As I approach my 30th birthday, I find myself surveying life closely. Looking at details I’ve never noticed before.
Specially, and strangely, clothes have been on my mind. I don’t mean the really fun, lets-go-shopping-now kinda way. I mean where do our clothes come from, kinda way. And are these people being treated fairly? And if no, is there anything I can really do to help?
The documentary, “The True Cost” on Netflix shed some sobering light on the people making our clothes. Enough light to make me sick. What I found most challenging about watching this film, or even just taking the time to consider who made my clothes is that…I don’t know the answer. I don’t know how to fix it.
Can I really make a positive impact?
Orginally I thought, “simple, Ill just throw out all my clothes and buy new fair trade clothes.” Come to find out, thats not such a great idea. Fair trade clothes aren’t exactly the cheapest thing, or the easiest to obtain. Many of the fair trade clothing companies are based out of Australia or Europe. But with some research and intentionality, I’m slowly working on developing my perspective. A perspective where I am willing to pay a little extra and take the time to discover companies who stand for a good cause, who stand for helping someone, and for simply doing what is right.
I’m not throwing out all my clothes, and I will still occasionally shop at Banana Republic. BUT…I am slowly discovering fair trade companies whose products are as stellar as their mission.
Companies like Noonday, which is a fair-trade company who helps enable people in poverty to have a sustainable income.
And they make the most beautiful jewelry! And they will help families wishing to adopt too! Or another one of my favorites – The Sock Club. American made, fair trade socks.
Plus they are the cutest, they even have a pair with the Austin skyline on them!! The boy and I just signed up for a 3 month trial.
Can’t wait for some of these AWESOME socks.
So its just a start. But IT IS A start.
I’m beginning to realize this whole mindful consumer thing is a process, not a light switch that I can flip on. And thats ok. With time I’ll find other great companies like these. And hopefully with time, this very small start can be an impact that actually helps someone somewhere.
[…] can’t boycott clothes and almost every large company is a part of this! So I have been exploring my fair trade options and making an effort to buy less clothes in an attempt to live out a few solutions to this horrible […]