On Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:04:33 -0800 (PST), spamtrap1888
wrote:

On Dec 27, 7:49*pm, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

It's almost 2012 and I'm going broke fixing electronics and giving
away free advice on Usenet. So, I'm slowly switching back to fixing
sewing machines. (I was my fathers ace mechanic when he owned a
factory in the L.A. garment district). No flashing lights, but plenty
opportunity to do damage.

Where are teh sweatshops?

Alive and well in China and Vietnam.
https://www.google.com/search?q=china+sweatshops&tbm=isch
We sold the biz shortly after my father had a stroke in 1986. At the
time, the downtown area of Smog Angeles was in the process of morphing
into a disaster area. Reputable businesses and stores were moving
out, to be replaced by importers, discounters, and empty factories.
http://www.thesanteealley.com
Very little of what's being sold was made locally.

Many garment manufacturers were purchased and had the entire factory
shipped overseas. Most of the garment production initially went to
Korea, which was also the main source of synthetic material. It then
shifted to Viet Nam where there are still large factories. Viet Nam
couldn't handle the huge growth in low cost clothes, so much of the
business went to China. Some also went to Mexican maquiladoras, but
nothing compared to the volume in China.

New York isn't doing any better than Smog Angeles:
http://savethegarmentcenter.org

I remember when South of Market was the garment district of San
Francisco, but I don't think Esprit and Gunne Saxe, etc., are still
sewn there.

Much to my surprise, the venerable Union Special Machine Co is still
in existence -- although as a division of Juki -- making mostly
specialty machines for such applications as bags and Astroturf.

In the garment biz, most items require a specialty attachment in order
to be efficient. You start with a basic machine, and then add
attachments, fixtures, and automation, all of which are highly
customized. The average lifetime of a style or pattern does not lend
itself to dedicated machines.

--
# Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
# 831-336-2558
# http://802.11junk.com
# http://www.LearnByDestroying.com AE6KS