Country of Origin

[SweetErika]

With the pet food , toy , seafood and now tire recalls and contamination issues, are you paying more attention to where the products you buy are coming from? Are you less likely to buy something from China and/or other countries that have questionable standards and practices as the truth comes out? Does potential safety factor into your buying decisions, or do you mainly buy on price?

 

[silverwhisper]

up until the end of july, i worked for a company that did production of bras and panties in china.

the way much of this works, the factories overseas bid for the orders and the well-run ones, the ones that don't fake their QC checks--and yes, some do--are exacting, knowing that quality goods on budget will get them more orders.

but not all of these guys actually understand this. there are, as in all businesses, bottom-feeders who don't understand what their penny-pinching is exceedingly self-defeating.

so no, i don't pay attention to the country of origin for products that i buy--at least, not the more expensive stuff, frankly.

ed

 

[SweetErika]

up until the end of july, i worked for a company that did production of bras and panties in china.

the way much of this works, the factories overseas bid for the orders and the well-run ones, the ones that don't fake their QC checks--and yes, some do--are exacting, knowing that quality goods on budget will get them more orders.

but not all of these guys actually understand this. there are, as in all businesses, bottom-feeders who don't understand what their penny-pinching is exceedingly self-defeating.

so no, i don't pay attention to the country of origin for products that i buy--at least, not the more expensive stuff, frankly.

ed

What about food?

I didn't pay much attention until the stuff about the seafood came out (raising chickens on wire over shrimp and fish? ewwww!) . I realized I'd been buying frozen shrimp and fish on sale, and had no idea where it was from. Indeed, the shrimp in my freezer was farm-raised in Thailand, and
I had talapia from Brazil. I don't know how safe these products are, but I'm definitely paying much more attention to where consumables come from, and when we have a kid, I'll be more careful about what I buy.

Did you get free lingerie in that job?

 

[silverwhisper]

well, speaking of apparel anyway: all companies that source things from abroad create a list of QC conditions and require pre-production approval as well as pre-ship approvals. i would think they're even more particular about food items than apparel, to be honest: the liability concerns with apparel aren't anywhere near those of consumables, or at least so i would seem to me.

and the mrs does have one or two pieces that were complimentary, but not as much as you might think, unfortunately. :>

i will say this, though: you wouldn't believe how much technology is involved in creating a bra, erika. :>

ed

 

[SweetErika]

well, speaking of apparel anyway: all companies that source things from abroad create a list of QC conditions and require pre-production approval as well as pre-ship approvals. i would think they're even more particular about food items than apparel, to be honest: the liability concerns with apparel aren't anywhere near those of consumables, or at least so i would seem to me.

Yeah, you'd the importers and retailers here would be extremely strict due to liability, and do independent, surprise audits and such, but then again, we certainly have our fair share of companies that only care about the bottom line.

i will say this, though: you wouldn't believe how much technology is involved in creating a bra, erika. :>

It'd be lovely if they could put that technology to good use in making a pretty, supportive, comfortable bra with light padding to conceal the nipples that made the girls look great in a low-cut top. I've yet to find one with ALL of those features - the choices for us busty ladies are often limited to ugly, uncomfortable, grandma-bra like things!

 

[silverwhisper]

i believe there's a sense among the brands that bustier women aren't interested in a demi-cup like you would need for a low-cut dress, that you would prefer something that gives you more coverage.

i don't know why that sense persists but i know i've encountered it. i guess they figure the needs of a woman wearing a d cup or larger doesn't want the demi that a b or c cup would?

edit: having said that, there are certain structural limitations to the fabrics, both the pads as well as the straps and the frame onto which the cups and straps are added.

ed

 

[Quoll]

and the mrs does have one or two pieces that were complimentary, but not as much as you might think, unfortunately. :>

I see.

 

[bobsgirl]

I see.

And so polite too!


Hiya, pea-cue.

 

[NippleMuncher]

It'd be lovely if they could put that technology to good use in making a pretty, supportive, comfortable bra with light padding to conceal the nipples that made the girls look great in a low-cut top. I've yet to find one with ALL of those features - the choices for us busty ladies are often limited to ugly, uncomfortable, grandma-bra like things!

Ya know, I'm a guy and don't even wear the things, and I've been amazed at this very same thing of all bras, not only those for larger girls. The material is usually extremely scratchy or rough, lumpy bumpy patterns on the lace which show through the thin and sheer fabrics of tops, and just plain old uncomfortable looking. We can put men on the moon, but designing a decent bra seems impossible. Maybe the problem is that those of us who love breasts aren't the ones designing the rigging? While I'm sure there are material strength issues as Ed pointed out, there's got to be a way to holster the objects of our deepest affection without torture and still display them at their best (meaning however the bearer chooses).

And back to topic, yes, I do watch what I buy and where it comes from. I try to avoid everything from China, which is no small task. I was working on yard projects recently and most of the plumbing parts I required were from China. I'm willing to pay more for things just so as not to support the slave labor and gross polluters of that area. Mexico isn't any better either, we just bought some lemons and limes that came from there and there are a number of toxic pesticides that were used on the citrus AFTER it came off the tree. Like most people, I appreciate low priced items, however I'm far more concerned about quality, carbon footprint, and human rights than I am about price. I boycott businesses with reprehensible practices, and try to do the same with countries with similar reputations. Definitely not an easy thing to do.

 

[Bottomlover]

We have become very careful of what we buy, especially food. The only shrimp in the supermarkets here are Asian farm raised, so we now only buy US wild caught shrimp from a local market we trust. This also helps the shrimpers in the southeast, who have have been hurt badly by the Asian imports. The current situation has sparked investment in a new processing plant in SC which will be online in the spring of 2008. This means that the SC shrimpers will have access to a national market for frozen shrimp, and that people who don't live close enough for fresh shrimp will be able to buy the much better tasting wild Atlantic shrimp.

We buy almost all of our produce directly from a small local organic farm, and also grow some of our own using organic methods. We have a large freezer and freeze local produce for use in the winter.

My SO is completely freaked by the pet food problems. She now mixes and cooks large batches of food for her cats from US organically produced ingredients.

Cheap Chinese battery chargers (like for cell phones) scare me. I don't leave them plugged in when they're not being used. I have a hobby in which I use large powerful Nimh battery packs, and I spent the extra money to buy US made industrial chargers for them.

On the industrial side, there are some Asian foundries and machine shops that produce quality goods for a market that will tolerate nothing less, and many that produce garbage for the market that doesn't care or know better.

There is something in the news almost every week about a new problem with imports. It is a huge problem that even goods made in the US may have materials and ingredients of questionable origin. The government can't protect us from everything. Buying locally produced goods whenever possible is probably our best bet.