The Clothes Off Their Backs

Kelsey Timmerman Asks, “Where Am I Wearing?”

The thought of a man setting out on a quest, armed with little more than a pair of flip-flops and a pair of 'Jingle These' boxer shorts, to find out where (and under what conditions) his clothes were made, may seem like a farcical premise to a new Disney movie. One of those movies that play up the virtue of the protagonist, play down the humanity of the 'evil sweatshop proprietors' and ends with a saccharine sweet message of hope and understanding that leaves the audience misty around the eyes, yet strong in their conviction that all the loose ends have now been neatly tied into a bow since the glaring spotlight of Hollywood has been cast upon the issues. It might also be one of those gritty, Moore-ish documentaries, replete with grainy, hand-held camera shots of the impoverished hovels where the workers live, the oppressive conditions of the grimy sweatshops and the seething anger of the garment industry executives thrown in for extreme contrast.

Kelsey Timmerman's new book, Where Am I Wearing? (Wiley Publishing), takes on this farcical quest and does so with such an open and honest approach, it is probably the most realistic and unpretentious glimpse you will ever get inside the world's garment industry. What began as a man sitting at home reading the tags on his clothing and wistfully wondering where the clothes he was wearing came from, ends in a globe trekking journey from San Pedro Sula, Honduras into Bangladesh then onto Cambodia and China. What Timmerman's book reveals is the individual humanity displayed by the workers who are usually lumped together as a collective whole in the eyes of the world. Timmerman sees that the issues which most see as polarizing black and white are more predominantly comprised of indescribable shades of gray.

Something that Timmerman described while visiting Bangladesh seems illustrate the dualistic problem facing workers in third world countries, as well as showing that the problems are not so cut and dry as one may suspect. He and his guide/interpreter, Dalton, saw a one legged rickshaw operator. Now, one may contemplate utilizing the rickshaw operator's services, but then feel sorry for his predicament and choose a more 'complete' driver. Another may not engage the driver because they may feel that he is less capable than the stable of two-legged competitors at hand. Both would be wrong on all counts. By displaying a sense of displaced sympathy, the one legged rickshaw driver's 'predicament' has just been made worse. He needs to take care of himself and possibly a family and now his only livelihood has been diminished. Those who might feel that he is incapable of performing the task have not taken into account the pervasive adaptability of the human nature and the natural competitiveness of a free market.

During a recent interview, Timmerman spoke about how, while the day to day hardships may differ, the base motivations in life remain altruistically universal.

“Our lives aren’t so different. Whether in Ohio or in Bangladesh, parents want their children to have better, easier lives than they had growing up. In Dayton, mothers and fathers put their own needs on hold or pick up a second job to save up to send their kids to college.” By way of comparison, Timmerman goes on to say that, “In Cambodia a young woman pays a bribe to get a job ironing blue jeans in order to support her family of six. Our motivations are the same, but the consequences are different.”

Timmerman seems to possess this incredible ability to describe things for what they are without trying to over dramatize the story for the sake making a socio-political point. Whether he is describing the people who live at the Phnom Penh city dump, scavenging for recyclables to eke out an existence or telling the story of an older couple who's farm is situated within a Vietnam Era mine field, Timmerman is able to place a human face on the story with just the right amount of optimism and humor. When he describes the conditions that the garment workers toil in or live in, he does so within the context of that particular area's set of norms. Yet, even he admits that:
“Even after spending months in these places and talking with countless individuals, I don’t think I can comprehend the consequences and the harsh realities that those in developing nations face.” Timmerman went on to say that, “It’s kind of a duel-edged, “ignorance is bliss” kind of thing. The people that make our clothes don’t know what they are missing, and we don’t know the struggles they face.”

One of the other things I was curious about was Timmerman's use of humor to create a serious commentary about issues and circumstances that are, at times, absolutely heart wrenching.
“Trust me, most of the laughing came from the workers I met and was at my expense.” Timmerman said. “Apparently going to Bangladesh because your favorite pair of underwear was made there is a silly thing to do.”

Timmerman went on to say that, “There is a time and place for humor, and I hope I chose mine to accurately reflect the moments I recount. Without a doubt there are plenty of unfunny subjects in this book. The workers are often seen as statistics of hours worked and wages received, but numbers dehumanize. If you really want to get to know someone, you need to find out what makes them laugh and what makes them cry.

The one question I had left was whether Timmerman felt that there was any way to equalize the world market, treat the international workers fairly and not marginalize a massive group of workers out of existence in a classic overcorrection.

“I like to think so.” Timmerman said optimistically. “Look at Starbucks. Recently they announced that they will use only fair trade beans to make their espresso. Consumers are taking a greater interest in the impact the products they consume have on the environment and workers. Unfortunately, the garment industry isn’t quite there yet. Once companies realize that value can be added to their products by monitoring factories, ensuring a living wage, and looking out for the folks who make their products, I think the change will come.”

(This article originally appeared in The Dayton City Paper on January 28th, 2009- Vol.6/No.5. This is the article as I originally wrote it.)