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Consuming with an (Eco) Conscience



Bottletop bag makers

The Winds of Change are Blowing...

There is a growing voice in British fashion these days about it's obligation to fair trade and the living wage.  FCaNK thinks that the art of living happily and stylishly includes purchasing with a conscience.  At the moment, it is quite hard to judge which stores are better than others.  FCaNK helps a little in that direction by giving you some guidelines on being informed as you can be before investing your cash.  Here are tips!


Let's Clean Up Fashion

Let's Clean Up Fashion is a project of the coalition group "Labour Behind the Label".  It has a fantastic website where you can find out the fair trade labour policies of your favourite British brand or outlet.  The brands that are taking steps towards fair labour policies are M&S, Gap, Monsoon, Accessorize, New Look and Next.



GIVe hooded knit wrap

Eco Cotton

Would you purchase a piece of clothing knowing first hand the environmental and human damage that resulted from the garment being made?
Hopefully you wouldn't but perhaps you would. Sadly, many of us still purchase non-organic,  non-fairtrade cotton garments.
In a nutshell, a vast amount of dangerous and lethal pesticides are used to grow and harvest cotton crops around the world every year.  This is to satisfy the awesome demand that we all have for cheap cotton garments.
FCaNK doesn't think that this is fair, just or right. It must stop. The book, Eco Chic: The Savvy Shoppers Guide to Ethical Fashion (see below), goes into great detail about the dangers of mass produced cotton.
The author draws on a substantial and impressive list of sources to back her argument that we must cease and desist immediately from buying this dangerous product.
FCaNK's message is plain and clear. Purchase organically produced and fair trade cotton always. Do not settle for anything less. Human beings and the environment depend on you!

 

Where Can I Buy Organic Fair Trade Cotton?

A fair question and one that FCaNK can gladly provide you with the answer! Here are a list of cotton brands or stores to look for:


Eco Chic

There are loads of books out there on how to live and purchase ethically.  Perhaps the best one on the market (we think so anyway!) is Eco Chic: The Savvy Shoppers Guide to Ethical Fashion by Matilda Lee.  This book is literally packed to the rafters with everything you need to know about ethical fashion. Considering Katharine Hamnett has written the Forward, you get some idea of how highly regarded this author is! So she should be. Ms. Lee, who is the consumer affairs editor of  The Ecologist  magazine, writes in detail about fair trade and the impact of unfair and dangerous trade practices upon the environment and people.  She puts forward some useful suggestions for fabrics of the future and lists some ground breaking designers and high street shops of today who are employing eco conscious practises. Lastly, and most excitedly, Ms. Lee gives a comprehensive directory of ethical producers. Just gold for savvy shoppers like ourselves! This is a must have book to have on your bookshelf.

Another  great reference book for when you are shopping is The Good Shopping Guide: Certifying the UK's Most Ethical Companies and Brands, which is  published by the Ethical Marketing Group. The 2008 edition is out now with the 2009 edition due out in November 2009.


Eco Websites

There are loads of websites that give a mountain of information to help you make a choice when purchasing fashion.  A good starting point is www.fairtrade.org.uk.  They offer links to websites and manufacturers and retailers that offer fair trade endorsed products.  FCaNK has picked out a few for your surfing pleasure. Check out these websites!


Eco Chic Fashion

Peaches Geldof
There are literally hundreds of eco friendly fashion brands and stores on the market. FCaNK has done the hard work and handpicked a few for you to check out!

Happy (Eco) Shopping!!

 

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