Faces Behind the Label and award winning film maker Patrick Shen have a heart for the Lost and the Least in Asia.  We have discussed the needs and plight that the migrant population face everyday with the lack of human rights in urban cities.  Patrick Shen and FBTL have been to China twice together collaborating on how we can capture the understanding of their lives as a migrant and transfer that to media.  So we started to film the stories of individuals that we support with our initiatives, like FacesTshirts and Factory in a Box.

Here is our New Promo Video that Patrick has done for us to spread the awareness and build up donor support for the future for all Faces Behind the Label initiatives.  Take a look at our Promo Video and help spread the word on how we can help this global population of migrants that do some much for us each day with “one Tshirt at a Time”.  Not one organization or individual can do this alone, please join us and become an advocate.

Thank you,

FBTL1218

Ever thought who makes the clothes you wear and the products you use everyday?   Well according to China Daily, about 350 million Chinese people will travel from their hometowns to other parts of the country, according to a newly released report, China News Agency said Monday. Released on Monday, the Annual Report on Urban Development of China points out that China’s mobile population reached 221 million in 2010, and will hit 350 million in 2050 if policies stay mainly unchanged. However, the growth rate of the mobile population will slow down in the next four decades, decreasing from the current nearly 6 million a year to 3 million a year in 2050, the report says. What’s more, they will be better educated. Families will also join the migration to settle down in new places. The migrants’ destinations are mainly coastal or riverside areas, though the financial crisis deflected their routes recently, the report says. The report also foresees changing demographics in industry workers, saying that instead of picking up farm work in farming seasons, more migrant workers will focus on their jobs in cities.  May 31, 2011, China Daily

This population of people will be larger than the size of the USA, think about the 350 million people picking up and moving from place to place looking for a better life through work they find in urban cities.  86% of this population of people are the migrants that will make the product you wear and use everyday.   They will find that the work they find will barely be enough to support themselves and not even thinking of the family of 4 on $0.44 / per hour and with no benefits on education and medical aid.

Is our GAIN worth their LOSS?

FBTL1218

Faces Behind the Label has started a new initiative, called “The Factory in a Box” which will restore the bottom line issues that migrants face globally.  The Factory in a Box will keep families together and provide jobs in rural areas that need resources to self-sustain themselves.  As we researched this issue we found out that there is no need to leave and look for work in urban marginalized cities, if we create jobs for them in their rural villages.   Separation from family for work is the root of most issues migrants face each day.   The lack of education, vocational training, healthcare and life skills is what they lack leaving home.  Millions of elderly and children are left behind and most of the time will never see their love ones come back to support them.

Factory in a Box, is larger than just one organization, so we are in the process on setting up a strategic team in China. This will help us build the partnership with the right organization that have connections with locals that can holistically empower themselves through this project.

Look out for our  initiative, “Factory in a Box”, on our website in the future and join us on this project to help keep families and communities together for the next generation to empower the future for sustainability.

“One Factory in a Box at a time can make a difference.”

FBTL1218

Fashion with Compassion

Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise / FIDM in Los Angeles celebrated Earth Day on 4/20/2011 in Grand Hope Park. Students from FIDM designed Logos that represented Earth Day and 8 designs were chosen by a FIDM panel.   Hundreds of people from the neighbor hood and FIDM members came to this event to celebrate and support Faces Behind the Label, by purchasing a Faces Tshirt with one of the Eight Designs to choose from.

Faces Tshirt sales support community centers that are reaching out to the millions of migrants globally that need empowerment for a better future.  ”One Tshirt at a time” can make a difference and also spread the awareness for Earth Day.

What made this event so special was the efforts that individuals made to have this become a huge success.  Mobile Tees did a live silk screening, where you can choose the design and the placement of your shirt to personalize it.

Thanks FIDM and all the volunteers that made this Day GREAT.

If you did not get your Tshirt you can get it at the FIDM Museum Shop.  919 Grand Ave. Downtown Los Angeles.

“Partnerships can make a Difference”

FBTL1218

Congratulation!
Your design was chosen to be featured in the Earth Day live T-shirt screening in Grand Hope Park on April 20th from 10:00am-2:00pm. This event is being sponsored by “Faces Behind the Label”, The FIDM Museum Shop and Student Activities.
You can now  view your design and pre-purchase your T-shirt in Student Activities, so bring your friends and get your design now. The pre -purchase price is $15 and $18 the day of the event.  This event will have a Dj along with the Los Angeles food trucks. This event is open to the public and all of the proceeds go to an amazing cause. Here is the website of the “Faces Behind the Label” so go check out how your design is giving back one shirt at a time.

Once again thank you for entering your design and as a prize you will receive a $50 gift card to the FIDM Museum Shop. This is an amazing opportunity and on behalf of Student Activities, Faces Behind the Label and the FIDM Museum Shop we would like to say congratulations!

FBTL1218

Faces Behind the Label is in Asia starting a project where we are visiting all our partners who are in the front line reaching out the migrant population that need our help.  There are over 250 million migrants in ASIA alone that are called the transient population.  They have no homes they own and seeking out for work in urban cities they tend to move around alot.  Not only for work, because the cities do not look at migrant slums and places of importance, so they tear down their communities to build new developments for the residents in the Urban cities.  This issue is a problem that we will never be able to cure immediately, but what we are doing is finding places for them to be empowered with Love and Life skills through our partnered community centers.

FBTL1218

Faces Behind the Label and Kelsey Timmerman, author of “Where am I wearing” spoke about how he travels around the world to write about the lives of migrant workers.  He mentions how they barely make enough to support themselves but their family of 6 with only $1.25 per day.   While Faces Behind the Label is empowering and building up awareness for the migrant workers globally.

But today was special, we gather not for just our own cause, but for victims in Japan,  CRASH, www.crashjapan.com is a relief organization in the front lines that are reaching out to the needy as we speak right now.  We made our venue about the situation in Japan after the earthquake and gathered our resources to bring awareness.   We had a Faces Tshirt Party where they came to listen to live music, food, learn more about the situation in Japan and be creative, by designing their own logo on a Faces Tshirt they will bring home and share how they got involved to make a difference today.  ”RECEIVE, RESPOND AND REACT”….  Do something now, when you have a chance to transform any hopelessness to HOPE….

FBTL1218

Faces Behind the Label, wants you to think about this………

FBTL1218