thinking long and hard about it
I looked at a pair of jeans in a shop yesterday and nearly succumbed. I say 'nearly succumbed' because I have been buying fewer and fewer clothes lately. I don't need them, and while I may not be the world's most fashionable person, my clothes are decent, serviceable and practical. Maybe too practical... the older I get the less I care about frills and furbelows. Sometimes I wonder if I am becoming down right dumpy. Then I remember the world is in a mess because we have shopped to excess, dressed to the nines and been generally myopic in outlook. So what will it be - dowdy or dead from all the nightmares we have created as a society?
So I looked at the jeans before turning away with a sigh. I do not need them. I will learn to curb the excesses of my lifestyle.
Tonight I just found this article relating, among other things, the health hazards factory workers face in producing jeans with the latest stress marks, dyes and faded patches. Maybe I'll never buy another pair of jeans again. Or I'll buy a suitably classic style that will last me for years in order to prevent myself from contributing to the injustices these people face.
Labels: clothing, environment, justice, shopping
posted by cecily @ 10:49 pm
2 comments
2 Comments:
You're very welcome to borrow my strategy: some years ago I started only buy jeans from op shops. I'm rough on clothes and was wearing out the knees of jeans within a few months - not great when they're new! So I started picking up barely worn jeans at the big Salvos op shop for $3 and haven't looked back. You do need to be a bit picky and you may not find what you're looking for the first time you go but I've been amazed at how good some of the jeans on offer are.
or as Robyn says, go to op shops. I have not bought a pair of brand new jeans since 2006 - every pair I have I picked up at op shops and they all looked barely worn when I bought them.
...actually I haven't bought any adult clothing brand new since 2006. The clothing industry is rife with exploitation - including those Made in Australia. And until labelling standards change, we will never know if the manufacturing process of the clothes we buy is ethical or not.
BTW, I have replied to you in my blog about Cadbury but thought I'd reply here too just in case. This is what I wrote:
Hi Cecily and thank you.
In regards to analysing Cadbury's reply, you may find that they will go on about their involvement in the Cocoa Initiative.
See Wikipedia re the "success" of the Cocoa Initiative.
You may also find these posts of mine about the Cocoa Initiative useful:
http://consumption-rebellion.blogspot.com/2008/07/jamie-oliver-chickens-but-what-about.html
http://consumption-rebellion.blogspot.com/2007/07/chocolate-industry-what-have-they-been.html
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