Hi Mommas & MTB,
I hope you are hanging in there this week! Evelyn has her first tooth coming in and has been waking up constantly at night. I’m at the point where when I get up in the morning it’s a blurry daze, i’m not sure when I was up, when I was sleeping and it sure feels like I got no sleep at all!
Today I wanted to share some of my favorite small shops that I love that make their clothing ethically. I’ve shared in the past my desire to live more intentional and minimal. Our house is still a far way from looking like a minimal space but i’m actively trying (and haven’t shopped for decor for over a year!) so A for effort?
During my research for minimal living, the conversation of capsule wardrobes and the importance of ethical clothing production kept coming up. The more I read on it the more aware and passionate i’ve become about this important topic. Also, having a capsule wardrobe, especially as a busy mom, has made getting ready in the mornings so much easier! Being able to pull out any pair of pants, that you know fit because you only keep clothes that fit well on you, and grabbing a top, that you know with go with the pants because everything in your wardrobe follows a color scheme. But I digress…
Anyway, when I started looking into minimal living and capsule wardrobes, another topic that kept popping up was the ethical manufacturing of clothes and also the gross amount of textile waste from “fast fashion” (Target, Old Navy, etc). As I embrace this new mindset of quality over quantity purchasing ethically made clothing is also super important to me. If this is also on some of your hearts and minds I wanted to share a few of the stores that I love, a lot of the baby stores are homemade clothing from stay at home moms and I love supporting other women!
Favorite Ethical Fashion Sites for Me:
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Some Of My Favorite Small Shop & Ethical Fashion Site for Babies:
Sweet as April – she makes her bonnets from up-cycled dresses and fabrics that are sent to her or she finds at a thrift shop.
Ira Loves Mae – I find this to be one of the more affordable small shop, ethically made stores.
If these cute images haven’t convinced you enough to support small shops and the ethical production of clothing, here’s some crazy stats:
More than 15 million tons of used textile waste is generated each year in the United States, and the amount has doubled over the last 20 years. The average American throws away approximately 80 pounds of used clothing per person. (Source: https://www.thebalance.com/textile-recycling-facts-and-figures-2878122)
Also, supporting fast fashion drives a need for human trafficking for slave labor. If a store is selling flip flops for $1 you gotta ask yourself, how is that profitable for them if the textiles and labor should cost more?
The term “fast fashion” refers to affordably priced, mass-produced clothing that mimics the style of luxury brands. While the low prices associated with fast fashion are beneficial for consumers, the ultimate price is often paid by the workers producing the garments in developing nations. The fast fashion industry has long been in the spotlight for its use of unethical labor practices within supply chains. Famous examples include Zara suppliers forcing sixteen hour shifts on Brazilian workers without having a single day off during the week, Gap, Inc. suppliers in India compensating workers for 16 work days with less than forty cents per day, and Victoria’s Secret workers at a factory in Jordan being physically abused and forced to work more than five hours of overtime per day without adequate compensation. (Source: http://humantraffickingcenter.org/hm-corporation-conscience/)
A great fast fashion awareness movement I’ve been following is Dressember. Where you wear a dress for every day in December to drive awareness and your friends & family can donate to your campaign. Last year they raised 2M+ for the rescue and restoration of enslaved people around the world.
Speaking of enslaved people:
- More than 30 Million people are enslaved worldwide
- 2 million of them are children
- Human trafficking generates 150 billion a year
Really makes you stop and think about whether those $1 flip flops are worth it, yah know?
A very valid argument is: of course I don’t support (child) slave labor but I also can’t afford a $125 dress or pair of pants. And I totally get that! I’ve found some reputable discount sites and will be sharing how i’m able to get top quality clothes for myself and Evelyn on a budget in a follow up post to this next week.
On a happier note, please share your favorite small shops! I am always on the prowl!
Xo,
M