Todays post comes from my good friend Katie Metzger, co-founder and creative director of Same Thread. 

Ethical Fashion: Why We Should Give A Damn

What we wear tells a story of who we are and what we value. It is a powerful expression of self-identity that is often one of the first things that others take notice of. We communicate a story without words through these mundane, everyday choices.

Look at the clothes you are wearing right now….What story do they tell about you? We often strive to construct an image through clothing to expresses internal qualities such as creativity, free spiritedness or minimalism. But how often do we use clothing to express our values of sustainability, social justice or empowerment?

In our increasing fast-moving world, clothing construction and fashion have become less of an art of self-expression and more of a disposable commodity. On our backs one day, in the trash the next. The explosion of “fast fashion” in recent decades has proved to be disastrous both environmentally and economically for garment workers and their communities worldwide. Would you believe that 80-90% of what you are wearing was made in inhumane, unsustainable conditions? The hard truth this is most often the case. Sweatshops are not a thing of the past and expensive or high-end clothing is not exempt to this problem.

This is hard to swallow, and as someone who loves fashion and also strives to be an advocate for social justice, it can seem too overwhelming to even think about. However, information and acknowledgement is where change begins. So why should you give a damn about where your clothing comes from and what can you, practically, do?

When discussing the issue of ethicality in the clothing industry, one may have images of sweatshops and child laborers in developing nations toiling all day in inhumane conditions. Although this image may seem extreme, it is a very real aspect of our current garment and fashion industry practices worldwide. Sweatshops from Bangladesh to Cambodia to Mexico routinely pay their workers less than $1.20 per day for their work. This is not a living wage, even in the most poverty-stricken communities. The chronic underpayment of garment industry workers creates a cycle of poverty in already struggling communities, in turn contributing to other social issues resulting from poverty such as lack of access to education, health problems, and sex work. Not to mention the environmental toll that fast fashion takes on the communities in which they are made. Sweatshops are not only present in developing nations but are also a growing problem in the United States.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in recent years roughly 11,000 U.S. based factories were cited as violating workers’ rights and not paying laborers a minimum wage. This shows the problem of human rights violations in textile and garment factories is not only an international problem but a domestic problem as well. Additionally, many companies touted as being ethically made have had numerous sweatshop scandals. When it comes to clothing ethicality we must learn to be active, not passive, consumers of information.

Recently a study was conducted by the American Sociological Association regarding the marketability of fair trade products; this study found that an overwhelming majority of consumers would pay $1-$5 more for items they know are made in an ethical way. Although large strides towards ethical production have been made in the coffee, chocolate and food industry, the clothing industry remains hugely underserved.

You may say “Well, now I’m thoroughly depressed… What can I actually do without having to trade in all my favorite items for hemp, organic, recycled burlap sack crap?” All change starts with small steps. Here are some suggestions for leaning into change when it comes to fashion:

1. Realize that someone is paying the price for your clothing…is it you or the garment worker?Jeans should cost more than $9.99. When you come across clothing that is extremely cheap ask yourself, “what kind of production practices lend itself to producing a $3 tank top”? The answer is usually pretty obvious.
2. Inform yourself about your favorite brands. It is well-known that companies such as Forever 21, H&M, Victoria’s Secret, and Wal-Mart have unethical supply chains. However, information and transparency is severely lacking for many brands, especially those that are higher end. Do some digging online and if nothing is available, request information. Here is a thorough list to get you started on what companies to avoid and which to buy.
3. If you are unsure, shop local and second-hand. Finding local markets and boutiques that sell items from local designers supports your community’s economy and makes it easier to engage in conversation and get information. Also, second-hand and vintage shopping can be a cost-effective and fun way to go! Most of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe were found at great vintage stores. I love that shopping locally and second-hand gives me a unique wardrobe and personal style.
4. Start exploring and support fair trade fashion companies. As I stated earlier, finding fair trade clothing that is actually fashionable can be a struggle. Many fair trade clothing companies are either insanely expensive or produce clothing you wouldn’t want to wear. However, lately there has been a huge surge of new fashionable clothing companies that are competitively priced. Here is a list of some of my current fair trade favorites: Della LA, Reformation, People Tree, Fortress of Inca.

Due to the lack of choice in the ethical clothing market, I was inspired to create and launch an ethically made, eco-friendly women’s clothing company that works to economically empower women. Same Thread works with women in NE Thailand providing job skills training and stable employment in an effort to combat the prevalence of sex work through prevention. For more information visit us at Samethread.com.

Informing ourselves and leaning into change is the first step to breaking our collective addiction to fast fashion. Join me in working to bring ethical progress to the fashion industry.

Katie is a native Pacific Northwesterner with a passion for social justice and bringing fair trade businesses practices into the mainstream. In 2014 she completed her MA in International Development, where she focused on social enterprise and its capacity to economically empower women. On a typical Saturday she can be found cooking, sewing, drawing, listening to records, vintage shopping, sipping whiskey and playing with her puppies at her home in Seattle. 

There's something stark about Soviet design and propaganda art. The harsh lines. Limited colors. Lenin lurking ominously in the background. There's also something very intriguing in it. Those same harsh lines speak of a reality that I have no experience in. They draw me in to a world that still exists, just in a different fashion. Sure the fall of the U.S.S.R in 1989-90 put an end to a lot of the feelings that Westerners had about the Russian motherland but a lot of the harsh lines in those posters from the late 1910's to early 1970's still hold significance.

I'm a big fan of Wassily Kandinsky and his geometric style of modern art. My favorite Kandinksy work is his Yellow – red – blue (1925) that ultimately broke with the constructivism and suprematism that came to be the hallmark of Soviet propaganda posters, showcasing freedom from organization and order. It was his own way of rebelling against the revolution occurring around him in his homeland, shortly before moving to Germany and then Paris.

My first formal introduction to Soviet propaganda art was at London's Tate Modern where in the late 2000's they had an exhibit featuring great examples from that era. I was blown away by the intricacy of these pieces that were meant to inform, and ultimately model, a new society. Constructivism pushed using art for social purposes, a natural extension after the Russian revolution and the forming of the Soviet persona under Lenin. Art as a way to serve the political and cultural means of a country sounds completely counterintuitive to the art I think of now, which seems to be more countercultural than ever, pushing boundaries and holding governments to accountability.

Nowhere else but Mosselprom - 1925

One of my favorite examples is 1925's  "Nowhere else but Mosselprom." It's almost an exercise in branding for a communist department store. Part of the appeal is the Russian alphabet and the otherworldly nature that it gives the composition. It's almost what you're used to, but not quite. I think this went a long way in shaping how Americans saw Russians. We didn't understand the letters in their language, immediately throwing their culture into a far off category.

The arrows point to the building in way that signifies 'this is the only place a true Russian would shop.' It's a powerful symbol. Also, notice the utilitarian design of the building, stark and made for a purpose that could easily change to a defensive stronghold at any moment. The use of red in the propaganda posters also made them stand out. The black and white backgrounds that usually accompanied the red accents played into the juxtaposition of the pieces. These weren't merely artworks, but advertisements from the government, not far off from a tweet from the White House today.

Feminism in Soviet Design and Art

Liberated woman – build up socialism! - 1926

One thing that struck me was the inclusion of women in Soviet art. For a movement that was marked by macho-male figures, and still is to an extent, the female population was readily included in the worker's movement. In 1926's "Liberated woman – build up socialism!" you see a very strong portrayal of a female worker that contributed to society in the factories and fields alongside the men. This piece also highlights the use of red for declaring a message and black and white for the scene. The poster leaves what the women is holding in her hands a mystery. Is it a gun, broom or tool? That's up to the viewer, leaving room for any woman to see herself as part of the worker's movement.

For its part that it played in shaping how the common person saw the communist Soviet movement, it has to be hailed as one of the greatest ad campaigns ever executed. It rallied people behind a common cause and belief and allowed the government to use graphical representations to push its message. If that's not modern marketing, I'm not sure what is.

You can read more about Soviet design and propaganda art here.

If you're looking for a gift for that special writer in your life, look no further than Bull & Stash. The company's handmade in the U.S. leather notebooks come in normal or travel (my preferred) size and come with 30 pages of thick bleed resistant 60# paper that can be refilled via the company's handy refill subscription service for your paper, with a new 50 page refill sent to your doorstep every month.

We produce journals for thinkers and for creatives. However, once you fill a Bull & Stash, you don’t leave it to gather dust on a shelf and pursue a new notebook rotation. Your journal is as significant a part of your identity as your ideas— why rotate through your identity?

Paper On Demand

I love the idea of a subscription service for paper refills. It pushes you to keep creating and coming up with new ideas to fill your notebooks with. Bull & Stash recently finished their Indiegogo campaign, raising nearly triple what they originally asked for to start production. So grab one for your fiend, family member or just get one for yourself and start writing down all that creative inspiration that hits you in the shower, car or wherever.

For whatever adventures, projects, lists or stories lie ahead, we've made a notebook that you can take with you every step of the way.

Update 12/15/16: I've been using my Bull & Stash notebook for a year now and it's travelled to a lot of different places. The paper refill system works seamlessly and the small size of the travel journal makes it ideal for slipping into my back pocket. I use it with my Fisher Space Pen to keep things light and portable. 

Glen Hansard has been one of my favorite artists for a very long time. From his time as founder of The Frames to The Swell Season, his lyrics connect with me in a way that most others just don't. Most people in America know him as the "guy" in the movie Once, which was an amazing film that featured some really great songs. His first solo album, Rhythm and Repose was one of my favorite albums of 2012 and his latest solo effort, Didn't He Ramble is quickly becoming one of my all-time top albums. In the video below, Myles O'Reilly followed Glen as he made Ramble and you get a unique insight into his views on creativity and voice. I love this quote from his producer on the record; "we all know you're great and all, we just don't know if you're any good." It's at that point that you know he's surrounded himself with the right people to make music, people who aren't afraid to push back and make you second guess yourself.

Art as a Career

The career of an artist is a funny thing. In the documentary below, Glen talks about music sometimes being so personal that it has no actual value to other people. "Why am I asking the public to take part in it, if it's just about exercising my own demons," says Hansard. "Surely you can do that at home."

I think that's something that every artist, no matter what medium, struggles with. Is this just a passion or is there an avenue to invite the greater world into that same feeling? Am I connecting or just dragging the audience along?

Grace Beneath the Pines

My favorite song on the record is the opening track, "Grace Beneath The Pines." There's something haunting and real about the whole song, it just seems to sit with you long after the headphones come off. The way that he sings "I'll get through this," voice quivering and full of anguish, just drags you into this song of redemption and hope.

Every time I hear it, I picture myself walking along the Thames in 2009, a chill March wind blowing swiftly. The pines turn into buildings and street lamps as I try to find an open Tube station. It was a pivotal moment in my life, on a short holiday from my time in Paris. I was struggling to find my own way in life, an identity that I'm still not sure stuck well. There was lots of late nights and walking, but those lights brought some kind of grace to my life, even if just temporary. Sometimes that's all you need.

The documentary below is definitely worth a watch, but if you want to skip ahead to where Glen Hansard talks about creativity just go to the 9:00 minute mark and the 14:30 minute mark. It's definitely a great look into the mind of a wonderful artist and the creative process behind making a record. The video above is my wife's favorite track from the record, "McCormack's Wall," which is based on a true story from Glen's past. I'm pretty sure it's because of the beautiful Irish ballad undertones and violins at the end. I really need to take her to Ireland soon. A small cottage by the water, that sounds about right. Soon.

I absolutely adore this video. Forced perspective, beautiful scenery, dreamy music. What's not to love. Enjoy your Saturday and get lost, even if just for a short while, in Paris, the City of Love.

[Via Maison Carnot]

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page. – Saint Augustine