But there is a common misconception regarding the consequent working conditions: many imagine all Chinese factories to be "sweatshops" in which workers toil to serve the "greed" of capitalists.

That, however, is to overlook the workers' own experiences.

The Worker's Perspective

"This simple narrative equating Western demand and Chinese suffering is appealing," says the writer Leslie T. Chang. "But it's also inaccurate and disrespectful."

"Chinese workers are not forced into factories because of our insatiable desire for iPods," Chang explains in a TED talk. "They choose to leave their homes [in rural China] in order to earn money, to learn new skills and to see the world."