Month: September 2013

News Roundup: September 2013

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It’s official: summer has come and gone. I’m already looking forward to October for Fair Trade Month, some ethically-sourced chocolate, and a thrift-store Halloween costume. Before I go full pumpkin, here are some of the articles and links that caught my interest in September:

All You Need Is Less quote image

All You Need Is Less, via Fair Trade Quilts & Crafts on Pinterest

The Business of Fast Fashion – This short video examines the role of fast fashion in the fashion industry as a whole. Interesting to look at it from a broader perspective, instead of just through the lens of labor rights violations. (Minute MBA)

Fair Trade Gold – Fair trade certification is coming for gold! Very cool news for consumers and gold mine workers alike. (In Tandem Fair Trade Weddings)

4 Unexpected Energy Creators – Read about clever and innovative ways that inventors are working to generate energy. My favorite is definitely the kinetic dance floor! (Triple Pundit)

The History of Denim – An interesting look at denim throughout American culture including a brief history of how and where it has been manufactured. (Zady)

New addition to the Fairly Friendly directory – AWAZ offers apparel, accessories, home décor, gifts and more made by small artisan groups in India and Nepal.

What were your favorite finds this month? What are you looking forward to in October? Share in the comments!

Fair Trade Wedding: Cake

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This post is the fourth in a series about fair trade weddings. Read the previous posts on bridal gowns, bridesmaids’ dresses, and attire for the groom and groomsmen.

Fair trade wedding cake

The cake (or more recently, cupcakes) is a major focal point of most wedding receptions. No matter what dessert you offer, you can substitute traditional ingredients for fair trade alternatives to create a more ethical end to the meal. Fair trade ingredients are free from child labor, which is a major problem in the cocoa industry, and forced labor, which is prevalent in many agricultural regions around the world. Workers on fair trade plantations are paid and treated fairly, working conditions are safe, and better environmental practices are followed. On the day of your joyous celebration, you definitely don’t want abuse and slavery to leave a bad taste in your mouth. So choose fair trade instead!

Communicate with the person baking your cake that fair trade ingredients are important to you, and see if they are flexible about making substitutions. You may have to provide some assistance about where to purchase fair trade baking ingredients. Natural food stores and large chain groceries carry some fair trade supplies, and many more are available online. Here is a list of sources you can provide to your baker, as well as use for stocking your own kitchen:

If you plan to serve coffee with dessert, ask about making that fair trade as well.

Depending on the venue, your amount of influence over the food served at your wedding may be limited. If your venue has a required caterer or baker, talk to them about the possibility of implementing the above ideas. You never know until you ask!

Have you attempted fair trade baking at home? Are you Team Cake or Team Cupcakes for weddings? Share in the comments!

Fair Trade Wedding: Groom & Groomsmen

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This post is the third in a series about fair trade weddings. Read the previous posts on bridal gowns and bridesmaids’ dresses.

Men’s wedding attire is at once simpler and more complicated than women’s. Their uniform is a little more strict, so your options are limited from the start, but retailers of fair trade men’s clothing are also more limited. My first recommendation, as it was with bridesmaids’ dresses, is to start with what the guys already own. See if each groomsman already has a nice button-down shirt and dress slacks—if they have them in the right colors, score! If not, here are a few sources for ethical dress clothes for men:

Ethical Groomsmen's Attire

1: Hector Chambray Jacket in Gray from People Tree (fair trade)
2: Pink Herringbone Shirt from Arthur & Henry (fair trade)
3: Oxford Long Sleeve Shirt from The Union Shop (union-made in USA)
4: Applause Polyester Plain Front Tuxedo Trousers from DeMoulin (made in USA)

I have not yet found a manufacturer of fair trade or union-made full suits for men. Hopefully as the ethical consumerism movement grows, some company will fill this gap in the market (and the gap in the ethical men’s clothing market in general). For now, reusing and recycling existing suits seems to be the most ethical option, either by renting or buying used.

If you want to purchase used men’s formalwear, Tradesy has a section dedicated to grooms and groomsmen. It may be harder to find multiple matching items here, but it’s definitely a great resource for the groom. You can also try your luck at local thrift stores.

Fair Trade Groomsmen's Gifts

1: Handmade Silk Ties from Global Goods Partners (fair trade)
2: Silk Bow Tie from Celia Grace (fair trade)
3: Ethletic Cranberry Red Low-top Sneakers from Autonomie Project (fair trade)

The groomsmen’s gift is an opportunity to have fun and be creative. My brother-in-law gave each of his groomsmen a pair of Converse sneakers to wear at the reception. I thought this was a fun yet practical gift, and it would be easy to do ethically: Ethletic sneakers are fair trade and eco-friendly, plus they come in several colors. Another gift idea is matching ties for the ceremony. Like with jewelry for the bridesmaids, this is a great way to bring some unity to the wedding party if they’re not wearing totally matching outfits. And if you have hipster groomsmen? Celia Grace has fair trade bow ties.

What creative groomsmen’s gifts have you seen? Isn’t it about time some ethical company started making nice clothes for men? Share your thoughts in the comments!

News Roundup: August 2013

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September snuck up on me! Here’s a roundup of ethical shopping articles and links from August.

Fair Trade Federation Fall Guide 2013 coverFair Trade Federation Fall Style Guide – An online catalog of fall items from FTF members. Simply click a product to be redirected to its online listing for purchase. (via Style Wise)

Conscious Consumerism: Talking with the Founders of Ethical Shopping Site Zady – An interview with the founders of Zady, describing their ethical approach and their thoughts on the conscious consumerism movement. A quote from the article (published in TIME):

What we’re trying to do is for each product that we carry, we have a map associated with it. You can click on the map and it shows where the company is headquartered, where the raw materials are sourced from, and where it’s manufactured. We have each brand sign a certificate that attests to those three points. It seems like it’s basic, but in the world of apparel, it’s revolutionary. —Maxine Bédat

Shoppers Abandoning ‘Fast Fashion’ for Ethical Fashion – Real-life stories of people trying to avoid fast fashion by buying vintage and U.S.-made clothing or making their own. (Ryot)

Ethical Consumerism: There’s an app for that. – A list of apps to help consumers buy socially and environmentally responsible products. (Melamed Riley blog)

New addition to the Fairly Friendly directory – Tammachat offers products made from handwoven textiles made by women’s artisan groups in Thailand and Laos.

Have favorite links of your own from last month? Share them in the comments!