Reflection on Factory Extremes

India is a country where extremes abound.  Our factory visits proved to be no exception.  Having read some horror stories of apparel sweatshop conditions in developing countries, we braced ourselves for the worst. In many cases, however, we were pleasantly surprised. Pioneer Embroideries & Lace Manufacturers welcomed us with flowers and fresh coconuts. Large, well-lit rooms housed their massive embroidery machinery separated by wide, marked walkways. Women in brightly colored saris walked back and forth, monitoring the machinery from a safe distance while others sat at tables in small clusters refilling bobbins. The workers did not seem tired or stressed and cheerfully obliged our ceaseless photos. We observed a similar environment in their quality control and lace facilities as well. We were equally impressed with Alpine knits the following day. In the one facility we visited, they carried out all stages of production from yarn to final garment. Imported knitting machines were ventilated to prevent dust accumulation. The entire facility was incredibly clean with wide aisles and doorways free of obstructions. The only things perhaps distracting from the order were the streamers and other paper decorations still up from the holidays, and even those were neat and strategically placed.

Inevitably, we also came across some factories that would not have passed inspection. In one dye plant, we found ourselves dodging bins and piles of fabric, particularly unnerved as we walked through puddles of water surrounding giant metal vats filled with caustic soda. That same day we visited a steamy printing factory with dye stains and handprints on almost surface. A few members of our group almost stepped into a vacant elevator shaft in search of the restroom. At a different dying/bleaching facility, we had the opportunity to see the water treatment area. Proudly touting their microbial water treatment system, the manager led us through a room with pipes and hoses jutting out from all directions. It smelled strongly of sulfur and tubs of water/chemicals balanced uneasily on piles of bricks. The floor was a wet jigsaw puzzle of broken tiles littered with reddish-brown water and rusty tools. Fiber Science Professor Juan Hinestroza commented that had he known what to expect, he wouldn’t have let us go inside. A later knitting facility was an asthmatic’s nightmare (especially in comparison to Alpine). We were shocked not only by the amount of dust in the air but by the piles of dust clinging to machines and windows.

We noted that the safer and cleaner factories (like Pioneer and Alpine) were those focused on the export market. They have contracts with large American and European companies and know that their continued business relies on meeting the rigorous international standards required of their customers. Domestic producers lack the incentive and perhaps the financial stability to make health and safety their top priority. Long-term contracts with international apparel companies are not only beneficial for the Indian Economy but positively affect the working conditions for Indian workers.

Jen Keane