My Ethical Clothing Pledge

I've only just realised that the end of 2009 means the end of the only new years resolution I ever made an effort to stick with. I resolved that in 2009 I would buy no new clothes except one pair of jeans when my maternity jeans no longer fit. Clothing from the op shop or made by myself was fine.

I made this resolution due to a disgust with the disposable fashion culture reported by the UK's Guardian newspaper. People in developed nations already own far more clothing than they need, yet we keep producing more and more in sweat shops in developing nations and at home. If we all bought half as many items of clothing but paid twice as much for each of them, garment workers could be paid properly and we'd own high-quality clothing that would last much longer without having spent any more.

So how did I do?

Purchased Clothing

One pair jeans (Target) $40
One cardigan (Target) $50
One teeshirt (Gossypium at Oxfam UK) 'upcycled' by me approx $9.50
Total = $99.50
I slipped up a bit. However, I did manage to buy my clothes from shops which have signed the FairWear agreement or are otherwise ethically made without sweatshop labour from organic fabrics.

Homemade clothing

Black summer dress
Monet top
Snip dress
I can't be bothered tracking down fabric receipts even though two thirds of these projects were in the last week. I'll estimate a total of $85 including interfacing, dye, a new pattern, thread etc.

Op shop clothing

Amazing black jacket approx $15
Refashioned jumper from op shop and my own ten year old jumper $3
Linen blend Marks & Spencer skirt approx $8
Red stretchy top which I never wore because the fabric was weird $4
White lace-up top worn as a Hallowe'en costume approx $5
Red jersey Esprit top $3
Total = $38
I shouldn't have bought that red stretchy top. I knew I wouldn't like wearing it, but I was worried that I wouldn't find any other long-sleeved tops that fit me and I only had two at home in good condition. I feel bad about buying something just as a Hallowe'en costume too, but I'm sure I'll wear it again for future costume occasions. The other four items have been worn day in, day out.

Bought for me clothing

Black cords (Target) $10
Dinosaur Comics teeshirt (Topatoco) $20
Total = $30
This category is a grey area. These items were bought for me, but I chose them. The cords I saw in Target while shopping with Mum. I wasn't going to buy them due to my resolution, despite the fact that I only had one pair of jeans and a few pairs of tracky dacks that fit, and she took pity on me and bought them on my behalf. The teeshirt was a result of buying a shirt from Topataco for Hubby T's birthday and figuring I may as well save on postage and get Little Jack's Christmas present for me at the same time. In my defence, I've wanted this teeshirt for years and it cracks me up every time I see it.

Swapped clothing


Ah Now You Are Dangerous cardigan (Sneak Design) swapped for a W Class Cushion
Total = a few hours of my time
Another grey area, as I would happily have paid for it (with a niggle about breaking my resolution again). All Anika's clothing is sweatshop-free so it counts as an ethical acquisition.

Total spent = $222.50 or $252.50 if you include things bought for me

It seems like a lot for a year of not buying any new clothing, but on the other hand I got twelve new pieces for that amount at an average cost of $21.04 each, and apart from two op shop tops I'll continue wearing all these items for many years to come. I'm loyal to my clothes.

In the spirit of full disclosure, my resolution was made much easier by the fact I didn't work outside the home this year. If I were going out to work several days a week I would undoubtedly feel the need for more variety in my wardrobe.

To balance that out, this year I had a big weight and size change post-pregnancy and post-weaning and it would have been very easy to throw out everything that no longer fit me and buy new, more flattering styles. My resolution did save me a lot of money but it was also hard on my self-esteem continuing to wear the same old tracksuit pants and teeshirts I'd worn throughout late pregnancy and breastfeeding. I didn't have time to sew myself more clothes than I did due to the time demands of a baby/toddler and craft business, and even finding time and energy to walk to op shops (as I'm at home without a car during the day) was a struggle most months. I wish I'd made more time for myself.

One of the huge advantages of my resolution manifested itself during my overseas holiday. After ten months without browsing clothing racks I was able to walk right past the sweatshop-supplied trend paradises of H&M and Top Shop without even looking in the window, meaning I was able to spend hours more of my holiday with my family rather than shopping. I genuinely had almost no interest in seeing what was available after being out of the habit of clothes shopping for so long.

So will I make the same resolution for 2010? My holiday experience shows that I can do it. And contemplating walking into the nearest clothing shop and handing over my credit card feels so wrong after proving I do not need the latest fashions. One challenge is that in a few weeks I'll be working outside the home again for the first time since Little Jack was born, but at this point it's only a month-long contract so I think I can resist.

I believe that for me ethical clothing is no longer a resolution to be made from one year to the next - it's a pledge to live by. So I'm officially signing up for IsisMade's ethical clothing pledge.

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T H E _ E T H I C A L _ C L O T H I N G _ P L E D G E

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I pledge to only wear clothing that is one or more of the following:
1. Pre-loved
2. Handmade (preferably by me)
3. Reconstructed
4. Made with ethical / environmentally friendly materials
5. Made by a company with strong ethical policy & workers' rights

Can I talk you into joining me?