Ok so whats so wrong with China?

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#17
I guess I equate "made in China" with sweatshops too. I think there is a difference when you charge $1,000.00 for a purse made by a skilled craftsman (ie; LV) who is probably paid more than someone in China (more like US 25 cents p/hour) to make a bag that is also going to have a $1,000.00 price tag on it. It just seems a little greedy to me. However, you do have to consider also that 25 US cents goes a LOOOOOONG way in China. It's a quandry. I don't think COACH is "crappy" either. I LOVE COACH. I think the quality is great. I don't know what anyone else does with their handbags but I personally don't swing mine around like the "Samsonite Gorilla" so all mine last a long time regardless of what I've paid for them. : )
 
#18
CoachKatie said:
I really agree with what you're saying bethany. It's really a mind thing. It seems as though everyone is brainwashed into believing that something made in China is less than adequate but stamp it with a France, USA, or other "high end" country's name and people swoon over it.

However, I've noticed that people have mentioned who the money is going to in these situations. Bethany, you mentioned that when you spend that amount of money, you want it going to the right person... but who is that right person and how do you know who the money is going to? After material costs, building costs, sometimes branch (stores) costs, marketers, web costs, money to the designer... what is left? I believe someone mentioned some 1% in China goes to the workers, if I'm not correct (which I might not be), but exactly how much is 1%? 1% may seem like hardly nothing, but how much are these companies really crankin' in? I'm not trying to step on toes here, nor am I trying to save the world and it's workers, I'm just curious if anyone really knows. I don't, you could tell me about anything on this subject and I'd believe it.

Just something to look into I guess...
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yeah, I don't know. I was interested in what you said here so I googled for a few minutes but didn't find anything specific. I did read an article on a photography site about people who are snobby about the location of their camera's manufacture. The guy said that he saw a video where a Chinese factory and an American factory were compared, and the American factory was basically crap in comparison to where the Chinese worked.
The cost of living is lower in China, so theoretically companies can get away with paying people ok salaries that still feed their families but they don't have to deal with unions and ridiculously strict regulations ( giving people paid time off because they're stressed ). Because of lower operational costs overall, the companies can invest in technologically advanced factories, too.

How much of that is true I don't know. Sweatshop child labor is definitely a huge problem in all of Asia. Corporations are definitely out to make money, whatever it takes. But we're just sitting here on our home computers and we really don't know everything that's going on. You just gotta trust the company's labor standards and hope that your money paid for some manual laborer to have dinner.
 
#19
CoachKatie said:
I love your supportive reasons why Coach is "crappy".

Next time maybe say, "They're not my style" rather than bash us Coach buyers by calling them crap. :o)
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I didn't mean to offend you. :sad2: I just feel for it's price and status Coach is not up to par. I had a Coach, a gift given to me, and it looked horrible after being used on and off for two months. The threads come out so easily and dirt just flies to it. I feel my LV would last forever while I treated it much more harsher. I doubt Coach would last a lifetime. I know someone how had a white Coach with blue, sorry it was a few years ago don't know the exact name, and it was FILTHY after a month of srraight use. That's my personal experience and witnessed experince. I don't think it's good quality, but if you do that's cool. Maybe yours held up better or you had all leather. Sorry if I offended you. :sad2:
 
#20
i buy things that are made in china... the funny thing is that my parents (they're from the mainland) always tell me "dont buy stuff from that place" it totally cracks me up.... i must say, i dont own a bag that is made in china, i havent come across it yet... but i must say i do have clothes that have been designed in New Zealand, by a great local designer and its been make in China and its totally perfect! its totally lasting the mile and i love it! you're right about China having skilled people etc... :amuse: i don't mine where things are made, as long as they fit me well and make me smile! :nuts:
 
#21
As long as it holds up, I don't care where it's made. There's a certain "oooh" to it though like if a speedy is made in France than the US. Doesn't mean quality is worse one way or the other though.

I don't check where Coach is made. As long as there's something I like and it's the right price (hello outlets!) then I get it (if I have the $$$).
 
#22
CoachKatie said:
I love your supportive reasons why Coach is "crappy".

Next time maybe say, "They're not my style" rather than bash us Coach buyers by calling them crap. :o)
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oh come on, she can say they're crappy if she thinks they're crappy. i think it's particularly accurate, actually, if she's saying it not because she doesn't think they're cute, but because she's had more than one bad experience with their durability.
 
#23
I think Made In xxx lends some exclusivity to the consumers. Sad that Made In China has not reached that level, but I have things Made In China, and its excellent IMO.
 
#24
purselova34 said:
I didn't mean to offend you. :sad2: I just feel for it's price and status Coach is not up to par. I had a Coach, a gift given to me, and it looked horrible after being used on and off for two months. The threads come out so easily and dirt just flies to it. I feel my LV would last forever while I treated it much more harsher. I doubt Coach would last a lifetime. I know someone how had a white Coach with blue, sorry it was a few years ago don't know the exact name, and it was FILTHY after a month of srraight use. That's my personal experience and witnessed experince. I don't think it's good quality, but if you do that's cool. Maybe yours held up better or you had all leather. Sorry if I offended you. :sad2:
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Oh, please don't worry about it! I wasn't offended. I was just like, "Crappy? Crappy? They're not crappy!" Lol. I understand what you're saying though. Their prices have gone up and they just don't stay as good looking as they should for that price. That's why I love the outlet... if it gets dirty... oh well!!! No worries! :D
 
#25
amanda said:
oh come on, she can say they're crappy if she thinks they're crappy. i think it's particularly accurate, actually, if she's saying it not because she doesn't think they're cute, but because she's had more than one bad experience with their durability.
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I really understand, and I wasn't ripping on her. I just felt that "crappy" was a poor choice of wording because a lot of people do like Coach. Saying their craftsmanship isn't up to par compared to other designers would be less of a blow than just calling them straight up crappy. That's all.
 
#27
purselova34 said:
:sad2: I wish I lived near outlets. I do most of my shopping online. I hate long car rides. You're lucky. hehe
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My outlet is about an hour away... but it seems I go there just about every week. You never really know what they'll be getting in. they just put my outlet in around Sept. '05. Hopefully you'll get some outlets soon! They're soooo much fun!
 
#28
bagnshoofetish said:
I guess I equate "made in China" with sweatshops too. I think there is a difference when you charge $1,000.00 for a purse made by a skilled craftsman (ie; LV) who is probably paid more than someone in China (more like US 25 cents p/hour) to make a bag that is also going to have a $1,000.00 price tag on it. It just seems a little greedy to me. However, you do have to consider also that 25 US cents goes a LOOOOOONG way in China. It's a quandry. I don't think COACH is "crappy" either. I LOVE COACH. I think the quality is great. I don't know what anyone else does with their handbags but I personally don't swing mine around like the "Samsonite Gorilla" so all mine last a long time regardless of what I've paid for them. : )
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I just laughed out loud at your "Samsonite Gorilla" reference!! I love Coach as well, and perhaps some styles are not for those that have the aforementioned attitude. I think that this is true of most items, anyway--if you abuse them, they may not look very nice after awhile.
 
#29
I don't have a "problem" with things made in China, but I guess there is a level of "mass market" stigma attached to supposed "luxury" items being made there. Take, for example, Kooba. Kooba started manufacturing bags in China after the bags became really popular, and that's when the floodgates of fakes and ko's started to pour in. Once you start outsourcing it to China, I read somewhere that sometimes people who work in the factories take the original bags or designs and sell them off to others who are able to make really good fakes. I think it's mainly about quality control-- if the bags are made where the company is located, they are able to control the quality a lot better. I wouldn't have a problem buying a Chinese brand bag that's made in China.
 
#30
Leather tanning is one of the worst possible things for the environment, so buying quality bags and shoes made in North America or Europe, where the environmental standards are much higher than in China can be seen as a responsible decision.
 
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