Garment Factory in Guangzhou, China

Last weekend was a long one and many people left for short holidays. I joined a group of ladies on a study cum shopping tour organized by SWEPA (Sabah Women Entrepreneurs and Professionals Association) in Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Southern China.

The flight was a short and pleasant one and soon we were one our way from Shenzhen airport to Guangzhou.

The expressways were just like those in other modern countries with toll stations along the way.

Guangzhou is the capital of Kwantung Province and is a leading commercial and manufacturing center in China. What struck me was the cleanliness and the green foliage as we moved along the highways many of which are elevated and there are three levels so we saw vehicles below and above us.

The use of motorcycles was banned in 2007 to reduce the polluted emissions , to improve the traffic flow and to prevent snatch thefts. These three problems are rampant in my country and I wish the government has the political will to ban the use of motorcycles in urban centers. This will wipe out the spate of snatch thefts and eliminate the Mat Rempits who are menaces on two wheels that have no respect for the law or other road users.

We visited a garment factory that produces a whole range of clothing from casual wear, jeans, lingerie, etc. and their clients include Marks & Spencer, Ann Taylor, Calvin Klein, Debenhams, Victoria’s Secrets, Levi’s, etc. We were given a tour of how Victoria’s Secret lingerie was produced from the design stage right up to the finished product.

Each process is completed by a different sewer so a garment will be produced by ten or more people, depending on the complexity of the design.

There are programs that look after the welfare of the workers and incentives which boost their productivity. A fair promotion policy is practiced. 70% of the workers are women. They are trained to cut and sew, using various types of machines which require different sets of skills.

It was definitely an eye-opener for me.

The shopping was also good. There were streets that sold one type of product, e.g. wedding dresses and evening gowns, shoes and the accessories to match. The designs were fabulous and the accessories were mind boggling. It was really a visual feast. If a goldie like me can swoon over them, what more a sweet young person?