The Riddle of Ethical Consumerism
Being an ethical consumer is the newest trend in fashion. The first time I was confronted with the fraught ethics of fashion was at ten.
On a sunny Sunday afternoon at youth group, during a lull between activities, one of my friends told me Nike is bad because they use kids in sweatshops to make their shoes.
I didn’t know what to say and felt ashamed of the white and blue Nike sneakers on my feet.
While I couldn’t imagine kids or adults being forced into terrible labor conditions back then the facts speak for themselves today.
The sins of fast fashion are well documented as Fast fashion, explained, states "[Fast fashion’s] speedy supply chains rely on outsourced and often underpaid labor from factory workers overseas. The process is also environmentally damaging and resource-intensive..."
Realizing that suffering is woven into the clothes and shoes I wore confused and confounded me. How is this happening? How could I stop it or at least not contribute to it? Then, like all kids, I got distracted and forgot about it.
Transparency in the supply chain, ethical manufacturing and sustainability are the trending buzzwords in fashion and trying to be an ethical consumer is a growing concern.
Through open brand communication, research and journalistic investigations we know more about the perils of workers and the strain on the planet making garments for the world entails. So what do we do with this knowledge?
The answer seems obvious. Make better choices. Research and buy only from companies who are doing good or not actively harming people and the planet. But it’s not that simple.
People when surveyed overwhelming support the mission of sustainable fashion but not everyone can afford them. A recent Genomatica survey found, “95 percent of Americans say sustainability is a good goal — but many are finding it difficult to put into practice.” If given the choice between buying a $50 shirt from a sustainable company and the $10 shirt from Target many people will opt for the latter because of convenience and price.
From Consumers want to buy sustainably—they just don’t know how, “Overall, however, consumers tend not to put their money where their mouths are. Just about one fourth of those surveyed said they’d pay more for their favorite brand’s products if the brand starting producing more sustainably. At least this lack of willingness to spend money goes both ways—46% of respondents said they’ve boycotted a brand because of their environmentally unsound practices.”
The article Is There Really Such a Thing as "Ethical Consumerism"? challenges assumptions about ethical consumerism becoming a cure all for the fashion industries ills. “‘[C]onsumers are starting to push back against ‘responsible-ization,’ ... [like] there’s a moral choice every time we buy[.] ... I think people get, on some level, that they can’t solve these complex, systemic issues just by how they shop.’”
How can you be an ethical consumer? There are no easy answers. If you have the time and resources research your favorite brands. You can decide to keep shopping at certain stores because they always have your size or the perfect jeans for your shape. We should all aim for intentional consumerism and shopping habits that don't harm people or the planet.
