Maybe the designer had something to do with it
Designer of Olympic outfits shrugs off made-in-China flap
With files from The Canadian Press
May 03, 2008 04:30 AM
Tracey Tyler
Staff Reporter
You could say he's in stitches.
With the federal government and opposition parties angry over news that Canada's Olympic uniforms are being made in China, Tu Ly, one of the designers who created them, thinks it's "quite funny" that MPs have turned it into a political issue.
"I would like to challenge these politicians to give up their cell phones made in China or their TVs, then maybe they'd really be on an even plane," said Ly, who had just spent three days in Alberta meeting with members of Canada's Olympic team.
By the time Ly landed in Toronto last night, he had already heard that MPs had seized on the news the team's clothing for the Beijing games – which he and fellow Hudson's Bay Company designer Vivienne Lu created – are being produced in Chinese factories.
"This is a no-brainer," New Democrat MP Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre) said earlier yesterday.
"This is our Olympic team. We should be ensuring that all of our Olympic athletes are proudly wearing Canadian-made textiles and all of their uniforms should be made in Canada."
Liberal Denis Coderre said it's particularly unfortunate the "unacceptable" snub to Canada's homegrown clothing-makers should occur at a time when the industry is struggling.
Last night, a spokesperson for Helena Guergis, secretary of state for amateur sport, said that the government is equally annoyed with the decision to use foreign-made clothing, but is powerless to change it.
"We do not agree with the decision to produce Olympic clothing offshore and would have preferred that the clothing was made in Canada," said Blair MacLean, Guergis' communications director, noting "the Canadian Olympic Committee is independent, operating at arm's length from government."
Chris Rudge, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee, said the government had not raised with them the issue of where the clothing is made.
HBC spokesperson Hillary Marshall said Asia, and particularly China, is the only readily-available source for the specialty fabrics featured in the eco-friendly designs. Meant to help athletes cope with Beijing's heat and humidity, the fabrics include bamboo, cocona and organic cotton.
For the last summer Olympics, Roots Canada made the athletes' uniforms at home.
The company outfitted Canada's Olympic teams between 1998 and 2004.
"We made almost all the apparel for the Canadian team right here in Canada," Robert Sarner, Roots' director of communications, told the Star last night.
Ironically, uniforms for the United States Olympic teams, which Roots supplied from 2002-2006, were also made in Canada, said Sarner.
Ly said the made-in-China flap is unfairly distracting attention from the athletes and HBC's groundbreaking financial support for Canada's Olympic team. It has committed to raise $20 million by 2012.
Meanwhile, the company also has a code of vendor conduct to ensure its suppliers operate under fair working law and respect the environment, he said.
"I've been in the industry for 20 years and have never been quite as impressed as I am with how HBC is with their ethical program," Ly said last night.
With files from The Canadian Press
