don't have to bring back 100% today. But bring back 5% this year and five years from now bring back another 15%, and slowly build up the economy with manufacturing."

Regal's Kenny Marvin, salesman, says the industry suffers from the mindset that it's too expensive or there aren't the facilities to produce apparel in the U.S.

"Anything that can be made overseas can be made here. And you have control. If something is going wrong in the cutting room, a domestic production manager can make a decision to cut it or not. If it's in China, and someone isn't really watching it, they're going to cut and sew it — and you're going to own it. Business is suffering because of the economy, but also because of some of the product in stores."

Six out of 10 shoppers agree U.S.-made apparel is higher in quality than clothes imported from other countries, according to the Monitor. And among those who say it is important to buy U.S.-made apparel, 87% say it is because they prefer to support the U.S. economy.

Braden Kelley, author of Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire and pull marketing strategist, says the tenuous economy has definitely fueled Made in the U.S.A. momentum.

"We've been inundated by goods made in other places long enough to learn that sometimes paying a little bit more for something made in America can actually save us money, help the environment and our fellow American at the same time." Speier cites the economic stat that says if everybody spent $64 on U.S.-made product, 200,000 jobs would be generated.

"I, for one, am going out of my way to buy American-made garments," Speier says. "And it isn't easy to find them. But if consumers demand them, it means jobs. That boosts the economy and raises all of us."

http://www.wwd.com/markets-news/textiles/when-jobs-come-marching-home-again-made-in-the-usa-movement-gathers-steam-6039040

http://www.americansworking.com/clothingwomens.html

[Okiebug61]

I believe we are one of if not the only country who's Olympic Team is privately funded. So with all the outrage about the uniforms being made in China. Does our government have the right to try to legislate where the uniforms are made. I thought the outrage was very interesting and wonder how many of our representatives where clothes made in China.

[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*]

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?

[Ciaran]

I hear that you are saying that you are aware about the pay and treatment of outsourced workers.

While they are saving money, those savings are not showing up in the costs of these outfits, and we are not saving face in the eyes of the world by participating in giving more jobs to a country who so obviously does not care about their own people, our people, or the environment. In my opinion, by doing this, we are becoming a country of people who doesn't care about our people (jobs, even temporary ones are better than no employment opportunities), their people (workers who are forced to work for pennies, forced to work long hours, threatened, forced to live in unsanitary living quarters...etc...etc), or the environment (we do not hold their factories to the same standards of our own).

Is this the face of America? I hope not. I think it is the face of American Corporate Greed. It is a side of America, but not one that I'd like to see so prominently and shamelessly displayed at the Olympics.




I think that this is a fair post.

That said, most of the world associates the USA with corporate greed and this isn't something new. The fact that US athletes will wear clothing made in China won't make any difference whatsoever as to how the USA is perceived externally.



As far as quality goes, I don't need to claim that American made clothing is better than what is produced in any other country. But, I will say that in my experience, most of the clothing I have ever purchased that was made in China, has not been of the best quality, and rarely keeps its shape or color through a few washes.


I spend a lot of money on clothing - much of which is designer labels, relatively expensive and manufactured in lower cost parts of Asia - including Ralph Lauren but the Ralph Lauren experience is by no means unique. Most higher-end fashion labels are also outsourced to lower cost parts of the world. In my experience, there's cheap and nasty, low quality clothing from Asia but, equally, very high quality clothing. Something of an over-simplification but you get what you pay for.

As for cost reduction of any outsourcing being passed on to the end consumer? Of course not. This is because a) it doesn't fit the corporate rationale for outsourcing which is to drive further profitability (i.e. it's about cutting costs, not prices) and b) in practice, outsourcing actually saves very little money as it gives rise to considerable supply chain issues. Ultimately, we're now starting to see a trend against outsourcing with supply chains being brought back into domestic economies.




As a personal choice, I do not want to purchase anything that is made in another country that has something on it about our country. To be clear, I mean that I try not to purchase a Mt St Helen's sweat jacket, that is made in another country. If I want a memory of Washington, I'd like that article of clothing to at least be American made. It just doesn't carry the same memory value otherwise.


Good luck with this. In my experience, having visited multiple "tourist" locations across the USA, the vast majority of clothing and souvenirs at these places are manufactured overseas and most of it is, in my opinion, nothing more than tatt.

This isn't unique to the USA - it's the same here in the UK too and also continental Europe. You'll find the typical sweat jacket follows a cookie cutter pattern and the only difference being the words inscribed and the colours used .... but they are sourced from the same factories where workers have never been to Mt St Helens, nor would most of them know where it is and, more so, wouldn't care either.

[Ciaran]

Does our government have the right to try to legislate where the uniforms are made.

Legally, yes. Personally, however, I would have thought that there are much more important issues to be legislating on than where Olympic uniforms are made.



I thought the outrage was very interesting and wonder how many of our representatives where clothes made in China.

I would be astonished if a single member of your Senate or Congress had not previously worn multiple items of clothing manufactured in Asia.

[*Anya*]

There are many online resources for buying American-made products.

Here are only a few of them:

http://www.howtobuyamerican.com/index.php

http://www.buyamericanmart.com/

http://abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=13057404

http://www.devvy.com/made_inthe_usa.html

[StillettoDoll]

http://urbanchristiannews.com/ucn/official-TEAM-USA-opening-ceremony-parade-uniform.jpghttp://rlv.zcache.com/vive_la_france_french_flag_francophiles_postcard-p239071785686631599envli_400.jpg

I really don't like the uniforms , the uniforms look a little on the" French style" . I mean it looks like it would be more suited for France! Berets? Whats up with the Beret hats? And that scarf on the women ugh!!!! Totally french


http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTap4A2N-FqC9nVvEjUtM6pVI1tIk9STvRpD4qYfyuIBcPla4yG:www.fee ling-flirtatious.co.uk/images/smiffys-33124.jpg

[girl_dee]

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?

[girl_dee]

http://urbanchristiannews.com/ucn/official-TEAM-USA-opening-ceremony-parade-uniform.jpghttp://rlv.zcache.com/vive_la_france_french_flag_francophiles_postcard-p239071785686631599envli_400.jpg

I really don't like the uniforms , the uniforms look a little on the" French style" . I mean it looks like it would be more suited for France! Berets? Whats up with the Beret hats? And that scarf on the women ugh!!!! Totally french


http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTap4A2N-FqC9nVvEjUtM6pVI1tIk9STvRpD4qYfyuIBcPla4yG:www.fee ling-flirtatious.co.uk/images/smiffys-33124.jpg


IMO they are so gender biased that i can't stand it.

[stepfordfemme]

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.

[Sparkle]

It's the Olympics, not the Hunger Games...I don't need our athletes to spontaneously combust or be bedazzled.
I actually think the design looks professional, crisp and smart.
So long as female athletes can choose between the skirt and the trousers, I'm fine with the outfit.

As to manufacturing jobs moving to Asia... Um.... that started happening in the 1960s, Folks. And there is a very good chance that 90% of YOUR wardrobe was made overseas.

I grew up in an area of NY State known for producing high quality leather goods (specifically gloves), our region was economically decimated by the loss of leather manufacturing jobs that began in the 60s and was complete by the late 80s.

While our area has been economically destroyed - it was HUGELY improved, environmentally. And statistically the rate of carcinoma in the population has vastly decreased.

I'm all for encouraging our companies to keep production in the US, I'm also all for improving the working conditions and wages in Asia. ...Apple. Gap. Dell. to name but a few...

But the problem, as I see it, is that while all of these manufacturing jobs have been shipped overseas and a whole generation of people left without jobs....we have, on the whole, failed to invest in public education, failed to invest in re-training our workforce, so now we are working on a second and third generation of under-educated workforce without a lot of hope of earning a livable wage.

Invest in education, invest in skills training, invest in alternate energies and emerging industries.

[*Anya*]

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!

[The JD]

I had to take a look at what other countries' athletes will be wearing at the Olympics, and I'm seeing an emphasis on women in skirts across the board (world?). Perhaps a designer conspiracy? There seems to be a preference for the spiffy blazer look as well (The US team uniform makes me think of yachts and cocktails). Here are some of the other Olympic uniforms I've found:


http://www.canada.com/sports/2012-summer-games/6912984.bin?size=620x400
Australia: perfect attire for the PGA tour!


http://www.canada.com/sports/2012-summer-games/6913121.bin?size=620x400
Korea: They get my award for the most unisex uniforms. So what separates the men from the women? Argyle socks, of course! And EVERYONE gets a purse! :)


http://www.canada.com/sports/2012-summer-games/6913133.bin?size=620x400
New Zealand: Um, wow. Really?!


http://www.canada.com/sports/2012-summer-games/6913157.bin?size=620x400
United Kingdom: They get my award for Best Dressed Lawyers.

http://www.canada.com/sports/2012-summer-games/6913109.bin?size=620x400
Jamaica: By far my favorite uniform. They look like super heros, which is, I would think, how Olympic athletes should look. And don't look for the corporate designer names here. The uniforms were created by Cedella Marley...that's right, Bob Marley's daughter. How cool is that??

[Wolfsong]

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.

[Ciaran]

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]

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.

[LaneyDoll]

http://www.canada.com/sports/2012-summer-games/6913157.bin?size=620x400
United Kingdom: They get my award for Best Dressed Lawyers.



Thanks for sharing these. I actually like these uniforms. They look clean, classic and truly look as if they could fit in multiple scenarios.

Great job UK!

:sparklyheart:

[Ciaran]

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.

[Ciaran]

Thanks for sharing these. I actually like these uniforms. They look clean, classic and truly look as if they could fit in multiple scenarios.

Great job UK!

:sparklyheart:

I actually really like the South Korean uniform but the UK one isn't bad. The UK's kit is designed by Stella McCartney but not sure about the uniform.

Personally, I'd love a Jack Wills-designed uniform for the UK.

[Wolfsong]

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.

[*Anya*]

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.

[Ciaran]

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?

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.


That is correct. I am a United Kingdom citizen and very proud to be British. There are few things more important in my life than my Ulster - British heritage.

However, I didn't know that meant I couldn't comment on issues pertaining to the United States, nor that my viewpoint was necessarily inferior as a result.

That's certainly what the above implies - not sure whether I'm meant to take offence at that or not but, let's just say that I'll retain my right to post on topics that I wish to contribute to and, if you have a problem with that, solve it by putting me on ignore.

[Wolfsong]

That said, most of the world associates the USA with corporate greed and this isn't something new. The fact that US athletes will wear clothing made in China won't make any difference whatsoever as to how the USA is perceived externally.



Well....right now 100% of all US military uniforms are made in the USA.... Georgia in fact. I wonder how fast the perception would change if we stayed at home where we belong, and let the rest of the world deal with their own shit while we deal with our corporate greed.

[UofMfan]

The uniforms for the 2002 Winter Olympics, you know the ones Mitt left Bain for and retired "retroactively" from to "save", were made in Burma, which until last year were controlled by a brutal military regime.

See article here (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/16/mitt-romney-olympics-outsourced-uniforms-burma_n_1677791.html).

"According to reports in 2002, the decision to outsource the torchbearer uniforms to Burma caused an uproar among human rights advocates and trade groups. It prompted the head of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions to write a letter to the International Olympic Committee, stating that "No responsible organization or body should make use of products originating in Burma."

No wonder Candidate Romney has remained silent during this year's controversy.

So yeah, this isn't new. Perhaps what is new is more sources of information are easily available for the average "Joe", without having to actually pick up a newspaper or a magazine to do so.

[Wolfsong]

Well....right now 100% of all US military uniforms are made in the USA.... Georgia in fact. I wonder how fast the perception would change if we stayed at home where we belong, and let the rest of the world deal with their own shit while we deal with our corporate greed.




Ciaran,

I'm apologize if my post had a bit more pepper than I'd intended. It was not aimed at you personally and I can see re-reading it that's exactly what it looks like.

It's very frustrating for me to see Americans step over other Americans that are hungry, homeless, and unemployed to help people that do not want our help or appreciate the efforts. Although the rest of the world may not see it, it matters very much to those that live here where those uniforms are made and this is why....

Ly2xMmJ5uHs&feature=related

Detroit is 254 miles from here and it's as if it does not exist and what's happening to the people there does not matter to anyone but them. 254 miles and it could be us....508 miles and it could be St Louis. You see, it means so much more than simply where uniforms are made.

This shit matters

It matters a lot

[Okiebug61]

I will always believe if you provide jobs for people those people will work. I have full faith that our textile industry would have more than stepped up to the plate and made our Olympic uniforms at an affordable price. IMO Ralph Lauren is a joke. His designs are archaic and nothing more than bringing long ago items from different decades and mix matching. A double breasted jacket is a double breasted jacket.

I would have like to seen something funky and fun maybe a throw back from the 70's. OK I am aging myself but seriously the funky clothes rocked!

[EnderD_503]

Ugh, the rampant and arrogant American nationalism that has gone on in this thread is somewhat...nauseating.

As far as my own opinion, I really don't care if my nation's Olympic uniforms are made in Canada, China or Bangladesh. I come from an athletic background. Played sports all my life, have tremendous amount of respect for the dedication and talent many athletes have. But an event like Olympics these days is nothing short of hypocritical. The slogans talk about "bringing the world together," being "anti-racism" and ending barriers of discrimination. Bullshit. It's entirely corporate and being corporate is all about maintaining barriers of discrimination where they benefit making profit.

The uniforms for this year's Olympics are in many ways very fitting for that reason. Very Western capitalist on top of disrespecting female athletes. To me many of the styles look like American military uniforms...and that's pretty scary. And yeah, the women in skirts/gender division...not surprising, but it's been a while since the Olympics have been that overt about their sexism. Now let's see if they challenge anyone's status as a woman again this year. Maybe they can ruin another female athlete's career. They're already off to a great start by banning the Iranian women's football team and further victimising Iranian women and claiming to do so in defense of "secularism" and "leaving religion out of the Olympics." When you ban a team of Muslim women from Iran from the Olympics...you definitely ain't leaving religion out of it.

I support the athletes, but I do not support the IOC, the Olympics as a corporation, as an institution (and that includes the very institution that produced these uniforms), the blind nationalism that the modern Olympics promote, nor the promotion of normative bodies and the discrimination of bodies that are the sites of patriarchal anxieties.

I wonder how fast the perception would change if we stayed at home where we belong, and let the rest of the world deal with their own shit while we deal with our corporate greed.

And of course, someone has to come out with the "rah rah, we save the world from everything" bullshit. Get over yourselves and your militaristic, paternalistic imperialism that you call "foreign relations." It's honestly revolting.

Are the workers who make these clothes paid well?

Are they paid well in the US? Typically, no. American minimum wages are...shocking at best. In Ontario, minimum wage is $10,25 and even then it can be difficult to survive on that. In the US there are States that don't even have a minimum wage, and those that do are often ridiculously low. Additionally, who are the Americans working in clothing factories? Do you not realise that an overwhelming majority of the people working in factories in North America are migrant workers, so-called "illegals," and recent immigrants? And what do you think these factories look like?

If the poor wages that Chinese workers receive making these uniforms is one of your primary concern, you should be turning to the horrid wages in your own nation as well. Because chances are those uniforms, if made in the US, would be made by the US's most disadvantaged demographic, namely recent immigrants, migrant workers and those without "legal" status.

Why is it so important that these uniforms be made in the US? So you can support the inhumane treatment of disadvantaged workers on US soil rather than on foreign soil? Sorry to sound snarky, but it's true.

That said, last time I looked, many US workers in the garment industry weren't well paid and, furthermore, with the cost of living in the US, you'll find that the quality of lifestyle of many full-time workers in the US is often not much better (and can be worse) than those in comparable roles in much of the developing world (BRIC nations and the Next Eleven).

Exactly.

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.

QFT

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."

They may have been, but if the US industry was anything like it was in Canada in 1960, then you'd still have people like my grandmother making up a large demographic of the workers there. Meaning poor, recent immigrant, very little spoken English, worked to the bone to try to support a family, very few recognised rights. Let's wake up a little and see who's really working minimum wage, factory jobs in the majority of the world's nations, and that includes North America.

Is this the face of America? I hope not. I think it is the face of American Corporate Greed. It is a side of America, but not one that I'd like to see so prominently and shamelessly displayed at the Olympics.

Very much so. That this is surprising to anyone boggles my mind.

I can understand the sentiment behind buying products made in your own nation. I used to think that way as well, thinking "well, I'm a poor fucker and they're a lot of other poor fuckers in Canada. Jobs can be hard to come by, so let's make more jobs." Heh... yeah, but either way the jobs being made are low paying jobs that use human beings as cash cows. As a low income worker you are always expendable, and whatever rights the government affords you (if you are lucky enough to be given status at all and not forced to work under the table to avoid being deported) don't matter because in non-unionised jobs rights mean nothing. You stand up for yourself and you get fired or warned or worse. The sad reality that nationalist sentiment overlooks.

http://urbanchristiannews.com/ucn/official-TEAM-USA-opening-ceremony-parade-uniform.jpghttp://rlv.zcache.com/vive_la_france_french_flag_francophiles_postcard-p239071785686631599envli_400.jpg

I really don't like the uniforms , the uniforms look a little on the" French style" . I mean it looks like it would be more suited for France! Berets? Whats up with the Beret hats? And that scarf on the women ugh!!!! Totally french


http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTap4A2N-FqC9nVvEjUtM6pVI1tIk9STvRpD4qYfyuIBcPla4yG:www.fee ling-flirtatious.co.uk/images/smiffys-33124.jpg

Um, seriously? That's your complaint? The uniforms look "French" to you? Oh how horrid that would be! [/sarcasm]

Seriously, people. Are we really so ready to buy into a competition that is essentially corporate greed that tries to mask itself as "embracing diversity" and "promoting good sportsmanship between nations"? Overall, I think there are more important things to worry about that might actually make a difference in people's quality of life.

[Ciaran]

Ciaran,

I'm apologize if my post had a bit more pepper than I'd intended. It was not aimed at you personally and I can see re-reading it that's exactly what it looks like.

It's very frustrating for me to see Americans step over other Americans that are hungry, homeless, and unemployed to help people that do not want our help or appreciate the efforts. Although the rest of the world may not see it, it matters very much to those that live here where those uniforms are made and this is why....

Detroit is 254 miles from here and it's as if it does not exist and what's happening to the people there does not matter to anyone but them. 254 miles and it could be us....508 miles and it could be St Louis. You see, it means so much more than simply where uniforms are made.

This shit matters

It matters a lot

No apology is necessary Wolfsong. I understand that there are key issues at play here and it's right and proper that they are debated. The issues are far from being unique to the USA i.e. here in the British Isles, we have similar issues and, whilst I live in London, my home city is Belfast.

Belfast was one of the manufacturing powerhouses from the late 19th century, linen, shipbuilding, heavy industry etc but this has been decimated over the past two generations with much of that due to outsourcing to lower-cost economies.

Similarly, while whole regions of the USA are in economic decline (rust bucket areas, in particular), that's not dissimilar to the UK where economic activity is much lower in the northern part than in the southern part (Greater London)

I'm well aware of Detroit and it's structural issues - in part because I've an interest in some of the revitalisation that occurred in the mid 2000s with some of the great 1920s art deco buildings being revitalised. Of course, short-term urban planning added to by further economic decline has eroded much of this vision.


Therefore, I appreciate the issues that have arisen in this thread and, as I've stated, it's right that they are debated. However, I do disagree with some of the comments that have been made in the thread and, whilst it may not be appreciated by all, I've registered my own point of view to counter what I've taken an exception to.

[Ciaran]

As far as my own opinion, I really don't care if my nation's Olympic uniforms are made in Canada, China or Bangladesh. I come from an athletic background. Played sports all my life, have tremendous amount of respect for the dedication and talent many athletes have. But an event like Olympics these days is nothing short of hypocritical. The slogans talk about "bringing the world together," being "anti-racism" and ending barriers of discrimination. Bullshit. It's entirely corporate and being corporate is all about maintaining barriers of discrimination where they benefit making profit.


Interestingly, the head of the London 2012 Organising Committee (Seb Coe, who won Olympic gold back in the 1980s) was interviewed today and claimed that spectators wearing Pepsi t-shirts would be barred from entering any of the Olympic stadia - due to Coca-Cola's sponsorship of the Olympics.

When asked if someone would get into one of the stadia wearing Nike footwear (Adidas is an Olympics sponsor), he wasn't sure but thought it would be okay !!! Of course, the spin doctor machinery was soon rolled out to smooth over all of this.


I've limited enthusiasm for the Olympics (which is actually more than most people I know here in London) but, on the positive side, earlier this week I was able to get tickets for the United Kingdom versus Italy womens' volleyball. I've never really watched volleyball but will be looking forward to this !

[chefhmboyrd]

I like these, very steam punk, yet with a twist...

http://madimage.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/revenge-of-the-nerd1-boe-cortes.jpg?w=549&h=748

[chefhmboyrd]

since it is the summer olympics
http://www.overthinkingit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dune-carousel.png

[Wolfsong]

Well, revolting militaristic, paternalistic imperialism aside.....the uniforms are ugly and should have been made here at home.

[girl_dee]

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.