Pietra Rivoli: Plot Summary

In the book, “Where am I wearing” written by Kelsey Timmerman goes on a adventure to find out where and who made the clothes that he wears everyday. Kelsey Timmerman believes that the people impacted by globalization encounter more problems and struggles than someone in a non globalized country. Did you know that the average amount someone is china makes per hour is one dollar and thirty six cents compared to the U.S where on average they make twenty three dollars and thirty two cents per hour. Even though the men and women in china are working roughly 3.6 hours more than people in the U.S.

During “the 19th century, when the Industrial Revolution triggered a series of radical changes national cultural fabric of state societies, the pressures of modernization were also transforming the way of life in traditional communities of peasant and other rural folk” (Haviland et al. 349). One of these transformations brought about by the Industrial Revolution is the invention of the factory. The factory, like capitalism, originated in England, but eventually made its way to America, specifically the region of New England. The factory caused artisans to lose autonomy, now forced to work

The book Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy by Pietra Rivoli is about the journey of a plain cotton shirt internationally through the economy. This book consists of a plain, cheap t-shirt bought at Wal-Mart, is split into four important parts. The first part is about the source of the t-shirt: cotton. The second part is about the creation process the t-shirt goes through while being created in China. The third part is consists of explaining what happens after the t-shirt goes to the United States and faces the American protectionist policies. Lastly, the fourth essential part of this t-shirt is what happens to the shirt when it is finished in America (or other developed nations).

When I first heard the title Where am I Wearing, I wasn’t too excited about reading it. I thought it would be another boring school book that I was required to study. However, after reading a few chapters, I became intrigued and started to enjoy reading it. Kelsey Timmerman isn’t just another activist who is trying to convince you to stop buying clothes from big companies who use sweat shops and chid laborers. He is giving you a perspective into the lives of those who work in these factories and how they function in their everyday lives. It was interesting to hear the different encounters that he had with these people. Timmerman presents us with the ongoing concern of are sweatshops and globalization good for the people who live in these countries or do they do more harm then good?

Rivoli’s also writes about the U.S’s dominance in the cotton industry and that by practicing the above, the U.S. took over the market and dominated the competition. Of course they did, the other countries like India and Africa for instance, were still working their farms the old fashioned way, by themselves, and paying for any needed labor – or in some cases, all their family members helped bring in the crops. However, because of their practices, they could produce and harvest nearly as much cotton as the U.S. due to their use of slaves, then advanced machinery, chemicals, and even genetically manufactured seed and of course with subsides from the government later on. I wonder how the U.S. would be regarded around the world now, if it had not been for the dominance in the cotton industry thanks to the

“The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy” focuses on a t-tshirt that makes its way around the world from the beginning stages of production to the end of its usefulness. Pietra Rivoli, an economist and the author of the book, tracks the life story of her t-shirt and explores the relationships between people, politics and markets.

Although globalization allows for most products to be produced at a more efficient rate, it also has the capability to mar the economies of municipalities in first world countries. In Pietra Rivoli’s book The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy, she discusses the different viewpoints of opposing sides of an on-going battle to reduce the amount of tariffs and quotas put on the textile industries of foreign countries. For decades the textile industry in America has been on a noticeable decline, with outsourcing to third-world countries to blame. Although both faction’s viewpoints on the benefits of such outsourcing, both realize that there is only one way to gain the results they seek; which is to petition to the congressmen, including high ranking officials such as the president, in Washington D.C.

Often, when we think of a t-shirt, not much consideration goes past throwing it on and walking out the door. We discover in The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy, author Pietra Rivoli conveys the story of a t-shirt she purchased in Florida for just $5.99. Beginning with core element of the t-shirt, she describes the cotton boom in the United States and why we have reigned supreme as the leading cotton producer. She even meets with a Texan farmer who warms your heart from the very beginning of the chapter. Next, the cotton goes on to textile mills and factories, and Rivoli explains the history of the textile industry. With this lesson, she demonstrates how the textile industry boom was a

Morgan shows in The True Cost the hidden horrors of what he calls the “fast fashion” industry. From factory owners, to fashion bloggers, to fair-trade company owners, Morgan covers all perspectives on the topic of sweatshops. He not only shows the typical western view of Asian clothing factories (and, furthermore, its counter argument), but he paints the picture of what it is like to work in one of these places, with its crumbling walls, hazardous conditions, and brutal treatment. He not only describes the sacrifices workers make to support themselves and their families, but he shows the audience who these people are. He makes them real to viewers: more than just a story they read about in the newspaper one morning, more than just another victim of the clothing manufacturing

We often question how our food and clothes can be sold so cheap, this all comes down to where it is made or grown. Our clothes are made overseas in factories by women and in some cases even children in unsuitable conditions. They work long hours and don’t get paid much in return, it is said to be less than what they can afford to live on and made to work extra hours. This is why large stores like Primark and Asda can sell their clothes at such little cost. Some of the workers are said to be working 60 to 90 hours every week for as little as £17 per month. (Making social lives pg.88) The workers in the factories are grateful for their small wage and would struggle if the factories were to close and business was took elsewhere.

The introductory of the documentary examines the fabric mills of Bangladesh. It is very competitive in the international market place to find low cost labor; when merchandise manufactured in another country is imported these country put on a duty rate. Apparel companies contemplating low cost labor,

The producers in the new T-shirt value chain do not operate in a free market system. Government protectionist measures such as subsidies, quotas, and tariffs have limited economic success to a fortunate few. According to the author Pietra Rivoli, “the winners at various stages of my T-shirt’s life are adept not so much at competing in markets but at avoiding them.” These winners include the U.S. cotton farmer and the China apparel industry. Their market dominance and profitability have benefitted significantly from the political prowess of their government to limit competition.

Globalization is a system of global connections between countries that serves to increase interdependence between countries economically, socially, politically, and environmentally. In the video titled “Planet money makes t-shirts” the topic of connections is shown through a long, diverse, complex process between MDCs and LDCs. There’s a multitude of steps in the process of creating a t-shirt. This procedure is quite meticulous. The t-shirt begins in America. This is where the t-shirt is designed and where the raw materials are gathered to be shipped to the LDC, which in this case is Bangladesh and Colombia. The raw material to create the t-shirt is cotton it cost about .60 cents. The cotton is genetically modified, 90 % of American cotton

In her book, The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy, Pietra Rivoli takes on the intricacies and complexities of trade and globalization through following the path of a T-Shirt she purchased from Walgreens for $5.99. It is a very informative book and her writing is such that the reader is left feeling both well informed on the issues discussed, as well as entertained.

2. Richard M. Johns (2006). The Apparel Industry. 2nd ed. UK, London: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.. 1-124.