Today it is impossible to go anywhere without noticing the word "ethics" and "XYZ" in the same sentence.
As consumers, we have a basic understanding of "ethics". We know that the purchase of this product is intended to alleviate some of our debts to be a bit 'of good, but what it really means? Let us first look at the definition:
Ethics - adj
1 or in connection with the philosophical study of ethics;
2 seconds recognized standardssocial or professional behavior;
3 respect for ethical and moral principles;
1 I'm pretty sure this for a few that have a much deeper understanding of the word is reserved as I am.
2 This is the most common in business and professional, most often related to a code of ethics and fiduciary duties. Interestingly, this also means that most listed companies have the primary duty to their shareholders, not their customers. This is theStandard "accepted".
3 So that is one thing: adherence to ethical and moral principles. Already opened Pandora's box you will see, because this is a very subjective definition. Who are we really talking about morals?
Well, according to Google, these are the main categories:
1 Recycled
Recycled or "upcycled", as some marketing guru has to call him, is certainly high on the list. Recycling has been around for a long time, but it is only in recent yearsare prominent in the fashion world. This is definitely a great business model, because it embodies the phrase "a man's trash is another man's treasure."
It is the foundation for brands such as Elvis & Kresse - making bags and accessories from decommissioned fire hoses, Japan-based Seal-turning tires into bags and shoes and conversion Amoosi of unwanted material in contemporary dress.
This certainly deserves, because in our landfills filling up pretty quicklyall-consuming, one way the company - provided it does not hurt more than help the process of recycling.
Recycling also fuels creativity and brings us great designers, the outside of the box (or should be out the trash?) Thinking, making beautiful clothes from the most unlikely of leftovers.
Organic 2
Organics rank fairly high in the world of ethical fashion. In essence, the materials used have been grown without pesticides or chemicalsFertilizers, support for the soil and the environment. Fiber and finish are also free of chemicals. This includes a variety of natural fibers such as cotton, hemp, flax and wool.
The Environmental Protection Agency considers seven of the top 15 pesticides on cotton in the United States as "possible", "probable", "probable" or "known" human carcinogens (acephate, dichloropropene, diuron, fluometuron, pendimethalin, and tribufos trifluralin). Many corn fields around the worldalso sprayed the air, causing damage to the environment and create enormous health risks to nearby residents.
The advantages are obvious and documented in organic fair trade movement: better soil, better crops, better farming methods to farmers' health (and animals, in the case of wool).
Some companies in bio-fresh category: Organics intuitive and Rapanui, also encountered both by the principles of fair trade.
When companies start to loseCredibility and starting to sound like used car salesmen, when you make statements like this:
They want "It 'obvious that if you want your children to an organic lifestyle, you will find that wearing organic clothing.
The skin of a child is five times thinner than an adult, so you get much easier for dangerous and harmful toxins in the body. Organic baby clothes are free of toxic residues, so that - and is - more comfortable with what they arewearing."
Seriously?! How did my parents ever manage, I wonder...
3. Bamboo
Bamboo is full of promise. It's the new miracle fiber of the century and it appears in almost every search. The claims are endless: anti-bacterial, breathable, green, environmentally friendly, silky soft, renewable materials, etc.
Dig a little further and you realize that bamboo is anything but green:
Most commercially available bamboo fiber is chemically processed. It involves the use of bleach, harsh caustic chemicals and an enormous amount of water.
There is also a serious problem with the renewable claims, as vast amounts of forests have been decimated to make room for this fast-growing, lucrative crop, causing devastating environmental impact on local wildlife and severe soil erosion.
Don't take my word for it: To learn more about bamboo, read this great article Bamboo sprouting green myths.
The only exception to the above, is responsibly farmed and mechanically processed bamboo fiber. But because it is a much more time-consuming and costly process, it is unfortunately not widely available.
4. Ethical treatment of people
This refers to the treatment of the workers: Providing fair wages, ensuring safe working conditions, reasonable working hours and enabling the formation of a cooperative or worker's union.
This should be, in my opinion, top of the list, but it isn't.
We live in a society where pet abuse is a punishable crime and yet we can comfortably buy cheap garments, knowing (or at the very least, suspecting) that human beings are suffering a terrible fate in the production chain.
Why? I guess because it's happening far away and it's convenient? Of course, this phenomenon isn't exclusive to the fashion world, it applies to most consumable goods and is strikingly captured in this photo documentary on child labour in Bangladesh.
But not everyone is comfortable with the status quo and great efforts are being made to educate consumers. Perhaps one of the best-known names in this category is, a company dedicated to making long-term changes on a large scale, or Cred, aiming to deliver economic justice to as many people as possible involved in the production of their jewelry.
There are many smaller, but equally committed companies such as Aura Que -producing leather and knit accessories in Kathmandu- and Lalesso - focussing on summer fashion in Cape Town.
5. 100% made in -insert your country-
This is based on products being locally sourced and manufactured, therefore supporting local communities, requiring less transportation and reducing the carbon footprint.
Although theoretically, this make sense, I find this category to be the most confusing. While searching the list of companies who boast "100% made in the U.K." as their ethical credentials, I am somewhat confused:
Why are they selling organic cotton and bamboo products? Last time I checked, the U.K. does not produce either, so what makes these companies so special? Employing local labour? Well surely the majority of businesses, regardless of their credentials, can claim that.
This is definitely a slippery slope and I think that if a company is going to make ethical claims based on locally sourced, then surely that applies to the entire chain, otherwise it just comes across as misguided nationalism and doesn't do a great deal to reduce the carbon footprint.
Here are a couple of companies who abides by this principle, along their entire supply chain and are well worth checking out: Ardalanish - producing fabric and clothing from native breed wool- and Green Shoes -Handmade shoes and accessories.
6. Vegan
Vegan fashion is clothing and accessories made from cruelty-free sources. No animal products were used in the making of the garments and no animal was harmed in the process.
Although personally, I don't have an issue with animal products, as long as the animals are raised in cruelty-free conditions, I can certainly appreciate why this category is gaining popularity in the fashion world, after seeing some of the completely inhumane conditions that animals are put through (for direct consumption or by-production).
Another point here, is that it can be really hard, both as a designer and a consumer, to trace the source of the materials.
There are some big names that get a lot of press in Vegan fashion, such as Vaute Couture and Matt & Nat's. Many other companies offer Vegan as an option in their line of products.
There are a few caveats however:
1. Although no animals were hurt in the process, very few ever mention people (with the exception of Blackspot Shoes). The conditions under which the fabrics & materials are made, remain a total mystery.
2. The use of high-tech polymers and man-made fibers. Although I appreciate there is more ongoing effort to produce such fabrics in a closed-loop environment, so as to limit the use of chemicals, it still is a chemically intensive process.
Conclusion
There are many tags that fall under the "ethical" umbrella. With almost every approach, you can play devil's advocate and find flaws. That said, we have to start somewhere and I personally feel that any ethical effort, however small it may be, is a step in the right direction.
We are a consumption-based society and unless we stop breathing, we will never reverse the trend for consuming. But we can reduce the damage by making an educated choice about what we buy.
What I do have a problem with are misleading, exaggerated claims or cheap marketing tricks, because they damage the credibility of a genuine effort. Far from discouraging anyone from buying ethical, I would encourage consumers to check things out.
Poke around and check the "About" section above. Get a better overall picture of how the company fits into the ethical movement. It's all about "Walking the walk" and not "Talking the talk"! Being "Ethical" isn't just a tag line, it's a conscious decision and a way of life. It's about transparency and should reflect in the overall business decisions. What do you think?
