Where to buy ethically produced, cheap women's clothing?

2335 Views 20 Replies 18 Participants Last post by USAmma, Feb 3, 2006

ChasingPeace

Discussion Starter · Jun 2, 2005

I have not been able to find cheap, ethically-produced women's clothing. I think it's harder for me b/c I'm still in the plus sizes for most things, but I know they have to be out there! If it matters, I'm partial to ethnically-inspired clothing right now. Thanks for any suggestions!

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

NightOwl

· #2 · Jun 2, 2005

would like to know too

Spock

· #3 · Jun 2, 2005

How about Marketplace India? I have a few of their things and really love them. The women who make the clothes benefit financially and gain business experience they wouldn't otherwise have access to. It's at https://www.marketplaceindia.org:444/mp30/

ChasingPeace

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 2, 2005

Wow, it's like the site was created just for me! It's a little pricey, but I should be able to get some nice pieces I feel good about. Thanks! If anyone else wants to share good affordable sources, please do!

ekblad9

· #5 · Jun 3, 2005

I am interested in this as well. How do you guys feel about buying things second hand even if it doesn't fall into the catagory of ethically made? DYKWIM? I mean, if it's already been purchased and I'm repurchasing it and extending it's life, is that OK?

Spock

· #6 · Jun 3, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by ekblad8
I am interested in this as well. How do you guys feel about buying things second hand even if it doesn't fall into the catagory of ethically made? DYKWIM? I mean, if it's already been purchased and I'm repurchasing it and extending it's life, is that OK?

I always try to buy used if I can. I figure that my purchase isn't doing anything to contribute to the creation of more sweatshop produced products since the company that produced it doesn't benefit financially from my purchase.

Anyway, I found some more places that have ethically produced clothing.

Good Humans http://www.goodhumans.com/

This is a list of fair trade companies with descriptions of what they produce. http://www.fairtradefederation.com/memol.html

Global Exchange http://store.gxonlinestore.org/clot...ccessories.html

Happy shopping!

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mrsalf97

· #7 · Jun 17, 2005

I'm going to start buying more used also. I guess I need to learn how to sew. Yesterday I did a google search for fair trade companies and there were a bunch.

luv my 2 sweeties

· #8 · Jun 21, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by ekblad8
I am interested in this as well. How do you guys feel about buying things second hand even if it doesn't fall into the catagory of ethically made? DYKWIM? I mean, if it's already been purchased and I'm repurchasing it and extending it's life, is that OK?

That's my philosophy -- if it's second hand, I pay no attention to the label. The damage has been done, and I'm actually helping *less* damage be done in the long run by not buying a brand new product. It's more environmentally sound, since even ethically produced items use resources, may create pollution, and are usually transported significant distances. Most stuff at the second hand store is "local", lol!

I suppose you might send mixed signals sometimes though. My son was wearing a shirt one day with the GAP logo prominantly displayed. The subject of hand-me-downs came up with a friend and I mentioned that his shirt was a hand-me-down from another friend. She chuckled and said,
"I wondered about that shirt! You don't shop at The Gap, do you?" She obviously knows me fairly well! :LOL

I always appreciate links for less expensive new stuff though! Thanks!

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brownay2

· #9 · Jun 28, 2005

I know I am always looking for hemp, or organic natural fiber clothing for cheap, but that never is the case. It always seems to go for a arm and a leg.

ChrisCountryGirl

· #10 · Jun 30, 2005

I posted a question similar to this and I been looking into clothing that are made of organic cotton or hemp. I'm also checking out clothes tbat are made in the US. I've checked out eBay and bought a few things and happy with the purchases that I made.

chersolly

· #11 · Jul 1, 2005

All of the clothing at www.americanapparel.net is sweatshop-free, made in the USA, afforable and they have an organic line.

fremontmama

· #12 · Jul 6, 2005

I second the pp. I was going to mention american apparel, and was glad to see that someone else brought it up too. They make great stuff, I love the shape of their shirts. And so many different types and colors to choose from!

kaydee

· #13 · Jul 6, 2005

The only problem with American Apparel is that their women's clothing is definitely *not* for pluz-sized women!

: (plus, the head of AA, Dov Charney, has been accused repeatedly of sexually harassing his employees.

Nothing has been proven, but he has admitted "mistakes" in the past, and their ads are certainly involve some hyper-sexualized images of young women. So I am not sure I feel comfortable calling AA an ethical company right now....)

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mama_daba

· #14 · Jul 7, 2005

there clothes arn't cheap but very nice http://rawganique.com/
i wish i could afford some of there stuff, i desperatly need new shorts and pants

kaydee

· #15 · Jul 13, 2005

There was an article about the sexual harassment issues at American Apparel in the NY Times this Sunday: "His Way Meets a Highway Called Court" (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/10/fa...=5070&emc=eta1

Some highlights:

Quote:

According to some former employees, however, sex is used for more than selling clothes at American Apparel. In two separate sexual harassment lawsuits, three plaintiffs who worked on American Apparel's administrative and sales staffs charge that they endured sexual misconduct and innuendo and an environment in which women did not feel safe....

Among the allegations: using crude language and gestures, conducting job interviews in his underwear, ordering the hiring of women in whom he had a sexual interest and giving one of the plaintiffs a vibrator.

In court papers Mr. Charney denied all the allegations. And in an e-mailed statement he said, "In my opinion their lawsuits are a false attempt to extort money from my company and exploit my transparent persona."

His lawyer, Andrew B. Kaplan, said Mr. Charney "will vigorously defend these lawsuits" and that the evidence will show that no sexual harassment occurred. "What they're trying to do," Mr. Kaplan said of the plaintiffs, "is use Mr. Charney's openness about his sexuality as a weapon against him."

Even under the murkiest of he-said, she-said circumstances, Mr. Charney's management style runs counter to American cultural and business norms and has left him vulnerable to the kind of claims he faces now, workplace experts and some of Mr. Charney's supporters said.

For instance, he takes many of the suggestive pictures and body-part close-ups of women, some of them also employees, that decorate his stores.

And in an article in Jane magazine last summer, Mr. Charney was described as engaging in oral sex with a female employee and masturbating in front of the writer several times with the writer's acquiescence....

The women suing Mr. Charney and American Apparel are not alleging that he pressured them for sex. What they say in their lawsuits is that they faced a "wholly intolerable" and "intimidating" work atmosphere that subjected them to "egregious" sexual comments and behavior.

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mamaGjr

· #16 · Sep 26, 2005

Always some kinda controversy ! UGH! nothing is free of hypocrisy!

michelle1k

· #17 · Sep 27, 2005

I buy used where I can (usually on Ebay) - I agree with the poster(s) who said that it extends the lifecycle of the product and is not contributing to, or aiding and abetting, the misery caused by the manufacturing. But I make sure to avoid anything with prominent logos for myself or my children - not just b/c I want to avoid sending mixed messages to my children and others, but because I don't want to be a walking billboard.

.

Warmly,
Michelle in NY

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Carley

· #18 · Sep 27, 2005

Goodwill

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merpk

· #19 · Feb 3, 2006

Can't say enough good about this place ... Marketplace India. Casual and dress stuff, it's all there. All fairly traded fabrics. Empowering low income women who design and produce the product (clothing and housewares). An excellent, excellent site.

(And their customer service is also excellent.

)

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JesseMomme

· #20 · Feb 3, 2006

One place I like is www.devalifewear.com - it's pricey but their stuff lasts forever so if you want that one shirt that goes with everything and won't wear out...I call that cheap in the end

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