Conversations | Ethically Conscious

This has been a draft in my mind for a long time. I wasn't sure if I knew enough about the topic to make a post. But I realized that not knowing it all - whatever that means - shouldn't stop me of sharing my thoughts. Sharing is what I want the blog to be about, but I sometimes battle a bit.

Have you ever wondered who made your t-shirt, phone or anything at all? Where it came from? In wich conditions? Which materials were used? Could it be damaging for the environment?

Could it be done in a different way?

Something I always liked to read on tags was the 'Made in' part. I liked to know where my products were made and having things from all over the world felt cool. What I didn't know was that just that little part could tell a lot more about products.

Back in january I started thinking a lot about how the way I live affects others people lives, thinking that I could live in a more ethical and simple way.

I virtually came across sweatshops and my first thoughts were 'Sweatshops? Never heard of them before'. 

After realizing they are workplaces involving absurd lack of conditions and from where the majority of my clothes came from, my thoughts became 'I can't believe it' and 'I don't like this'.

I had started the blog a month ago and decided to create a fashion related category so I was researching more about fashion and wanted to learn and know more in deep about the industry. 

My research began and the things I found out were the reason why you never saw a post on the closet category anymore. Because everything I had planned was about brands and ideas that I no longer support and they values are not the ones I stand up for. Little I knew

I read a lot about this topic of 'ethical and non-ethical fashion', but it wasn't until I started searching for images and videos that the issue truly hit me. Reading I was trying to imagine but actually seeing people in awful conditions so I could have a t-shirt? That's was tough.

Was a t-shirt really necessary? Worth causing such suffering? Definitely not, not even millions of t-shirts. They shouldn't be more important than lives. And I don't want people to suffer so I can have whatever it is. 

I had no idea that existed the necessity to create certifications to make sure that people are working in safe conditions or receiving enough from their work to make a living.

Was when I saw Sweatshop - Deadly Fashion that things got real. I collapsed and just started crying. I couldn't believe such things were happening. That I had been supporting them. Where was I? What had I been doing? 

And just like that, I had been presented to the truth and not glamorous side of fashion. Definitely not the industry I had pictured and what I saw in stores. I was now aware that existed 'fast fashion' and 'slow fashion'. I came across new brands, blogs, youtube channels and a lot of new information and things to explore. 

After more research, I came across the environmental impact that fashion has too. So I also became interested in eco-fashion.

I then started a huge evaluation. 

I came across Fair Trade Fashion that also lead me to fair trade everything else. So now it was even more than just about garments, It was also about accessories, shoes, fabrics like cotton, cocoa, tea, coffee, furniture, technology.

It was a lot to take in and as usual when you are confronted with something you had no idea happened, you feel quite confused. I felt the same way when I came across Veganism.

First the shock. Then the overwhelming feeling. Last the action, when you realize you wasn't aware of some information but now you are and something needs to change.

I quickly though that now, besides being vegan all the products I should buy needed to be certificated as Fairtrade and environmental-friendly too. I wanted them to be, but I also quickly realized things aren't that easy.

There's no certification for everything. I don't have access to everything in that form. A Fairtrade product doesn't necessarily means vegan and super eco-friendly. Vegan doesn't necessarily means made from fair trade and eco-friendly materials. So what could I do?

I understood it wasn't that simple and not only about replacing things. I realized I just had to do my best, the more I can.

The first time I went to my local supermarket having this realization of 'fair trade and non-fair trade' I found certificated Fairtrade brown cane sugar, that I actually remember spotting in the store weeks ago but thought it was just another sugar among all the others. Now seeing it for a second time, I knew what it stood for and let me tell you that I had never bought sugar with such a pleasant feeling. I was proudly picking and paying for that package. A simple thing as buying sugar, but I  knew that that one was different. That my choice matter and that I believed in it. And that's what I want to live for. Overall, I realized I'm a pro Ethical Consumerism - something I had no idea existed - and that's what I feel aligns with my values.

In my head, I was against all forms of exploitation and all about respecting human rights, loving and taking care of the environment, but I wasn't supporting those. I fact, I was demanding some kinds of exploitation with my day-to-day purchases.

After veganism, coming across ethical fashion was the thing that shook my conscious and sparkle even more my passion for having a more sustainable lifestyle.

The research didn't stop back in january. It still continues, I am still learning and regarding fashion it just getting excited because I haven't been buying any clothes in a year or so  - I haven't been needing anything - but I'm getting run out of things to wear. So it's time to start building up a more conscious wardrobe. 

I'm not expert and can't cover much about really specify things regarding ethical consumerism. 

I just wanted to share something that I became interested in and maybe sparkle your interest too in this topic. Now it's your choice whether or not to do research and learn more :)

Let me know if you ever thought about the things I mentioned and how it makes you feel

Lots of hugs, A