China and Chinese products

[Dellboy]

To free your self as much as possible you really need to look at how you live and what in life is truly of value to yourself and reduce consumption, our desire for "things", travel and range of activities to a minimum, believe me less is definitely more for quality of life.

It is a difficult road to follow as we have allowed globalisation to so insidiously invade our lives, trying to unshackle ones self from it is indeed difficult and makes you face hard choices because of the interdependence of greed that is the modern world.

I.

Thats the problem we have generations of people that expect and feel entitled to things .

[Dellboy]

After reading about 6 e mails this morning about face masks it really makes me start to think the whole thing is a delibarate ploy to strengthen chinas economic growth .

So my current cut and paste e mail response is ;

Are these free ? To make up for the fact we are soon to have massive unemployment caused by a virus made or caught in your country and spread around the whole world .?

Death suffering and destruction from your country

Where is your honour to help your fellow man ?

Just about profit isnt it ?

Sleep well with the thought you or your family could be the next victim .

RANT OVER

[BestDrugDoc]

Most of us will remember the "Buy British" campaign last century.

I really believe the government should restart that and we should become as self sufficient as possible.

I expect there are complex reasons why they may not be doing this - which I wont understand - just being a doctor not an economist... but it must be worth trying.

[Cornish-Viking]

I doubt there is a single person reading this that has not been impacted in some way by Covid-19 over the past few months. Recorded deaths here in the UK hover at just under 1,000 people a day (10/04/2020) People that we know, or know of has died. This pandemic has brought out the very best and sadly, the very worst in people these last weeks. Daily I see images and read articles about our NHS, emergency and armed services that make me both incredibly proud and horrified in unequal doses. They are having to endure horrific conditions and crushing working hours as they try and save lives and are struggling for the very basics of personal protective equipment due to a faltering supply chain.

Let’s take a closer look at the PPE being supplied, a significant proportion is being sourced from outside of our little island. Some from the European countries and some from as far afield as China, allegedly the source of this Corona virus variant.

Equally, I am sure we have all seen or read of PPE failures and shoddy quality. Maybe not on the BBC however look further for news sources and the evidence is irrefutable and I am appalled that China allows and even condones such actions from their suppliers.

Well, we have had enough of this and have decided to make a stand in a tiny and insignificant way by no longer purchasing or using Chinese products as far as possible. Yes, I know this is virtually unworkable, however we are going to do it.

I am not being xenophobic, nor racist, nor do I dislike foreigners (I am married to one after all!) Or anything else, I am simply going to make a small stand against the giant that is China. Starting now, here at the Shooting Shed we intend to be a Chinese product free company. We will not knowingly purchase any product produced wholly or partly in China. Furthermore, we will ask our suppliers to confirm the country of origin of the part we are purchasing. This includes machinery, raw materials, cutting inserts, tool holders, nuts and bolts and even the disposable gloves we use for polishing and inspection. Everything in fact that we use in the workshop will be closely scrutinised in future.

It also applies to clothing and domestic products we use. Also to all shooting products without exception. Our products will not only proudly be designed and made in the UK, they will also be made as far as practicable, without Chinese products.

You may think I am over reacting, or this approach is a nonsense and unworkable, however I believe China is culpable for the levels of this pandemic and I am going to boycott them.

So you have some choices now, either agree and support our approach, or shake your head in disbelief and source your products elsewhere, if you do go for option two, well I really do not care. Adopt our ethos and we thank you from the very bottom of our hearts.

Next time you are shopping, just pause to read the label of the product you pick up, maybe put it back on the shelf if it says Made in China, or PRC or similar. Make a stand in a tiny way and support our UK manufacturers and products instead of saving a few pence and sending your hard earned money outside of our country.

…and why am I telling you this? Because you need to know.

Now wash your hands.

Well said and I've never done business with you but I'm 100% behind and support your decision. As much as we love a good deal, buying local/british is a must. Look how proud USA are saying that materials and manufacturing is all done in the USA. We can do this in the UK also.

[Alpha1]

I buy stuff from these guys a lot of there stuff is made in the Uk. Its a man and wife team. You might of dealt with them they are nice people to do buisness with.

http://www.jbcuttingtools.com/

[Ovenpaa]

Yes, I have met Jenny in the past. Next time you speak to her ask her where the product you need comes from.

[WelshShooter]

Best of luck to the both of you! The only point I was going to make after reading your statement has been nipped in the bud by 1066.

So many electrical components are made in China. In my experience with manufacturing, you can take a part finished device, complete the last op, package it and can label as "manufactured in the UK" which is allowed per Section 36 of the Trade Description Act 1968. This is exactly what is happening with a lot of electronic components, circuit boards, chips, capacitors etc are bought/sourced from China then assembled in another country to which the manufacturer can claim it was made there. They may not share the country of origin so keep this in mind.

OK rant over, but I'd like to wish you the best in your endeavour!

[Alpha1]

You are really going to struggle with electrical components if you don,t want to buy Chinese.

[Alpha1]

Yes, I have met Jenny in the past. Next time you speak to her ask her where the product you need comes from.

May be someone should start a thread so that people can add UK suppliers they deal with.
Not me I tend to get into trouble with threads that are not hard and fast shooting.

I will start it off:

The shooting shed. Bespoke shooting accessories and general gunsmithing.
M.Machine for anything to do with the supply of metals and general machining. (I can post a link.)

[Alpha1]

I have been doing this deliberately now for the past five years, not just china but other countries that I object to and the huge issue of my objection to the unfettered globalisation and its unequal value consequences that we are all suffering from. So I know how difficult it is to do.

Where I do know the source of items and this includes food, then I will not buy them. Don't even mention the nightmare that is packaging!

Just finding out where the elements of an item is made is nigh on impossible a lot of the time so as to base a decision on means that I have to just assume that parts are from an unacceptable to me source.

This has meant that there are also things that I have had to cease do, I find this lack of choice is actually very beneficial as it simplifies ones life immensely.

Some things like computer and communication products are very difficult to source without Chinese and foreign input so I try and minimise the direct benefit to these by purchasing second hand, this also reduces consumption. In fact second hand is my source of choice for nearly everything now other than food, medicals and shooting consumables. With a bit of luck I am planning and working towards being computer/internet/mobile phone free over the next three to five years.

To free your self as much as possible you really need to look at how you live and what in life is truly of value to yourself and reduce consumption, our desire for "things", travel and range of activities to a minimum, believe me less is definitely more for quality of life.

It is a difficult road to follow as we have allowed globalisation to so insidiously invade our lives, trying to unshackle ones self from it is indeed difficult and makes you face hard choices because of the interdependence of greed that is the modern world.

I can only do and effect that which I have power over and even exercising that "freedom" can confront you with very awkward choices.

However trying to do the right thing as one sees it is that one thing you can do if you are going to be true to yourself.

With a bit of luck I am planning and working towards being computer/internet/mobile phone free over the next three to five years.

This part of your post caught my attention. I know for a fact you have been heavily involved in forums over the years in fact more so than people here at full bore UK realize.
I have followed you around those forums all though most of the time just reading your contributions. But some times chucking a comment in here or there. So are you saying we should expect you to be quiting full bore UK in the next two to three years and the Cast boolit thing and the NOE thing and I could list others but we would be here all night.

Or have I once again totally misunderstood.