Izod, Youzod, we all zod...

It was a This American Life (TAL) story that inspired this American's purchasing choice. I'd long tried to avoid buying clothes or shoes 'made in China.' Unless they are second-hand: my favorite stores being Valu-Village and Goodwill. But it's hard to find affordable new clothes made elsewhere than in our largest creditor nation.

But of course, I love so many things Chinese - the food, the philosophies, the people - but I am not too keen on its government. Especially the way it has annexed many formerly independent neighbors (e.g. Tibet). It has loosened its grip on economic enterprises allowing for tremendous growth, which is kind of a good thing I suppose. But at what costs: environmental degradation, dangerous working conditions, etc.

So Ira Glass, host of TAL, introduced - or told, I can't remember - a story that explained how the Clinton administration had persuaded the government of Cambodia to adopt certain labor standards (such as allowing unions) and perhaps also environmental regulations, in exchange for receiving 'most favored nation' trade status (MFN). Having such status grants countries things like lower tariffs I think. Anyway they did it, and their fledgling garment industry boomed. Then during the Bush administration - big surprise - they lost their MFN status. As far as I can tell, however, the industry is still doing fairly well. And looking at this site, http://www.betterfactories.org/ it seems that unions there are still at work. Or on strike, as the case may be.

Though this concept might smack of social engineering to some, and run counter to the GATT (a treaty riddled with dubious implications), I think it would be fantastic if we could do it for every country - even our landlord's, China.

At Macy's one day some years back, shopping for the boys (and maybe a new shirt for me), I discovered some sale piles and racks of Izod shirts and shorts. And as is my habit, I started looking at the labels to see where the clothes were manufactured. And, as I'm sure you all have been expecting to hear for some time now in this long-winded (redundant) palaver, they were all 'made in Cambodia.' And I liked some of them. As did Eli (then). He's outgrown them, and would likely not care for them now. They tended (in the men's shirts) toward a large lined plaid pattern. At least the few I bought.

Thanks be to Zod, amen. Ahem.