"When there is an inspection, staff put water and fans in the factory, but they are taken away after a few days." ~Lita

"When I made a mistake, my line manager stabbed me in the thigh with his pencil until it bled. I slapped him to defend myself, so they fired me. I got a new job doing other piece-rate work. They told me, 'If you start a relationship with me, I will overlook your mistakes.' I feel humiliated, I feel ashamed to be a woman. I have no choice. I was denied work with larger fashion factories because I publicly reported harassment and was blacklisted from larger factories. Why are women not looked at the same way as men?" ~Seema

"There are 300-400 people that work there. About half of the workers are 14 years old or younger." ~Jahanara (center) 
​"Almost all of the teenage garment workers I met were working overtime like adults, which is not allowed." ~ Safia Minney (author)

"I heard stories about the 'near escapes' of children and young people and how the poverty around the village was so great that everyone knew of someone who had 'gone missing'. Traffickers and criminal gangs would scour the villages for the most vulnerable." ~Safia Minney (author)

"Children are often 'employed' at the very bottom of the supply chain, where they are untraceable and invisible." ~Safia Minney (author)

This transitional time in the seasons has many of us thinking about a transition in our closets. It's a great time to care for + repair each piece before putting it away...in order to ensure that it will serve us again in the (far off) months to come.  :)

I put away my wool + cashmere sweaters a few weeks ago. It was probably a little early, but I felt like it was time. This week, I'm putting my sweater coat to rest for the warmer months. This sweater coat is six years old, I think. It has held up very well, but before putting it away, I do look it over carefully to see if there are any new little holes in the wool. The dark color hides the repairs very well. (Yay!)  

Once the holes are stitched up, this coat is stored along with the rest of my wool + cold weather pieces in my suitcase (a hard sided carry-on) along with some homemade, dried lavender filled sachets. (I find no need to remake or refill these yearly...a few little squeezes + the scent revives wonderfully year after year.) This suitcase is air-tight + protects my treasures from moths. We do the same with the girls' cold weather items (in their suitcases).

Patches are another favorite repair around here. I have to admit that we get a little excited to add a patch, because they often just makes things better.  :) (This is Jo's handiwork on a thrifted jacket.)

The following is Julia's book review that fits right in with this week of remembering the tragedy of Rana Plaza, five years ago today. The similarities between these two disasters is shocking + sobering. The book up for review is Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix.

Uprising is a beautiful story about three girls who grow up during the early 1900's.  This is the time of the workers strike at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory and the fire that sets the building to flames not long after. Bella is an Italian girl who is one of the many immigrants who work in New York for the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Yetta is a Russian Jew who works alongside Bella, and who goes on strike against the horrible working conditions each factory worker faces each day. Privileged Jane discovers the strike of the factory workers, and she becomes a part of the fight for better work conditions and women's rights. Despite their differences, the three girls form a strong friendship and they fight together until the fire in the Shirtwaist Factory occurs on March 25, 1911, changing the lives of many people forever.

Uprising is realistic, powerful, and full of amazing girls who fought to make a difference. It also hit me hard to read about girls who were my age who had to work under such harsh conditions in order to support themselves and their families. Uprising was a wonderful page turner that was also inspirational, unforgettable, and an important story everyone should read. 

-Julia

Once I bring a piece of clothing into my home, it is my responsibility. Hopefully, I've made a conscious decision to buy something that serves a purpose in my wardrobe + hopefully my plans work out the way I envisioned. In that case I will love + wear the piece over + over + over. I will repair it as needed...and keep right on wearing it.

If I decide that a piece is no longer necessary in my closet, I work to keep it in use + out of the waste stream. It might find its way to etsy or ebay as I feel that this is a good way to get it into the hands of someone who will keep it in use. Sending items to the thrift store is a last resort, since I know that they may end up clogging up a foreign clothing economy (though I appreciate finding treasures there).

When this vintage, cotton, striped, long-sleeved, button down didn't sell on etsy after a couple of weeks, I decided to turn it into a State style smock. The amazing Adrienne Antonson + her team make her versatile smocks from thrifted button-downs. What a great way to refashion a shirt in a way that results in very little left over waste (mine shown above). The sleeves get turned into giant pockets + the cuffs were used as the bias binding at the arm holes on mine. I'm 100% for supporting creative, independent, female owned, fair job creating, waste + sustainable materials conscious businesses...so I feel a bit conflicted about sewing + posting this. I love + want to support State, so I hope to own a State piece at some point!

Here are some subpar pictures of the before + after.  :) 

I really like refashioning things into new (or just a little bit different) things. Apparently I have a limited attention span, so it's great if one thing can become a different thing. A long sleeved top can be made into a shorter sleeved top...a dress can be turned into a less substantial dress, top or pajamas. Sewing a jacket from a well-loved dress + its scraps might be a little more time consuming, but also rewarding. Pants can be shortened or tapered. A jumpsuit can be made into pants. My made link holds a lot of simple refashions.

Bottom line: get it worn!  :)

Love,
​Jane

Next week marks five years since the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse claimed the lives of 1134 people. Another 2500 people were injured, many of them losing limbs. Cracks were seen in the building the day before + an inspector had judged it unsafe, but wary workers were forced inside anyway. This tragedy sparked enhanced awareness of the working conditions + treatment of the people who make our clothing. Clothing bound for store shelves around the world was found in the Bangladeshi rubble. 

Compassion for garment workers is one of the main motivators for the fairdare + many others' commitments to purchase clothing thoughtfully. Education about what garment workers face in terms of working conditions, safety, hours, access to healthcare, wages, rights, and freedom can provide powerful motivation to maintain our commitments. It can also help us to kindly explain our choices to friends + family. It's not necessary to read every book on the topic, but one or two will probably prove helpful (+ The True Cost movie is fantastic). See which ones can be found at the library.

Have a lovely weekend, friends!

Love,
Jane

Where planned obsolescense fails, psychological obsolescense takes over.
​~Richard Foster

I think I have finally found the makeup that I would be happy to add to my zero-waste mornings...as desired.  :) Elate Clean Cosmetics address every detail ::
-reusable green certified, fair-trade bamboo compacts that magnetically hold the cakes of color...choose from larger palettes that can hold everything in one compact or individual compacts
-cakes of eyeshadow, blush, pressed powder + highlighter come in seed paper envelopes + recyclable metal 
-mascara container is recyclable...break the bamboo outer layer off + compost...recycle the plastic inner portion
-cosmetics are about 90% organic...they will chose fair-trade over organic when both can not be had
-cosmetics are vegan, cruelty free, toxin free, gluten free + made in Canada 
-while the price point is not cheap, it is less than a lot of similar products
-the products are shipped in paper mailers

Most of this information is available on the website, but I asked a few questions about the recycle-ability of packaging and received a prompt + thorough response. I'm excited about sharing this one + hope it's inspiring! Zero-waste options are growing!! So exciting!!  

All photos via Elate Clean Cosmetics.

Love,
Jane

The following is Julia's(!) book review of Thoreau at Walden, a graphic novel by John Porcellino ::


"My greatest skill has been to want but little."

I love that quote by Henry David Thoreau. It reminds me to find enjoyment in the small things and to think more about the simple things I really need rather than everything I think I have to have. 

Thoreau was a smart and educated man who was unhappy working in business or teaching before he became a writer. He eventually built a small cabin in the woods on the shore of Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Thoreau planned on living alone in his cabin as an experiment. He would write full time with only a large vegetable garden to support him. During his time living in the woods, Thoreau took hikes and observed the beauty of nature around him. Every once in a while, Thoreau would visit the village a mile away to visit family or to buy something. Thoreau loved waking up to birds singing and spending long hours in the sun. He finally found happiness living a life in nature's glory with little need for money. 

Thoreau wrote beautiful ideas about discovering joy in simple living and nature's beauty that still inspire people up to this day. 

-Julia 

P.S. From Jane: I too enjoy this lighter take on Thoreau's Walden...lots of the great quotes + concepts without all of the dense language.  :) Though graphic novels aren't our usual mode of education, it can be nice to throw a little variety into the mix on occasion. Graphic novels are never substitutes for primary sources, but can lend a little perspective to the spirit of some of these literary giants + historical periods. My girls + I move through history + literature from ancient to modern times three times from kindergarten through twelfth grade. One time we'll read the novel itself, and one time we might read a graphic novel as an introduction or review. A few more educational graphic novels we've included in our mix along the way: 
-Lies in the Dust: A Tale of Remorse from the Salem Witch Trials by Jakob Crane
-Poe: Stories and Poems by Gareth Hinds
-(Gareth Hinds has also written graphic novels on ancient literature + Shakespeare plays.)
-In the younger years, we found the Shakespeare Can be Fun books helpful.

We love the library!

This weekend I came across The New Blak again. It's a brand made predominately from biodegradable bamboo + organic cotton by Amanda + her team in Louisville, Kentucky. Sustainability is even considered in the shipping materials (no plastic!). The pieces are available in a range of sizes + this photo alone makes me want to support whatever they are doing! Gorgeous, inspiring, sustainable + comfortable too!

Love,
​Jane