U Should Know Better

I love shopping and fashion. Like, love it. To the point where when someone asks me what my interests are, I should say "Going around the internet and filling up my shopping carts with outfits I probably won't buy." That's a hobby, right?

But things have changed in fashion. Fast fashion has trained us that $3.90 is an acceptable price for the fabric and labor to go into a t-shirt. We crave trends and new, inexpensive ways of showcasing our personal style at the cost of deeply troubling labor and environmental practices.

The tragedy in Bangladesh this past April has weighed on me for several months. Garment workers died, crafting cheap items that we may wear 3 or 4 times before we toss them, or give to Goodwill. Beyond labor practices, textile and finishing mills are producers of harsh chemicals which are toxic to us and the world in which we live.

Which brings me to now. I know too much to continue shopping in the same way I did before. I can no longer plead ignorance, and I can't, in good conscience, willfully look past these key issues affecting the fashion industry. While I long gave up Forever21 and H&M, I have recent receipts from places like Mango and Zara - stores that do not employ strong ethical practices for their production standards.

I can't tell you how sad I am to stop shopping at these stores.

But I digress. I know better, and I should do better. Fortunately, I'm not the only person who feels this way. New stores have popped up, promising to deliver classic, beautiful garments made ethically and sustainably. Stores like:
Zady
The Reformation
StyleSaint

There are lots of brands, too, like Steven Alan, Rachel Comey, and Imogene and Willie, who make their clothes here in the US, and you can trust that they do good work - to make totes gorge clothes AND sleep at night doing it.

All this is to say that I'm committing to do my best to only purchase clothes and accessories that sit well with me, ethically. I love fashion too much to not do it right.

I look forward to exploring brands that follow this path. I'll share the results of my research, and let you know how it goes. I can't change anyone else, but I can change myself. This is a start.