WORD • 10 ethical shopping commandments
Artwork: Lucy Roleff
When I met my husband, one of the first things that delighted me (but mostly my mum), was his revelation that it was socially acceptable to HAGGLE in an ACTUAL Australian store (read: not a Moroccan souk). On one outing, he proceeded to do so, and managed to nab a 20% discount on our dishwasher.
“It’s one of the shopping commandments”, he said nonchalantly to my wide-eyed mum, “thou shalt not pay retail”. Cue wedding bells.
Since making my pledge to live a kinder consumer life, I thought it’d be best to think more about the commandments I will strive to live by, and what they mean.
So here they are.
What?
1. Buy natural fibres
Buy items made from fibres that are: natural, organic, sustainable, recycled, non-toxic (GOTS cotton for example)
2. Buy vintage or secondhand
This applies especially to children’s clothes. Those squishy baby feet barely have one week to fit into prized designer booties before they get too big. Or, if you have to buy new, (I understand: hormones, dress-ups, teeny tiny EVERYTHING) share the love and donate them when you’re done to a friend, family member or charity shop.
3. Buy items made in small quantities (ideally handmade)
So there’s less mass production involved (fewer giant factories = reduced carbon emissions, water and air pollution, and toxic waste) and you’ll support the dying art of real craftsmanship. Thumbs up.
Where?
4. Shop local
You’ve heard of “food miles”? What about “clothes miles”? Did you know the production of a single garment often involves at least three different countries?! Buying locally produced things is best for the environment (less travel miles means lowered carbon emissions). Plus, local production creates local jobs, supports local economies, and makes it easier to resolve ambiguities about the supply chain.
5. Do your research
If an otherwise ethical product is made overseas, consider researching where, and by whom, as different countries have different laws about manufacturing, environmental regulation, and workers’ rights.
6. Shop local abroad
You know what they say about those impulse holiday purchases that look ridiculous the minute you touch down at home? Well, you may be losing more than your dignity by purchasing them; as even in the most remote locations, souvenir shops sell cheap tat that looks authentic at first glance, but is actually made in China. If you want a souvenir, best to apply commandment number 3 and find something that’s the specialty of the region and genuinely handmade by locals. I still have my fez (from Fez!) and I won’t hear a word against it.
Who?
7. Ask who made your stuff
Ask shopkeepers and business owners who made your dress/furniture/cushion of a thousand Nicholas Cages. Even if you can’t find out or the brand is not transparent about their supply chain online, at least you might have started a conversation. Some businesses might not know their customers actually care about who makes their products.
8. Don’t be “greenwashed”
As if you didn’t know it already, marketing is king, and big brands use “greenwashing” – throwing around words like ‘corporate social responsibility’, ‘Fairtrade’, ‘sustainable’, ‘ethical’, ‘environmentally friendly’. Some companies even claim to donate to charitable causes to hustle for your cash. Be a savvy shopper and find out whether the squeaky clean campaign is actually a distraction tactic from otherwise unethical manufacturing processes. Also make sure the company you heard was supporting Fair Trade actually still is, as some use the Fairtrade logo without committing to the scheme any longer.
9. Shop small
Buy once, and buy well. Support small businesses and shop for quality products from independent stores. No more big chain stores or fast fashion, even if it’s heavily discounted and the salesperson says you look like Blake Lively on a flying unicorn in it.
10. Waste not, want not
Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, sacrifice your style for ethical living. If you don’t love it, don’t buy it, because you won’t use it. And the planet doesn’t need your crummy cast-offs in landfill, ya wombat!
So them's the rules.
And just so we’re clear, this list is aspirational, a guide to live by without being confined. Because just like any normal human, it’s unlikely that I’ll have the time and money to buy the ethical product over the cheap and nasty one every single time, especially for baby stuff that I need immediately yesterday.
But it’s a start, and I’m excited.
Have I whet your ethical shopping whistle?
Go forth and educate yaself:
International Labour Organization