One of the biggest barriers to the world of ethical sustainability is cost. To capitalize on that brands are beginning to greenwash their items to appeal as both cheap & ethical. They also want you to keep your purchasing habits but feel better about it.
1. This isn’t sustainable. Anything we do at huge scale, using our resources, constantly consuming, will have an impact.
2. Ethical labor means decent wages and a good workspace (as a guide, would we work there?). Safety (physically & emotionally). It’s normal working hours, paid leave and restful lunchtimes. This is much more expensive.
3. Our system is built entirely around money. Whatever will make people richest, quickest will be done. The shareholder system drives profits only. Getting rich exploiting others & becoming a “philanthropist” is crazy.
4. Sustainable materials mean they have been created with a low impact on the environment from happy growers on smaller farms. They don’t use harsh chemicals. They have a healthy end of life. They don’t ruin our environment at scale. Or they’re recycled. It is a lot of research. They’re expensive.
5. A lot of the truest sustainable goods are handmade, not machine made inside a massive factory. Cutting, ironing, sewing, labeling, packaging and closing your loop for no-waste all take time & care. Using traditional techniques even longer
6. If you know better, don’t shop at K-Mart or H&M or many others. They’re not ethical or sustainable, they don’t have transparent supply chains, they create consumerism & they rip off smaller creatives. Where we can, save, buy less & better. Try second-hand. Support small business. Cost per wear.
7. We have to change the system. There needs to be top-down regulation on companies to make them accountable for the damage & transparent so consumers don’t carry the burden. Advertising needs to change. Our consumption needs to change.
8. We have to fix inequality, colonization & poverty. If you’re working 3 jobs and can’t afford ethical goods that is NOT your fault. If you’re being exploited, this should never have happened.
9. Don’t even get us started on $5 cotton bags & activist tees.
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