At last! I am getting the last post in my "Bringing Social Justice to My Closet" series! Two weeks ago I started my fall semester of college at North Iowa Area Community College (you can read about my experiences as a non-traditional student here (Random Thoughts From the Road Less Traveled). Getting back into school mode has taken up most of my time during the week, so my post is a little overdue, but better late than never!
For the final post in this series I wanted to take a look at different places to buy ethical fashion choices. I still need work on filling in basic pieces for my French Five Piece Wardrobe and am also starting to look at the five new items for the fall/winter season. The vendors I've highlighted here are just some of the many out there attempting to do business in an ethical way and I am enjoying the search.
First of all, I'd like to point that it is always a good idea to buy second hand. When you buy something used, you are supporting the person selling it to you, it no longer benefits the original supply chain in any way. If it's a private person at a garage sale, or a store like a consignment shop you are just supporting your local people and local economy. Second hand stores, like the Salvation Army Stores, and Goodwill support their individual charities and are always great places to check out.
Sometimes, you can't find something secondhand, and then it's time to try and find ethical companies, and goodness knows that can be quite the task. The supply chain involved in the clothing industry is very difficult to follow. (As shown by the report from Made in a Free World that I posted on part 3 of this series) I've done some research and I have found what appear to be some great ethical retailers with amazing clothing. I would like to introduce a couple here as well as some awesome pieces I'll be adding to my wardrobe soon. :)
The first company I'd like to talk about is Indigenous. According to their website their clothing items are both organic and fair trade. They work with fair trade artisans in the poorest regions of South America to help them preserve their cultural way of life and elevate them out of the poverty they have come from by paying a fair living wage. One item that I love in particular from Indigenous is their EZ skirt, pictured here.
For the final post in this series I wanted to take a look at different places to buy ethical fashion choices. I still need work on filling in basic pieces for my French Five Piece Wardrobe and am also starting to look at the five new items for the fall/winter season. The vendors I've highlighted here are just some of the many out there attempting to do business in an ethical way and I am enjoying the search.
First of all, I'd like to point that it is always a good idea to buy second hand. When you buy something used, you are supporting the person selling it to you, it no longer benefits the original supply chain in any way. If it's a private person at a garage sale, or a store like a consignment shop you are just supporting your local people and local economy. Second hand stores, like the Salvation Army Stores, and Goodwill support their individual charities and are always great places to check out.
Sometimes, you can't find something secondhand, and then it's time to try and find ethical companies, and goodness knows that can be quite the task. The supply chain involved in the clothing industry is very difficult to follow. (As shown by the report from Made in a Free World that I posted on part 3 of this series) I've done some research and I have found what appear to be some great ethical retailers with amazing clothing. I would like to introduce a couple here as well as some awesome pieces I'll be adding to my wardrobe soon. :)
The first company I'd like to talk about is Indigenous. According to their website their clothing items are both organic and fair trade. They work with fair trade artisans in the poorest regions of South America to help them preserve their cultural way of life and elevate them out of the poverty they have come from by paying a fair living wage. One item that I love in particular from Indigenous is their EZ skirt, pictured here.
I love how flowing and soft it looks. This is an item I can't wait to add to my wardrobe!
The next company I'd like to talk about is TOMS. In 2006, the founder of TOMS, Blake Mycoskie, found that children he met in a village in Argentina did not have adequate shoes to protect their feet. He started TOMS with a "One for One" program. For every pair of shoes purchased, a pair is given to a child in need. In 2011 they expanded their program to eyewear helping to restore sight to people in need. Finally, this year TOMS Roasting Co was founded. With every bag of coffee purchased, TOMS will provide one weeks worth of clean water to someone in need. One pair of shoes I have my eye on to add to my wardrobe this fall is their Taupe Suede Women's Desert Wedges.
The next company on my list is UK based Annie Greenabelle. In 2007 Annie Greenabelle was started as an ethical brand in which the use of organically grown fabrics would be combined with recycled and reclaimed fabrics. They have many lovely clothes, but I especially love this Curved Block Dress.
Next up, Elegantees. Elegantees is a New York based company that helps restore women who have been victims of violence or sex trafficking by providing sewing work for them to help them get back on their feet. They state that by giving them a positive source of income they are able to help renew their confidence, independence, and a healthy self image. I am seriously considering hosting one of their "trunk shows" (just like jewelry, or pampered chef, or Tupperware party) here locally. You can also shop online. I love how soft and flowing their clothes look and can't wait to order. I felt they are also very reasonably priced. I especially like this "Isabella" top. (My six year old, Isabella really liked it also since she shares the name.)
And the final company I'd like to put on my list for today is Nomads. Based in the UK, Nomads has been a retailer of fair trade clothing since 1989. They describe their selling policy on their website as, "bringing you clothing without compromise." The founders of Nomads believe in a policy of "trade not aid" which means they believe that adhering to fair trade guidelines is what will maintain a sustainable and profitable living, both for the producers of the clothing, and for the company. They have many beautiful pieces, but I fell in love with this embroidered top as soon as I saw it.
I have had a lot of fun doing this series on clothing. I hope that it has shown some ways that you can be more conscientious about your wardrobe choices in the light of shopping ethically.
