Call it a trend or whatever you like, but Fair Trade is making a difference. A trend can turn over in two to three months, but this movement is one that shouldn't ever go out of style (just like that cliche phrase will always live on).
I have been trained since infancy to find the best bargains in stores, so it's pretty difficult for me to pay full price on most clothing.
I say all this because I know what you may be thinking when you look at the prices on most fair trade clothing items. Of course, they're not astronomical, but they may be higher than what you would normally pay. For instance, I was browsing one website, where a pair of white granny panties was twelve dollars (you really just have to learn what you want to invest your money in).
The point is, you're not just handing over your money to a supplier and getting something out of the deal with fair trade. You're pushing a market that chooses to treat each person that's involved in the process of getting that garment to you according to a higher standard. You're empowering people to be sustainable, and to make that garment in an environmentally sustainable way.
That's all I need to say this week.
I found this awesome video on a British fair trade website. It's a great site, complete with clothing and news, but it may be a bit of a lofty dream to order off of. Shipping to the US is over 25 dollars.
The video is an interview with Emma Watson (or Hermione, if you only recognize her from the Harry Potter series). It's a bit long, but if you start watching after two minutes, you'll get some great information on sweatshop conditions and how fair trade and this company is making a difference. Oh, and Emma is adorable, so please, watch!
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Our Commitment
We are committing to purchasing only fair trade or recycled clothing for the year 2011.
What is fair trade? Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), fair trade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives. (http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/what_is_fairtrade/faqs.aspx)
What do we mean by recycled clothing? We consider clothing recycled when it is resold in a secondhand store. It's recycled because instead of people throwing out old clothes, they have donated it to a charity to be used again instead of being thrown out.
Why are we doing this? 1) to support fair conditions for workers in the developing world, 2) to rethink how we spend our money, 3) to think critically about our relationship with consumerism, and 4) to encourage and challenge you to also rethink the way you shop.
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