My track record with New Year resolutions isn't great, so this year I
took a different approach and decided to work on something that was actually
important to me, as opposed to something I thought I really "should"
do (eg more exercise, sit up straighter, rescue orphaned baby birds). I figured if I
nominated a goal that was aligned with my values system, I'd have better odds
with the follow-through, because it was something I cared about.
My mission this year was to avoid buying any clothing I knew (or had
good reason to suspect) was made in a sweat shop.
I'd been feeling guilty about my habit of buying cheaply made garments
for some time and when that horrific Bangladeshi factory fire in 2013 put this
ethical issue in the international spotlight, my
conscience started to get louder and louder. This year I decided it was time to break up with
H&M et al.
Yes, I do know that my refusal to buy clothing from suspect chain stores
will not save workers' lives but it will mean I'm not contributing to a regime
that victimises and exploits people in developing nations. It also means I'm
supporting workers in my own country. I believe that we're all here to learn
how to treat each other with kindness, and the way we use our money is part of
that.
Turns out, this is one of the more labour-intensive goals I've taken on.
Every time I want to buy something, I have to research the label's
manufacturing systems. This is quite a process as a lot of companies seem
unwilling to divulge relevant information (which is very telling). The majority
of things I've wanted to buy, I've had to pass on because it's clear they are
not ethically made. On the positive side, I'm saving lots of money (silver
linings, people!).
It feels good to be putting my money into my local economy and I'm
enjoying trawling through market stalls and second-hand stores. I've learned
more about the Australian Textile, Clothing and Footwear industry's Ethical
Clothing standard, which verifies all workers are receiving their legal
entitlements - but so far only 15 labels have been granted accreditation. That
tells you everything you need to know.
Aussie retailers that have not signed the accord - and which,
consequently, I will never step foot in again - include Best&Less and the
Just Group, which operates Just Jeans, Dotti, Portmans, Jacqui E, Jay Jays and
Peter Alexander. Sad face.
A lot of chain stores I used to frequent have signed this accord, but I
remain suspicious of them anyway. Sorry Kmart, but how is it possible that an $8 T-shirt has been made in good conditions? Sigh.
Confession: It's only mid-March and I've already broken my
resolution.
Here's where I came undone: sports shoes. Turns out it is almost
impossible to source running shoes that are ethically made. Because I have
pronated feet and knee problems, I need quality, specialised shoes to support
me in my fitness regimen, and it seems like every major sports shoe label has a
black mark against its name. Oxfam says that none of the sports brands pass the
grade in terms of workers' rights. Its sternest words are for Nike, Adidas and
Puma. I avoided that shady trifecta and went with a pair of Asics but I have
good reason to doubt they were made by fairly treated workers. But what could I
do? Rock and hard place.
Despite this violation, I'm confident I can get my New Year's resolution
back on track. This is something that's really important to me, and I hope this
post inspires you to think about your buying practices too.
I'll let you know how it works out for me.