6 Tips for an Ethical Spring Wardrobe

I don’t want to jinx it but I think spring might actually be here...

We haven’t had snow in over a week, the daily temperature highs are consistently above zero, and the world of Instagram is gushing over fresh greenery and little flower blossoms. Could it be we have officially survived another Winnipeg winter?

One trademark notification the nicer weather is here is how suddenly we all want to be outdoors! The only catch is, it isn’t really THAT nice outside yet, so what are we to do? We could layer up and hit the pavements, venturing into our dull and drab, dirty, and still dead looking city. However, a more common answer is go shopping! Spring weather brings out the "I have nothing to wear" mentality, which leads to the coveted ‘spring wardrobe’. After a winter of hiding indoors nothing says ‘welcome spring’ like new clothing-- and this new clothing often screams 'summer is coming!' while it adorns your 'summer has been gone waaay too long' pasty body.

The first signs of spring often leave us wanting to reinvent ourselves to reflect the rejuvenation that comes with budding leaves and rain showers. We are given a time in life where anything seems possible, where we can be anyone, where the winter melts away to reveal the new person we have become.

The 'spring wardrobe' often reflects the change of self. For us humans, a heavy sense of pride is put on our outward appearance—it’s the most basic way we represent ourselves to those we haven’t been able to communicate with. The classic 'first impression' is simply the outward reflection out of our heart in a way the world can see. We are beautiful and unique, and it’s at the break of spring when shake the dust off of colours, patterns, and our sense of who we are, and bring it to new life.

This whole ‘new spring wardrobe’ thing is something we will never get rid of so we need to find a way to make it ethical and sustainable.

First off, when you get the jitters in the warmer weather to go into all the cute stores selling spring radiance and summer whimsy of memories to come, take a moment and remember; you are a strong person who values human lives and believes every person should be treated fairly. 

Now, let's take a deep breath, remember spring has existed before, and let's go over my 6 tips for an ethical spring wardrobe.

.. And trust me, tip number 6 is super fun!

• Tip One: Go through your closet and see what you already have that works for spring.

This step comes with a warning! Do not perform step one if you are currently feeling all sorts of lustful towards the latest prints, silhouettes, and trends. Doing so will just make you want to toss everything in sight and start over. 

One day, as you are casually folding laundry, decide to open up the closet and asses all the items available to you. Chances are, most of your wardrobe is spring appropriate. It is in this years hottest colour or fad silhouette? Maybe not. Is it still wearable? Probably—especially if it is still in your closet.  Chances are many of your items will still work if paired with different accessories or other complimentary items (which we will address soon! Keep reading!)

• Tip Two: Make a list of anything you actually need.

The truth is, there may be an item or two you actually need. A light-weight jacket? A pair of casual runners? Currently, I am without a pair of flats. The pair I currently own are from years ago and are without support (which my feet can’t take these days) and are getting pretty tattered. My closet currently contains boots and heels—no sort of generic flat footwear for daytime strolls or hitting up festivals (or hot dog carts). It’s understandable to need a few items—clothing worn for years wears out or ends up not fitting quite right. Asses what you actually need and make a list! 

• Tip Three: Source out what you need and purchase.

I use the phrase ‘source out’ because I don’t want you to go into the mall and grab whatever strikes your fancy of the latest trends. I want you to do a quick google search of “ethical and sustainable ________”. You fill in the blank of what you are looking to purchase. Options will pop up that will be good for your wardrobe and those making the item. 

*A little note, these items may be a little more pricey—which means you will want to make a smart decision when purchasing. Choose silhouettes, colours and styles that will last past this spring and summer. You want timeless, not on-trend-for-the-next-10-minutes.

*Another great place to source clothing from are second hand stores, a local shop that sells locally made garments, or even a friends closet!

• Tip Four: Play Dress Up!

Take everything out of your closet and start playing around with what you own! If you’re like most people (myself, included), we are creatures of habit and tend to pair together the same ensembles time after time. Try on a skirt with your favourite top instead of jeans, wear a dress but throw a cardigan over top, play with accessories like hats and jewelry. Even something as simple as tucking in a shirt can add a whole new, more trendy look, to an outfit that may already be a staple in your closet. Playing around with what you have will help you realize your closet full of clothing is still wearable and still relevant.

• Tip Five: Remember Summer is around the corner!

Before you go crazy buying ‘SPRING’ items, remember that in a couple months, summer will be hitting the shelves and you’ll find your closet lacking in the wardrobe department once again. Take this opportunity to find pieces that will work for both seasons! Tank tops can be paired with lighter weight cardigans, jeans can roll up, and booties work with just about any outfit.

• EXTRA FUN PRO TIP 6!  Have a clothing swap!

If you have a number of friends all feeling the spring wardrobe craze, set a date for a clothing swap! Grab some wine and snacks, and invite your friends to come over, telling them to bring anything they’d want to get rid of! Shut the drapes, set out all the clothing, and shop through what everyone else wants to get rid of! You might find some amazing things you’ve been meaning to buy, and you’ll get try on fun silhouettes and prints with the help of friends who are honest with you-- not sales staff looking for commission. Donate any left over clothing to a women’s shelter or second hand store. I went to a clothing swap a few years back and left with an awesome maxi dress I still have!

I know I say it often but it’s so important—we vote with our dollars for the world we want to see! If you want to see a world where no one is a victim, where those making your clothing (and food, and electronics, and any other item you use) are treated fairly throughout the process, and where companies place more value on humans than on profits, shop smart! Shop ethical companies with standards in place so you know you're being an advocate for change with your hard earned dollars, shop second hand, shop local, shop your friends closets!

And with the money you save from completely re-buying your entire wardrobe, use that cash to buy a stranger a coffee, donate some cash to a local animal shelter, or buy some plants for your living space. Spring brings about that feeling of unstoppable reinvention; a desire to create love and light, breathe in the enchantment of fresh air, and feel unstoppable —be that love and light and spread it wherever you go. You’ll feel happier than any brand new spring wardrobe could ever bring!

For more info on creating an ethical wardrobe—

check out my how to post!

Ethical Easter

"Hundreds of thousands of children labour in the West Coast of Africa to produce cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate. Specifically, over 40% of the global supply originates in the Ivory Coast, where the US Department of State reports that over 109,000 children work under the worst forms of child labour. Of these 10,000 are victims of human trafficking or enslavement. Children working in cocoa production labour long hours and are often required to use dangerous tools. They are frequently exposed to toxic pesticides in the fields that create health issues and are forced to walk long distances in extreme heat. Furthermore, because these children work long hours they are denied access to an education." -- From Free2Work.org 

It may have been a few years since working with Not For Sale in the seemingly always foggy and slightly chilly Half Moon Bay, but the knowledge I learned while memorizing statistics and information from presentations for the Not For Sale Tour will pop up in my head from time to time. These fleeting moments of information overload present themselves at the most inconvenient of times…often when I don’t have the power to change anything, even when I wish I could.

These moments occur most often at work.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with where I work, I work at an adorable boutique bakery whose delicious treats are absolutely incredible, and whose instagram feed, social media marketing, and overall aesthetic is unparalleled by any other bakery. Sticking to brand name products ensures we provide the best of the best to our customers, who come in knowing an Oreo does actually taste different from ‘cookies and cream’ knock-off cookies.

It’s actually very interesting when you think about it—an entire culture where we’ve been sold the ideal that brand names mean better quality and a better product. Where even the name of a product alluring to a brand more commonly known is what customers will buy. They don’t want something that’s just chocolate peanut butter—they want something chocolate peanut butter cup (which is a whole blog post all on it’s own!).

This brings me to where my heart aches at a busy time such as Easter.

As someone who is continually striving in my personal and outside-of-my-day-job-professional life to not give in to the societal claims of excellence from brand names and their façade of high end living, but am trying to live in an authentic way which showcases an alternative life of ethical purchasing and living, it can be hard to work where Mini Egg everything is a necessity.

So where does that leave me?

First off, it leaves me to admit that I do enjoy sneaking a mini egg (or five) when they are sitting in the kitchen. They are so darn delicious!

But more importantly, it leaves me exactly where it leaves you—looking for other ethical options for my upcoming Easter celebrations because there will always be situations in life we can’t control—which means we need to appreciate the extreme value in situations we can control, and not squander them when they reveal themselves.

SHARE this image and show you plan to have
an Ethical Easter!

This Easter I want to encourage you to make a stand for the rights of human beings around the globe in going above the cute packaging, clever marketing, and adorable egg and bunny shapes that overtake your senses in stores. I want you to commit to purchasing ethically made chocolate and candy.

While a task like this does get easier every year, it is still a leap away from being as easy as it is to head into your local super retailer, and buy some cheap priced chocolate from the shelves while also purchasing your vegetables and cat food. As you swim through an ocean of rich, milky, indulgences in Superstore, Walmart, Shoppers Drugmart, etc. do you see a Fair Trade option? And I mean a real fair trade option—none  of this Cadbury-providing-Dairy Milk-as-their-ONLY-Fair-trade option? Do you see chocolate eggs in festive packaging made by a company that is dedicated to caring about those that work to get the cocoa from the field to the production line? Chances are, in your average retail store in Canada, these particular items are not lining the shelves in mass quantities.

It's going to take time, effort, and research to find chocolate and candy options that care about those individuals making the treat first, and profits second. You'll have to venture into stores you might not normally take a look in (Ten Thousand Villages, or even some health food stores), and you may even have to order goodies online. My hope is you will realize how often we contribute to the continuation and expansion of slavery around the world. One place I’ve found recently is Bulk Barn. Surprisingly enough, they provide a decent selection of fairtrade products. Another great option are the ‘healthy/organic’ aisles of Superstore. While you might not find fairtrade adorable eggs stocked in bulk like mini eggs, an ethical chocolate bar wrapped in DIY Easter packaging can be festive enough to have someone forget they aren’t getting chocolate in an egg shape.

While the general idea behind this post is to have an Ethical Easter, I think the real challenge is accepting, acknowledging and allowing this challenge to resonate in your day-to-day life. Our day-to-day lives are tainted with slavery. Valuable and worthy human lives are often exploited in making our worthless products.  The people making the items we treat as so disposable are being disposed of themselves by our blatant disregard for their existence. Documentaries like The Dark Side of Chocolate, and The True Cost, are showcasing the direct impact our consumerism has on the lives of those creating the products we purchase often without much thought (except to our bank accounts).

The window of knowledge has been slowly opening to shine bright light into the dark room of slavery, and those who peer through the window are actively trying to do something.

People are starting to notice.

People are starting to care.

A movement is happening.

Be someone who makes decisions to pursue ideals that would make your grandma proud—choose to be a smart consumer, choose to acknowledge the lives of people making your chocolate as valuable and worthy of the same basic rights as you are, be someone who doesn’t give into the craze of mini eggs and fight back with your purchasing power. And, most importantly, allow this mentality to radiate into your everyday life.

Will you have an Ethical Easter?

FAQ's:
Will Fair Trade or Ethical chocolate be more expensive?
Yes, it will be. With good reason-- caring about everyone in the supply chain! From those farming to those working in the factories, the people in the supply chain are treated fairly. It's worth it to spend a little more to know that people are being treated right!

So the chocolate is more expensive, which means I can't buy as much. What about the traditions of my friends/family/children/co-workers/neighbours/general human beings I am in contact with have? 
I understand that your family tradition is to hid a bazillion chocolate eggs all around the house and do a massive hunt on Easter Sunday. Traditions can be adjusted! Instead of hiding a bazillion eggs, hide clues that lead to a basket of treats! It's still a hunt and still awesome! Maybe you could splurge and hide a bazillion fair trade eggs!

How can I explain to my youth group/family/co-workers why they aren't receiving the generic chocolate they expect and love, without making it seem like I am being a jerk?
No one wants to make someone feel bad. Explain to them that you have been learning about what happens with the production of chocolate, and that you are using your purchasing power to make a difference. We've all been the person who had no idea this was happening. Take this opportunity to share with them the excitement you have about being a conscious consumer! Maybe you'll get them in on the movement! Even kids can find a connection. Does your kid love to go to school? Does your kid love to play sports, or dance, etc. Connecting the dots of "You get to do this, but not all kids get to. Some kids have to work all day long." can make a huge impact!

RESOURCES:

Here is some information I have found to be helpful in both learning about the topic and having information to share!

World Vision Ethical Chocolate Infographic 

Good Chocolate Guide

10 Fairtrade, Organic, and Vegan Sources for Ethical Chocolate 

My Favourite Easter Candy Doesn't Exist (one of my favourites since they broke down the only ethical alternatives to the delicious mini egg!)

Also, feel free to google "Ethical Easter Chocolate" and see what comes up! Countless articles of people expressing information on how slavery goes into our festivities is available for your viewing.