T-Shirt: a short-sleeved casual top, generally made of cotton, having the shape of a T when spread out flat.
Personally, I have t-shirts ranging from free to $100 and they all are created relevantly the same way no matter what price point.
The T-shape/t-shirt has been around since the ancient world (Mesopotamia) and later moved to the Mediterranean area. Still nowadays the T-shirt is a staple in almost everyone’s wardrobe. I was excited to read and learn about how a t-shirt was made because I thought it may help me understand globalization easier. It is so fascinating to know that the USA has dominated the cotton industry for so long. There are many institutions that are set up in place to help continue the control such as; capital, market, literacy, a “virtuous circle,” and subsidies. (p. 54).
I now understand that producers and consumers in the US are always chasing the lowest price of labor to make these shirts. The textile industry is always in a race to find the cheapest way to produce. America, China, Britain and Japan have all tried and have compromised working conditions to get there. These factories have exploited women and children, poor living conditions, hunger, low wages and long days with few breaks. I will definitely look at my cotton t-shirt differently and with more care considering the effort that went into making it. After, hearing the sister’s talk about their work lives and home lives, I realized I take my shirts for granted. They sacrifice so much and I didn’t even realize it. This is why I want to make sure I always repurpose and recycle my t-shirts.
It was inspiring to learn exactly how they are made from the cotton to the production.
For my t-shirt project, I decided to use an old Ralph Lauren that I dyed at our laundry in North Carolina. It started to become somewhat weathered from wearing it bed so much that I was deciding to throw it away. I couldn’t bring myself to because it was a dye that I worked hard on. I decided to make it into a little bag that I could quickly grab on my way out to the store
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