Dust to dust

In a few short hours, I'll be getting on a plane and leaving dusty Jordan. Throughout our travels the past two days, I've noticed that everything here is very monochromatic. It's all the color of sand and dust - not so interesting.

Jordan has been an interesting experience because the garment industry relies heavily on migrant labor for workers. Companies like mine need to be careful of cases where factory managers refuse workers their fair wages or keep their passports locked up, thereby rendering them indentured servants.

This country is full of challenges from a sourcing perspective, and I feel like my visit has answered a few questions, but opened up a heck of a lot more. We met with representatives from an ILO-sponsored program that seems promising as a means to help mitigate our risk as a brand that's sourcing here, but it's tough to let go of another layer of control. That said, the ILO could definitely give us some credible cover should anything go awry here.

I'm glad I had the chance to visit a few factories here. Some good ones will be added to our supply base, but there were a few that I definitely don't feel comfortable working in. Fortunately, my Sourcing team agreed and we won't be doing business with the poorer factories.

I didn't get to do any sightseeing, but on the way back to the hotel this evening, I saw some camels on the roadside!