Where am I Wearing?: A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People That Make Our Clothes

Timmerman is American, but his clothes were made in other countries. His underwear was made in Bangladesh, his jeans came from Cambodia, and his flip-flops were made in China. The concept for Where Am I Wearing? began when he noticed that his favorite T-shirt was made in Honduras. Now, Timmerman cannot see a clothing label without thinking of the garment makers he met while researching his book. The dramatic difference between the workers’ lifestyles and his own is the difference between being a maker and a consumer.

Timmerman recounts how he was voted “Best Dressed Guy” in his high school class of 1997 (3). However, he could not claim credit for this title since his mother chose all his clothes. He points out that his detachment from the buying process as a boy is not dissimilar to most people’s experience purchasing clothes. Most American people are ignorant of the origin of their clothes and how they get from the manufacturer to the store. 

During high school, Timmerman learned that Disney and Kathie Lee Gifford were criticized for using child labor to make their clothes. However, as he did not wear those brands, he felt unaffected. He was vaguely aware that most Americans opposed globalization, which had led to unemployment when US factories closed and relocated overseas. Americans were encouraged to buy “all-American” products, so his family shopped at Walmart. In college, Timmerman learned that outsourcing manufacturing led to exploitation and sweatshops. Brands like Nike were exposed for using sweatshops, and it emerged that Walmart sold few American products. 

After gaining a degree in anthropology, Timmerman was eager to leave his hometown of Ohio and travel the world on his earnings as a SCUBA instructor. One day, he decided to visit all the locations where his clothes were made and meet the people who made them. He started with Honduras, where his favorite T-shirt was manufactured. When he revealed his plans, a former schoolmate immediately assumed that the manufacturers would be “sweatshops.” 

Timmerman went to Honduras, explored the country, and met a factory worker. However, he was not ready to ask the questions he wanted to know and returned unenlightened. He bought a house with his fiancée, Annie, and learned more about the globalization of the garment industry. Nevertheless, he still had unanswered questions about the lives of the workers. Consequently, Timmerman re-embarked on his “quest” to find the factories and people who made his clothes. 

During his mission, the author learned that the truth about the apparel industry lay somewhere between the opinion of activists who condemn globalization and economists who claim that the globalization process empowers workers and raises nations out of poverty. While the workers he met wanted better pay and conditions, they were primarily glad to be employed and did not want well-meaning people from the West boycotting the brands they worked for. He discovered that workers were driven by the need to support their families and that, in cases of extreme poverty, child labor was a necessary evil. Timmerman also learned how long the chain is “from producer to consumer” (7), involving workers, factories, subcontractors, buying houses, and various middlemen before reaching American stores and the consumer.

He outlines the origins of the American garment trade’s globalization. After World War II, the US’s decision to move its textile industry to Japan was partially politically motivated. After devastating the country with two atomic bombs, the US wanted to improve relations with Japan to discourage the Japanese from making alliances with communist countries such as the Soviet Union and China. Timmerman references the economist Thomas Friedman, who, in The World Is Flat (2005), observes that “no two countries that both had McDonald’s had ever fought a war against each other” (7). Global trade was increasingly perceived as a way to promote the principles of democracy. There were also significant economic advantages on both sides. While American companies wanted cheap products, developing countries craved the investment of wealthier nations. This trend inevitably led to “a race to the bottom” (8), whereby developing countries competed to provide the cheapest garments via poorly paid workers.

The 21st century has seen increasing debate and concern about the conditions of outsourced manufacturing in developing countries. For example, the Decent Working Conditions and Fair Competition Act of 2007 was introduced by senators hoping to ban American trade in products made in “sweatshops.” However, the act did not get beyond the committee stage. In recent years, many companies have established “codes of conduct” and monitoring systems for outsourcing the manufacture of garments (9). However, Timmerman argues that companies do not want consumers to think too deeply about how or where their products are made.

Labor rights activists play an essential role in exposing companies that do not ensure acceptable standards for workers. Nevertheless, Timmerman suggests that, in some instances, this tactic can adversely affect the workers involved. American companies may stop using those factories, and the workers then lose their jobs. Job losses can also be caused inadvertently when Western consumers boycott outsourced products. The author emphasizes that Western ideals of workers’ fair treatment do not directly translate to less developed countries and must be assessed within each country’s economic context.

The author recommends adopting a more engaged consumerism. Rather than thoughtlessly buying the cheapest products, he suggests that we support companies that are transparent about their manufacturing processes and take steps to ensure that workers are not exploited. Timmerman states that he now cares about where his clothes are from because he has met the workers Amilcar, Arifa, Nari, Ai, Dewan, and Zhu Chun. He believes that readers will feel the same.

Timmerman’s favorite T-shirt is made in Honduras. It features the character Tattoo from the 1970s TV Show Fantasy Island, and the slogan invites readers to a “TROPICAL PARADISE.”

In July 2005, Timmerman is 26 and travels to Honduras. After SCUBA diving and a jungle expedition, he has acquired material for his column “about being a touron—one part eager tourist and one part well-meaning moron” (14). Nevertheless, his main aim is to visit the factory where his T-shirt was made. An employee from Delta Apparel happily provides the factory’s address over the phone. However, he feels unwelcome when he stands outside the Delta Apparel factory near San Pedro Sula. After speaking to armed guards at the gates and an unhelpful company representative, it is clear that he will not be allowed inside the factory. The workers arriving at the factory avoid him. 

Timmerman finally succeeds in talking to 25-year-old garment worker Amilcar. He wants to ask Amilcar what he earns and about his lifestyle but realizes that part of him does not want to hear the answers. Instead, Timmerman takes off his T-shirt, gives it to Amilcar, and takes their photograph together.

Timmerman recounts his experience at the 2006 International SweatFree Communities Conference in Minnesota. He pretends to join in a chant blaming Coca-Cola for the deaths of Columbian union leaders despite regularly drinking it. 

The conference mainly focuses on the apparel industry and opposition to sweatshops. A young man covered in fake blood explains that he has just attended a “die-in” where participants pretended to be dead among tombstones. Despite some of its unconventional means of protest, the author acknowledges that SweatFree has been instrumental in exposing the exploitation of foreign workers to the public. The group initially concentrated on companies like Gap and Nike and moved on to schools, universities, and states, pointing out instances of uniforms being made under unacceptable conditions. Making voters aware of these issues influenced buying policies in many states and cities. 

Timmerman attends the conference hoping to learn more about factory conditions but realizes that, like him, the participants have never met the workers they support. The author wonders if workers in developing countries want Americans to protest on their behalf or if they value their jobs despite their low pay. He feels that he needs answers to these questions before he can settle down. As his wife, Annie, plans their wedding, he packs for his travels.