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The Travels of A T-Shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade
"The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy" takes the reader on a fascinating, around-the-world journey to reveal the economic and political lessons from the life story of a simple t-shirt. Over five years, business professor Pietra Rivoli traveled from a Texas cotton field to a Chinese factory to a used clothing market in Africa, to investigate compelling questions a...more
Paperback, 258 pages
Published
June 30th 2007
by John Wiley & Sons
(first published 2005)
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This book shows you a bit of the lives of several people along the supply chain and trade routes of T-shirts, including American cotton farmers, Chinese factory girls, trade lobby etc. This is the main contribution of the book and probably also what makes it appealing to many people. However, I found many of the points made quite obvious. American cotton farmers compete based on technology, machinery and generous subsidies, Chinese textile manufacturers on low wages...
Another weakness of the boo...more
Another weakness of the boo...more
Apr 19, 2012
Brian
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Brian by:
planet money
(4.5) Surprisingly good, though not surprisingly not much actually about the path of her T-shirt
In-depth investigation of the history and politics of the industries that touch T-shirts: cotton production, processing, apparel manufacturing, shipping, recycling. She traces the history of each of these industries from their birth to today, then picks apart the current trends driving the industries today. Particularly eye-opening were the fights over tariffs and import quotas on apparel...many parti...more
In-depth investigation of the history and politics of the industries that touch T-shirts: cotton production, processing, apparel manufacturing, shipping, recycling. She traces the history of each of these industries from their birth to today, then picks apart the current trends driving the industries today. Particularly eye-opening were the fights over tariffs and import quotas on apparel...many parti...more
This is long, carefully researched and well written book about the history, geography, culture, politics and trade in cotton and cotton textiles in particular and trade in general. The author gives an excellent overview of how politics, culture and money interact to create complex trade policies in US and around the world. Although a cotton T-shirt is the last thing you would expect governments and interest groups to fight over, it is surprising to find the number of lives it affects. It is fasc...more
Feb 17, 2013
Liz
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
school-reading,
reviewed
This is an interesting book looking at the travel of one t-shirt sold at a Walgreens in the U.S.
I had to read this book for my Globalization Debate class, and I can honestly say it was one of the better readings so far. It introduces the reader to the real world travels of a t-shirt from where the cotton was picked from (Lubbock, Texas), where the cotton was shipped and spun into yarn and made into a t-shirt (Shanghai, China), sent back to the U.S for the print, and then where t-shirts and othe...more
I had to read this book for my Globalization Debate class, and I can honestly say it was one of the better readings so far. It introduces the reader to the real world travels of a t-shirt from where the cotton was picked from (Lubbock, Texas), where the cotton was shipped and spun into yarn and made into a t-shirt (Shanghai, China), sent back to the U.S for the print, and then where t-shirts and othe...more
Pietra Rivoli bought a souvenir T-shirt, and then she wrote a book about it. Inspired to explore the lowly T-shirt by an anti-WTO rally, she determined to look at the issues related to cotton farming, to clothing manufacture, and ultimately to the used-clothing trade.
If there is one message in this book, it is that free trade in the world of cotton is myth. With one exception, that is. More about that later.
First Rivoli traces the story of cotton as a critical commodity. The preeminence of the U...more
If there is one message in this book, it is that free trade in the world of cotton is myth. With one exception, that is. More about that later.
First Rivoli traces the story of cotton as a critical commodity. The preeminence of the U...more
An economist follows the life of her t-shirt in painful detail. Rivoli starts in the cotton fields of Texas and ends up in Tanzania in the rag and second-hand clothing market. She spends plenty of time in Asia along the way, specifically China, and shares a somewhat dispassionate assessment of sweat shops.
Rivoli spends way too much time talking about the textile lobby in the United States. Throughout, she presents her analysis in a narrative form, and therefore focuses on specific characters an...more
Rivoli spends way too much time talking about the textile lobby in the United States. Throughout, she presents her analysis in a narrative form, and therefore focuses on specific characters an...more
What a superb book. Whether you’re a free trade supporter, a staunch protectionist, or a fierce labor activist you need to read this book! This is hands down the most unbiased book I have ever read from the perspective that all sides of the debate are tdiscussed or addressed. And whatever your beliefs are, I guarantee that you will find something in this book that will cause you to stop, and possibly re-think or tweak some of your own ideals.
The book is well-written, immensely informative and t...more
The book is well-written, immensely informative and t...more
There has been a lot written recently in blogs and traditional media about the environmental impact of a cotton T-Shirt. This book is the granddaddy of all of them.
In a well-written and succinct book, Prof. Rivoli tells us about how this most ubiquitous item of western attire is created, used, and disposed of - once, twice, and maybe a third time. Using both objective facts and personal anecdotes, this book is both educational and enjoyable.
Although I read it a little while back and the book its...more
In a well-written and succinct book, Prof. Rivoli tells us about how this most ubiquitous item of western attire is created, used, and disposed of - once, twice, and maybe a third time. Using both objective facts and personal anecdotes, this book is both educational and enjoyable.
Although I read it a little while back and the book its...more
Untuk orang yang sangat awam tentang ekonomi seperti saya, buku ini nyaman dibaca. Isi dari buku ini mengupas tentang Ekonomi Global dan perdagangan bebas.
Metodenya sederhana.
Bercerita tentang perjalanan hidup T-Shirt. Latar belakang pencarian kisah hidup T-Shirt tersebut diawali oleh kegusaran seorang profesor bisnis, Pietra Rivolli,terhadap celotehan aktifis yang menggugat perdagangan bebas. Dari mana dia(aktifis) tau?.
Untuk membuktikan ocehan aktifs itu, si Prof pun menggali asal muasal T-S...more
Metodenya sederhana.
Bercerita tentang perjalanan hidup T-Shirt. Latar belakang pencarian kisah hidup T-Shirt tersebut diawali oleh kegusaran seorang profesor bisnis, Pietra Rivolli,terhadap celotehan aktifis yang menggugat perdagangan bebas. Dari mana dia(aktifis) tau?.
Untuk membuktikan ocehan aktifs itu, si Prof pun menggali asal muasal T-S...more
Mar 04, 2013
Christopher
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ir-ps-summer-reading-list-2013
In this revealing study of the "life" of an ordinary t-shirt, Ms. Rivoli shines a light on international trade and trade policy in a way that few other books can. The book starts with cotton production in East Texas and then moving around the world to show how a t-shirt is made and traded, often times in ways that both support and refute free trade critics and supporters alike. It was very interesting to read how greatly trade policy and U.S. subsidies influence the market in both good and bad w...more
This book got me to really rethink my position on second hand clothes on Africa. It resented the economics of the world of T-shirts in a convincing way by journeying through the lifecycle of a T-shirt, from cotton to Cameroon, and explored all the steps in between.
My original belief about second hand clothing was that people in the developed world donated old clothes to make themselves feel better, but those clothes then go to saturate the market in African countries and destroy their domestic T...more
My original belief about second hand clothing was that people in the developed world donated old clothes to make themselves feel better, but those clothes then go to saturate the market in African countries and destroy their domestic T...more
Pietra Rivoli offers a good insight into globalization in today's society. Her book offers the reader a chance to look beyond the misleading political stances taken on this issue to really see the benefits of globalization. After I read this book, the Olympic outfit controversy erupted and I couldn't help but think how silly the whole issue truly was to those of us who have read this book. If you are looking for a good book on trade and globalization, Ms. Rivoli will not disappoint you in your q...more
This book is global economics for everyman... honest, insightful, surprising. And for that reason, it probably won't be read by the people who need to read it (anyone elegible to vote, in my opinion).
The story was concieved at an anti-globalization rally staged against the World Trade Organization in Georgetown. So, an economics sought to do a little research into the protesters' grief. She bought a T-shirt at a Florida tourist trap, and researched its manufacturing history, right back to the co...more
The story was concieved at an anti-globalization rally staged against the World Trade Organization in Georgetown. So, an economics sought to do a little research into the protesters' grief. She bought a T-shirt at a Florida tourist trap, and researched its manufacturing history, right back to the co...more
Very interesting economics study. A Georgetown U. economics professor attended a protest demonstration and listened to one of her students speak from a bull horn deriding the plight of third world sweat shop workers. She asked, "Is that true?" and so she spent the better part of three years researching and documenting her studies. ...Rivoli describes the history and application of cotton agriculture, trade with China and Southeast Asia and the evolution of the global textile industry. Finally, w...more
It's an interesting idea to follow a T-shirt from its birth to its death (or reincarnation in some cases). One discovers that there is so much more than just market forces at work - politics mainly. The old arguments of free trade versus protectionism now sound so inadequate, once you realize that the intricacies in the manufacture and transportation of T-shirts are full of twists and surprises. The most interesting, and largely unknown, story is the mitumba, the bundles of used clothing cast of...more
An engaging read and a good book even if you only have a layman's understanding of economics. Very interesting to hear about the people she met along the way while researching.
I disagree with some of the author's conclusions in the last section but there was a lot of good information in here to consider. She believes that the path to world peace is the free market, and believes that it empowers everyone it comes in contact with. I'm unsure that she's in an unbiased position to make such broad st...more
I disagree with some of the author's conclusions in the last section but there was a lot of good information in here to consider. She believes that the path to world peace is the free market, and believes that it empowers everyone it comes in contact with. I'm unsure that she's in an unbiased position to make such broad st...more
Very interesting discussion of how subsidized cotton from America is sent to China for creating a T-Shirt. (There might be a few more round trips, i.e. fabric is created abroad, and then the shirt is made in Mexico, and then it is printed back in Asia). Eventually, the hypothetical same T-Shirt returns to Florida to be sold to tourists, until eventually it is discarded at a thrift store donation box. But the story is not over. Due to the low cost of empty shipping containers leaving the US, our...more
I'm putting together a program for my teenagers called Travel with a "T" this summer, and I thought this book would give me some insights into the life of a t-shirt from beginning to end. What I didn't expect to get was a great story on the history of fabric, the politics of clothing, and the industry of exporting recycled clothing. (It's a much bigger and more complex industry than I ever dreamed existed.) I love learning new things and this book gave me a lot of interesting points of world his...more
Sort of like an "Omnivore's Dilemma" for the cheap T-shirt...a Georgetown economist follows a cheap souvenir T-shirt all the way back to its source in a Texas cotton field, and examines the socioeconomics and politics of its journey to China and back. Not the most amazing writing but a nice concrete introduction to some of the hotly debated ideas about globalization and free trade. Also some nice historical tidbits...did you know imported cotton clothing used to be banned in England like 300 yea...more
I found this a readable detailed look at the history and politics of cotton tracing one t-shirt originally bought at an American drugstore.
The cotton was grown in Lubbock, Texas, spun into yarn and sewn in Shanghai, China and sent back to Florida for printing. After its use, it goes onto another life in some third world country.
The author gives an eye-opening picture of the international market place which is quite sad and depressing. My only complaint is that she offers no solutions to the pli...more
The cotton was grown in Lubbock, Texas, spun into yarn and sewn in Shanghai, China and sent back to Florida for printing. After its use, it goes onto another life in some third world country.
The author gives an eye-opening picture of the international market place which is quite sad and depressing. My only complaint is that she offers no solutions to the pli...more
Fascinating both for seeing how far a t-shirt travels from grower to the store rack (and afterwards) and for showing how complicated international trade really is. The author writes from an free-market perspective but acknowledges the concerns of those who favor more regulation.
What particularly sticks with me: her descriptions of the grueling work in a Chinese factory, and then pointing out that the reason these young women are working there is because it's easier work for better pay than they'...more
What particularly sticks with me: her descriptions of the grueling work in a Chinese factory, and then pointing out that the reason these young women are working there is because it's easier work for better pay than they'...more
I read this book because it is a required text for the local high school's economic classes. It lost me in the midst of the 'alphabet army', various agencies and policies known by their initials. The section on cotton farming was fascinating, and I was saddened and appalled to read about how the government has been led by the nose by various special interest groups. All in all, this was an interesting read, but I prefer Russell Roberts' books on economics. Check those out for a great explanation...more
Agak lucu juga nemu buku ini. Sekitar sebulan lalu aku dapat kaos oleh-oleh dari bos di kantor yang baru pulang dari Belgia. Seumur hidup sampai sekarang, baru kali ini aku dapat kaos dengan logo fair trade di belakangnya. Ada logo Max Havelaar dan keterangan bahwa kaos itu diproduksi dengan menerapkan prinsip-prinsip fair trade.
Menurut organisasi fair trade sedunia International Federation of Alternative Trade (IFAT), fair trade adalah perdagangan yang berdasarkan pada dialog, keterbukaan dan s...more
Menurut organisasi fair trade sedunia International Federation of Alternative Trade (IFAT), fair trade adalah perdagangan yang berdasarkan pada dialog, keterbukaan dan s...more
Nov 10, 2011
cathepsut
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction,
read-in-2011
There is a prologue and a lengthy prologue to the prologue, before we get into the details of Texas cotton farming and being thoroughly educated on the history of cotton farming in the US. That is followed by a very brief chapter about China that focuses on sweatshops, giving the impression that there is nothing else there. Then follows an over-detailed and way too long chapter on trade policies, quotas and politics. At that point I nearly tossed the book, because it was not only painfully borin...more
I receive two notices monthly from local charities willing to pick-up gently used clothing items from my front porch on specific days. Last year I donated, on multiple occasions, giant garbage bags of button down shirts, polo shirts, dress slacks, and t-shirts, many, many t-shirts. How do Americans acquire so many t-shirts? Think about your closet. Now think about your t-shirts. How many t-shirts do you really wear on a regular basis?
The average American throws away 68 pounds of clothing and te...more
The average American throws away 68 pounds of clothing and te...more
I'm actually in the middle of the book now, having decided to read the last third first. The last third (Africa) was the main reason I picked the book up to begin with: I wanted more information on the mitumba market--- something I deal with everyday, as I have made that pledge for purchasing used (exterior) clothing from now on (it's been over a year, actually; should check to see when I started that).
The travels of a T-shirt was first brought to my attention by a NYT Sunday Magazine article;...more
The travels of a T-shirt was first brought to my attention by a NYT Sunday Magazine article;...more
Rivoli notes in the preface that anecdotal evidence is often criticized as "entertaining but intellectually empty" and at the end of the this books' low points are when it gets overly anecdotal and becomes intellectually empty.
Rivoli does a decent job broadening her spectrum to look at the big picture of the industries she is covering but sometimes gets too focused on the region or factory that best makes her point. She seems to acknowledge but gloss over large problems in the apparel industry (...more
Rivoli does a decent job broadening her spectrum to look at the big picture of the industries she is covering but sometimes gets too focused on the region or factory that best makes her point. She seems to acknowledge but gloss over large problems in the apparel industry (...more
Jul 19, 2008
Sarah
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who want to understand how it all fits together.
As an historian, I find that some of the other social sciences are more about statitics and graphs rather than about people. I find the relationship between people and money interesting; the way money affects people and the way people affect money decisions and policies. However, economice seems to rarely be about people. This book is different. The author's purpose in wriitng this book was to put the story back into economics and to put global economics into story.
The author buys a souvenir t-s...more
The author buys a souvenir t-s...more
Wonderful book. Its a novel, so nice.
Business is within the scope of politics.
Politics is here when people try to hold their own interests.
Development needs hard efforts.
Knowledge can be get from intutitive, learning or even stealing, sharing, exchanging, whatever. How texitle industry running around the world is knowledge transfer.
So, keep your gate high is a way to protect. But, how long an affluent country need that protection? hm... I am thinking.
Business is within the scope of politics.
Politics is here when people try to hold their own interests.
Development needs hard efforts.
Knowledge can be get from intutitive, learning or even stealing, sharing, exchanging, whatever. How texitle industry running around the world is knowledge transfer.
So, keep your gate high is a way to protect. But, how long an affluent country need that protection? hm... I am thinking.
I think this book should be required reading for schools from HS and up. Many, many people only repeat the propaganda put out by activist groups (ie: anti-trade) without any real knowlege of what they are saying. This book would help to clear up their incorrect thought processes and open their eyes to at least some as to what is really happening in the big picture of trade. I learned so much from this book even having a financial background. I told my friend it was like taking a college class wi...more
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“How did the Farm Bill achieve overwhelming support from Congress in the face of such widespread calls for reform?...In exchange for leaving support for the large commodity crop farmers in place, House and Senate negotiators packaged support for nearly everyone else into the bill.”
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Apr 19, 2012 11:29pm