Where Flies are Made
- This topic has 24 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated Jul 28, 2008 at 9:50 am by
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Zach,
Did you happen to check out the link I provided, it had pictures of a factory in China along the lines of what Clark described.
This is a really interesting thread about something I’ve thought about before – even though I generally tie most of my own flies and don’t purchase many at all. It’s a complicated subject though. For instance it appears that flies made overseas in some areas are of lower quality with poor working conditions such as Africa compared to Thailand. But would that be true across the board? Was that initial picture from Africa? If so those women appear happy and that doesn’t appear to be a sweatshop. I don’t think anyone knows for sure.
Also if no one buys flies made in Africa anymore even though the working conditions and wages may be poor – what are we doing to those unfortunate people who for them any job however poor may be infinitely better than not having a job at all? It is just a very complex subject with no easy answers.
Along the same lines I would be extremely interested to see the working conditions in China where so much of our fly fishing tackle (rods especially) is now manufactured. I wonder if for instance TFO would be willing to show pics of their overseas factory?
An article would be a great idea. But it may never happen for the reasons Zach mentioned – $$.
Greg
Kenya and other african countries were the traditional source for a lot of UK tying companies.
Umpqua main soruce is sri lanka, Rainys I think sources a lot from thailand.all about 1 thing low cost labor. But as has been pointed out flytying is a pays better than average wages. I looked at some figures recently and average hourly wage in sri lanka 27 US cents an hour, but that was before a national wage rise of around 30%
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Zach, I interviewed a prominent fly tierin SA, he has run a Fly Factory in Malawi, you are welcome to mail him if you want more info…. you know where to find the info…
Some factories in Africa can have 800 tiers at on any given day…
Kenya and other african countries were the traditional source for a lot of UK tying companies.
Umpqua main soruce is sri lanka, Rainys I think sources a lot from thailand.all about 1 thing low cost labor. But as has been pointed out flytying is a pays better than average wages. I looked at some figures recently and average hourly wage in sri lanka 27 US cents an hour, but that was before a national wage rise of around 30%
Rainey’s have their own factory in Chiang Mai not far from the main “Thai-a-Fly” factory which is Umpqua’s supplier. Dennis Black (Umpqua Founder and still owner of Thai-a-Fly” is good friends with Rainy Riding.
Dennis believes the flies out of his Srui Lankan factories are his best quality but I am sure the Chiang Mai factories still do most of the production… Will try and find those photos now…
You can judge a man by the size of things which annoy him.
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