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vonderbash's review
4.0
This is a hard read, but incredibly important. I have learned so much from this relatively short book and Amelia does a wonderful job of telling Sun’s story. This book has given me new insight into what I’m purchasing, and the importance of thrifting, doing research on where and how a company manufactures their goods, and why it’s important to avoid stores with fast fashion or incredibly cheap goods.
I received an ARC of this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
I received an ARC of this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
bunchbayberry's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
shryanayak's review
5.0
The only thing I have to say is that this book has turned made me into a conscious customer and consumer. I am always going to think twice now before buying something and make sure I have read up all the ethical practices of the brands concerned.
lillimoore's review
4.0
What a harrowing story. The key takeaway is we all have a responsibility to evaluate our consumer habits, because the cost of purchasing cheap merchandise imported from China is the cost of human rights. Full review to come!
gingerbread_void's review
5.0
This was really interesting! I am a person who is fascinated by the way things are produced and why they are produced so this was somehow that was right up my alley.
I always had a an idea that things were bad in the "factories" over in other countries but I had no idea. This book really opened my eyes to things I had only ever heard rumors about here and there. It also made me rethink my own habits.
I have never been someone who buys a lot of stuff and what I do buy is usually second hand but this book just verified my wanting to do that. I am definitely going to be getting myself a physical copy of this book when it comes out and suggesting it to everyone because I think this is some everyone should know about and learn about
I always had a an idea that things were bad in the "factories" over in other countries but I had no idea. This book really opened my eyes to things I had only ever heard rumors about here and there. It also made me rethink my own habits.
I have never been someone who buys a lot of stuff and what I do buy is usually second hand but this book just verified my wanting to do that. I am definitely going to be getting myself a physical copy of this book when it comes out and suggesting it to everyone because I think this is some everyone should know about and learn about
karnaconverse's review against another edition
4.0
Personal stories, investigative reporting, and documentation by international entities that scream "Do not buy Made-in-China!"
In 2012, Oregonian Julie Keith found herself in the national spotlight after she publicly released a letter she'd found in a package of Halloween decorations. The hand-written letter, from Unit 8, Department 2, Masanjia, asked her to forward the letter to the World Human Right (sic) Organization to alert them of the conditions of the labor camp where the decorations had been assembled. "People who work here," the letter said, "have to work 15 hours a day with out Saturday, Sunday break and any holidays, otherwise, they will suffer torturement, beat and rude remark, nearly no payment. . . . Many of them are Falun gong practitioner, who are totally innocent people only because they have different believe to CCPG, they often suffer more punishment than others."
Newspaper reporter Amelia Pang interviewed Keith and published an article in the Oregonian. Then, she spent three years interviewing labor camp survivors (including letter-writer, Sun Yi), speaking with wholesalers and sales managers at U.S. factories, and reviewing reports from international summits convened to examine China's practices. This book is the result of that work and a somber reminder that we, as consumers, are not innocent. Our desire for the latest trend, at the lowest price, and with a "need immediately" attitude plays a huge part in China's ongoing justification for laogai (reform through labor) camps.
I was especially concerned to read several chapters of Pang's book exposing evidence that China's laogai camps are also supplying organs for the transplant industry and that re-education camps in Xinjiang that are used to house Turkics are similar to the Nazi's concentration camps and that goal of eliminating a racial identity. Both are investigations I'll be looking to learn more about—just as I will be making a more conscious effort to read labels and evaluate the purchases I make thanks to Pang's work.
Made in Chain ends with a call to action—questions we can ask corporations who do business with China, the suggestion of a laogai-free label, a list of human rights organizations to support, and this hard-hitting comment for discussion: When American companies make sudden production changes to stay current with the latest fast-fashion trends, factories often do not have time to keep up with these changes in-house. They must subcontract work to forced laborers—who can work all night to meet production deadlines. As American consumers, are we complicit if we buy these goods?
In 2012, Oregonian Julie Keith found herself in the national spotlight after she publicly released a letter she'd found in a package of Halloween decorations. The hand-written letter, from Unit 8, Department 2, Masanjia, asked her to forward the letter to the World Human Right (sic) Organization to alert them of the conditions of the labor camp where the decorations had been assembled. "People who work here," the letter said, "have to work 15 hours a day with out Saturday, Sunday break and any holidays, otherwise, they will suffer torturement, beat and rude remark, nearly no payment. . . . Many of them are Falun gong practitioner, who are totally innocent people only because they have different believe to CCPG, they often suffer more punishment than others."
Newspaper reporter Amelia Pang interviewed Keith and published an article in the Oregonian. Then, she spent three years interviewing labor camp survivors (including letter-writer, Sun Yi), speaking with wholesalers and sales managers at U.S. factories, and reviewing reports from international summits convened to examine China's practices. This book is the result of that work and a somber reminder that we, as consumers, are not innocent. Our desire for the latest trend, at the lowest price, and with a "need immediately" attitude plays a huge part in China's ongoing justification for laogai (reform through labor) camps.
I was especially concerned to read several chapters of Pang's book exposing evidence that China's laogai camps are also supplying organs for the transplant industry and that re-education camps in Xinjiang that are used to house Turkics are similar to the Nazi's concentration camps and that goal of eliminating a racial identity. Both are investigations I'll be looking to learn more about—just as I will be making a more conscious effort to read labels and evaluate the purchases I make thanks to Pang's work.
Made in Chain ends with a call to action—questions we can ask corporations who do business with China, the suggestion of a laogai-free label, a list of human rights organizations to support, and this hard-hitting comment for discussion: When American companies make sudden production changes to stay current with the latest fast-fashion trends, factories often do not have time to keep up with these changes in-house. They must subcontract work to forced laborers—who can work all night to meet production deadlines. As American consumers, are we complicit if we buy these goods?
elisespieces's review
5.0
Eye-opening and horrifying. Brings a whole new perspective to "ethically sourced" and "Made in China". I feel silly for not knowing that this was going on in the world, and I'm really glad the author includes steps consumers can take to help limit their contribution to forced labor (in the epilogue).