Happy Chik-Fil-A Appreciation Day!

[Ibanez]

My dad boycotts Target b/c the French were dicks in the early 2000's. So stupid.

[ASUG8]

I boycott Wal-Mart because it's Wal-Mart. They're like the freakin' Death Star of retail.

[YoUDeeMan]

You are correct sir.

Of course, I'm correct.

Sure, there have been changes to the fashion industry...small changes...and changes that more well-off people can afford. Most people still shop for the lowest price...regardless of where it is made.

You are looking at wage increases as if the companies doing business are the ones that are making the decision to increase those wages. If that were true, the companies would stay in China and take the hit to their profits...or pass on their costs to their customers. But, those companies are not staying..they are moving to the other, less costly, countries.

[Grizalltheway]

My dad boycotts Target b/c the French were dicks in the early 2000's. So stupid.

Wait, what? Target was founded by an American in Minnesota.

[Ibanez]

You are correct sir.

Of course, I'm correct.

Sure, there have been changes to the fashion industry...small changes...and changes that more well-off people can afford. Most people still shop for the lowest price...regardless of where it is made.

You are looking at wage increases as if the companies doing business are the ones that are making the decision to increase those wages. If that were true, the companies would stay in China and take the hit to their profits...or pass on their costs to their customers. But, those companies are not staying..they are moving to the other, less costly, countries.

Yeah I know that. As I stated, companies are leaving China for Vietnam, India, Taiwan and even returning to the US. More companies are beginning to use Organic Cottons and sustainable materials. In 2001, an ethically sourced and manufactured pair of jeans could be $100, however there has been increased demand and the prices are falling considerably. I was assisting with some research and a few non profit organizations stated that since 2007 the demand for organic cottons have far exceeded supply. Baby steps, my friend. Baby steps.

My wife has a line of sustainable clothing and has seen prices for the material fall 15% in the past 2 years. She's been able to lower her prices while maintaing a 40% markup.

[GSUhooligan]

My dad boycotts Target b/c the French were dicks in the early 2000's. So stupid.

Wait, what? Target was founded by an American in Minnesota.

The guy probably thinks it's French because of the soccer moms that pronounce it "Tarje" to make it sound fancier.

[Ibanez]

My dad boycotts Target b/c the French were dicks in the early 2000's. So stupid.

Wait, what? Target was founded by an American in Minnesota.

Yeah, I know. I told him that. I don't understand it. It had something to do with some products they were selling. I don't know, It makes no sense. Hence my, "so stupid" comment.


FYI, dad is a hardcore republican.

[Ibanez]

Wait, what? Target was founded by an American in Minnesota.

The guy probably thinks it's French because of the soccer moms that pronounce it "Tarje" to make it sound fancier.

No, I think it had to do with some Vet bashing in 2002 or 2003 or some hoax that they were French Owned. I don't know what his deal was. I remember him telling me and saying that it's an American company.

[ASUMountaineer]

Hey, Mr. Logic...you just acknowledged my response.



The fashion industry...consistently uses waifs to promote their clothes...causing little girls to compare their bodies to impossible standards. And an awful lot of clothing is made in Third World countries that pay people pennies to slave away so that fashionistas can make tons of money. Sure, all of them might not be gay, but that's not really the point. You sure should be boycotting any clothing that promotes anything but a healthy lifestyle and a living wage. Otherwise, you are a willing participant in the repression of others.

You are correct sir. However, the fashion industry isn't just clothing. The fashion industry is more than clothing, it's jewelry, home goods, home furnishings, uniforms, even cars. The fashion industry is having a reinassance in that many are starting to focus on more healthy, less anorexic looking models and are beginning to ethically source and manufacture thier clothing. Yes, Asia is still the #1 location for manufacturing. However, an increase scrutiny of companys and thier social responsibilites is having a positive influence. In fact, wages have been rising so much in China, that manufactures are leaving for Taiwan, Vietnam, India and even returning to the US. My wife, who is in the industry, runs a program whose purpose is it relocate manufacturing, design, promotion, etc... to the US and more specifically the United States. You will always have companies like Nike that don't care, but in the past 5 years we've seen some change.

Naturally, Raul drops fashion-knowledge bombs on us.

[Grizalltheway]

Wait, what? Target was founded by an American in Minnesota.

Yeah, I know. I told him that. I don't understand it. It had something to do with some products they were selling. I don't know, It makes no sense. Hence my, "so stupid" comment.


FYI, dad is a hardcore republican.

I remember my dad resolving not to buy anything made in China back when they wouldn't give our spy plane back. That didn't last long, as he quickly ran out of things to buy.

[Ibanez]

[andy7171]

This guy isn't too much of an asshole.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPLNgkP9nzc[/youtube]

Follow up story!

The following is a statement from Vante:

Vante regrets the unfortunate events that transpired yesterday in Tucson between our former CFO/Treasurer Adam Smith and an employee at Chick-fil-A. Effective immediately, Mr. Smith is no longer an employee of our company.

The actions of Mr. Smith do not reflect our corporate values in any manner. Vante is an equal opportunity company with a diverse workforce, which holds diverse opinions. We respect the right of our employees and all Americans to hold and express their personal opinions, however, we also expect our company officers to behave in a manner commensurate with their position and in a respectful fashion that conveys these values of civility with others.

We hope that the general population does not hold Mr. Smith’s actions against Vante and its employees.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/vante-tuc ... 00513.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ASUG8]

The local CFA was protest-free this morning when I got my delicious chicken egg and cheese bagel. Traffic appears to be back to more normal levels.

[YoUDeeMan]

Yeah I know that. As I stated, companies are leaving China for Vietnam, India, Taiwan and even returning to the US. More companies are beginning to use Organic Cottons and sustainable materials. In 2001, an ethically sourced and manufactured pair of jeans could be $100, however there has been increased demand and the prices are falling considerably. I was assisting with some research and a few non profit organizations stated that since 2007 the demand for organic cottons have far exceeded supply. Baby steps, my friend. Baby steps.

My wife has a line of sustainable clothing and has seen prices for the material fall 15% in the past 2 years. She's been able to lower her prices while maintaing a 40% markup.

You're missing the point.

YT should be boycotting companies that pay low wages. Companies are still moving to maintain lower operating costs.

Are some factors changing? Yup. But compaines will continue to pay as low a wage as possible (or they can find lower costs for their materials, but that just trickles down to the lower prices to the farmers/suppliers who then pay their people less), otherwise their profits will go down.

Your wife's 40% mark up is shameful. You are not thinking of those people in the fields. I expect YT will be boycotting you soon.

[death dealer]

Here's an idea...why don't you barricade yourself inside a box so that you don't cause any ripples in the space-time fabric...those ripples can cause someone to get hurt feelings.

Better make sure that box is manufactured by an environmentally responsible company from fully recycled materials. Climate change, you know. And I'd vet that company for any history of oppressive behavior towards it's unionized employees. Better make sure they provide benies to same sex partners of employees too. And did that paper come from timber from land stolen from Native Americans? Or is it sourced in the third world using slave labor, while exploiting and displacing native populations and depleting the biome? It'll take some research, but the Internet is chock full of..... Oh wait, can't use the interwebs, that would require electricity, which probably comes from fossil fuels. That whole climate change thing, plus the exploitative nature of the coal companies. Ughh....what's a socially just citizen to do?

[andy7171]

My wife has a line of sustainable clothing and has seen prices for the material fall 15% in the past 2 years. She's been able to lower her prices while maintaing a 40% markup.

Fucking profiteering companies!

[Rob Iola]

So the rainbow kiss-in + boycott both get blown away by the conk's show of support and this is the best response by the gay community? I'm all for their position, but this is kinda throwing in the towel in a lame way...

[Ibanez]

Yeah I know that. As I stated, companies are leaving China for Vietnam, India, Taiwan and even returning to the US. More companies are beginning to use Organic Cottons and sustainable materials. In 2001, an ethically sourced and manufactured pair of jeans could be $100, however there has been increased demand and the prices are falling considerably. I was assisting with some research and a few non profit organizations stated that since 2007 the demand for organic cottons have far exceeded supply. Baby steps, my friend. Baby steps.

My wife has a line of sustainable clothing and has seen prices for the material fall 15% in the past 2 years. She's been able to lower her prices while maintaing a 40% markup.

You're missing the point.

YT should be boycotting companies that pay low wages. Companies are still moving to maintain lower operating costs.

Are some factors changing? Yup. But compaines will continue to pay as low a wage as possible (or they can find lower costs for their materials, but that just trickles down to the lower prices to the farmers/suppliers who then pay their people less), otherwise their profits will go down.

Your wife's 40% mark up is shameful. You are not thinking of those people in the fields. I expect YT will be boycotting you soon.

I got your point. I'm telling you the trend. And 40% markup is low. Jeans are usually around a 200% markup, shoes range between 100-500%, cell phones are low (8-10%) furniture is 200-400%. So, her 40% is way low. Everything she produces is sourced and manufacted in the United States using ethical and sustainable practices. And I dout YT will wear womens clothing, so he shouldn't worry. You don't know the ins and outs of her line, so you really shouldn't try to talk shit. But i'm sure, you have some genius, MENSA grade analysis on how I don't know anything regardless of my involvement in the industry. Hey, you want to tell me how I am wrong on matters of Anti-Submarine Warfare (my profession?) I'll be sure to send it straight to Admiral Burroughs.

Tell me, what is it like knowing everything?

[Baldy]

@ the idiots who think this entire thing is about "pro" or "anti-gayness".

[Ibanez]

Here's an idea...why don't you barricade yourself inside a box so that you don't cause any ripples in the space-time fabric...those ripples can cause someone to get hurt feelings.

Better make sure that box is manufactured by an environmentally responsible company from fully recycled materials. Climate change, you know. And I'd vet that company for any history of oppressive behavior towards it's unionized employees. Better make sure they provide benies to same sex partners of employees too. And did that paper come from timber from land stolen from Native Americans? Or is it sourced in the third world using slave labor, while exploiting and displacing native populations and depleting the biome? It'll take some research, but the Internet is chock full of..... Oh wait, can't use the interwebs, that would require electricity, which probably comes from fossil fuels. That whole climate change thing, plus the exploitative nature of the coal companies. Ughh....what's a socially just citizen to do?

I think that person should probably grow some hemp, make clothes out of it and live outside. It's pointless to boycott companies in which you disagree with thier policies. You'll end up never buying anything and probably not going to work.

[Ibanez]

You're missing the point.

YT should be boycotting companies that pay low wages. Companies are still moving to maintain lower operating costs.

Are some factors changing? Yup. But compaines will continue to pay as low a wage as possible (or they can find lower costs for their materials, but that just trickles down to the lower prices to the farmers/suppliers who then pay their people less), otherwise their profits will go down.

Your wife's 40% mark up is shameful. You are not thinking of those people in the fields. I expect YT will be boycotting you soon.

I got your point. I'm telling you the trend. And 40% markup is low. Jeans are usually around a 200% markup, shoes range between 100-500%, cell phones are low (8-10%) furniture is 200-400%. So, her 40% is way low. Everything she produces is sourced and manufacted in the United States using ethical and sustainable practices. And I dout YT will wear womens clothing, so he shouldn't worry. You don't know the ins and outs of her line, so you really shouldn't try to talk shit. But i'm sure, you have some genius, MENSA grade analysis on how I don't know anything regardless of my involvement in the industry. Hey, you want to tell me how I am wrong on matters of Anti-Submarine Warfare (my profession?) I'll be sure to send it straight to Admiral Burroughs.

Tell me, what is it like knowing everything?

Brand-name clothing means big-time retail markups. A study of French clothing franchises found that the average markup on clothing was 250 percent and 350 percent for accessories.

Jeans are prime targets for markups, whether they're cheap or expensive. For example, $21.99 pair of jeans from Kohl's still has a 112 percent markup from wholesale, while a $300 pair of designer jeans from True Religion can boast a markup as steep as 300 percent over cost.

http://www2.counton2.com/business/2009/ ... ar-543743/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.globallabourrights.org/reports?id=0042" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

THe above link shows how evil Walmart marks up thier shirts 260%. Considering a small boutique, that is using American Labor and American companies marks up 40% and turns a profit (well, we did in year 4. Years 1-3 we reinvested everything into the compan) is pretty good and reasonable. And if it the prices weren't reasonable, she wouldn't be expanding.

[andy7171]

Walmarts shirts are all under $15.

[JMU DJ]

@ the idiots who think this entire thing is about "pro" or "anti-gayness".

Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious or if I'm way off base... I'm trying to stay out of this discussion as much as I can... but this is about the 1st Amendment and a persons right to freedom of speech without having to worry about their company being boycotted?

[Ibanez]

Walmarts shirts are all under $15.

Low prices doesn't mean there isn't an extreme markup, especially when it costs $.17 cents to make the shirt and the fabric costs close to $5. Go to the link.

In Bangladesh we were offered the price of just $4.70 to make our shirt. This price included everything—fabric, accessories, laundry, direct and indirect labor. How could they do it for this price?

The fabric is sourced in China for $1.35 per square yard, and the accessories would cost less than 60 cents.

The total labor cost was 22 cents, and the industrial laundry about 20 cents.

So, their full cost of $3.72 to make the shirt was less than one-third of what the cost is in the U.S. We knew that the factories were inflating the cost of the fabric sourced in China so as to disguise their real profit, which they claimed to be approximately $1.00. We were also very clear about the fact that we—Hansen Fashions—were a very small company and would be starting out with a very small run of about 25,000 shirts.

Given Wal-Mart's enormous size and power, we know they get their denim shirts for $3.00 to $3.25. This is how they can sell a shirt for $11.67 and still make a considerable profit. It's based on exploited labor in China and Bangladesh.

This means that Wal-Mart's mark-up on its $11.67 shirt is still 260 to 290 percent, or $8.42 to $8.67, which is 38 times more than they pay the workers to make the shirt. ($11.67 ÷ $3.25 = 3.59, or a 260% mark-up; $11.67 ÷ $3.00 = $3.89, or 290% mark-up. $11.67 - $3.25 = $8.42; $11.67 - $3.00 = $8.67; $8.42 ÷ $0.22 = 38.3)

This proves two things:

On one hand, it clearly demonstrates how Wal-Mart's bargains are really based on everyday low wages and exploitation, leaving workers across the developing world trapped in misery.

On the other hand, it demonstrates that Wal-Mart could very easily pay the extra 20 cents per garment so that the workers could climb out of misery and at least into poverty. It would be a simple thing to do.

If Wal-Mart paid 20 cents more per garment, it's mark-up would still be 238 to 265 percent, or $8.22 to $8.47, which is still 21 times more than the 39 cents they would now be paying the workers to make the shirt. ($11.67 ÷ $3.45 = 3.38—or 238% mark-up; $11.67 ÷ $3.20 = 3.65—or a 267% mark-up; $11.67 - $3.45 = $8.22; $11.67 - $3.20 = $8.45; $8.22 ÷ $0.39 = 21.)

http://www.globallabourrights.org/reports?id=0042" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I use this because we procure a lot of cotton.

Other survey findings revealed that the average price per pound farmers received for organic cotton in 2008 decreased from the previous year and ranged from 52 cents to $1.35 for organic upland cotton in 2008, compared to $1 to $1.50 in 2007.

http://www.ota.com/organic/mt/organic_cotton.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The silk is procured by companies that don't kill the silk worm. I thinkthe hippies call it peace silk. Our sourcer/manufactures in Los Angeles and Wilmington, NC only deal wth ethical, cruetly free, humane companies and the LA shop gets 95% of all its materials from the U.S. The other 5% the do procure, from respectable, humane companies located overseas. OUr manufacturer in Wilmington employees skilled seamstresses (sp.) that are American citizens. Now, i'm sure, somewhere they might have a seam ripper or one of the computer chips is from China or somewhere. In fact, they have iphones, so i'm sure they are evil manufacturers getting rich off the backs of the lowly Asian worker.

[Baldy]

@ the idiots who think this entire thing is about "pro" or "anti-gayness".

Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious or if I'm way off base... I'm trying to stay out of this discussion as much as I can... but this is about the 1st Amendment and a persons right to freedom of speech without having to worry about their company being boycotted?

Partially, but it has nothing to do about being boycotted. It was a statement to the mayors of Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco who threatened to ban Chick-fil-A from their cities for exercising their 1st amendment right.