Ethical Fashion, born and raised in northern california.
I have been a designer for a long, long time. I have worked for companies that manufacture ‘gifts’. I have watched our products ‘copied’ and then those copies have undercut our prices. We have made our gifts in the USA. We employ our friends and neighbors. We love to support them. As each phase of our product line copy, our business suffered. We then would turn to designing new wares, changing our company’s name to reflect this new beginning. Again, copied by foreign manufacturers, down to the letter. Offered at much cheaper prices.
I now am partnered with one company, tote+able ( another offshoot from the above predicament ). We were founded in 2012 and crossing my fingers we have only been ripped off once. We are ‘made in the usa’ and have managed to stay in business for four years, sustaining our employees and providing a eco-couscious, fun gift for all sorts of folks.
My second endeavor, Paper&Fog, is an apparel line, made in Sonoma County, ethically sourced and working with other artists in my town to bring collaboration and an income to those who's work I admire and love. I strongly believe in ethical, made in the USA, or made using certified fair trade methods because it provides good, decent jobs for those who need to work. It provides an environment that is healthy. Materials are sourced ethically and I can go to bed at night knowing that my business is not profiting on the backs of laborers that live in unbearable conditions.
So I am on mission. Don’t shop at Forever21, H&M, or any fast fashion retailer. I have nothing against China, or Bangladesh, or Vietnam, but I do want their citizens to be safe and work and earn a decent wage. So, yes, my clothing is expensive, but I see buying ethical fashion as an investment and I believe lobbying for fair trade as a necessary action. Sign or create petitions to ask the fast fashion retailers to make their factories safe. . . they are out there. I will share them on my next post.
Live slow and live well !!
