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Portrait of a Chinese Factory Worker

— devorah@redthreaddesign.ca
Tagged: Behind the Scenes Chinese factory workers factory workers garment factories Musings sewing the life of a factory worker
When you’re slipping your jeans on in the morning, do you ever wonder about the people who made those jeans? I often do, even though it’s an uncomfortable thing to think about.  I’m certain that many factory workers overseas also wonder about the buyers of the things they make. I recently had the privilege of hearing the life story of one Chinese factory worker, and I was riveted.  I’d like to share it with you. Garment Factory Workers in SE Asia One of my sewers, I’ll call her Jean, recently told me about her childhood as a factory worker in Hong Kong.  Jean is 60, and has been living in Canada for 23 years, but she told her story with great animation and vivid detail, as though it was just yesterday that she occupied those factory floors. Jean is a gifted seamstress, carries around a confidence clearly earned from decades of experience, and she expresses opinions with impressive conviction considering her discomfort with the English language. But it didn’t start out that way. Born in Hong Kong in 1952 to a very poor family, she was sent to school for only five years. This education ended at age 13. She [...]