Whoops!
OK, I'll make it quick before somebody asks why the first post was blank.
The kuffiyeh, originally manufactured in the Mideast by artisan traders out of high-quality material, is being stolen by cheap, low-quality Chinese markets who advertise colored pieces of fabric as being kuffiyat.
I find it a metaphor for the impact of globalization on artisan business, and the sad stories that it entails.
Originally posted by PalynkaThe industry itself? China has no relation to the holocaust industry as an idea! The main players are Russia, Germany, Israel, the US, and Switzerland.
What the government of 1 billion people does is not relevant for worldwide book sales?
Anyway, you know I didn't mean the book. *wink wink*
Originally posted by scherzoDo you think you should blame it all on globalisation?
Whoops!
OK, I'll make it quick before somebody asks why the first post was blank.
The kuffiyeh, originally manufactured in the Mideast by artisan traders out of high-quality material, is being stolen by cheap, low-quality Chinese markets who advertise colored pieces of fabric as being kuffiyat.
I find it a metaphor for the impact of globalization on artisan business, and the sad stories that it entails.
If you want to blame somone blame China, not globalisation as a whole.
Originally posted by generalissimoBut it's because of globalization that China is doing what it's doing. It's not the only one either ... artisan communities all around the world are suffering because of globalization in one form or another. I only picked kuffiyat (the pl. of kuffiyeh) because I know all about them. Someone from Colombia would have talked about coffee, or, these days, cocaine. But I'm not from Colombia.
Do you think you should blame it all on globalisation?
If you want to blame somone blame China, not globalisation as a whole.
So it's China's fault. But it's because of globalization that China's able to do this. And are there positives to globalization? Yes, of course. People all over the world can share their cultures with each other as a result of a global society. But there's also negatives, especially when dealing with labor, the environment, and artisan industries (the latter being the issue here).
The problem in this case is not globalization. The problem is twofold. Firstly, consumers apparently aren't recognizing the difference between the real and the fake kuffiyeh (never heard of it, but I presume this stuff exists). This brings up the question of whether the fake kuffiyeh is really that bad or that consumers simply prefer the cheaper version. Secondly, Chinese lawmakers are failing in protecting kuffiyeh makers by allowing fake kuffiyeh on the markets.
Originally posted by KazetNagorraAre kuffiyeh's somehow patented? As far as I know it's not like it's a unique trademark like Nike or Prada.
The problem in this case is not gloablization. The problem is twofold. Firstly, consumers apparently aren't recognizing the difference between the real and the fake kuffiyeh (never heard of it, but I presume this stuff exists). This brings up the question of whether the fake kuffiyeh is really that bad or that consumers simply prefer the cheaper version ...[text shortened]... e lawmakers are failing in protecting kuffiyeh makers by allowing fake kuffiyeh on the markets.
Originally posted by PsychoPawnThe Chinese government could make it so if they wished. For example, the EU government recently banned the use of the name "feta" for the use on cheese which is not prepared in the traditional Greek way, in Greece.
Are kuffiyeh's somehow patented? As far as I know it's not like it's a unique trademark like Nike or Prada.