The Ethical Shopper

(A glimpse of my closet.)

There’s been some backlash against ethical shopping lately, and while I normally take things like this in stride, I can’t say it didn’t ruffle my feathers, too. Leah from Style Wise wrote an excellent response recently, and she makes some valid points. I definitely recommend that you read it and take her suggestions to heart. Leah examines the issue on a more global scale and offers ways in which brands, bloggers, and consumers can make changes that will hopefully have greater lasting impact.

One of the things that frightens me most about these recent articles is that they seem to give regular shoppers a pass. If ethical shopping doesn’t really exist, then there’s nothing we can do to reduce the extreme poverty and hardships experienced by the makers of our clothes on the other side of the world. We might as well shrug our shoulders and keep doing what we’re doing, because it doesn’t really matter. We can’t change things, so why bother trying?

But the flaw in that argument is that it absolves us, as privileged shoppers, of any responsibility in the current state of affairs. The truth is, instead, that we can change things, if not on a grand scale, then very slowly, one person at a time. And that’s something, I think.

I realize, in the great scheme of things, that my small blog and my purchases aren’t going to change the world, and I know that I’m still participating in a cycle of consumerism that is broken at its very core. I’ve always liked shopping and fashion, and as I’ve come to learn about fair trade and ethical products, I’ve found a way to channel those interests into my blog and my lifestyle. I have the time and the resources to educate myself about the purchases I make, and I know that many people don’t have those same luxuries.

But my guess is that, if you’re reading this, you’re probably a lot like me, and your interests are somewhat similar, too. Hopefully the things I share will encourage you to make a few changes in your own shopping habits, or at the very least, will help you understand the bigger picture. I’ve learned too much to give up now, and I can’t imagine going back to my old consumer habits. I’ll always be an ethical shopper, and I hope I can encourage you to look more closely at your shopping habits, too.