Stop. Think. Then Buy.

For a while my conscience has been nagging me and making me think about the ethics of what I buy. Where possible I buy fair-trade chocolate, tea, coffee etc. As I have got older this nagging has got more persistent and I have begun to feel that I don’t do enough.

The awful incidents in Bangladesh at the clothing factory were one of the final straws for me. It wasn't instant, I heard about the incident on the news and was deeply sadden that the world is so split that there are people working in these shocking conditions so that people like me can save a few pounds on the latest fashions that most likely will be worn 10 times before they get replaced with a new piece that was equally as cheap

I realised that as a consumer I/we have the control of what is sold, if something doesn't sell companies will no longer stock it, so surely if enough of us made a stand against having our clothes made in these shocking conditions then the companies would have to make a change.

I plan to try and change my consuming habits, buying as much as possible fair trade  made locally etc. it is not going to be easy and will cost more, but maybe it is not just where it’s made but do I actually need it? I think of all the clothing that I own, and how often I wear each piece I could easily survive on a much smaller wardrobe.

I read a blog by Alex Day a while ago which was very inspiring. He has made a decision to have a set (very small) number of clothes. This blog really challenged me to make a difference in my own life, I know that I love clothes too much to go to the same extremes as Mr Day but I do plan to consume less and think more about how what I do in my comfortable life affects people living in severe conditions!

I needed to write this blog to cry out because I feel so sad that this divide happens in our world. So I am setting myself a challenge and maybe you’ll take it up, next time you pick up an item of clothing to buy, think is this essential to my life and who has made it and in what conditions? And maybe slowly we can make a change.

It can happen, not that long ago you couldn't buy fair-trade coffee, tea, chocolate etc. in the supermarkets and now you have the choice in all (I think) supermarkets. We are the consumers we have the power to make a change!

Here are some articles that inspired me in the writing of this blog:

Rag Rage Campaign

Lauren Laverne: Fashion with a consiceince

catch you later 

:) x