fairdare
  • blog
  • Fairdare
  • ethical brands
  • zero-waste
  • zero-waste meals
  • about

listening to garment workers

1/7/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Picture
the beautiful in-house production space of Conscious Clothing
A recent series in the New York Times (see * below) offers insight into the lives of garment workers + young shoppers around the world. The two groups are so closely linked, yet many shoppers have never really thought about where their clothing comes from.

We most often compare ourselves to those in our perceived tribes. This might be an instagram tribe, a style tribe or a tribe of proximity (school or mommy group or coworkers...). We learn thinking, behaviors + new norms from the groups with which we spend our time. Even much of the so-called ethical fashion community online ends up creating desire rather than contentedness.

When we compare the ways that we are able think about + consume clothing...to the ways garment workers have to think about more basic needs...it creates perspective. 

"Seamstresses are the key element in the fashion chain, we are the ones who put the clothes together," said [a seamstress from Brazil]. "You basically have to kill yourself in front of a sewing machine in order to provide for your family." (via)

These articles reveal some heartbreaking testimonies from garment factories around the world...including in the United States + China. They even raise questions about origins that may be presented as ethical:
-How do we know that a made in the USA label = fair wages?
-How do we trust the wording on a brand's website about the origins of their clothing?
-Does a brand really know the conditions under which their garments are made?

So, what can we do? Again, the principles of the fairdare serve us well. We can reconsider "need". We can wear what we have...mend + repair...refashion...swap...shop secondhand... and make our own clothing (with attention to fibers + commitment to longtime wear). When it comes to purchasing "fair" clothing, we can look for:
-a small brand with the designer making his or her own pieces 
-a brand that makes ALL of their clothing in-house with commitment to makers' well-being
-a brand making their product close to home + making frequent visits to the factory
-a brand using traceable materials + a commitment to every part of the supply chain
​-an item of clothing that is fair-trade certified


Both brand + consumer need to prioritize farmers' + garment workers' well-being higher than getting the cheapest product possible. As consumers, we can read the fine print on the brands' "about" pages with a critical + educated eye. Education comes from reading articles like the ones linked here. They contain so much information + have caused me to be even more critical in a few areas. I'm in the process of making a few changes to the ethical brands page. We can vote with our dollars. We can let brands know when we'd like them to do better + also when they are doing things that we love. Articles like these are also incredibly helpful in reigniting resolve + encouraging action. Remembering that there are garment workers with concerns for having enough food, the education of their children, the health of their parents, and being forced into labor puts my own closet concerns in perspective.​
 All lovely photos via link.

Love,
​Jane

* check to see if your library offers online access to newspapers (ours does)...this is helpful for newspapers like The New York Times with limited allowed articles per month
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    on a journey toward zero-waste, simplicity, + compassion :: daring to choose fair one choice at a time
    Picture
    Picture


    categories

    All
    Fair Brands
    Fairdare
    Garden
    Made
    Reads
    Simple Budget
    Simple Holidays
    Simple Home
    Simple Wardrobe
    Simply Said
    Sustainable Self
    Wanderings
    Yum
    Zero Waste

    archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

    all images by jane unless otherwise noted. copyright 2023.
    subscribe via email

    RSS Feed

    Follow