Sew Chaotically! - Sew bots????!!!

B shared this video from the Wall Street Journal with me today:  WSJ series - Moving upstream: How sewing robots may put humans out of work

The sewing and textile industry has always been an amazing utilitarian and artistic venture while simultaneously being one that often abuses, underpays, and mistreats its employees, who are, and have historically been, predominantly women.  In New York City in 1911, 145 workers died in the The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire ~ a sweatshop that employed about 600, mostly non-English speakers, who worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, for $15.000 per week.  There were 4 elevators in the building; only one worked.  The fire escape was narrow and dilapidated.  One exit door was locked and the other opened inwardly.  When the fire started in a box of rags, the manager discovered the fire hose was rotten and the water valve rusted shut.

Sadly, I'm not sure 'we've come a long way baby'!  Although the fashion industry has provided families, through the employment of the women in them, a wage that lifts them out of the most devastating poverty, these women remain frequent victims of demanding work quotas in poor working conditions for very little pay.  They are often illiterate, lacking in education generally and math in particular.  As the video at the top notes, today in Bangladesh, these women are lucky to make $164.00 per month.  As if that were not enough, here come the machines and bots - machines that can knit a sweater for Zara faster than human hands.  The video details machines used in a Japanese prison where workers with as little as one day of training create guard uniforms.  In Arkansas and Japan completely automated bots are being developed to sew a variety of garments.  Check out the video to see how machines sew perfect pockets and distress your latest jeans!!!

MY Creative Corner!!!

Sew-bots!!!  Part of me LOVES this!!!  And, it is a fact, that we home sewists wouldn't be making OUR garments without OUR machines!!!  My sewing improved in gigantic leaps when B got me Bernie and Sergie!!! But, this needn't be a one sum game!  Why can't we utilize the best that  machines provide while keeping the human touch?

Afghan #9 zillion and one for a special baby on the way!!!

Here's the thing.  In 2018, why DO we have illiterate people on the planet?  Why do we have people in poverty?  Children with insufficient food?  Girls (as well as boys) with NO opportunity for a basic education?  I actually know some of the answers.  Basic greed and power covers most of it!!!  So, I guess the better question is:  Why do WE ALLOW this circumstance?????  And folks...it IS a "WE"!  You and ME!!!  If the human brain and spirit can invent self driving cars, shoot rockets (and cars ~ what a waste of a Tesla!!!!!!!!!!!!!) into space, along with machines that can create garments with no need for human hands, we can feed and educate the world's people!  This kind of entrepreneurship, creative genius, and absolute brilliance can do SEW much more!!!  There really is no reason for the women of Bangladesh to be impoverished or left behind as automation, as it surely will, moves forward!!!

We can do better!  Let's start now!!! Sew and live chaotically! ~ les