For years now I’ve been working toward making my own purchases (clothing, crafts, beauty, food… basically everything), more ethical and sustainable. It’s something I think a lot more people would pay attention to if they only had the resources. More and more I’m finding that they’re out there, they just take a little digging! So, I’m bringing the resources front and center for anyone else who’s considered the impact of their purchases.
I love, love, l-o-v-e thrift shopping. But honestly I am just too impatient sometimes. And other times, I just want something shiny and new (cue the guilt!). And also, I love designers. Designers from all around the world are creating things for us to wear and love. So in the spirit of being more mindful with my purchases and celebrating all that I love about shopping indie, I bring you four super general, but imperative questions to ask before you head to the checkout line…
Who made it?
Let’s start with the hardest question. This isn’t often on a product label, but if it’s in, you’ll get to avoid a lot of research you’d otherwise do because you’ll have a more personal insight into the clothes. Certain fair trade + handmade sites, like Accompany, for example, will tell you who made most items, including the story behind it. So little brands tell you who made the product, and that’s exactly why when a brand IS sustainable—they’ll tell you! You won’t find that with big brands, so you’ll have to dig a little deeper…
How much is it?
The price of a product is important to consider for the obvious reasons, but it is also a good indicator of whether a piece was ethically made or not. Handmade, fairly traded, or items manufactured using ethical methods (paying proper wages, good on the environment, etc.) are going to cost you more. If they don’t cost you more, the business is probably not sustainable. It’s a sad fact that’s really not so sad because it means people are getting paid for the work they put into a piece. Most of us would love to avoid sweatshops and wasteful practices, but it’s just not in our budget. It’s helpful to know that certain things shouldn’t be $1 or $5 or $10. If we stop comparing ethically made clothing to fast fashion prices, we won’t be as unpleasantly surprised when we look at a price tag.
With all that said, price is not always a good indicator! Brands can mark up their products however they want, and still have an awful track record of underpaying employees and poorly constructed products. (Check Good Guide to see if your favorite brands measure up!)
Where was it made?
The ‘buy American made’ mantra is more prevalent than ever, but I have reserves about it. Made in USA is great, but for one—it doesn’t guarantee it’s ethical or sustainable, and two—lovely things are made all over the world. You just have to find them. While that infamous Made in China tag on big brands is indicative of shady business practices, you’ll probably need to do more research on smaller or indie designers to see what’s really going on behind the scenes, like asking the next question:
What materials were used?
Legally many places at least have to tell you some information. With beauty + food it’s those names you can’t pronounce or ingredients you know to be harmful that cause trouble. But with garments, just look at the label and you’ll know whether something was potentially made in a sustainable way or not. Most clothing production has a major impact on the environment, but there are more eco-friendly materials you can be on the lookout for, like organic cotton, bamboo, and linen. Just make sure to ask the other questions above to make sure the brands producing these eco-friendly fabrics are also treating their employees right… Unfortunately a lot of brands tout how eco-friendly they are, without being very people-friendly.
This whole process of researching and asking questions about a product only takes a few minutes but really makes a difference. I wanted to be thorough so I packed a lot of details in here, but it’s really not that intimidating once you get going… And I hope this is a start!
This is fantastic. I’ve already read about people encouraging people to do more research behind what they buy, but not many people tell you how to.
It’s tough when the price tag carries a more expensive number but it’s just remembering why it’s worth it. 🙂
Very useful and well written post! Also, thatn you for pointing out to me the Good Guide, it is so helpful (so bad that it doesn’t exist for French products!). I am in the middle of a questionning phase about sustainability and ethics in my purchases and all those informations really help!