Clothes and ethics / Odjeća i etika





coat: vintage, necklace: DIY, skirt: moda in, boots: Šimecki

With the Fashion Revolution Day close at hand, I feel prompted to write something about clothes and ethics. Most people will tell you that a good way to support ethical fashion is to buy second hand or vintage clothes, recycle your clothes or even sew your own clothes. They would be right! I do  all of that and not merely because of ethics behind it. By doing any of the things listed above, you'll make your style more unique and versatile. 

Let's take a look at these three things that are quite easy to do. Second hand shops are not only environmentally friendly, they are also a very practical option for us financially challenged people. It is no secret that the clothes used to be made out of more quality materials and while I feel it is great that today there are so many options, I often wonder at the price we had to pay for it. When it comes to recycling our clothes, I think that is pretty much self explanatory. It is a good thing to do period. On the other hand, some people might feel apprehensive about making/sewing their own clothes. If you fall into that category, just remember that a bit of DIY goes a long way. Plenty of videos and tutorials out there so inspiration shouldn't be a problem either. You'll feel better about yourself once you do a DIY or two, take my word for it.

When it comes to choosing one brand over another, this is where things get a bit more complicated. The thing with ethical dressing is that it is sometimes hard to define. Do you see how this might be a problem? Someone will define ethical dressing as buying clothes from one particular brand, while that same brand might be on someone's else boycott list. We do all have our reasons why we might want to support a brand or not, so I won't get into that ( I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject, though).  What I do want to stress is that the question 'Who makes my clothes?' is a good question to ask. I think we should encourage one another to ask this question more often, rather that judge one another for what our personal choices might be. It is a wonderful thing to see people caring about the way clothes are made. Generally, we take so much for granted so taking a moment to see things from a new perspective is always good.

Furthermore, if we want to get deeper into the whole question of 'ethical clothing' than things can get a bit more complicated. I feel that sometimes underdeveloped countries get exploited twice. First the factories get settled there and exploit people and then they get closed down and the company (now having the funds to employ workers in their own country) brags about as it is a moral choice they suddenly decided to make. Such rash actions are not very ethical, are they? What happens is that those workers get abandoned (after the company had already made money on them) and the very act of closing down the company is presented as something positive. We are not always helping people by putting pressure on some factories to close down.  Life can be complicated that way. Sometimes we do harm when we want to do good, but still I think it is better to mess up and try to fix it,  than just be a  passive consumer who never thinks of anything. 

As you can see, I still have some dilemmas of my own on the subject. Perhaps ethical fashion is still work in progress. Nevertheless, isn't it great that so many people are interested in this concept? Many things still need to be defined and those of us interested in it, still have a lot to learn. That is why I wanted to stress that asking questions is a good place to start.  My advice to everyone is to do your own research and don't take something for granted. Just because some celebrity supports a certain company doesn't make it ethical. Write to the companies, make inquires and make your own reasons. In the end we are all responsible for the choices we make, so don't let anyone make these choices for you.

Like everyone else, I have my own reasons to do things. As you might have noticed, brands don't appear often on my blog and when they do, they are usually local ones. The main reason why I often chose to buy local brands is that I hope that in some small way I'm helping somebody to keep their job in these difficult times. Alternatively, perhaps I  just don't like owning the same clothes as everybody else and I have invented fancy reasons for it. I mean, who knows what is really in our subconsciousness?;)  Even before I ever heard of ethical dressing, I was always shying away from  the big brands hence my reasons for doing this may be entirely selfish. Joking asides, I do sometimes go out of my way to purchase a product because I believe in the company that sells it and I'm sure I'm not the only one. If we must live in a consumerist society, we must at least take notice of what we consume and why. 

This once I will refrain from summarizing.  Principally, because I believe that in a way ethical clothing is something we all need to answer for ourselves. So, do tell me, what is ethical clothing for you?

Comments

  1. Me encanta el abrigo.
    www.caprichosasyconsentidas.com

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  2. great post dear
    love your opinion on this

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  3. This is my first time hearing that phase. If anything, I don't wear any real animal material, so I guess that would be consider ethical clothing for me, and how it means to me?

    I tried buying second hand clothing, and I just don't have the patience for it...I really wish I did. Anyway... it was really good reading your thoughts about this subject.

    Kreyola Jounerys | Instagram

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    1. that is what I meant...we cannot tell somebody what ethical clothing is because everyone has a right to their own personal ethics. There are always things one can do. For example, wearing one clothing item often is in some sense recycling it.

      I think what is important is that we make our own rules and don't let ourselves be dominated by the consumerism. That is what ethical fashion is to me...developing our own sense of it, making our own rules, thinking with our own head.

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  4. Some very fascinating points, dear. Many I had not given much thought to before. I think the key for me would be making some sort of effort in this area, doing "something" even if it is not perfect or all-encompassing. Being aware, paying attention and great idea like your local brand encouragement one are great steps towards making the world better. You look lovely btw :) xoxo

    All Things Bright and Lovely

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    1. I'm afraid that nothing we do can is all-encompassing. If we are going to live in this world, there will be compromises we'll have to make...what is important is that we don't make them where it really matters and that is in our hearts.

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  5. odlična tema!
    što se tiče jeftine radne snage, jedna Kina je narasla na svojim sweatshopovima, gdje su radnici imali jako niske plaće, i sad su te tvornice otišle u neke druge siromašne zemlje, a Kina više nije jedna od njih. nažalost, još uvijek smo potrošački svijet i dišemo u ritmu potrošnje. ali slažem se s tobom, lakše je kad se osvijesti barem jedan dio, i uloži u kvalitetnije materijale i artikle pa se smanji potreba za češćom kupovinom. nažalost, nemam dojam da svi tako gledaju, pa gdje ima potrebe, ima i jeftine ponude.
    no, barem možeš u svom životu imati pravila. i nisi jedina ;)

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    1. možda će sada i te siromašne zemlje doživjeti neki gospodarski rast? tko zna? Mislim nikad se ne zna, možda i mi postanemo jedna takva siromašna zemlja (ako već nismo) i ako moram birati između neimanja posla i slabo plaćenog posla...mislim da bi svi izabrali drugo. Ja na svakom razgovoru za posao otvoreno kažem da sam spremna raditi puno radno vrijeme za jako malo pa opet ništa od posla zasada nego ovo što si sama pronalazim honorarno.

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  6. I agree with Shamu's comment about making some effort. It's great to have awareness and even if you make an active decision in shopping secondhand, etc. it can help. I love shopping vintage and charity shops when I can. Even though I may not for everything. Great vintage coat on you!
    Luxe Accessories

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    1. I don't shop second hand for everything either...and I agree. Awareness is important, it makes us more conscious and better equipped to deal with future developments.

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  7. Pogodila si pravo u centar. To je jedna od onih stvari o kojoj uglavnom ne mislimo jer spada u kategoriju onih koje nas se ne tiču lično. Mislim da je bilo mnogo lepše ranije ali sad je to masovna proizvodnja kao i sve drugo. Skoro sam slušala nešto kako čak i te male lokalne prodavnice prodaju nešto što se već masovno proizvelo u nekoj fabrici samo je pristup takav da nikada ne bi pomislio da je tako. Retko i vidim nešto autentično. Uh, to je tema na koju može da se priča u nedogled. U svakom slučaju, svako može da uradi nešto po tom pitanju i da radi ono u šta veruje.

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    1. Masovna proizvodna ima i dobru i lošu stranu, a danas je zapravo neizbježni dio našeg života... Često kupimo nešto za što mislimo da nije masovna proizvodnja, a zapravo je ( suveniri su tipičan primjer). Nije se možemo vratiti korak unatrag, ekonomija i proizvodnja imaju te neke svoje zakonitosti, ali barem možemo u svemu tome pronaći neku svoju logiku i stvoriti sebi neke dobre navike. Zato sam pobornik DIY stvari i recikliranja odjeće, kada nešto napravimo sami, onda više cijenimo ono što kupujemo, a i bolje se osjećamo.

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  8. You look gorgeous doll!! I love shopping second hand, it's so much fun to browse through all the pieces and wonder about their stories. You can get them for so cheap and it saves on waste and producing things we don't really need. It's the great thing to do. Sorry I've been away for a bit, but am back now and catching up! I hope you've been well :) xox

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    1. I agree dear Kitty...it's a great thing to do! I always love reading about vintage shops on your blog.Furthermore, you have such a great taste in vintage clothes that I always have a feeling I have learned something new by reading your blog.

      I'm glad to see you back!

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  9. Buying second hand items it's a really good idea. I do it all the time :)

    Daniel Wellington giveaway - http://www.mykindofjoy.com/

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    1. thank you for your comment, Barbara. Naturally, I agree with what you said:). Second hand items are very cool.

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  10. Bellissime foto:) bacione

    http://denimakeup95.blogspot.it/

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  11. A great outfit to accompany a fabulous post.
    With 99.9% of my wardrobe being second hand I'm pretty environmentally friendly. I'm recycling other people's cast -offs and selling what I don't wear myself. Although I'm pretty sure that all the driving we do to vintage fairs and to car boot sales isn't that good for the planet! xxx

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    1. he, he he....well, as they say you can't win them all:)
      Better to drive to vintage fairs than not to frequent them at all.
      I never been to a vintage fair, I'm afraid they're not as popular here.

      Delete
  12. Un tema abbastanza complesso, cerco sempre di dare nuova vita ai capi e se posso compro made in Italy (purtroppo a volte difficile da trovare a costi ragionevoli). Il tuo post comunque è un ottimo spunto per riflettere.

    16 OUTFITS for SPRING on
    lb-lc fashion blog| Bloglovin'

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  13. Odlična tema o kojoj bi se moglo diskutirati do beskraja! Čini mi se sličnom kao i priča s pravim krznom i kožom... oni iz zaštite životinja će pričati o neetičnosti a s druge strane, ukoliko odabereš sintetičke materijale, "napasti" će te zeleni jer pošto takvi materijali nisu biorazgradivi uništavaju atmosferu, Zemlju i šta ja znam što...
    Općenito ne volim biti isključiva i gledati na stvari kao crno -bijele! Niti su sve tvornice zlostavljači maloljetne djece niti su sve "malene autohtone" prodavaonice nevine kako se predstavljaju... uostalom, iz vlastitog sam iskustva i kontakata s nekim ljudima saznala da ukoliko ti je navedeno da je nešto proizvedeno u EU ne mora biti baš tako...
    Od svih tih etičkih polemika, ososbno sam najviše za reciklažu, što odjeće, što bilo čega drugoga :)

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    1. baš je zanimljivo pročitati tvoj komentar i stvarno je točno tako, puno je aktivista za okoliš/prava/životinje zapravo jako slabo obrazovano i informirano, a nekad i poprilično naivno. Svakako je dobro imati želju promijeniti nešto nabolje, ali kako kažu dobre namjere znaju imati loše posljedice. Nisam se iznenadila kada se otkrilo da su neki aktivisti za prava životinja u Kanadi ubijali životinje na najgori način kako bi snimali filmove protiv krzna i tvdili da se to radi na taj način u slučajevima kada to nije istina (kao npr. Kanadi koja ima puno zakona koji spriječavaju takve okrutnosti nad životinjama uzgajanima za krzno) To dokazuje da neki ljudi idu u užasne krajnosti.

      Azijska ekonomija je procvala zbog masovne proizvodne i to je kao posljedicu imalo i porast životnog standarda, a to nije loša stvar. Mislim da bi nam svima trebalo biti drago što ljudi tamo sada žive bolje, jer su to i zaslužili. Zapad sada više manje prodaje ime, a većina svega se proizvodi na istoku...i onda mi je licemjerno kada neki krive Kinu za sve to. Zapad je izrabljivao jeftinu snagu i sada je ta jeftina radna snaga nešto i postigla..i meni je drago što jesu pa makar to značilo slabljene te EU o kojoj toliko ovisimo.

      Zato sam ja jako oprezna s tim pokretima okrenutima bojkotu istoka, jer često ono što se bojkotira je tim ljudima jedina nada za preživljavanje. Isto tako, to je više manje prodavanje magle jer kao što kažeš i u malim prodavaonicama se prodaje masovno proizvedena roba. Nikad nije dobro gledati stvari isključivo crno bijelo.

      Recikliranje je uvijek dobro, a vintage odjeću vrijedi čuvati jer te kvalitete jednostavno više nema...tako da sam ja više za taj neki umjereniji pristup etičnoj modi. Od nekih isključivih pokreta nikad neke koristi.

      Delete
  14. I really do question myself a lot about clothes and how they're made and why they're the price that they are! I loved reading this Ivana! thank you for opening up a new concept of thinking when buying clothes :)

    Serene xoxo

    http://www.imserenel.wordpress.com

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  15. Mislim da je super da svatko napravi ponesto. Bilo za enviroment, bilo za zivotinje, bilo za dobrobit ljudi u trecem svjetu. Ali isto tako mislim da je nemoguce bit potpuno etican u svijetu u kojem zivimo osim u slucaju da si potpuno self-sufficient. Tako da...dobro je izabrat nesto i onda se posvetit tome. Moja borba je za zivotinje. :D

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    1. skroz se slažem...u svijetu, čini mi se, često je najbolje što možemo izabrati manje zlo.

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  16. Thank you for this post so interesting that makes you think about ethics. I think ethical clothing includes many aspects related to environment, employees' salaries, fabrics...

    Jasmine x

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    1. yes, it does include many aspects. Thank you for your comment.

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  17. Lovely post and great outfit!

    www.sarahrizaga.blogspot.com

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  18. You look really pretty Ivana! Such lovely pictures!!!! Thanks for sharing))

    http://fairyland111.blogspot.com/

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    1. thank you so much Oksana:) you're very sweet to say that!

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  19. Hai affrontato un'argomento abbastanza complesso, e ci sono effettivamente molte ragioni per scegliere un'abbigliamento più etico e sostenibile, purtroppo però non sempre è possibile conoscere bene la provenienza dei capi e manca anche il tempo per cercare i negozi che vendano abiti che siano belli ed anche di provenienza sicura...
    Per quanto mi riguarda evito di comprare tutto quello che è di pelle o pelliccia vera! :)
    Baci!
    S
    http://s-fashion-avenue.blogspot.it

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    1. si, hai ragione...non è sempre possibile conoscere la provenienza dei capi, ma tutti noi possiamo contribuire a sostenere economia locale.

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  20. Financial is one of the reasons I mostly buy thrifted or vintage, but I also enjoy the hunt ;-) you never know what you can find. Of course, I enjoy the idea that I help the environment as well, among other things.

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  21. Ja se iskerno pokusavam ne opterecivati toliko jer okreni obrni svemu mozemo naci manu, nisam rob marki kupujem ono sto mi se dopadne ne bitno da li je second hand ili luksuz, jedino pravu kozu i krzno ne mogu da nosim ! Super post! ;)

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    1. da, istina...ni ja sama ne znam nekad što bi bilo etičnije. Ja naprimjer nosim kožne cipele jer se životinje ne ubijaju zbog kože već zbog mesa, pa bi se ta koža ionako bacila...ne znam, to je barem moja logika, ali zapravo sasvim je normalno da svatko ima neka svoja pravila, mislim da je tu zapravo teško reći što je najbolje.

      Delete
  22. Odlična ogrlica, to si sama radila? Baš mi se sviđa!

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    1. da, ušila sam ove plastične kristaliće na eko kožu. Zapravo nije uopće teško.

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  23. Great post. There are so many issues under the topic of ethical clothing. In addition to what you've said, I find it upsetting that people in my country (Canada) often can't make a living in the fashion business unless they get their work done overseas, which is very complicated and expensive. As a result, people who sew here can't make clothes at competitive prices. It's very complicated.
    I buy almost everything at thrift shops, and donate regularly. I do what I can.

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    1. yes, it is hard for people who sew to make a living...I do try to buy from people who have little trades of their own and well as from local artisans. With the cost of the material going up and up, it's sometimes downright impossible to have competitive prices.

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  24. Well, thank you for the post. I've not given much thought to this problem. I am not that much after brands either, I buy something if I really like it and of course if I can afford it. The prices for the things of well known brands honestly seem to me ridiculously too high. Also, I try to support local designers, especially when they create something using recycled or eco friendly materials.

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    1. Yes, I noticed you wear a lot of eco friendly designs by local artisans and designers...and that's so refreshing to see!

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  25. Love the coat

    New post :
    www.miharujulie.com

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  26. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  27. In Russia second-hand shops are not so nice as in Europe, so I don't like to visit them often. As for Turkey I have never seen any second-hand shops there, I don't know why. Probably, because a lot of different stores are literally at every step. I'm also quite here with you that we should think more often about the way our clothes are made, we should buy more ecofriendly things and less synthetics ones. Do you agree?
    You are also right saying that ethnicity is different for each of us, because all of us have their own racial characteristics and place of origin. We are all different and it's just great!
    I must also say you've done a great job with this article, I do enjoyed reading it. And I wonder, have you ever tried to work as a freelancer?
    Anyhow, you would handle this, for sure;)
    Wishing you a lovely day, Ivana! Take care!

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    1. Yes, I agree. I think that the reason why there are no second hand shops in Turkey is because they have a well developed textile industry...many shops here import clothes from Turkey.

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  28. This is a great post, Ivana, very well written and articulate and you brought up some very good points. I do try to support local businesses and ethical fashion companies however, the problem I have with them is the prices are always higher and I don't always have the extra cash to spend for this.

    I agree that ethical fashion still have ways to go but I am convinced that one day most if not all fashion brands will walk down this road.

    Shireen | Reflection of Sanity

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    1. Thanks for your comment...it is hard for local shops to sell their goods at competitive prices...maybe some day this will change.

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  29. Great post, Ivana, and a great outfit too! You are right that deciding what is ethical can be really complicated by so many factors and on top of that there are always people ready to tell us we are wrong or bad for the choices we make. For seven years of my life I was vegan and my reasons for no longer being so are complicated and personal but I still make an effort to avoid products that test on animals and to limit my consumption among other things. In all of my experiences attempting to tread lightly in this world, I have found that quite often there are problems with the alternatives too, and that there just isn't a perfect solution. I try to be aware, thoughtful and open minded but I am still going to buy the bra or the tee shirt that fits, is available in my town and comes in the colour I want. xoxo

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    1. Yes, there are often problems with alternatives as well...I do agree there is no perfect solution.

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  30. Thank you raising up this very relevant issue. You make a great point that ethical dressing is difficult to define given that people can have such varying views. I think what you said about asking questions is also good since at least knowing where they come from and how they're made can help people make better informed decisions. I'm always one to believe that if we all take small steps like supporting local businesses or buying second hand, it can help. There are certain brands that I avoid because of their manufacturing practices or social stance but I'm sure I could do better. We probably all could I guess. I'm also shopping alot less these days and trying to shop my own closet. Thanks for making me think about this today :)

    Rowena @ rolala loves

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  31. Thank you raising up this very relevant issue. You make a great point that ethical dressing is difficult to define given that people can have such varying views. I think what you said about asking questions is also good since at least knowing where they come from and how they're made can help people make better informed decisions. I'm always one to believe that if we all take small steps like supporting local businesses or buying second hand, it can help. There are certain brands that I avoid because of their manufacturing practices or social stance but I'm sure I could do better. We probably all could I guess. I'm also shopping alot less these days and trying to shop my own closet. Thanks for making me think about this today :)

    Rowena @ rolala loves

    ReplyDelete
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All your comments mean a lot to me, even the criticism. Naravno da mi puno znači što ste uzeli vrijeme da nešto napišete, pa makar to bila i kritika. Per me le vostre parole sono sempre preziose anche quando si tratta di critiche.

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