Part one of Travels of a T-Shirt explores the rise and history of the cotton industry. Lubbock, Texas, which is the largest cotton producer in the US, has dominated the cotton industry due to its concentration of knowledge, technology, and talent in the industry. Lubbock is often considered the Silicon Valley of agriculture due to its dominance on the world stage. It's dominance can also be seen in pop culture with the popular Cotton Bowl in Dallas being named from Lubbock's industry dominance. Part two of the book shifts from the production of cotton to the manufacturing of goods from cotton. China is very much dependent on American cotton to make manufactured goods while the same can be said for raw cotton in America in relation to China. China has become the dominant producer of textiles in the world. To support the industry chinese factories typically employ women who are married with starving children. These women are "docile" as described in the book whihc is good for productivity.
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One of the previous blogs was talking China and their labor laws. When cotton was introduced to China, they have a powerhouse of a production of products that's made out of cotton. Part II talks more about China's workforce. When the Civil War broke out, cotton production increased significantly. It's unfortunate that the workers have to work in poor conditions with little pay.
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