Always adorable. Sometimes in trouble for violating human rights.
So far, when thinking about ethical shopping and a simple closet, I've focused on having less.
This has meant shopping strategically, giving away things that don't work, and *trying* not to buy so much! The idea is that having fewer things that work better will be, for me, a more sustainable simplicity goal than trying to run around naked. Or kill my affection for polka dots. The Simple Closet is still pretty full, by world standards (and I haven't stopped shopping, which you'll know even better by the end of the year) but it has been a step in starting to think differently about style & about stuff...how to use things in creative ways, how to look for quality, how to have a looser grip in general, and in the end, how to save a little money.
Saving money is the part I want to talk about today.
It is totally possible to find simple closet picks on the cheap. Even some classics show up in fast fashion, well-made or with extra touches -- like dresses with pockets. You know what I'm talking about. Some of my favorite favorites are from Target or H&M. P thinks I should buy stock in Old Navy since I love it so much right now. Forever 21 has been recreating Anthropologie looks for under $15 for as long as I can remember.
But what about the ethics of production?
And supply chains?
And labor rights?
Uggh, right?
On the one hand, saving money is a good thing. There is obviously a "simplicity" to that. Spending less seems like a clear winner over spending more, in terms of shopping options. The less we spend, too, the more we have to save or give or buy presents with. On the other hand, though, is what feels like a hidden cost of cheap stuff, clothing in particular. Some of it is made by slaves, some in sweatshops, some by abused workers, some by children, some by underpaid employees.
Part of the point of doing more with less is about being intentional and ethical about consumption. In my world this is not, quite obviously, about giving up on liking fashion, but human suffering trumps it any day.
Like most situations, I find simplicity here to be a bit complicated.
Just as P and I prioritized one simplicity goal over another by choosing a pricier apartment that we could walk to and from, spending more on clothes could be more in line with an ethic of simplicity if it means paying for slightly more fair practices.
But how!?!
I think I've avoided this elephant in my closet for so long because it is just hard to figure out.
In our flat world of transnational corporations, a last stop in L.A. to sew on a button or a tag can sometimes warrant a "made in America" label, even if every other step of the supply chain, starting with cotton harvesting from Uzbekistan, was a major violation of human rights.
Is there any guarantee that a shirt from J.Crew wasn't made on the same sweatshop assembly line as its knockoff at Target? How do we find out more about this? I think some people I know are working on it -- can you help a sister out? Isn't there an app or something that can help tell us? I think there is. Report back!
In the meantime, is it better to spend less on your stuff or to know that it comes free from misery? Is it even possible to find out where our clothing is made? Is there a difference between simple shopping and inexpensive shopping? Can someone please tell me that they have reformed Forever21's policies so that I can go there in peace?! Just kidding.
You know.
Unless they have.
In which case how cute is that polka dot trench coat??
What do you think about all this?
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| [images from Forever 21] |
This has meant shopping strategically, giving away things that don't work, and *trying* not to buy so much! The idea is that having fewer things that work better will be, for me, a more sustainable simplicity goal than trying to run around naked. Or kill my affection for polka dots. The Simple Closet is still pretty full, by world standards (and I haven't stopped shopping, which you'll know even better by the end of the year) but it has been a step in starting to think differently about style & about stuff...how to use things in creative ways, how to look for quality, how to have a looser grip in general, and in the end, how to save a little money.
Saving money is the part I want to talk about today.
It is totally possible to find simple closet picks on the cheap. Even some classics show up in fast fashion, well-made or with extra touches -- like dresses with pockets. You know what I'm talking about. Some of my favorite favorites are from Target or H&M. P thinks I should buy stock in Old Navy since I love it so much right now. Forever 21 has been recreating Anthropologie looks for under $15 for as long as I can remember.
But what about the ethics of production?
And supply chains?
And labor rights?
Uggh, right?
On the one hand, saving money is a good thing. There is obviously a "simplicity" to that. Spending less seems like a clear winner over spending more, in terms of shopping options. The less we spend, too, the more we have to save or give or buy presents with. On the other hand, though, is what feels like a hidden cost of cheap stuff, clothing in particular. Some of it is made by slaves, some in sweatshops, some by abused workers, some by children, some by underpaid employees.
Part of the point of doing more with less is about being intentional and ethical about consumption. In my world this is not, quite obviously, about giving up on liking fashion, but human suffering trumps it any day.
Like most situations, I find simplicity here to be a bit complicated.
Just as P and I prioritized one simplicity goal over another by choosing a pricier apartment that we could walk to and from, spending more on clothes could be more in line with an ethic of simplicity if it means paying for slightly more fair practices.
But how!?!
I think I've avoided this elephant in my closet for so long because it is just hard to figure out.
In our flat world of transnational corporations, a last stop in L.A. to sew on a button or a tag can sometimes warrant a "made in America" label, even if every other step of the supply chain, starting with cotton harvesting from Uzbekistan, was a major violation of human rights.
Is there any guarantee that a shirt from J.Crew wasn't made on the same sweatshop assembly line as its knockoff at Target? How do we find out more about this? I think some people I know are working on it -- can you help a sister out? Isn't there an app or something that can help tell us? I think there is. Report back!
In the meantime, is it better to spend less on your stuff or to know that it comes free from misery? Is it even possible to find out where our clothing is made? Is there a difference between simple shopping and inexpensive shopping? Can someone please tell me that they have reformed Forever21's policies so that I can go there in peace?! Just kidding.
You know.
Unless they have.
In which case how cute is that polka dot trench coat??
What do you think about all this?
Yes! Obviously, I think a great deal about this issue.
ReplyDeleteI wish there was more transparency around the ethics of where our clothing comes from. I've heard tons of stuff about Forever 21 (and I won't shop there until I stop hearing such horror stories). But sometimes I wonder if J.Crew or Ralph Lauren are really any better, or if they are just "classier" and therefore better at covering it up. I don't know! But i want to know. And an app would be a great idea! If there isn't one, you should make one. :-)
Along the same lines, I usually tend to buy more expensive clothing in an effort to simplify. Which I know doesn't make sense to a lot of people. But if I buy one Brooks Brothers cashmere turtleneck, it lasts me for years. And it is classic, so it isn't going out of style. I try not to buy trendy things, but if I do I do try to buy those cheaper, from stores like H&M or Zara, mostly because I don't need it to last as long.
The biggest problem I have, and that I'm working really hard on!, is making sure that if I do buy more expensive things in an effort to make them last longer, that I actually wear what is in my closet instead of constantly wanting to buy something new. But that is hard because of capitalism and consumerism. I have to learn to be content with what I have, and still find it exciting and beautiful even if it isn't new.
My new year's resolution is to only buy clothes from second hand stores to cut down on my impact - it's a quick fix for sure, and doesn't really solve the ethical shopping problem, but I figure I gotta start somewhere! For now I really can't afford buying all my clothes at eco-friendly and ethical stores, so I'm just settling for a quick fix... but all your talk about a simple closet has me jumping on your bandwagon! I just blogged about it and I LOVE it!
ReplyDeleteThanks both of you. I definitely need reminders on both of these fronts: buying more secondhand and being content with what I already have even if it isn't new!
ReplyDeleteLove this post. It's something that I'm not sure how to deal with. I feel like with companies like American Apparel I'm just substituting one kind of exploitation for another.
ReplyDeleteShannon is right on about the cost difference. I don't generally think that clothiers that charge more are practicing better labor justice.
I've often dreamed about a clothing company that shares all the steps in the supply chain, the stories of their workers, how people were paid fairly, and how that fair payment transformed the person's life (i.e. able to send kids to school).
Until such a thing is possible, seems like the ultimate best way to proceed is to buy secondhand and less.