Ethical Fashion Directory

As spotted by The Thoughtful Dresser The Guardian online has developed a very funky Ethical Fashion Directory.

Berry good

Today I’m a symphony of berries.  I know that berry is really more of an autumn colour but after yesterday’s sunshine it’s a little greyer today so it seems to suit.  I’m wearing this

Stewart + Brown organic cotton dress which was one of my May Adili purchases over a deeper berry long sleeved T from People Tree fair trade company.  Very ethical indeed.

Cotton growing is a very dirty business indeed.  It takes up just 3% of the world’s agricultural land but uses 25% of all insecticides and 10% of all pesticides.  So going organic makes sense.  Not just for the earth but for the poor farmers who get massively into debt buying all these chemicals and then massively ill through using them wrongly and without proper protection.

Shoes, shoes, shoes

I sprained my ankle a couple of weeks ago and whilst I adore my Veja trainers and Ethletic converse I do feel the need to wear actual shoes sometimes. But most of my summer ones aren’t flat (not quite sure how this came about as I walk a lot and don’t get on particularly well with heels). So I went on a bit of a shoe spree.

The bronze ballet flats are by French Sole. They’re made in Spain and whilst there are still ethical issues with shoe production in Europe, that does give me some degree of confidence. Their webiste also says they’re made in their ‘own factory’ in Spain – though whether than means they actually own and run the factory is unclear. I should email.

The black ones likewise are made in Italy.

The fab black and white twins are of course Camper* (and I’m very upset that I’ve already lost one of the badges). And made in China which of course sets my alarm bells ringing. (But they are very gorgeous and very comfortable.) Deep in the corporate information pdf on on the Camper website is this environmental claim

In October of 2000, Camper was recognized for its efforts to reduce the environmental impact of
its products over the course of their life cycle, for its search for greater efficiency in the use of
resources, for the reduction of toxins in the waste generated, for reuse, and for recycling. This
recognition came in the form of the Ecolabel of the European Union, and was a recognition of Camper’s ecodesign in the form of Camaleón. Camper thus became the first company in our
sector to receive this label in Europe.

though they don’t appear to use the Ecolabel on the products so I’m not sure if it was only for one product and doesn’t cover mine even if they still have it.

They are also involved in various social projects though passing off re-selling factory seconds as a social project to reduce waste seems to be stretching things a bit. But no mention of how they ensure good labour standards in the factories they use around the world. Another email required I feel.

So not particularly ethical, though I hope for the most part not too bad either.

*I do like Camper but they deserve a place in Pseuds’ Corner for this – Camper is not a specific shoe, but rather a style, a philosophy of life, a way of thinking and of making shoes. Camper is a way of walking.

Birthday Jewellery

From my lovely father and step-mother

silver jewellery from LA Jewellery via Adili

Pieces are handmade in Wales and packaged in recycled packaging.  As much silver as possible is recycled and reused (that makes economic sense as much as anything else) and I believe the owner does try to buy recycled silver where possible.

Veja Trainers

My gorgeous new purchase.  A pair of Veja trainers (only mine have a green V).  Organic cotton, fair trade rubber, made in a co-operative in Brazil….how ethical can you get.

Available from Adili.

Waterproof Trousers

Ran into the old ‘hard to be ethical at short notice’ thing again.  Needed to buy some waterproof trousers to wear this evening. (Some crazy friends of mine have entered the Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race and I promised to support them with tea and food and rescue if needed.  Given that the weather report predicts wind, rain and snow, waterproof trousers seem a good idea if I’m going to be running along towpaths in the middle of the night).

Patagonia have a strong environmental policy and look at labour standards in their supply chains as well, and given time I would probably have seen whether they do waterproof trousers.  But I need to buy something now.  So it’s Blacks and Northern Rock for me today.

ETA: They’re nylon, made in Bangladesh and depressingly there is nothing on Nothern Rock’s website about either environmental or social responsibility.  Bit thumbs down.

Indian Fair Trade Shopping

Location: Mumbai, India
Shop: Karigar Fair Trade Shop.
Bought a silver ring from this shop run by Asha Handicrafts – a fair trade company working with producer groups all over India. Desperately wanted to buy more fairly traded goods – but to be brutally honest whilst the store was making a valiant attempt at being a modern retail space the product ranges generally weren’t. Even allowing for the fact it’s targeted at Indian not western consumers.

Asha are members of IFAT (the Internation Fair Trade Association) and an accredited Fair Trade Organisation

Indian Shopping

Location: Bhuj, Gujarat, India
Shop: Shrujan
Item purchased: woollen hand embroidered shawl.  Embroidered by the amazing women Shrujan works with.  The area of Kutch in Gujarat is justly famous for its handicrafts and the embroideries are stunning.  Each village has its own traditional style and Shrujan has been collecting master examples of each kind – which they now have in a gallery and travelling exhibition, 1,100 in total.  The take this exhibition round the villages to encourage and stimulate younger people to keep up the traditions.  And they re-work the traditional designs into contemporary garments.  Thus not just keeping the old traditions alive but also providing a much needed income to rural women.

Last Minute Ethics

No sooner do I start on this year of dressing ethically when I run into my first challenge. It’s hard to shop ethically at short notice.

I’m flying to India tonight for work. It’s going to be some degrees warmer there than here and I realised late yesterday I don’t appear to have the wardrobe for it. I have knee length summer skirts a plenty – but they’re not really appropriate attire for most of the places I’ll be. (Even if no-one actually stares, I feel uncomfortable walking around with bare legs when no-one else is)

Wide legged cotton or linen trousers are what I’m after. They may not be very fashion forward but they’re loose, which is good for hot weather, and formal enough for the kind of work I’m doing without being constraining.

So is there a high street store that could be considered ‘ethical’?

Well, I ended up at good old M&S. They’re member of the Ethical Trading Initiative – a multi-stakeholder forum on ethical trading issues. They have to report annually on how their suppliers are doing with regard to the ethical criteria outlined in the Base Code. They have a dedicated ethical trading team in their head office and a growing number of regional (social) compliance officers. They commission external social auditors and are involved in a number of projects with non-governmental organisations. And of course are rolling out Plan A covering a whole variety of social and environmental improvements.

And they had just the trousers.

And whilst I was in a shopping mood and because Spitalfields Market is near my nearest M&S I popped over there and came back with some screenprinted knickers from a funky young designer (supporting small business – that’s ethical right?). And a fabulous pair of organic cotton yoga trousers from Organickers.

The Beginning

I’m a consultant on ethical and fair trade.   Recently I’ve found myself more and more picking up clothes in shops and then putting them down again as I wonder where and how they’re made.  So I thought, can I put my money and my lifestyle where my mouth is?  Can I only dress ethically for a year?  So this blog is an attempt to chart that.  And to explain and define what I mean by ‘ethically’.