Clothes and shoes tend to get made by poor people in so-called developing countries under harsh conditions. The cultivation of the materials to make the clothes usually harms the earth and is not sustainable especially in the face of climate change.
How much empathy do I have when buying clothes knowing it is probably made by a person under harsh conditions and harming the environment?Usually the so-called “better” option made from organic sustainable fair-trade cotton or hemp is drastically more expensive and marketed towards rich white people. Are we greedy? Do we expect great clothes for next to no money? If I have only so much money, or want to be prudent with my spending how much can I afford?
One of the most important realization for me on our ethical shopping journey was that it isn’t so much that ethical shopping is too expensive it’s that fast, unsustainable fashion is too cheap. […] Next time you find yourself thinking how cheap an item is ask yourself who is paying for this, because at such low prices it definitely isn’t you. [1]
But living “kindly” comes at a cost — one that excludes consumers who can’t afford to prove their own morality. Until we work toward a more socioeconomically inclusive conversation, maybe we should remove the price tag from the word “ethical.” [2]
Am I supposed to be conscious of all these when shopping? It can be overwhelming. How much money can I afford especially if I need to save some for my future or for other causes? How much time can I spend to find sustainable products and shop around? How much time do I have to spend at thrift stores especially where men’s options can be quite limited?
In thinking about capitalism is it really so black-and-white? Sure there are plenty of negative aspects to it, but has it contributed globally to decreased poverty, increased health care, decreased war, etc. Is it because of these things.
What is a healthy view to not feel overwhelmed or numb, yet still have empathy for the situation? How to be practical yet caring when shopping and purchasing? What is the balance?
Is our money a form of generosity?
This same concept does not simply apply to clothes, but all aspects of our life.
Instead of discussing all this theory what can we do for a given specific situation that we are dealing with now?
The most galling to me is that pitting money against morality is a regressive dilemma. The people who can most afford to pay their ethical way are the uber rich; those battling against the poverty line don’t have the option but to become complicit in animal wellbeing issues and clothing made in questionable conditions.
consider the various ways in which wealth is accumulated under capitalism — often on the backs of the same workers who can’t afford not to be complicit in the ethical missteps that often end up lining the pockets of the very same elites who can then afford a clean conscience.
There appears to be little out for those wanting to be ethical consumers on a budget. Compromises and trade-offs will need to be made. You’ll likely need to benefit from practices that don’t align with what you think is right. However, the lie at the heart of the ethical consumption movement is to tell you this is your fault. It’s not. It’s the fault of a much larger system offering you choices that, in many cases, you simply shouldn’t be permitted to make.
I don’t want to be given the choice between forfeiting hundreds of thousands of dollars and compromising on my values. I don’t want to be offered the opportunity to buy clothes that are cheaper for me because disempowered workers paid the price in underpayment and subjugation. It’s too easy to justify the worse option. It’s too easy to be tempted.
I resent that the same store from which I’m buying free range eggs is profiting not only from my ethical purchase but from the choice to render others complicit in animal cruelty. I resent that superannuation companies, refusing to divest from unethical and harmful products, are using the promise of a greater retirement fund and more money to pass on to future generations as bribes to make me compromise on my morality. I can’t be proud participating in a system where my ability to make ethical choices is based more on my bank balance than my character.
When the cheapest product, available to rich and poor alike, can also be purchased with a clean conscience? That’s when I think we’ll be able to take pride in our purchases.
Guidelines when Purchasing
- How can I navigate the world with generosity?
- What is enough?
- Buy what we need — avoid waste.
- Repair or repurpose what you already have
- Buy used!
- local thrift and consignment stores
- poshmark, thred up, clothes mentor, once upon a child, etsy, ebay, etc. - Read the labels!
- Does it have a long list of random chemicals you’ve never heard off? - Buy local
- Buy quality items that last. Buy what you love. Buy what you will truly use. Buy timeless items.
skip in 10 minutes
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