Sunday, November 6, 2016
The end of 2016 is close. Some Results...
Before this year I would say...
About 60% of my clothing was purchased second hand.
I bought a new/second hand purse at least every other month.
On average about every other week I probably bought a new article of clothing for Target (even if it was a t-shirt).
I never looked at a label to see where it was made.
This year I would say...
I have reduced the number of clothes I own by around 25%.
Now I have some fair trade, ethically made clothing. But, it's only about 10% of my total clothing.
I haven't bought a purse or shoes (with the exception of a pair of tennis shoes) since January. Not even second hand. And, I haven't really missed it. (Which is a surprise.)
About 80% of my clothing was purchased second hand.
I have an awareness of factory conditions that I didn't give too much notice in the past. But in the end I really am just like everyone else. I don't want to pay too much. I value convenience. I still look for a good quality piece. That is one of the reasons I like second hand. If it's already been used a while and it still looks good I feel better about how long it's going to last me.
I wish I could say I've been loyal to the pledge. But, since my weight loss happened I really didn't want to keep wearing clothing that was too big. I also really couldn't afford to replace everything fair trade. Also, I found out that fair trade didn't always equal a good quality product. And since I had to purchase most of these pieces online there was no way to judge it's level of quality until I received it. Returning things is a real pain in the butt too!
Saturday, September 24, 2016
It took...
9 Months before I cracked!
But, how many of you out there could go nine months buying only Made in USA or Fair Trade products? There is only a limited world of these items. Very limited. And expensive! Moving forward what has to be decided is how to proceed in the future. What lessons have I learned? Where is the balance? Does it really matter? I've had a hard time weighing the negatives and positives of third world countries making our clothes. Negatives are poor working conditions, unsafe factories and environmental damage. But there are positives. We are contributing to growing economies and people are making money. Some perspective has to be maintained. The conditions they are working in are not that different from workers in the USA during the beginning of the industrial revolution. It was messy, dangerous and unregulated. There were great muckrakers such as Ida Tarbell and Upton Sinclair who brought attention to what was wrong. I'm sure that there are modern day muckrakers out there in leading the way to the truth, creating an awareness and demanding changes.
There really are two sides to every coin.
But, how many of you out there could go nine months buying only Made in USA or Fair Trade products? There is only a limited world of these items. Very limited. And expensive! Moving forward what has to be decided is how to proceed in the future. What lessons have I learned? Where is the balance? Does it really matter? I've had a hard time weighing the negatives and positives of third world countries making our clothes. Negatives are poor working conditions, unsafe factories and environmental damage. But there are positives. We are contributing to growing economies and people are making money. Some perspective has to be maintained. The conditions they are working in are not that different from workers in the USA during the beginning of the industrial revolution. It was messy, dangerous and unregulated. There were great muckrakers such as Ida Tarbell and Upton Sinclair who brought attention to what was wrong. I'm sure that there are modern day muckrakers out there in leading the way to the truth, creating an awareness and demanding changes.
There really are two sides to every coin.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Shopping in Louisville, KY
Up to this point I've been purchasing items online. It's time to reach out to the local business community and see what is out there. A couple of weeks ago I went into the Willow Tree on Hurstbourne Lane. Although a little pricy I would say about half of their clothing items are made in the USA, Canada or France. I would recommend them but use caution as there are quite a few things made in China. I did speak to the owner, a really nice lady. She said she really does try to buy things made in USA if it's possible. So, I'm encouraged by this. However, just like any other made in the USA or any other country that pays their employees a decent wage the prices end up being on the high end. It's just unavoidable folks. Here's their website if you are interested http://willowtreelouisville.com/.
I also visited Just Creations on Frankfort Avenue. They have a lot of clothing (fair trade). However, for me I found the clothing a bit odd sized. The clothing was either way too big or too small. One bonus though they have Maggie's Organic socks and tank tops. It was nice to see this brand in a store after having bought things from them in the past online. I really recommend Maggie's Organics. So far everything I have purchased from them has been high quality. The material for one thing is thick. No thin material on their products. Even the socks are generous.
After my rant a couple of weeks ago I ended up buying a pair of tennis shoes that were not made in the USA. I can't justify buying tennis shoes that cost $160.00 just to prove a point. I also went consignment shopping over the weekend. Yes, I did buy a couple of things. No, they weren't made in the USA or Fair Trade. You could say I'm cheating. But, if you read the rules in the first post I am allowed if I lost 10% of my body weight. Which I have. Even more than 10%. So, it's not cheating. I'm getting close to the end of the year. If I can buy what I need made in USA or Fair Trade I will. But, I am no longer limiting myself. However, I will only purchase second hand which isn't quite as bad. Further, I will stay away from Target clothes.
I also visited Just Creations on Frankfort Avenue. They have a lot of clothing (fair trade). However, for me I found the clothing a bit odd sized. The clothing was either way too big or too small. One bonus though they have Maggie's Organic socks and tank tops. It was nice to see this brand in a store after having bought things from them in the past online. I really recommend Maggie's Organics. So far everything I have purchased from them has been high quality. The material for one thing is thick. No thin material on their products. Even the socks are generous.
After my rant a couple of weeks ago I ended up buying a pair of tennis shoes that were not made in the USA. I can't justify buying tennis shoes that cost $160.00 just to prove a point. I also went consignment shopping over the weekend. Yes, I did buy a couple of things. No, they weren't made in the USA or Fair Trade. You could say I'm cheating. But, if you read the rules in the first post I am allowed if I lost 10% of my body weight. Which I have. Even more than 10%. So, it's not cheating. I'm getting close to the end of the year. If I can buy what I need made in USA or Fair Trade I will. But, I am no longer limiting myself. However, I will only purchase second hand which isn't quite as bad. Further, I will stay away from Target clothes.
Monday, September 5, 2016
Extremely Frustrated....Rant...
When I first started this challenge there was an out. If I lost more than 10% of my body weight I could abandon this project. Well at this point I've lost close to 20% so I have every right to go shopping and buy what I want. But, I haven't yet. I'm going to try to hold on a little longer. At this point there are only four more months in the year. It's possible once I pull out my fall/winter clothes that I might have a change of heart. I'm allowed. I've earned it. But, let me share how I'm feeling right now.
EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED!!! I want to shop at Clothes Mentor so much. I want to buy piles of clothes and a new designer purse. I want to run into Target and buy some cheap clothes. I want to go to Carnival Shoes and buy some new shoes. My tennis shoes that I bought last December are starting to give. I can feel it in the heel. They aren't providing the same support. Tennis shoes that are made in the USA? That's IMPOSSIBLE! New Balance has some pairs that they source as much as possible from the USA and it's made here but the shoes start at $160.00. I'm not going to spend $160.00 on a pair of shoes. No matter how good it makes me feel. For one thing, there is no guarantee the quality is going to be better. As I have found out this year buying made in the USA or Fair Trade, etc. doesn't guarantee ANYTHING. I'm not even sure I can truly say I feel better about these purchases anymore. When I spend so much more money for ill-fitted clothing that look old too soon anyway. I could at least buy second hand clothes that have been washed several times giving a much fair representation of whether is well made or not.
This is killing my pocket book! If I can't buy responsibility when I'm trying how can the rest of the us? During this election cycle a lot has been said about bringing jobs, such as the garment industry back to the USA. But, HOW???? Really, HOW???? As I've stated before we aren't going to pay the cost difference. The genie is out of the bottle. No one is going back to the way things used to be. They just aren't. GIVE ME A BREAK!!!
EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED!!! I want to shop at Clothes Mentor so much. I want to buy piles of clothes and a new designer purse. I want to run into Target and buy some cheap clothes. I want to go to Carnival Shoes and buy some new shoes. My tennis shoes that I bought last December are starting to give. I can feel it in the heel. They aren't providing the same support. Tennis shoes that are made in the USA? That's IMPOSSIBLE! New Balance has some pairs that they source as much as possible from the USA and it's made here but the shoes start at $160.00. I'm not going to spend $160.00 on a pair of shoes. No matter how good it makes me feel. For one thing, there is no guarantee the quality is going to be better. As I have found out this year buying made in the USA or Fair Trade, etc. doesn't guarantee ANYTHING. I'm not even sure I can truly say I feel better about these purchases anymore. When I spend so much more money for ill-fitted clothing that look old too soon anyway. I could at least buy second hand clothes that have been washed several times giving a much fair representation of whether is well made or not.
This is killing my pocket book! If I can't buy responsibility when I'm trying how can the rest of the us? During this election cycle a lot has been said about bringing jobs, such as the garment industry back to the USA. But, HOW???? Really, HOW???? As I've stated before we aren't going to pay the cost difference. The genie is out of the bottle. No one is going back to the way things used to be. They just aren't. GIVE ME A BREAK!!!
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
I read this book in part because I thought maybe I would get some useful tips on how to organize my clothing better. This book is more about a whole lifestyle approach to tidying up and she really does bring a fresh new approach to organizing our lives. She talks a lot about how we feel about our things. Do they spark joy? If they don't spark joy we should get rid of them. I'm going to try this out on my clothing and jewelry first. One of the points she brings up is how to organize your clothes better. I admit almost everything I own including t-shirts and jeans are hanging in my closet. Seems I really should be folding these garments. Her tips on how to fold may help with the longevity of my clothing. Here are some links. I would recommend taking a look. The book is an easy read too and might spark some enthusiasm for getting your home in order!
Marie Kondo: Basic Folding Method
T-Shirts/Camisoles & Socks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lpc5_1896ro
Sweaters and Hoodies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkGTu-4IPpg
Underwear Drawer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tglp9eWQEhY
Jeans/Pants
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vds4_L7RMUs&list=PLzUTYtj_Dr1Dzn6irxdx0dwi4CodePwHz
Marie Kondo: Basic Folding Method
T-Shirts/Camisoles & Socks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lpc5_1896ro
Sweaters and Hoodies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkGTu-4IPpg
Underwear Drawer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tglp9eWQEhY
Jeans/Pants
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vds4_L7RMUs&list=PLzUTYtj_Dr1Dzn6irxdx0dwi4CodePwHz
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Reclaim our lost jobs
One of the themes of our current Presidential debate has been taking our jobs back from foreign countries. It's been suggested that we have been part of unfair trade deals. I am not an economist (and certainly don't claim to be!) but I can share my thoughts on what I've learned these past seven months.
The apparel industry is a mainly manual labor industry. It's hand created works. There aren't, with the exception of fabric and pieces of the whole garment, machines working on these products. Who is going to pay the additional cost of labor thru increased pricing? If we were going to pay the extra amount wouldn't these jobs stayed here in the first place? I've been very lucky this year that I can afford to refrain from purchasing fast fashion clothing. It's costly buying Made in the USA or from Fair Trade apparel companies. It's also not convenient. Not only do I have to pay up to 2 or 3 times what the garment would cost me if I ran into a department store here but I have to purchase it online and wait. And wait. I really miss running into Target and buying a shirt. Buying with your conscience is difficult and expensive. Not everyone could afford to do it. Also, even some of those who could afford it would balk at the prices.
When this is over I know that I'll try to be more careful about my purchases. I still want to keep the amount of clothing in the closet down to a minimum. I'll slip back into buying second hand clothing. I'll still avoid the malls and big department stores. When I have time and the money I'll still invest in pieces that are Made in the USA and Fair Trade. I still don't know what is the right answer. When you buy a t-shirt from Target it still gives someone in another country in opportunity to make money. But, they might be working in an unsafe environment. I feel like an exploiter. I'm reminded of the following quote as I ponder these dilemmas:
“The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.” Albert Einstein
The apparel industry is a mainly manual labor industry. It's hand created works. There aren't, with the exception of fabric and pieces of the whole garment, machines working on these products. Who is going to pay the additional cost of labor thru increased pricing? If we were going to pay the extra amount wouldn't these jobs stayed here in the first place? I've been very lucky this year that I can afford to refrain from purchasing fast fashion clothing. It's costly buying Made in the USA or from Fair Trade apparel companies. It's also not convenient. Not only do I have to pay up to 2 or 3 times what the garment would cost me if I ran into a department store here but I have to purchase it online and wait. And wait. I really miss running into Target and buying a shirt. Buying with your conscience is difficult and expensive. Not everyone could afford to do it. Also, even some of those who could afford it would balk at the prices.
When this is over I know that I'll try to be more careful about my purchases. I still want to keep the amount of clothing in the closet down to a minimum. I'll slip back into buying second hand clothing. I'll still avoid the malls and big department stores. When I have time and the money I'll still invest in pieces that are Made in the USA and Fair Trade. I still don't know what is the right answer. When you buy a t-shirt from Target it still gives someone in another country in opportunity to make money. But, they might be working in an unsafe environment. I feel like an exploiter. I'm reminded of the following quote as I ponder these dilemmas:
“The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.” Albert Einstein
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Finding places to shop...
Received an email last week from Wear Pact that they are selling clothes at Target. Wear Pact is a Fair Trade/Organic cotton company that I have bought t-shirts, hoodies and socks from in the past with varying levels of quality. This is good news that Target is going to carry some sustainable clothing. However, right now it appears to be just men's cloths. So, two steps forward, one step back!
I emailed Texas Jeans to ask them about their factory and workers compensation. Here is the response I received:
I emailed Texas Jeans to ask them about their factory and workers compensation. Here is the response I received:
"Thank you for your interest in Texas Jeans USA. We are still in business for sure! We have been hard at work to keep up with our wholesale orders and also running our own website out of our factory. We have currently restocked our website and will be working to maintain a better web presence in the future for our online customers.
We employ well over 200 workers throughout all of the divisions here at the Texas Jeans factory. We are also a Military contractor that has to adhere to many strict government regulations regarding quality in our work, criminal background checks, and other various rules and regulations to be a contractor. Our workers are paid very well in order to continue to produce some of the highest quality goods for our military, as well as our denim brand customers.
I hope you will give our Texas Jeans brand a try. I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised at the quality and craftsmanship at such an affordable price."
So, soon I'll be buying some jeans from Texas Jeans USA. (I'm waiting to loose a little more weight.) Their jeans are really reasonably priced.
I kept getting these advertisements on Facebook about a company called ModCloth. I really liked their designs but didn't know if any of their clothing would be made in the USA. My sister, who has been interviewed in the previous post, mentioned that some of the clothes she has bought there say Made in USA and that they had a Made in USA section. I emailed them to find out more and here is the response:
"Thanks for writing to ModCloth! My name is Franny and I'm happy to help you today :) When shopping the site, you may find all pertinent garment information, including country of origin, fabric composition, material content, length or heel measurement, and garment features like pockets, listed under the 'Details & Measurements' tab. Simply click the "+" sign next to 'Details & Measurements' and the tab will open up to provide a description of the item, as well as any pertinent size, fit, and composition details.
When shopping on the ModCloth Mobile app, you will be able to find this information listed under the 'Details & Fit' tab.
I hope this information helps! Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. And as always, if you need immediate assistance please contact us via live chat or phone (888-495-9699)."
Turns out they have a TON of clothes made in the USA. Although I do have some reservations about even Made in America factory worker's conditions it's still a step in the right direction. Maybe with more orders, etc. the worker's will have more leverage in the future. I ordered four shirts Monday. They should be arriving soon.
I'm feeling quite a bit more hopeful about finishing out the year. Options are definitely opening up. There are only two items that I simply can't find a satisfactory outlet for - tennis shoes and bras.
It's funny that even the Presidential election has been highlighted to some small degree the focus of my blog. Although my whole focus isn't on just buying on USA clothing it has been brought up by a candidate who has a past of doing quite the opposite of keeping the jobs here. (Do as I say not as I do I guess!) Here is a link to a New York Times article that goes in more depth.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/us/politics/donald-trump-trade.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Quality...an interview with an Expert Seamstress
One of my objectives during my journey was to reduce the amount of clothing I own keeping only high quality items. However, this goal seems a bit too difficult to reach. Last week I met with my sister, Barbara Henry for an interview about her experience throughout the years as an expert seamstress. The interview was conducted at a new restaurant, Finns Southern Country Restaurant. Although it wasn't on purpose it was actually a fitting place (no pun intended, really). The restaurant's building was the site of offices for the cotton mill that many years ago managed the vast complex that is now the Germantown Mill Lofts.
Barbara has been sewing since she was ten. (I'm going to leave out how many years she has been sewing - she might kill me!) She was self-taught to sew a multitude of things. She focuses mainly on clothing but does some home decorations. Barbara is extremely talented at sewing. I'm not just saying this because she is my sister. She has been making elaborate wedding dresses, clothing and furniture covers for family and friends for years. Plus, she has won a LOT of ribbons at the Kentucky State Fair for many different textile crafts including sewing throughout the years.
I asked her if there have been changes to fabric in the years she has been sewing. Fabric stores used to organize the selection of fabrics better. They would have sections of the more classic basic fabrics such as broadcloth, poplin and twill. Now it seems very much mixed together in fabric stores.. Plus, fabric stores put a lot of emphasis on fleece. Fleece is much easier for people new to sewing. Generally, the variety of fabrics is terrible. This seems to make sense if fast fashion around the word is turning out clothes so fast it's not too much of a leap to think that is happening with fabric as well. These trends in fabric availability started about 15 years ago. Again, seems to be influenced on the rapid rise of fast fashion. Also, if I thought at any point that the solution to counter fast fashion might be to pick up sewing (which really I'm not going to do if I'm honest) these observations about fabric have changed my mind. Years ago Barbara said it was cheaper to make your own clothes. But now since clothes are so cheap and the fabrics are pretty lacking, there's really no cost savings to be had here.
In thinking about quality I asked Barbara about which fabrics are more durable, how to identify a fabric's quality and how to keep clothes lasting longer. Denim and corduroy are two fabrics that are durable. These are heavy fabrics too. You don't want a fabric that pills after washing. (Of course this is hard to really test since you have already bought the item!) To keep fabric/clothing from lasting longer wash your clothes in cold water and don't put them in the dryer. The dryer is the #1 reason for damage to fabric. Which means you'll have to iron.
We took some sample t-shirts to compare. Two from Target and two from Pact (fair trade-organic cotton). Comparing the stitching of the first two they were pretty similar. However, there was more stitching on the Pact t-shirts. The same Pack t-shirt was also holding up well in the wash (not too pilly). But, of the other two shirts the Pack one didn't really hold up well against the Target brand. The Target brand was at least a year old and I've worn it lots of time. No noticeable pilling. But the Pack t-Shirt had been washed twice and it was already showing signs of wear. I get the feeling buying Fair Trade makes you feel better about your purchase but doesn't necessarily mean the quality is superior. One thing Barbara pointed out during the interview was that fabric was getting thinner. I've noticed that a lot after she pointed that out. I realized that when I buy t-shirts at Target I normally always have to wear an undershirt (usually a tank under the t-shirt). The t-shirts are too shear without it.
In buying clothes in recent years Barbara has noticed a decline in general quality on brands that you would think are immune to the fast fashion industry. Brands that are actually pricier have quality issues. I've heard that expressed many times in my research.
So, where to go next? I'm going to research fabric a little more in depth next. Stay tuned....
Barbara has been sewing since she was ten. (I'm going to leave out how many years she has been sewing - she might kill me!) She was self-taught to sew a multitude of things. She focuses mainly on clothing but does some home decorations. Barbara is extremely talented at sewing. I'm not just saying this because she is my sister. She has been making elaborate wedding dresses, clothing and furniture covers for family and friends for years. Plus, she has won a LOT of ribbons at the Kentucky State Fair for many different textile crafts including sewing throughout the years.
I asked her if there have been changes to fabric in the years she has been sewing. Fabric stores used to organize the selection of fabrics better. They would have sections of the more classic basic fabrics such as broadcloth, poplin and twill. Now it seems very much mixed together in fabric stores.. Plus, fabric stores put a lot of emphasis on fleece. Fleece is much easier for people new to sewing. Generally, the variety of fabrics is terrible. This seems to make sense if fast fashion around the word is turning out clothes so fast it's not too much of a leap to think that is happening with fabric as well. These trends in fabric availability started about 15 years ago. Again, seems to be influenced on the rapid rise of fast fashion. Also, if I thought at any point that the solution to counter fast fashion might be to pick up sewing (which really I'm not going to do if I'm honest) these observations about fabric have changed my mind. Years ago Barbara said it was cheaper to make your own clothes. But now since clothes are so cheap and the fabrics are pretty lacking, there's really no cost savings to be had here.
In thinking about quality I asked Barbara about which fabrics are more durable, how to identify a fabric's quality and how to keep clothes lasting longer. Denim and corduroy are two fabrics that are durable. These are heavy fabrics too. You don't want a fabric that pills after washing. (Of course this is hard to really test since you have already bought the item!) To keep fabric/clothing from lasting longer wash your clothes in cold water and don't put them in the dryer. The dryer is the #1 reason for damage to fabric. Which means you'll have to iron.
We took some sample t-shirts to compare. Two from Target and two from Pact (fair trade-organic cotton). Comparing the stitching of the first two they were pretty similar. However, there was more stitching on the Pact t-shirts. The same Pack t-shirt was also holding up well in the wash (not too pilly). But, of the other two shirts the Pack one didn't really hold up well against the Target brand. The Target brand was at least a year old and I've worn it lots of time. No noticeable pilling. But the Pack t-Shirt had been washed twice and it was already showing signs of wear. I get the feeling buying Fair Trade makes you feel better about your purchase but doesn't necessarily mean the quality is superior. One thing Barbara pointed out during the interview was that fabric was getting thinner. I've noticed that a lot after she pointed that out. I realized that when I buy t-shirts at Target I normally always have to wear an undershirt (usually a tank under the t-shirt). The t-shirts are too shear without it.
In buying clothes in recent years Barbara has noticed a decline in general quality on brands that you would think are immune to the fast fashion industry. Brands that are actually pricier have quality issues. I've heard that expressed many times in my research.
So, where to go next? I'm going to research fabric a little more in depth next. Stay tuned....
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Update
I'm still here. So far, so good. Soon I'll have a report on quality. In the meantime I wanted to drop a few notes here.
First, I'm a bit disappointed that one of my fair trade organic cotton socks that I've owed for about 6 weeks already has a hole in the bottom. I didn't wear this pair of socks excessively. I would guess I've worn them about a dozen times. I doubt I snagged it on anything. It's just worn.
Second, and this is totally on me, I have a stain on one of my new tunics. This has been a frequent problem of mine. Doesn't matter when you are spending only a few bucks on a shirt. But, when your spending $40.00+ it hurts. I've worn the shirt only a few times and now I can't wear it anymore. I guess I should start bringing a stain remover with me wherever I go. The thing is I didn't know I had a stain until I washed it. It was a really small stain. Don't even know how I did it. If this keeps up it's going to get rather expensive.
Third, as I've already discussed in the previous post there is an unintended consequence - I have discovered I don't need as many clothes. I've slashed the amount of clothes in my closet. My hope is to slash some more. It's not just the wanting to have fair trade/living wages, etc. clothing. I've also been loosing weight so I've been getting rid of a lot of my clothing naturally. I want to keep the number of clothes down even after I loose weight. I'll keep a limited amount of clothes of quality. However, what I don't know is come fall I might have to buy clothes that are second hand/not fair trade, etc. because it just might be too expensive otherwise. (I did allot for this in my very first post- if I loose more than 10% of my body weight I'm allowed to...and I've already exceed 10%. Another unintended consequence? Maybe.)
Soon I'll post on how to identify quality, etc.
First, I'm a bit disappointed that one of my fair trade organic cotton socks that I've owed for about 6 weeks already has a hole in the bottom. I didn't wear this pair of socks excessively. I would guess I've worn them about a dozen times. I doubt I snagged it on anything. It's just worn.
Second, and this is totally on me, I have a stain on one of my new tunics. This has been a frequent problem of mine. Doesn't matter when you are spending only a few bucks on a shirt. But, when your spending $40.00+ it hurts. I've worn the shirt only a few times and now I can't wear it anymore. I guess I should start bringing a stain remover with me wherever I go. The thing is I didn't know I had a stain until I washed it. It was a really small stain. Don't even know how I did it. If this keeps up it's going to get rather expensive.
Third, as I've already discussed in the previous post there is an unintended consequence - I have discovered I don't need as many clothes. I've slashed the amount of clothes in my closet. My hope is to slash some more. It's not just the wanting to have fair trade/living wages, etc. clothing. I've also been loosing weight so I've been getting rid of a lot of my clothing naturally. I want to keep the number of clothes down even after I loose weight. I'll keep a limited amount of clothes of quality. However, what I don't know is come fall I might have to buy clothes that are second hand/not fair trade, etc. because it just might be too expensive otherwise. (I did allot for this in my very first post- if I loose more than 10% of my body weight I'm allowed to...and I've already exceed 10%. Another unintended consequence? Maybe.)
Soon I'll post on how to identify quality, etc.
Sunday, April 17, 2016
More about purchases and my closet
I spent last weekend cleaning out my closet. I've discarded more than half of all my clothes. In part because I've lost some weight and also I was holding on to a lot of clothing that I no longer wear. I've been pleasantly surprised though of how much I still have. It seems that I don't really need to buy a bunch of new clothes.
The purchases I've made have all arrived. I bought three beautiful tunics from www.novica.com. They were Fair Trade made in India. My t-shirts, hoodie & socks from www.wearpact.com were of really good quality and I should get a lot of use from them. The purse from www.swordandplough.com should be a long-term purse (instead of switching every week I want to use this purse indefinitely). I'm pleasantly surprised that so far all my purchases have worked out well.
Now that my purchases are here I will next be discussing quality.
The purchases I've made have all arrived. I bought three beautiful tunics from www.novica.com. They were Fair Trade made in India. My t-shirts, hoodie & socks from www.wearpact.com were of really good quality and I should get a lot of use from them. The purse from www.swordandplough.com should be a long-term purse (instead of switching every week I want to use this purse indefinitely). I'm pleasantly surprised that so far all my purchases have worked out well.
Now that my purchases are here I will next be discussing quality.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
It's time to make some purchases...
I haven't bought anything to wear in three months! I've decided to start out with some easy items that even if I lose weight I'll still be able to wear. Socks, a sweatshirt hoodie jacket, t-shirt and a purse.
I have to find these items that is fair trade and ideally made with organic material.
Socks, Hoodie and T-Shirts https://wearpact.com They are responsible in making sure their partners are paying a living wage and treat them well in responsible working environments. Check. No Child Labor. Check. No toxic pesticides in their cotton. Check. Non-GMO Cotton. Bonus, Check. One down side is I don't see any size measurements to confirm I'm buying the right size. They do have a generous return policy. I'm buying 2 pairs of socks, a navy hoodie and two t-shirts. I only spent $67.00. Nowhere near as much as I feared.
That leaves a purse. I have really missed my purse buying. The last few weeks I've been saying to myself that I'm living a life of deprivation. I'm getting tired of it. Weary in fact. When you are used to running into a Target and picking up a new shirt or purse every week or two it starts to bother you. It's not like I don't have lots of perfectly great clothes sitting in my closet. But, there is something about that new purchase. I'm still trying to kick the overall habit of buying but I also want to build my wardrobe with quality items that are purchased from socially responsible sources. I found a company a couple of months back that sell purses, http://www.swordandplough.com/ They take old military items, such as parachutes and hire veterans to sew purses. It creates opportunities and reduces waste. Plus, its veteran owned and made in the USA by companies that hire USA Military. So, it's more than a win-win. Plus, they have a purse that, although expensive, I really love. I think I'm going to get a lot of use out of it.
There was another reason I wanted to get a start on buying some clothes. I need some clothing comparisons for my review of how to identify a quality garment. So, soon I hope to be able to compare with my clothing expert bad quality vs. good quality and share.
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Nothing to Report...
Over the weekend I stopped at my local Target. Not for the obvious temptation (fashion!) but since I was there I thought I'd make my way around the aisles surrounding the clothes. I could see quite a few pieces that, if I hadn't made this promise to myself to abstain from, I would be seriously considering purchasing. When I first made this new year's resolution to myself I wasn't entirely sure I could pull it off. I'm still not. It's not like I bought new clothes, purses, etc. for myself all the time. But, I would by a shirt here and there. I've been loosing weight and some of my jeans no longer fit. They look obviously large so it is time to replace. Jeans and shoes are really difficult to find if you want to pursue this crazy method of purchasing. Fortunately, I was able to dig out a couple of pair of old jeans that I haven't been able to get into for a while. I'm glad I'm loosing weight but I've been worried about how to proceed on buying new clothes. I don't want to buy something while I'm loosing. If you don't buy clothes made in the fast fashion industry you will end up paying a pretty penny. I don't want to do that and then end up having these new ***expensive*** clothes sitting in my closet. At some point I'll have no choice but for now I'll wear ill-fitted clothes. It's just the way it has to go for now.
I'm trying to hang in there...but it's been tough!
I'm trying to hang in there...but it's been tough!
Sunday, March 20, 2016
The True Cost (Documentary - 2015)
This documentary is a good and painless way of expanding anyone's knowledge of the changing clothing/garment industry. Most of the same themes that were detailed in the previously reviewed book, Over-Dressed the Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion were explored in this documentary.
The following points were made in this documentary. Up until the 1960s the USA made 75% of their clothes. Now we make only 3%. Worldwide the fashion industry is a $3 trillion industry and 1 of 6 people work in the industry. The most profitable year in Bangladesh history was the same year as their infamous tragedies (2015 as mentioned in previous posts).
I already knew about the benefits of eating organic food but I never gave any thought to organic clothing. I've already had my concerns about big monopoly seed/chemical companies like Monsanto who are also involved in seeds of cotton. It might not just be in the wearing of the clothing that could be a problem but it could be causing illness among the farmers not to mention when we get tired of the clothing it sits on landfills. Did you know that each one of us throws out 82 pounds of textile waste annually? These textiles are not bio-degradable and will be sitting in land fields for 200 years releasing these chemicals. India has been introducing these seeds and chemical farming techniques which aren't cheap. These farmers have ended up owing these big conglomerates and end up loosing their land. There are 250,000 recorded farmer suicides in India alone from these chemical companies taking over their land.
Leather for shoes and clothing that are being treated in India is polluting their waterways and people are suffering from diseases as a result.
Surprising fact...did you know that fashion is the #2 polluting industry in the world? (Oil is #1.)
As I have been learning about the fast fashion industry I've noticed how interconnected some of the issues I've been concerned about for years - food industry, worker safety, fair pay, declining manufacturing in the USA and environmental waste. My hope is I'll be armed with the knowledge to make responsible and informed purchases in the future. There is still so much more to examine. In future posts I'll be reviewing how to identify a well made product, exploring places to purchase from (and I'll be sharing my experiences in making purchases), a review of these feel good companies and if they are truly effective (you know those companies who offer to give away one shoe for one shoe purchased).
More information about this documentary can be found at http://truecostmovie.com/ Currently this documentary is being show on Netflix.
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Over-Dressed the Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline Part 1...History of Textiles/Clothing
Looks like there are others who have already researched for me! Here are some of the points made in Over-Dressed the Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline.
Further destroying my idea of buying clothes made in the USA Cline points out that most of L.A.'s garment workers get paid per piece. Your are suppose to make minimum wage (probably the same law as waiters in restaurants) but they don't always.
There seems to be many factors as to why the textile/clothing industry left the U.S. . NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) was passed which caused the garment industry to flee to Mexico causes the loss of tens of thousands of L.A. jobs. (NAFTA went into effect on January 1, 1994.) Additionally, the lifting of MFA (Multi Fibre Arrangement) in 2005 removed limits on the amount developing countries could export to developed countries.
The U.S. did at one time have a strong textile/clothing industry. Prior to 1990 The International Ladies Garment Workers Union was active. Clothing made by union members had the ILGWU Union label affixed. (According to Wikipedia this union lost too many members and was absorbed into the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees, called UNITE.)
It used to be the higher the cost the higher the quality but that is not the case anymore. In 1994 Consumer Reports found a rayon chenille sweater being sold at Barneys was of no better quality than one at Kmart. It seems the price is based on the status of the brand these days but they are probably all being made at the same factories as the cheap clothes. Consumers only pay more for these items because they perceive them as having a higher status. It's an economic term Veblen Goods. So, basically when I'm buying that Coach purse or any other high status item it just might not be of any better quality than a cheap purse I might pick up at Target.
Years ago clothes were expensive and you only had a limited amount of them. You could also hire a local dressmaker and get them to alter or even re-create older clothes into a fashionable style. But today H&H & Forever 21 get daily shipments of new styles. "Topshop, which has a U.S. location in Manhattan, introduces an astonishing four hundred new styles a week on its Website."
I remember a couple of years ago walking through the clothing aisles at Target and thinking that everything they had for sale were exact copies of clothes we wore in the 1980s. In the past fashions came back but changed enough that you couldn't actually wear the clothes in the back of your closet for three decades. After reading this book I realize I wasn't imagining things. Those were the same designs. Cline cites a vintage clothing dealer who once sold an old Calvin Klein sweater and was told that they were shipping it to an factory in China to be replicated.
If you are donating clothes you might be surprised what happens to them. Only 20% of donated clothes sells in thrift stores. What the stores don't sell they sent clothing overseas in bales. This then puts a damper on these foreign countries in their garment industry. When our second hand stuff is so readily available and cheap they don't need to make their own clothes.
Further destroying my idea of buying clothes made in the USA Cline points out that most of L.A.'s garment workers get paid per piece. Your are suppose to make minimum wage (probably the same law as waiters in restaurants) but they don't always.
There seems to be many factors as to why the textile/clothing industry left the U.S. . NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) was passed which caused the garment industry to flee to Mexico causes the loss of tens of thousands of L.A. jobs. (NAFTA went into effect on January 1, 1994.) Additionally, the lifting of MFA (Multi Fibre Arrangement) in 2005 removed limits on the amount developing countries could export to developed countries.
The U.S. did at one time have a strong textile/clothing industry. Prior to 1990 The International Ladies Garment Workers Union was active. Clothing made by union members had the ILGWU Union label affixed. (According to Wikipedia this union lost too many members and was absorbed into the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees, called UNITE.)
It used to be the higher the cost the higher the quality but that is not the case anymore. In 1994 Consumer Reports found a rayon chenille sweater being sold at Barneys was of no better quality than one at Kmart. It seems the price is based on the status of the brand these days but they are probably all being made at the same factories as the cheap clothes. Consumers only pay more for these items because they perceive them as having a higher status. It's an economic term Veblen Goods. So, basically when I'm buying that Coach purse or any other high status item it just might not be of any better quality than a cheap purse I might pick up at Target.
Years ago clothes were expensive and you only had a limited amount of them. You could also hire a local dressmaker and get them to alter or even re-create older clothes into a fashionable style. But today H&H & Forever 21 get daily shipments of new styles. "Topshop, which has a U.S. location in Manhattan, introduces an astonishing four hundred new styles a week on its Website."
I remember a couple of years ago walking through the clothing aisles at Target and thinking that everything they had for sale were exact copies of clothes we wore in the 1980s. In the past fashions came back but changed enough that you couldn't actually wear the clothes in the back of your closet for three decades. After reading this book I realize I wasn't imagining things. Those were the same designs. Cline cites a vintage clothing dealer who once sold an old Calvin Klein sweater and was told that they were shipping it to an factory in China to be replicated.
If you are donating clothes you might be surprised what happens to them. Only 20% of donated clothes sells in thrift stores. What the stores don't sell they sent clothing overseas in bales. This then puts a damper on these foreign countries in their garment industry. When our second hand stuff is so readily available and cheap they don't need to make their own clothes.
Over-Dressed the Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline Part 2... Fast Fashion Manufacturing
"In 2010 America imported $365 billion worth of products from China, and according to the Economic Policy Institute, the trade deficit with China has cost the United States nearly 2.8 million jobs, or 2 percent of our domestic employment."
Cline reviews the story of Knights Apparel Alta Gracia division makes clothes for Colleges. Back in the 1990s there was a widespread college protest on how these clothes were made. Alta Gracia changed their business model and started paying their employees in the Dominican Republic a living wage. They know they are paying more but feel it's the right thing to do. I guess they were tired of all the protests too. (A google search shows that Knights Apparel was sold in 2015 to Hanes. Fortunately, it did not include Alta Gracia.)
The problem with most of the manufacturing is 99% of Chinese factories subcontract. That means finding out if they are following ethical standards is near impossible.
Companies send mix messages in how they handle manufacturing. For example, H&M said they wanted the government in Bangladesh to pay more to the employees but at the same time they demanded lower prices from these same factories to "stay competitive" for the garments.
One way to know that what your buying is safe from employee abuses is to buy from a Fair-Trade Certified source. (I've found several sources for Fair-Trade clothing and will share later in future posts.)
I think the mystery as to why most of my older clothes came from China but the more recent ones from other countries was solved after reading this book. China has become a little too expensive and easier to make products (like t-shirts) that are made cheaper elsewhere. China though has the most experience and therefore is where companies go for more complicated garments. Unfortunately for workers and the environment China's population is getting interested in fashion over the last decade. They are starting to turn to fast fashion.
Next I will talk about the Documentary The True Cost.
Cline reviews the story of Knights Apparel Alta Gracia division makes clothes for Colleges. Back in the 1990s there was a widespread college protest on how these clothes were made. Alta Gracia changed their business model and started paying their employees in the Dominican Republic a living wage. They know they are paying more but feel it's the right thing to do. I guess they were tired of all the protests too. (A google search shows that Knights Apparel was sold in 2015 to Hanes. Fortunately, it did not include Alta Gracia.)
The problem with most of the manufacturing is 99% of Chinese factories subcontract. That means finding out if they are following ethical standards is near impossible.
Companies send mix messages in how they handle manufacturing. For example, H&M said they wanted the government in Bangladesh to pay more to the employees but at the same time they demanded lower prices from these same factories to "stay competitive" for the garments.
One way to know that what your buying is safe from employee abuses is to buy from a Fair-Trade Certified source. (I've found several sources for Fair-Trade clothing and will share later in future posts.)
I think the mystery as to why most of my older clothes came from China but the more recent ones from other countries was solved after reading this book. China has become a little too expensive and easier to make products (like t-shirts) that are made cheaper elsewhere. China though has the most experience and therefore is where companies go for more complicated garments. Unfortunately for workers and the environment China's population is getting interested in fashion over the last decade. They are starting to turn to fast fashion.
Next I will talk about the Documentary The True Cost.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Very Frustrated...
Trying to find places to purchase clothing and shoes that are made with the wellbeing of the workers and the environment and are of exceptional quality is extremely challenging. Yes, I have found several places to purchase clothes. It seems searching for Fair Trade has been very helpful. I'm working on creating a list of things to buy once I loose some more weight. But, my plan of buying all new clothes that are ethically sourced might not happen. There may be a few things that I'll be backed into a corner on...such as tennis shoes. It's frustrating! But I'm not loosing hope. It's still early and I might come across more sources for some things that I will be needing.. However, I didn't really think it would be THAT hard. Further I have found that even if it's made in the USA it doesn't mean the workers are treated fairly. I find the situation very difficult to understand. How did we loose our clothing and shoe manufacturing base so quickly? I know it's trade deals and agreements that were lapsed but I can't believe that we are so fickle that we turned our back the workers and on quality products so quickly. It's GREED people. Not just the clothing labels. Consumers have been greedy too.
Soon I will be posting a review of the documentary The True Cost and the book Over-Dressed the Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion.
Soon I will be posting a review of the documentary The True Cost and the book Over-Dressed the Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Take a Pause and Reflect on my Personal Relationship with Clothes
I've been working on research and thought maybe it's time I hit the PAUSE button and talk a bit about myself and my long relationship with clothes.
For years when school started back (even though I haven't been in school for almost 25 years) I would increase my spending on clothes. Not as much as when I was actually in school. It was still something I looked forward to every year. The cleaning out of the summer closet and the purchase of a new coat, clothes, shoes and purses to start out the fall right. However, this annual ritual has for the last several years been absent from my life. I didn't really realize this until I started writing just now. What has changed is no longer needing to save up and spend money on clothes on one great annual trip to the mall. I don't even go to the mall anymore. I've been reading Over-Dressed the Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline and she talks about the decline of department stores. She's right. I cringe when I have to take my mom to Sears or J.C. Pennys or even Macy's. I don't want to go. The prices are too high. The selection too generic. Nothing trendy there. What has happened to me? How did I get here?
While I was in college I discovered thrift stores. It was then that I acquired a taste for a wide variety of clothes. I mainly bought second hand clothes that were of really good quality. Most of which needed to be dry-cleaned. This was the era of women's business suits, blouses and pumps. I had a really nice closet of clothes. Actually, I had so many clothes that I had to buy extra racks to hang them on. I started writing down every day what I wore so I wouldn't wear the same outfit for at least a month of two. Yes, I had that many clothes. At the time I worked in an office where appearance was important. We used to wear panty-hose every day and to think I have put on panty-hose maybe once in the last few years. At the same time I still went to the mall and shopped at department stores. I spent entirely too much money on clothes. I went into debt. Big time. Clothes, purses and shoes were my obsession. I think looking back buying all these things made me feel like I was more successful or at least heading down the road of success. It made me feel good to spend money. Until the credit card bills started to pile up. It seemed that $60 sweater was really costing me hundreds in interest. I spiraled out of control.
As I got older (and more level headed about shopping) I abandoned department stores except for my annual back to school shopping trip and kept shopping at thrift stores. I also discovered consignment stores. (I even opened one for a year. It was unsuccessful but a really interesting experience working with clothes and I started to really understand quality better.) But it was during this time that Target started to spoil me. Sometime about 20 years ago I started walking into Target to buy shirts and purses. Weekly I would buy something new. Thing was the stuff wouldn't last but one season. It would fall apart before I had a chance to wear it a few times. But, crazy thing was I really didn't care. I'd just throw it out and replace it quickly. I had become, without realizing it, an early adopter in the Fast Fashion craze.
Eventually I quit thrift stores all together. Between consignment stores, Target, Carnival Shoes and the occasional trip to Walmart I was able to buy everything I need. Then there was Clothes Mentor that for the last couple of years I've been going to on a very regular basis. When I first became aware of the bad effects of Fast Fashion (the earlier mentioned PBS Frontline story on clothing factories in China) I decided to buy everything I could second hand. But, that commitment waned rather quickly. I'd pop into Target for some groceries and an article of clothing every week. My closet was in a constant state of flux. Strangely I started noticing that the longevity of these Target purchases were getting better. I could start wearing them season to season. Maybe the manufacturers got better at quality - probably they were forced to at the expensive of the workers. I contributed to this. You contributed to this. But, do we really want to continue?
The few days ago a new campaign was launched called #30Wears Campaign. It's from a group called Eco-Conscious. They work with designers to move to a more sustainable approaches to the manufacturer of their clothing. The basis of #30Wears Campaign is if you are going to wear it at least 30 times and it's of good quality then buy it. It might cost more money initially but in the long run the price per wear would be possibly even less than that article of clothing you might buy cheaply at H&M. This campaign is interesting but doesn't hold much value to me. Most of the clothes I own I do wear at least 30 times. Even the cheap Target and Walmart clothes. I have been careful about what I've been buying and working to maintain the quality of the clothes as long as I can. So, I'm really already doing this. But, it might be a good campaign for some of these "haulers" who post YouTube Videos about how much stuff they have bought and how little it cost. I wonder sometimes though that if all these cheap and trendy clothes were available 25 years ago if I wouldn't have gone into such deep debt for the fashionable looks I was after. Success today doesn't seem to be based on the quality of the clothes but instead for the variety and disposability of it all.
Where do I go from here? Buying second hand clothes only contributes to the vicious cycle of Fast Fashion. People buy clothes to wear them once or twice and quickly resale them so they can buy something else and so on and so on. But, I'm not out to deprive myself. I've been saving money since the first of the year that I hope to put to good use buying sustainable clothes. I want my closet by the end of the year to be only sustainable clothing. Which means very limited clothing that I wear often. That will definitely be a challenge for me.
I've been working on researching the effects of Fast Fashion and also where to shop when one is trying to avoid unsustainable clothes. It's not easy. Most of the websites I've gone to either have very limited clothing options or appear to be sustainable but they don't really prove their sustainability. I'm worried that I will not be able to have a closet full of sustainable clothes, shoes and purses. Also, I'm concerned that my actions will cause someone in some far flung country their job. What will happen to all these workers if there is a movement away from Fast Fashion? How will they live? And what about our economy? If we are not consuming so much what will happen to us? There are just no easy answers and the more I look into this the more discouraged I feel.
For years when school started back (even though I haven't been in school for almost 25 years) I would increase my spending on clothes. Not as much as when I was actually in school. It was still something I looked forward to every year. The cleaning out of the summer closet and the purchase of a new coat, clothes, shoes and purses to start out the fall right. However, this annual ritual has for the last several years been absent from my life. I didn't really realize this until I started writing just now. What has changed is no longer needing to save up and spend money on clothes on one great annual trip to the mall. I don't even go to the mall anymore. I've been reading Over-Dressed the Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline and she talks about the decline of department stores. She's right. I cringe when I have to take my mom to Sears or J.C. Pennys or even Macy's. I don't want to go. The prices are too high. The selection too generic. Nothing trendy there. What has happened to me? How did I get here?
While I was in college I discovered thrift stores. It was then that I acquired a taste for a wide variety of clothes. I mainly bought second hand clothes that were of really good quality. Most of which needed to be dry-cleaned. This was the era of women's business suits, blouses and pumps. I had a really nice closet of clothes. Actually, I had so many clothes that I had to buy extra racks to hang them on. I started writing down every day what I wore so I wouldn't wear the same outfit for at least a month of two. Yes, I had that many clothes. At the time I worked in an office where appearance was important. We used to wear panty-hose every day and to think I have put on panty-hose maybe once in the last few years. At the same time I still went to the mall and shopped at department stores. I spent entirely too much money on clothes. I went into debt. Big time. Clothes, purses and shoes were my obsession. I think looking back buying all these things made me feel like I was more successful or at least heading down the road of success. It made me feel good to spend money. Until the credit card bills started to pile up. It seemed that $60 sweater was really costing me hundreds in interest. I spiraled out of control.
As I got older (and more level headed about shopping) I abandoned department stores except for my annual back to school shopping trip and kept shopping at thrift stores. I also discovered consignment stores. (I even opened one for a year. It was unsuccessful but a really interesting experience working with clothes and I started to really understand quality better.) But it was during this time that Target started to spoil me. Sometime about 20 years ago I started walking into Target to buy shirts and purses. Weekly I would buy something new. Thing was the stuff wouldn't last but one season. It would fall apart before I had a chance to wear it a few times. But, crazy thing was I really didn't care. I'd just throw it out and replace it quickly. I had become, without realizing it, an early adopter in the Fast Fashion craze.
Eventually I quit thrift stores all together. Between consignment stores, Target, Carnival Shoes and the occasional trip to Walmart I was able to buy everything I need. Then there was Clothes Mentor that for the last couple of years I've been going to on a very regular basis. When I first became aware of the bad effects of Fast Fashion (the earlier mentioned PBS Frontline story on clothing factories in China) I decided to buy everything I could second hand. But, that commitment waned rather quickly. I'd pop into Target for some groceries and an article of clothing every week. My closet was in a constant state of flux. Strangely I started noticing that the longevity of these Target purchases were getting better. I could start wearing them season to season. Maybe the manufacturers got better at quality - probably they were forced to at the expensive of the workers. I contributed to this. You contributed to this. But, do we really want to continue?
The few days ago a new campaign was launched called #30Wears Campaign. It's from a group called Eco-Conscious. They work with designers to move to a more sustainable approaches to the manufacturer of their clothing. The basis of #30Wears Campaign is if you are going to wear it at least 30 times and it's of good quality then buy it. It might cost more money initially but in the long run the price per wear would be possibly even less than that article of clothing you might buy cheaply at H&M. This campaign is interesting but doesn't hold much value to me. Most of the clothes I own I do wear at least 30 times. Even the cheap Target and Walmart clothes. I have been careful about what I've been buying and working to maintain the quality of the clothes as long as I can. So, I'm really already doing this. But, it might be a good campaign for some of these "haulers" who post YouTube Videos about how much stuff they have bought and how little it cost. I wonder sometimes though that if all these cheap and trendy clothes were available 25 years ago if I wouldn't have gone into such deep debt for the fashionable looks I was after. Success today doesn't seem to be based on the quality of the clothes but instead for the variety and disposability of it all.
Where do I go from here? Buying second hand clothes only contributes to the vicious cycle of Fast Fashion. People buy clothes to wear them once or twice and quickly resale them so they can buy something else and so on and so on. But, I'm not out to deprive myself. I've been saving money since the first of the year that I hope to put to good use buying sustainable clothes. I want my closet by the end of the year to be only sustainable clothing. Which means very limited clothing that I wear often. That will definitely be a challenge for me.
I've been working on researching the effects of Fast Fashion and also where to shop when one is trying to avoid unsustainable clothes. It's not easy. Most of the websites I've gone to either have very limited clothing options or appear to be sustainable but they don't really prove their sustainability. I'm worried that I will not be able to have a closet full of sustainable clothes, shoes and purses. Also, I'm concerned that my actions will cause someone in some far flung country their job. What will happen to all these workers if there is a movement away from Fast Fashion? How will they live? And what about our economy? If we are not consuming so much what will happen to us? There are just no easy answers and the more I look into this the more discouraged I feel.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Los Angles Garment Industry
A report was completed by the Garment Worker Center (A Worker's Rights Organization) in LA in September of 2015. They surveyed 175 garment reports and found the following issues:
"Nearly 40% saw rodents or cockroaches in their workplace. Approximately 80% of garment workers did not receive health and safety training prior to beginning work, and nearly half reported they did not have access to first aid should a workplace injury occur. One out of every three workers surveyed reported not having clear access to emergency exits. Some shared that the exits were blocked with fabric or boxes while others reported not knowing where the exits were at all. 22% of workers said their workplace was poorly lit. 21% of garment workers have seen physical or verbal violence in the workplace. 6% experience sexual harassment in the workplace. Half of the workers surveyed responded that their factories have poor ventilation, and approximately 30% reported lack of clean drinking water provided on site. The LA garment industry leads all other industries in wage theft, with a 58% minimum wage violation rate!" Piece rates are as low as 4 cents. For example, "two trimmers, a finishing operation, who filed wage claims at the GWC, for example, received on average $1.90 per hour for their work. 62% of garment workers indicated working daily overtime hours, but because of the piece rate many are not paid proper overtime. 48% work 10 hours or more a day. Almost a third of garment workers reported not being allowed to take rest breaks when they needed them."
I can't say I'm really surprised by these findings. Disappointed, yes. Surprised, no. Looks like I will have to take a much closer look at any purchases I do make. I had previously thought that if I bought something made in the USA that I would have the reasonable expectation that the worker's would be fairly treated and paid.
Next I'm going to look at some made in USA clothing manufactures and see how they stand up.
(By the way www.garmentworkerscenter.com website has a catalog called Shop with a Heart with several really cute items for purchase. When I get around to buying again I'll re-visit their offerings.)
Health and Safety in LA Sweatshops (2015 Report) www.garmentworkercenter.com
"Nearly 40% saw rodents or cockroaches in their workplace. Approximately 80% of garment workers did not receive health and safety training prior to beginning work, and nearly half reported they did not have access to first aid should a workplace injury occur. One out of every three workers surveyed reported not having clear access to emergency exits. Some shared that the exits were blocked with fabric or boxes while others reported not knowing where the exits were at all. 22% of workers said their workplace was poorly lit. 21% of garment workers have seen physical or verbal violence in the workplace. 6% experience sexual harassment in the workplace. Half of the workers surveyed responded that their factories have poor ventilation, and approximately 30% reported lack of clean drinking water provided on site. The LA garment industry leads all other industries in wage theft, with a 58% minimum wage violation rate!" Piece rates are as low as 4 cents. For example, "two trimmers, a finishing operation, who filed wage claims at the GWC, for example, received on average $1.90 per hour for their work. 62% of garment workers indicated working daily overtime hours, but because of the piece rate many are not paid proper overtime. 48% work 10 hours or more a day. Almost a third of garment workers reported not being allowed to take rest breaks when they needed them."
I can't say I'm really surprised by these findings. Disappointed, yes. Surprised, no. Looks like I will have to take a much closer look at any purchases I do make. I had previously thought that if I bought something made in the USA that I would have the reasonable expectation that the worker's would be fairly treated and paid.
Next I'm going to look at some made in USA clothing manufactures and see how they stand up.
(By the way www.garmentworkerscenter.com website has a catalog called Shop with a Heart with several really cute items for purchase. When I get around to buying again I'll re-visit their offerings.)
Health and Safety in LA Sweatshops (2015 Report) www.garmentworkercenter.com
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Review of the Wages and Working Hours in the Textiles, Clothing, Leather and Footwear Industries from ILO (International Labor Organization) 2014 Report.
After the 1980s clothing lines began increasing new products throughout seasons. Before, there was the standard seasons of clothing. But according to this report "Retailers started expanding their product ranges. The combination of more fashionable designs, the development of distinct brands and the move towards lower production costs overseas proved a profitable formula." In some cases there can be annually up to 20 collections per brand . I remember one year while watching the Academy Awards a reporter saying that the dresses the actresses were wearing will be knocked off and in stores within a month. That's how quickly an item can be made and sent out to stores around the world. I imagine sweatshop factory head seamstresses watching the Academy Awards in sweaty factories hovering over the television screen with a pen and paper and tracing out the designs.
The report further discusses that the economic crisis in 2008 "exacerbated some existing industry weakness, such as financial vulnerability of locally-owed small and medium-sized firms that had been the backbone of the TCLF industries." There were a lot of bankruptcies and workers left without pay.
Overall though this segment of the labor market has allowed for a meteoric increase in jobs especially for women. In 2010 China the world leader in clothing production employed a total of 11,201,100 people in the textiles and clothing markets. It's also helped many countries economic growth. For example, "Many national economies rely on the clothing industry: 88 per cent of total exports from Haiti, 79 per cent from Bangladesh." So, when I buy that t-shirt from Target I'm also supporting the Haiti export business.
However, the market is "characterized by high volatility, low predictability and generally low profit margins. Subcontracting is common, intermediaries bring down costs and production lead time plays an increasingly important role." Obviously this leads to unpredictable and long work hours.
It appears from reading this report that there is what I would call the "food chain" of fashion. The top tier with higher wages and skilled labor is the textile industry. Next would be footwear. At the bottom of the chain, clothing.
The textiles (fabric) top exporter by a huge margin was China at 33.1%. No other single country as of this 2012 came even close. The next top exporter was Germany at 5.1%. Next was U.S. at 4.7%. Textile exports as of 2012 was also China at 38%. The next two nations were Italy and Bangladesh both at 5%.
"Leather and footwear processing has moved away from Europe and the United States. In India it grew by over 100 per cent and in the Russian Federation by 45 per cent."
The top purchasers of clothing in the world is Western Europe 27% and between Eastern Europe and Turkey 10%. North America at 25% and Japan and Republic of Korea at 13%. I was a little surprised that North America wasn't the overwhelming purchaser of clothing.
Anything that expands that quickly is going to have some issues. I think back to our own Industrial Revolution. Things weren't so great for us over a hundred years ago. We even had our own garment factory fire - Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Labor laws were pretty thin to non-existent back then. Safety measures were not even given a second thought. It's like that in developing countries now. But, why can't we as a nation who have experienced in these things work to help other countries from repeating history? After Bangladesh experienced their own versions of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fires and building collapses they have been working, through government regulations, to make the working conditions safer.
Next I'm on to a State of the LA Garment Industry report that at first glance doesn't look so positive. Looks like we just can't get this right...
Wages And Working Hours In The Textiles, Clothing, Leather And Footwear Industries. Geneva: International Labor Organization, 2014. Print. Issues Paper For Discussion At The Global Dialogue Forum On Wages And Working Hours In The Textiles, Clothing, Leather And Footwear Industries.
The report further discusses that the economic crisis in 2008 "exacerbated some existing industry weakness, such as financial vulnerability of locally-owed small and medium-sized firms that had been the backbone of the TCLF industries." There were a lot of bankruptcies and workers left without pay.
Overall though this segment of the labor market has allowed for a meteoric increase in jobs especially for women. In 2010 China the world leader in clothing production employed a total of 11,201,100 people in the textiles and clothing markets. It's also helped many countries economic growth. For example, "Many national economies rely on the clothing industry: 88 per cent of total exports from Haiti, 79 per cent from Bangladesh." So, when I buy that t-shirt from Target I'm also supporting the Haiti export business.
However, the market is "characterized by high volatility, low predictability and generally low profit margins. Subcontracting is common, intermediaries bring down costs and production lead time plays an increasingly important role." Obviously this leads to unpredictable and long work hours.
It appears from reading this report that there is what I would call the "food chain" of fashion. The top tier with higher wages and skilled labor is the textile industry. Next would be footwear. At the bottom of the chain, clothing.
The textiles (fabric) top exporter by a huge margin was China at 33.1%. No other single country as of this 2012 came even close. The next top exporter was Germany at 5.1%. Next was U.S. at 4.7%. Textile exports as of 2012 was also China at 38%. The next two nations were Italy and Bangladesh both at 5%.
"Leather and footwear processing has moved away from Europe and the United States. In India it grew by over 100 per cent and in the Russian Federation by 45 per cent."
The top purchasers of clothing in the world is Western Europe 27% and between Eastern Europe and Turkey 10%. North America at 25% and Japan and Republic of Korea at 13%. I was a little surprised that North America wasn't the overwhelming purchaser of clothing.
Anything that expands that quickly is going to have some issues. I think back to our own Industrial Revolution. Things weren't so great for us over a hundred years ago. We even had our own garment factory fire - Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Labor laws were pretty thin to non-existent back then. Safety measures were not even given a second thought. It's like that in developing countries now. But, why can't we as a nation who have experienced in these things work to help other countries from repeating history? After Bangladesh experienced their own versions of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fires and building collapses they have been working, through government regulations, to make the working conditions safer.
Next I'm on to a State of the LA Garment Industry report that at first glance doesn't look so positive. Looks like we just can't get this right...
Wages And Working Hours In The Textiles, Clothing, Leather And Footwear Industries. Geneva: International Labor Organization, 2014. Print. Issues Paper For Discussion At The Global Dialogue Forum On Wages And Working Hours In The Textiles, Clothing, Leather And Footwear Industries.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
China
I'm starting my research on China. When you google China garment worker information you get a large array of websites and articles. There are quite a few sites talking about the benefits of China's labor force to help with production costs, etc. Digging around I found a few interesting websites with information that I can't necessarily vouch for accuracy. There was so much information that it makes me want to abandon this project all together. I was thinking this would be a pretty easy project but I think it's going to take a lot more of my time and energy.
According to www.statisa.com in 2014 the average China worker made the equivalent of $8,585 US Dollars. However, according to a brief unverified posted tweet on www.wsj.com the average China Garment Worker makes anywhere from $165 to $265 US Dollars a month. So, that's anywhere from $1,980 to $3180 in US Dollars a year. Now, it does appear the cost of living is lower on most things (although according to this source ironically not clothes and shoes). I found on www.goatsontheroad.com an itemized list of average costs in China. The cost of living is so cheap there I'd think of retiring there. Except when I remember there is the whole lack of freedom and no Facebook...
According to www.ilo.org which is the International Labor Organization (probably a pretty valid source of information) in 2012 38% of all clothing exports came from China.
Next step - The International Labor Organization has a lengthy document concerning the current status of the garment industry which I will read and report back on it's findings.
In the meantime I know it's only 17 days in the year but I haven't bought any clothes, shoes or purses not made in the US or at a place I'm assured a fair wage was earned. This is NOT a statement of made in the USA or not at all. It's really about making sure that I'm not contributing to the unfair treatment of garment workers wherever they may be. I realize there are countless other places to protest for example farming. I'm not entirely sure that if everyone did what I was doing it would be good for these underpaid workers either. After all maybe some work is better than none. At the end of this I might come to that conclusion. With the exception of poor and dangerous working conditions - that is going to far in my opinion.
According to www.statisa.com in 2014 the average China worker made the equivalent of $8,585 US Dollars. However, according to a brief unverified posted tweet on www.wsj.com the average China Garment Worker makes anywhere from $165 to $265 US Dollars a month. So, that's anywhere from $1,980 to $3180 in US Dollars a year. Now, it does appear the cost of living is lower on most things (although according to this source ironically not clothes and shoes). I found on www.goatsontheroad.com an itemized list of average costs in China. The cost of living is so cheap there I'd think of retiring there. Except when I remember there is the whole lack of freedom and no Facebook...
According to www.ilo.org which is the International Labor Organization (probably a pretty valid source of information) in 2012 38% of all clothing exports came from China.
Next step - The International Labor Organization has a lengthy document concerning the current status of the garment industry which I will read and report back on it's findings.
In the meantime I know it's only 17 days in the year but I haven't bought any clothes, shoes or purses not made in the US or at a place I'm assured a fair wage was earned. This is NOT a statement of made in the USA or not at all. It's really about making sure that I'm not contributing to the unfair treatment of garment workers wherever they may be. I realize there are countless other places to protest for example farming. I'm not entirely sure that if everyone did what I was doing it would be good for these underpaid workers either. After all maybe some work is better than none. At the end of this I might come to that conclusion. With the exception of poor and dangerous working conditions - that is going to far in my opinion.
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Who makes the world's clothes?
I had a thought a couple of days ago. With the exception of a few labels most of the clothes I owned were made in other countries. It seemed that most of the countries they were made had a less than stable economic system. (With the exception of China but I suspect that it might be stable for those in power but not so much for regular citizens.) Do these countries make the clothes for EVERYONE in world? Are they clothing USA, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and Australia?
It appears to be true that if you are making clothes your country is definitely on the lower tier of the world economic situation. Except for some inspired companies who are fighting the prevalence of fast fashion?
The first step is to take a closer look at these countries starting with China.
The first step is to take a closer look at these countries starting with China.
Friday, January 1, 2016
Inside my Closet
I did find some garments made in the USA. I'm not sure if their entire lines are made in USA or if I just happened to purchase one made here. One of my favorite blouses from Lane Bryant, B.L.E.U Woman & Travel Elements shirts and a Falls Creek shrug.
Most of these brands are what you would consider American Brands. Levis, Anne Taylor, Coach, Lee to name a few. I own quite a few Target brands but I always knew what I was getting into with those.
What's in your closet?
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