When I recently found a Disney tee-shirt with Mickey Mouse across the front and a “Made in Bangladesh” tag on the inside, I experienced something that can only be described as cognitive dissonance. Do the Bangladeshis who stitched it together know who this mouse, this American icon is? Do they feel they have a personal stake in the clothes they make, or is it far more likely that it’s just the best-paying job they can find?

In some ways, it seems like exporting clothes manufacturing to Asia in such huge quantities might have perverted foreign cultures. Jobs in factories are often prized despite the long hours and pittance pay, but it means people can leave their villages and experience life in the big city. Sticking with the old ways probably doesn’t rate highly as glamourous or lucrative for the average teenage factory worker.

Kundan necklace and earrings. (Photo courtesy of ShantiJewelsOnline.com)

But these are countries with complex and unique cultures that are being sucked into an industrial machine.

Before southern China was dotted with scores of factories, it was the Silk Road’s entrance to the sea. Guangdong Province is home to most of the manufacturing plants that export to Western nations, and yet it’s better known for its smog output than for its centuries-long stature as the maritime hub for trade ships coming across the Indian Ocean from Egypt.

It’s not fair to assume that all culture has been lost in translation, however.

Some textile companies remain committed to using traditional methods to produce cloth. With the rise of the Internet, groups like Aid to Artisans help crafts flourish in their home countries and help producers sell their wares in international markets, exposing consumers to an ancient kind of luxury.

Kundan jewelry from India is one traditional handicraft that has enjoyed growth through web exposure. Frequently found adorning Indian brides, kundan necklaces, earrings, and bracelets are crafted by master jewelers out of 24 karat gold and with gemstones. The setting is what makes kundan so unique. Gems are covered with enamel and set by being pushed into the gold, then wrapped with more gold for security.

One could argue the cultural meaning is distorted when such painstakingly created pieces are sold to non-natives; after all, in America or Europe this would more likely function as a statement necklace than as a bridal accessory. But couldn’t any lover of jewelry appreciate the craftsmanship and attention to detail?

It’s possible this appreciation is another positive side effect of globalization — inviting other cultures to influence fashion from across continents and oceans. And most importantly, buying traditional art sends much needed support to the artisans who learn their countries’ trades.

It’s not charity, it’s just a way that the world becomes more connected through a shared admiration for fine things. And pushing through language, cultural, and currency barriers, that admiration remains universal.