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Article: BRIGHT IDEAS Knitting grannies keep the hat production line flowing
- Article from:
- The Sunday Telegraph London
- Article date:
- October 11, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2009 The Sunday Telegraph London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Piece work secured its bad name during the industrial revolution.
Women were exploited by dressmakers amongst others; forced to work
ridiculous hours for low wages.
The children's employment commission in February 1841 heard
evidence from one young woman who described her common hours of work
as 8am to 11pm in the winters and from six to midnight during the
summer.
Working practices have moved on a long way. But that does not
mean piece work is redundant. In fact one entrepreneur is preparing
to launch a new venture that meshes modern technology and fashion
with very old ways of working.
Grannies Inc, which makes handmade, design-your-own wool hats or
"beanies", is the brainchild of ...