I encourage everyone to watch the above two short videos, which provide an excellent wrap-up for FASH455 and remind us the meaning and significance of our course.
First of all, I do hope students can take away essential knowledge about textile and apparel (T&A) trade & sourcing from FASH455. So far in the course we’ve examined the phenomenon of globalization and its implications; we also discussed various trade theories and the general pattern of the evolution of T&A industry in a country’s industrialization process; we further explored three primary T&A supply chains in the world (namely the “Western-Hemisphere” supply chain, “Factory Asia” supply chain based on the flying geese model and the phenomenon of intra-region T&A trade in Europe); last but not least, we looked at trade policies that are unique to the T&A sector (e.g.,: MFA and yarn-forward rules of origin) as well as the complicated economic, political and social factors behind the making of these trade policies. No matter your dream is to be a fashion designer, buyer, merchandiser, sourcing specialist or marketing analyst, understanding how trade and sourcing work will be highly relevant and beneficial to your future career given the global nature of today’s fashion industry.
Second, I hope FASH455 helps students shape a big picture vision of the T&A industry in the 21st-century world economy and provides students a fresh new perspective of looking at the world. Throughout the semester, we’ve examined many critical, timely and pressing global agendas that are highly relevant to the T&A industry, from apparel companies’ social responsibility practices, the debate on the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and Trump Administration’s trade policy agenda to the controversy of second-hand clothing trade. It is critical to keep in mind that we wear more than just clothes: We also wear the global economy, international business, public policy and trade politics that make affordable, fashionable, and safe clothes possible and available for hardworking families. This is also the message from many of our distinguished guest speakers this semester and I do hope you find these sessions enlightening and inspiring.
Likewise, I hope FASH455 puts students into thinking the meaning of being a FASH major (as well as a college graduate) and how to contribute to the world we are living today positively. A popular misconception is that T&A is just about “sewing,” “fashion magazine,” “shopping” and “Project Runway.” In fact, as one of the largest and most economically influential sectors in the world today, T&A industry plays a critical and unique role in creating jobs, promoting economic development, enhancing human development and reducing poverty. As we mentioned in the class, globally over 120 million people remain directly employed in the T&A industry, a good proportion of whom are females living in poor rural areas. For most developing countries, T&A usually accounts for 70%–90% of their total merchandise exports and provide one of the very few opportunities for these countries to participate in globalization. Indeed, T&A is such an impactful sector and we are as important as any other majors on the campus!
Last but not least, I hope from taking FASH455, students can take away meaningful questions that can inspire their future study and even life’s pursuit. For example:
- How to make the growth of global textile and apparel trade more inclusive?
- What trade policy can promote and support textile and apparel manufacturing in the United States?
- How to make sure that tragedies like the Rana Plaza building collapse will never happen again?
- How to distribute the benefits & cost of globalization among different countries and groups of people more equally?
- How to use trade policy as a tool to solve some tough global issues such as labor practices and environmental standard?
- Is inequality a problem caused by global trade? If global trade is the problem, what is the alternative?
These questions have no real answer yet. But they are waiting for you, the young professional and the new generation of leaders, to write the history, based on your knowledge, wisdom, responsibility, courage, and creativity!
So what do you take away from FASH455? Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments.
FASH455 Global Apparel & Textile Trade and Sourcing 
There are many things that I have taken away from FASH455. For one thing, I gained a new understanding of trade agreements and policies and why they are so important. I also have a different view on how my clothing is manufactured and what actually goes into making a piece of clothing. Learning about Rana Plaza and incidents that have happened in other mass manufacturing countries was something I truly enjoyed learning about. I don’t look at the price of a piece of clothing as being the deciding factor on whether or not I buy it or not anymore. Now I take into consideration how the brand manufactures the clothing.
I have learned a lot from FASH455. I am now more aware of where my clothes are coming from. Often, I look at the tags on my clothes and look at the country where it is from. If it says “Made in USA” I take a step back and appreciate this. I really found the Rana Plaza incident devastating but interesting. I think it was important to learn about it and the case study that we discusses made me reflect on this issue and what could happen in the future to prevent this incident from happening again. I really appreciated that through our case studies and our assignments, as students we felt like we had a say in what could happen in the future.
Glad to hear that. Indeed, by the end of the day, it is people that decide where to source or make the products, what policies/regulations to make and implement as well as what kind of world we want to build…
I have definitely learned a lot from FASH455 about manufacturing and international trade. Before this class, I had assumed that apparel companies chose to produce apparel over seas because the labor was cheaper. I never was aware that many apparel companies produce apparel abroad because the factory workers there are more skilled and efficient than U.S workers. In addition, I learned a lot about how these international trade agreements effect many sectors of the textile and apparel industry. Overall, I will take a lot of this knowledge with me in my future career.
FASH 455 has been one of the most influential classes that I have taken here at UD. Prior to taking the course, I thought I had my career perfectly mapped out and had just finished an internship in that field. Now, three months later my priorities have changed after participating in case studies, reading several articles about trade agreements, and having poignant discussions with my fellow classmates about the industry. I had never considered sourcing as a career option and now feel that it is the direction I am meant to go in. Prior to taking 455 I had not fully taken into consideration how many people around the world are involved in the T&A industry and how many moving parts it takes to create a product. As you mentioned above, “T&A industry plays a critical and unique role in creating jobs, promoting economic development, enhancing human development and reducing poverty”. I now know that it is my responsibility as a future graduate of a fashion merchandising program to remember that the decisions I make when working in the industry have a substantial impact on millions of people’s lives around the world.
Thank you!! So happy to learn this 🙂
I have taken away so much from FASH455. This class is taught in a way that engages the students by raising awareness of trade policies, what is going on in the world, and also interaction with people that work in these fields. The interviews conducted really give a look into what is currently happening with topics such as trade policy and what direction our country may be headed in. I have learned more about where my clothing is coming from and also how it is manufactured. It is also one of the most engaging classes I have ever been in, when there is a teacher that cares so much about what it being taught it makes me want to learn more.
Thank you!! I am doing my best to make FASH455 a valuable learning experience!
FASH455 has been one of the most influential and eye-opening classes I’ve taken here at Delaware. While I understood the process of getting the product to the consumer, I never knew all the details about it and all of the work that goes into it. As shown in the first video, there are so many different people that are involved in getting the product from the design floor to the consumer. I am now very aware of the price of products and understand that if it’s extremely cheap for what it is, somewhere along the line someone is being treated unfairly. Specifically, the Bangladesh case study really made me think about labor practices overseas. While I have always loved a good deal on clothes, I’ve started to really think about where my clothes are coming from. $5 for a pair of jeans? Are the women in India who are making this getting a lunch break and working only 9 hour shifts? Sadly, probably not. As shown in the second video, while the workers are happy to get a job to help put bread on the table, they are not being treated fairly. This class has opened my eyes to the often disgusting and life-threatening labor practices across the globe, and makes me appreciate companies like Patagonia who are dedicated to fair labor practices.
Glad to learn this! This is my FASH455 is my favorite course to teach! I learned a lot from talented students like you guys too!!
I have learned so much from FASH455 and Professor Lu teaching style. Before the class I was not aware of the depth and amount of work entailed in trade agreements and the process of sourcing. I really gained a new understanding of trade agreements and how they work. I am more aware of how my clothing is manufactured and the process a piece of clothing goes through to end up in my possession. My favorite part of the class was the first case study and learning about the issues within the textile and apparel industry in Bangladesh and other developing countries. I am not so much more aware when shopping in deciding the clothing I buy and the specific brands I buy from. I enjoyed the ability to voice my opinion and ideas in FASH455 and how comfortable Professor Lu made each student feel when in the classroom. I hope I get the opportunity to have Professor Lu as a teacher again during the rest of my time at UD.
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I have taken so much away from taking FASH 455. I was able to learn about aspects of the fashion industry that I had never even considered before taking this class. The most valuable thing that I learned was our case study on the Rana Plaza fire. I think it is so important that these favorites have better working conditions for their employees. Tragedies like the Rana Plaza fire should never happen again. Overall, this class was a valuable learning experience for me and I am able to go into my future job with a better understand of how trade works and how critical globalization is to the fashion industry.
I have learned so much form FAS455 and will take os much away from the course. Before taking this course, I didn’t realize how much actually went into production and exportation within the textile and apparel industry. One aspect of the class that I really enjoyed and also helped me understand the “behind the scenes” of the industry was the many Skype calls our class had with many influential and knowledgable people that working the industry. I loved how this class used real life examples, and wasn’t solely based on tests. I’m glad Dr Lu provided us with the opportunities to share our points of views and opinions on every topic we discussed with our classmates as well.
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FASH 455 has hands-down been one of my favorite classes that I have taken at UD. Prior to taking this course, I did not know anything about sourcing or trade policies. I feel as if I was very naive about the fashion industry and this class changed my perspective on the industry as a whole. I loved our reading assignments because they were all current events and articles about things that are currently going on in the world and in our field of work. For example, I would always hear about “Brexit” in the news, but I never knew what “Brexit” was referring to. I could say similar things about NAFTA and CAFTA, and how I would always hear that Trump was doing things pertaining to NAFTA, but never truly knew what NAFTA was, but now I feel as if I am so knowledgeable about so many different aspects about sourcing and trade.
Glad to hear that! I learnt so much from Friday’s discussion with Ambassador Loehr on Brexit!
I have greatly enjoyed Fash455 as a course, I think every topic we discussed this semester has pushed my knowledge and opinion on topics. Every topic was complex and controversial, that there was never a true clear answer to the issues at hand. It encouraged me to expand my thinking and appreciate other perspectives. My favorite topic to discuss in class was the rana plaza tragedy and the issues in labor conditions in developing countries. While the immdiate answer seemed to be safer conditions and better quality workplaces, the issue was much more complex and heavier to solve. It forces us to reflect on the way we behave as consumers and buyers. Because we live in a world where decisions are based mostly on monetary value, it has created this complicated cycle of buying based on price points only and not considering the effects or processes taken to get that price. The hardest topic for me to grasp was learning about trade policies. This is the first class where I learned in depth about trade policies and the influence on the textile and apparel industry. Furthermore, it was an interesting time to learn about it because of where we are politically in the United States. It was very interesting to learn about it while it’s in discuss nationally, but it also made it more difficult because we do not have a clear answer yet. Overall, I really enjoyed the way this class taught me about current global issues and the influences the textile and apparel industry have on them. It furthered my understanding of the industry and its complexity.
feel so encouraged to read this 🙂 thank you for a great semester too!!
Fash455 has really pushed me to think about where my clothes come from and the process they go through to get created. It is a complex process they requires many people to be involved. I will use my new knowledge to tell other people in my life about the negatives impacts of fast fashion- especially after having such an in-depth understanding of the Rana Plaza tragedy. The price we pay for fast fashion clothes comes with negative results for other people like the workers making the clothes.
Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed the talks we had with past leaders in the government. To hear real life examples solitified my understanding of the concepts. These speakers were a great addition to the course!
Fash455 has been one of the most beneficial classes I have taken throughout my college career as well as the most enjoyable. This class really took me out of my comfort zone and made me actively think during class as well as made me critically think throughout all our assignments. This class really opened my eyes to how fashion impacts so many places around the world and how much it effects economies globally through supply chains. It also helped me truly understand each regions supply chains as well as the effects that our President has especially pertaining to trade agreements. I have a better understanding of trade overall and not just from the United States point of view which is important. This industry is a hot topic in politics and I now understand why. It was also beneficial hearing from our guest speakers and getting different perspectives as well as insights. Overall, Fash455 was challenging as well as the most rewarding classes.
I’m really happy that fashion merchandising students are required to take FASH455. Far too often do we purchase clothes from fast fashion retailers and give no thought as to where the clothes come from and how they’re made. We neglect to remember that purchasing inexpensive clothes comes at the cost of another person’s labor and wages. One of our guest lecturers, Ambassador Friedrich Lohr, said it best that globalization is not going anywhere, and it is up to us to adapt to the way the global framework is changing. Those who do not embrace these changes will not make it very far. I also had no idea how prominent the textile and apparel industry is in the political atmosphere. This industry is something that comes up very often in WTO and NAFTA debates. The choices that politicians make have an impact on the way our clothes are made and the methods by which we receive our clothes – and that was not something I was very aware of prior to taking this class. It’s very easy to just pay attention to the fashion industry in terms of upcoming trends and what’s happening with various designers, but it is critical that we look at the industry from a larger scope that encompasses those political and global aspects.
Agree! Like you said that “The choices that politicians make have an impact on the way our clothes are made and the methods by which we receive our clothes”
Take the tariff rate for example. Personally, I feel it is very unfair that textile and apparel accounted for 5% of the US total merchandise imports but contributed nearly 40% tariff revenues. I really hope FASH455 can help our students understand why “rules of the game” significantly matter for this industry.
I can honestly say FASH455 has been the most thought provoking and engaging classes I have had so far throughout my college career. As mentioned quite often through our various case studies and Skype sessions over the past few months, the fashion industry encompasses so much more than simply designing clothes, making them and selling them. There are so many contributing factors that make the fashion industry such an important sector of our economy for development, employment, and partnerships around the globe. Although I have tried to sum-up all of the impacts of the fashion industry that are forgotten by many people when I tell them I am majoring in Fashion Merchandising, it was not until taking FASH455 that I had a complete and through explanation of why fashion truly is such an influential industry, and why I have ultimately chosen to study this throughout the past four years. Professor Sheng Lu’s combination of lectures, interactive PowerPoints, group discussions, case studies, and blog articles have all developed my understanding of the textile and apparel industry’s stance within the global economy, and how I will potentially impact that stance one day through the path I choose to pursue from here on out. I truly cannot say enough good things about this course, and how grateful I am to have a greater understanding of our country’s position in extremely important global and political issues, such as the most recent potential NAFTA renegotiation. Being able to speak confidently about why or why not President Trump should chose to keep, change, or terminate this agreement, and the impacts our nation’s decision may have on the future of our country as well as other countries around the world is extremely important to me as a citizen of this country, and I am very proud to have developed this (and many other) greater understanding through taking this course. Dr. Sheng Lu’s encouragement and welcoming of individual thoughts and opinions allowed for a completely judge-free discussion each time we were debating or deciphering a topic that many of us are not experts on, and this was how we worked together as a class to dig deeper and figure out the various aspects and layers of a situation while proposing possible solutions and our own suggestions.
thank you SO MUCH for kindly saying so! It is such a great pleasure working with you all!!
FASH 455 was a great class. This course has broadened my knowledge on how the different articles of clothing I own get manufactured and into my closet. The tragedy of Rana Plaza has really stuck with me. I now take into consideration the hardships people, specifically young girls, endure in order to get clothing to me cheap. I was oblivious to this before taking this course. The guest speakers that we had in FASH 455 also helped me grasp a better understanding, like how globalization is not going anywhere and that we need to grow with it. Furthermore, this course has taught me to think outside the US and to think globally. Americans tend to forget that there are others out there in the world, and that we must respect one another. The topic of trade policies also really stuck with me. They are way more complex and complicated than I expected. Overall, FASH 455 taught me a lot about the global textile and apparel industry!
FASH455 has opened my eyes to many new and different aspects that I never thought were so important in the fashion industry. I thought learning about Rana Plaza and other factories in developing countries really made me realize how fortunate some people are in the world and I did not know that harsh working conditions were so prominent in today’s society. It is interesting to thoroughly learn the process of globalization and what goes into making our clothing that we all wear today. Also, I really enjoyed doing the case studies and essay assignments because they helped me to understand the content we learned in class. I learned a lot about the trade agreements and the yarn-forward rules of origin, which I was not familiar with before taking this class. When listening to guest speakers talk about their experiences with textile trade and sourcing, I found it intriguing that each speaker had a different response to the politics of sourcing and textile trade. Each made a valid point and also made points that sometimes were made by students in class. Overall, this class is very interactive, important to the fashion industry and has beneficially impacted my learning experience as a fashion merchandising major.
glad to learn this! If you have the chance, I strongly recommend this book written by my Ph.D. advisor Dr. Kitty Dickerson: Textiles and Apparel in the Global Economy. It is this book that led me into the world of textile and apparel and helped me realize this sector is far more than project runway, celebrity and shopping…https://www.amazon.com/Textiles-Apparel-Global-Economy/dp/B003LJQ3BW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1344008041&sr=8-3&keywords=textile+and+apparel+in+the+global+economy
FASH455 was one of the most informative and eye-opening classes I have taken at UD. Professor Sheng Lu’ s enthusiasm along with interactive lectures really kept me involved and wanting to learn more. The first case study about the Rana Plaza Tragedy taught me the importance of textile and apparel companies implementing social responsibility rules and practices for their business. I also learned about NAFTA laws and trade regulations, and their affect on the industry. It will be interesting to see how Trump’s presidency affects the fashion industry moving forward, and now, I am educated enough to follow NAFTA news and formulate opinions on the matter myself! Lastly, I really enjoyed the guest speakers and video chats our class got to participate in. I think hearing from industry professionals about the topics learned in class enforced their importance and gave the students (and myself) different prospectives other than our professor’s. Overall, FASH455 was one of the best classes I have had the pleasure to be in.
FASH455 was honestly very challenging, but Dr. Sheng Lu had made it a lot easier to understand all the trade agreements and all the detailed process of what is really happening in the industry. Before FASH455, I’ve never realized that there were so many different tariffs, different quotas, different rules such as yarn-forward, and different theories that each had its pros and cons. It was interesting to see the world in a boarder perspective. I didn’t know what were NAFTA or CAFTA, I didn’t think those were associated with the fashion industry at all. But this class has taught me that the global economy is very essential to the future of fashion merchandising graduates. The world is so globalized, and we have the responsibility to not only think about how to make profits but also how to prevent tragedies like the one in Bangladesh. The more we learn about this, the more we can help change the world. All of the guest lectures and case studies were very benefitting as we get to practice what we’ve learned and how it was applicable to the real world. This class also had an impact on my career choice, I’ve never thought about sourcing before – but being a Thai native speaker and learning that communication skills could potentially help improve transparency between the suppliers and the brands, thus improving the safety and overall lives of these workers in Thailand – I really want to look into this field of work.
I think all fashion majors here at the University of Delaware can agree there are not enough words to explain how great this course is. With that being said, FASH 455 would not be what it is or what it provides for its students without Dr. Lu. He did more than just teach a few terms and talk about a current event here or there. The class used several methods of learning and engaging discussions that makes it one of the most valuable courses for fashion students.
The class reaffirmed my belief that the world can not survive without globalization and trade agreements. There is not one economy that is prosperous without globalizing its resources and trade. Globalization has lifted people out of poverty because it has given them job opportunities to manufacture and work with other countries. Globalization has also allowed for exchange of knowledge, creating advancements in technology every day. Prior to taking the class I was familiar with some of the terms related to globalization and sourcing, but unfamiliar with its relationship and impacts to the fashion industry. I did not know the exact meaning of certain policies and regulations and what each of their impacts were. I learned about several options to sourcing and trading. Each comes with its pros and cons, but can be suited for a society with certain traits that involve capital and work force. Ultimately, FASH 455 applied critical thinking skills, which I believe to be important for my future career in the industry.
For a final note, this class inspired me to look for position in the sourcing sector. Just when I thought I was falling out of love with the fashion industry, FASH 455 guided me to find passion in the industry again.
Thank you so much! I learned a lot from interacting with the class too! It was an enjoyable journey!
I learned a lot of knowledge from FASH 455 class. First, I thought Fashion Merchandising major talks more about buying and selling clothing before I took the class, but I never thought about trading problems. This class let me start to think about trade policies between countries, and made me understand more about how countries trade together and how the fashion industry works under trade policies. Moreover, this class made me recognize how serious labor working condition is by reading the reading packet, and made me think about how we need to change in the future based on our major knowledge. However, I think it is hard to make sure the tragedies like the Rana Plaza building collapse will never happen again, but we can do something to avoid them to happen. For example, companies can only cooperate with industries that do well in labor protection and safety problems. Also, making more people to aware of this problem is important.
Indeed, “fashion made possible by global trade” 🙂
This class has really broadened my view of the textile and apparel industry. I have learned truly how important the industry is and how many people it effects. Prior to this class I knew how big globalization was but I had no knowledge on trade policies and how important they are. It’s interesting now that if I hear about policies like NAFTA I can contribute to the conversation. The case studies have been extremely eye opening as well. Issues like what happened in Rana Plaza are not as black and white as they seem. Our class discussion showed that it’s difficult to come up with the perfect solution. It’s also difficult to determine who to place the blame and what is the best consequence. Unfortunately tragedies like what happened in Rana Plaza continue to occur. This class made me more aware of the issues and hopefully having classes like 455 can lead to fashion students working together to help this issue.
I have learned so much from FASH 455. This class has opened my eyes into the logistics of sourcing and trade agreements and the importance of these processes on the industry as a whole. I was aware of what NAFTA was but i was unaware of the weight that it pulls into our domestic imports and exports and allows us to do business so easily with Canada and Mexico. I have also learned so much about ethics when it comes to sourcing and manufacturing in foreign companies, and how the processes a company decides to follow dictates their footprint on their business practices.
I found FASH 455 to be one of the most eye opening and interesting classes out of all my FASH courses. Many don’t realize how political the textile and apparel industry really is, and how much planning and dedication it takes to produce the items we love and use everyday. Dr. Lu is a great professor who is so knowledgeable on all of these subjects and it is obvious that he cares about the course material. Trade policy and regulations are generally very difficult to understand and he made it much easier to really get to know the ins and outs of these processes. It is so important to really take a look at where our clothes come from, and acknowledge those overseas who dedicate their lives to these jobs that take so much time, energy, and strength. This class will continue to make me consider these things as I make new purchases and even as I further my career in the future.
Nearing the end of the semester, I am leaving Fash455 with a clearer, more well-rounded view of globalization, trade, and the industry as a whole. My perception of trade has drastically changed from the first day of class. I see now, how truly difficult it is to negotiate and form trade policies that are fair for each party and that can easily be agreed on. One of my favorite things about this class was actually how challenging it was to view controversy from both sides and to actually see positives in subjects that are typically viewed as negative. I definitely feel more empowered leaving this class to take on more difficult discussions about trade and policy as I feel more confident in my knowledge regarding these subjects.
As we are nearing the end of the semester and studying for the final, I have realized how much I have learned throughout the semester. We have gone through and learned about many topics such as trade and trade policies just to name a few. Also, having skype events with guests in fields that pertained to our class material was a great learning experience. I never have experienced anything like this in any of my other classes and I believe it was a very interesting way to add to the overall class experience. I really enjoyed doing the essay assignments and case studies because they pushed me to expand my thinking and make tough decisions. Along with this, the class discussions on our papers really expanded my perspectives on the topics we covered. My favorite case study was the Rana Plaza study, it was very eye opening and interesting. I had always heard how bad working conditions could be but I personally never studied the problem. I left the case study with having new knowledge on these issues and a whole new look on the situation. Dr. Lu, it was great learning from someone who was clearly so passionate about what they teach. I really enjoyed taking this class.
I really appreciated FASH455 because it was one of the first classes in my college career that has opened my eyes to real world effects of the fashion industry. All of the case studies broadened my knowledge of not only the industry I’ve longed to work in my whole life, but the world. Also, I feel that this class informed us students on social and political issues that have affected the industry and vise versa. It is never easy to hear about the ugly truths, such as Rhana Plaza or the mass mistreatment of factory workers, but it is important that they are addressed and this class did it perfectly. Additionally, I feel that the students in this class will be able to take away such an authentic learning experience from all the various Skype discussions we had with people who have such extensive and varying knowledge of the industry. It was fascinating to hear about their experiences and their wise perspectives on certain policies and issues.
I have learned so much with my time in Fash455 about topics I never really knew I would be learning when I entered this fashion program. This class helped me understand how we are going to enter an industry with implications on people around the globe. Every decision we make could be tied to multiple different supply chains and effect people who live in countries far away. Globalization is here to stay, and as we become more interdependent in the world our actions become more consequential to people close and far. I’ve been struggling for a long time to find a way to marry my two passions for what I want to do; first I want to pursue a career in fashion and secondly I want my career impact to go towards helping people. The fashion industry is one of the most wasteful and environmentally impactful industries in the world. This class has given me a framework to make decisions in the future with and has peaked an interest in the field of study that I may want to pursue in the future. So as I move through my career I will always keep in mind that there are winners and losers in globalization however, the global supply chain is always shifting and changing and there is always room for positive change.
very well said!!
Whether it was learning about trade policies or becoming more conscious of factory conditions in LDC, I’ve taken away so many valuable lessons from FASH455. As a fashion major, we learn that the industry is more than just the clothes that you wear. The textile and apparel industry has an environmentally, politically, and economically global impact on the world. For instance, the textile and apparel industry is one of the leading providers for jobs in third-world countries. I know that as fashion majors, we play an important role in fashion sustainability and making ethical decisions within the industry to overall make the world a better place.
I am very grateful that I took the fashion 455 class, because it broadened my horizon and has a deeper understanding of my major. Through the case study and class discussions, I also understand that there are many different points of view, but they are all right. Many of the guest speakers’ speeches have also taught me a lot of things I can learn in practice, which are not available in textbooks. I knew that Chinese manufacturing has a lot of influence in the world. It is also known that different areas are suitable for producing different products.
VF using their profit to invest technicians to instruct other factories to better output is a gain to emerging economies. Emerging economy factories can make more, and earn more in total textiles made. If the domestic textile industry lacks external stimuli, it will not work hard to grow and eventually face elimination. Healthy competition is more conducive to development. These are things I learned from FASH455, just an example.
Professor Lu is a really nice person. He treats his students very patiently and very happy and enjoy to discuss with his students. I really have a nice session!!!
The “Trade at Work” video has been one of the most memorable videos you have shown to me this semester. I remember my first time watching it being shocked at all the different destinations of production for just one item. I was truly fascinated and it made me think more about how unaware we are of where our products are truly coming from. All we see on the tag is the last stop of production, but the case could be that had been in dozens of countries due to comparative advantage and other factors. There is a huge disconnect from the customers knowledge of where their products are being sourced from and it is something I wish more people were aware of.
Dr. Lu always asks us why we think our major is important and repeat that our major is important, but I have never agreed so. I choose our major because I love fashion, pretty items, and shopping. I think my major is nothing important with countries’ economy, and art worth nothing but paying.
After I took this class, I realized that fashion is a strong industry in the whole world. There are soooooooo many trade agreements among countries. Once Trump’s Yarn forward claimed, the whole asian countries will participant in the apparel assembling less to western countries, that hurts thabian economy. At the same time, U.S. may increase the cost of garment and gain more tariffs, that nobody can predict it is worth or not……