the under age worker

If you look back at all the pictures I posted this week, none of the workers look like they are 16 (legal working age). I was touring this factory and pretend to take pictures of them to record how they work, but really I was taking pictures of workers that I though were under age. As a Westerner, it is a bit difficult to tell their exact age. I've made some workers show their id that I thought were under age, and it turns out they were not. Every facory expereiences under age workers. It is up to them how they deal with it. Some choose to ignore it and hope not to get caught.

qc worker

Another job, that pays a little more, is that of the QC (quality control) worker. As demonstrated here, the worker goes through stack after stack of items, putting red arrow stickers on the problem areas. They are set aside for another worker to fix. The more they find wrong the more it costs the factory- so it is best to have your own QC worker check the goods.

working with glue

Another common job one might have in a factory is working with glue or paint or some other toxic chemical. More than likely the most you will wear is a small face mask. Or as you can see here, no mask at all.

typical factory worker

First, let me introduce you to the factory. this is a typical factory worker in China. Young, female and she sews stacks and stacks of fabric 10 hours a day, six days a week. Her hometown is probably 10 hours by bus from where she works. she sends money home, and will probably return in a few years after saving enough money to support her family.

welcome

I created this blog to keep a record of my memories of China. I travel there on business, visiting factories that create the products I design. I've been on trips as long as three months at a time. China is an incredible place that is hard to understand unless you experience it yourself. It doesn't look like it does in the movies. To understand the scale of China, think of the most crowded city you've been to and multiply it by 1000. Now imagine your favorite Chinese restaurant. The food is nothing like that. It is a place where the way of life and the way of thinking is opposite of your own.

Here it goes...

Welcome to The China Files.