The Good: H&M Conscious Collection blouse • Thrifted Reiss coat
The Not-So-Good: Madewell jacket and sknnies • AE belt • Hunter boots

The Good: Mettle necklace • H&M Conscious Collection tank
The Eh: Blank cords • Hunter boots • Fast Fashion sweater

Ever since my ethical fashion awakening a few months back, I haven’t bought very much. I’ve picked up a few things at thrift stores, but I want to learn to shop less and shop better (thereby chipping away  at the fast fashion industry and my own voracious inner consumerism monster).

That sounds all very noble and good, doesn’t it? Well the second I heard about H&M revealing their Conscious Collection, I felt the consumerism monster rub his hands together with glee. He and I had visions of vegan bags, recycled metal bangles, and pretty spring dresses doing a guilt-free conga line in my head. Da da da da dah. DAH!

But once I was faced with an array of green-tagged items, I took it a little slower and remembered that I should just buy what I really like and think I will use. If a main tenant of being more ethical and sustainable is buying less, than the conga line needs to stay a fun, fluffy dream.

If you do go to tackle your own ethical demons at H&M, make sure to look for the green tags and the pink-threaded label. They have their conscious collection mixed in with their regular duds, and it took me a bit of “Crap! That dress isn’t actually made of organic cotton” to realize that just because it’s in the “Conscious Collection” display does not mean it’s conscious — a bit tricksy if you ask me.

If you want to know what they mean by “conscious” here are a few quick bullets about the collection:

• H&M is the number one user of organic cotton world wide

• They aim to make all of their clothing from organic, sustainable cotton by 2020

• They work with Unicef to protect children’s rights

• 72% of managerial positions are held by females

• They have skilled workers programs set up in Bangladesh

• In 2011 they donated 2.3 million garments to charities

I’m really impressed by how much information (i.e. transparency) H&M have on their website about their different efforts to be a better company. Most brands will give you, if you’re lucky, their usual “we carefully inspect our suppliers and make sure they are following their country’s workers’ rights guidelines” answer, which means diddly-squat.

To read more about all their initiatives here are some links:

• H&M Conscious Collection

• H&M charity work

• H&M cotton sustainability

• How H&M are actually improving workers’ conditions

• On most of these pages there is also a link in the sidebar to their 2011 Concious Actions Sustainability Report 2011. I’m making my way through this 89 page pdf today.

I just think this is so exciting! When a mega-huge fast fashion company is working its way toward sustainability, others (i.e. the rest) can’t be far behind. As consumers, if we keep pushing for more ethically and sustainably produced fashion, we will get it! By buying less and buying only “conscious” labels, you really do make a difference. Pretty fantabulouso, me thinks!

Oh and just in case you’re wondering, H&M is not and has never been a sponsor. I wasn’t invited to the Conscious Collection preview or fancy opening. I found out about their collection through bloggers that were invited to said shindigs. So this is unbiased blathering on my part.

Okay and now to let your ethically-focused minds have a rest, I leave you with another cute photo of our neighbor’s puppy:

——

Dear Cath,

Good luck on your exam today! I will be thinking happy and very statiscally thoughts for you this afternoon/evening.

Miss you ooooodles and ooodles. Wish I could go H&M conscious shopping with you.

Love,

Lar

So when I started this hullabaloo about ethical dressing I had another twinge of doubt/guilt (along with the massive twinges of “I need to shop less and more conscientiously!”). Cath and I are low-key as far as blog sponsors go, but we do have a couple. And here comes the twinge. How could I be so hypocritical! We have sponsors and I don’t even know where their products are sourced. Tsk, tsk.

To rectify this (and stop the head twinging – ouch!) I got in touch with our affiliate sponsor Shopbop, and asked if they could send us a list of their eco-friendly lines. They have a handy list of designers on their site, but no page that groups all of the eco labels together and explains exactly how eco/ethical they are. So here’s a handy list and explanation for ya:

Cleobella: A California-based brand that was inspired by a year of travel to foreign lands. All of their bags are handmade in Indonesia and Bali by local artisans and many of the materials are recycled. Their website also says that their leftover fabrics and leathers are given to charities that support local Balinese villages. They mention Care on their site under “Philanthropy” — woohoo!– but they don’t specifically mention how this is connected to their business. A percent of their profits perhaps? For more info on Cleobella, click here.

Kora: Oooh I like these guys. They use locally-sourced and recycled materials from around Africa (Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana) and the pieces are made by local artisans living in developing communities. Kora’s philosophy is “trade not aid” — providing sustainable economic growth to these communities — so cool! “Kora” means “work” in Kinyarwanda. To find out more, click here.

A Peace Treaty: an ethically-produced collection of jewelry and scarves started by a Pakistani Muslim and a Libyan Jew (I thought the name was a bit cheesy until I read that). They work in a different region of the world each season to provide fair-trade work to out-of-work artisans and disabled and widowed women. On their site they say that each jewelry or scarf collection resuscitates ancient handmade textile and metalsmithing techniques that are at risk of extinction. To read more, click here.

Lizzie Fortunato Jewels: designed and operated by twins, so you know it has to be good (wink, wink — I’m so subtle!). They use reclaimed and found materials for many of their pieces. I love these beautiful and simple designs. They have gorgeous, larger statement necklaces as well, but they go a bit beyond our price range. I’d like to know more about where they make their pieces and who makes them, but I’ll have a hunt around their blog and see if I can find out more.

Alkemie Jewelry: talons and skulls, ooo lala! These guys can claim that 100% of their designs are made of reclaimed materials and everything is made by hand in downtown L.A. I really love when companies are truly trying to follow what they say is important: sustainability and caring for their employees and the environment. I feel like a lot of supposedly eco-friendly brands I read about just scratch the surface and ride the green wave. Read more about Alkemie’s philosophy and story here.

Chinti and Parker: clothes! A British company that is carbon neutral and they state on their site that they are the opposite of fast fashion – woohoo! The downside is I know they are a bit pricey — boohoo. But they do a great job of explaining exactly how they stay eco/ethically friendly on their site (click here): almost all of their items are made in the EU, they want to make pieces that stand the test of time (less buying), their packaging is fair trade, all of their materials but the bamboo jersey is 100% organic, and they continue to try to come up with ways to be even more ethical and environmentally friendly. Let the saving begin!

Woohoo! Lovely list, right? Now I know what you might be thinking if you checked out some of these designers on Shopbop — they aren’t cheap. I do feel the one (fairly major) downside to ethical and eco shopping is the price. I know these designers aren’t as easily attainable as our cheapy loves of yore (F21, Primark, etc.). I do find it frustrating not to be able to scratch my shopping impulse itches any more with just $20 (that’s shoes and a cute blouse at Primark). Instead, I find myself gritting my teeth and having to think “Okay, do you need this? How was this made?” It certainly isn’t as fun, but I swear (even as I grind my teeth down to stubs) it’s much more rewarding.

With that thinking in mind, Cath and I both saved up for necklaces from Mettle via Shopbop. We wanted statement necklaces that were very wearable (no feathers or bright colors – love that, but needed something more versatile if we were going to spend over $100).

What’s really cool about this choker is that it’s made from recycled metal formerly used in bomb shells dropped by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Now that metal is being used by a fair-trade, non-profit skills training project in Cambodia by Mettle. A horrible, dangerous thing now being used in a sustainable way. Thumbs up all around.

I’ll keep plugging away at this ethical “investigation” and I hope it helps you guys if you are interested! I know some of you might be like “hush up, Lar, we wanna just keep shopping for fun!” And believe me I totally understand that. Making this public on our blog is making me stick to it. So even if you are getting tired of these rambles, I still thank you for keeping me on the straight and narrow (let the teeth gritting continue).

—-

Dear Cath,

I want to see pics of your Mettle necklace too! I’ll make sure to take proper photos of mine, and we can do a twinsie post. Isn’t that cool that Chinti and Parker is run by twins? I think that’s why I envy the Olsen twins the most: getting to work together and live in the same city. Maybe we should work toward that, huh?

Miss you so much!

Love,

Lar

Me and my fishy face still continue to muddle through my style/fashion dilemmas. Since writing this post and this post, I’ve been turning things over in my mind ad nauseum. And you guys have been brilliant offering your two cents and telling me how you handle buying, shopping and being all-around conscientious consumers. And so it continues! Here’s how I’ve progressed these past few weeks:

When in London I was not at all lured by the siren call of high street stores. Mega-huge Top Shop? Nah. H&M on every corner? I didn’t even see you! I spent most of my money on food and museum fees: feast for the tummy and the eyes. I did manage to buy a few things at Spitalfields Market and at this wonderful thrift store of designer finds called Dress for Less.

Thrifting/shopping vintage. Nothing new there (literally. hardi har har), but it is something I’ve been doing much more now. Most of it is just popping into charity shops to see what’s what and then leave empty handed (still very much trying to buy less even if it is recycled/re-used). I thought I would do the same at this lovely shop, but I found this gorgeous Reiss coat (left). I also tried on this buttery/dreamy Celine bomber (right):

I also found these pretty rings. One for me, one for Cath:

The owner of Dress for Less was so sweet. I’m always kind of weary of designer vintage shops. I’ve met with a fair share of snootiness going to the American equivalents. Dress for Less’ proprietor was just lovely and welcoming (makes sense that’s just been in business for 19 years). Her shop assistant was also the cutest thing this side of the pond — if a bit camera shy:

Now you might be going “Thrifting/schmifting. Thanks for pointing out an obvious way to be an ethical-consumer, Lar!” So here are some actual helpful ethical fashion links to make this muddle less. muddly (p.s. None of these lovelies are sponsors, just so lovely I had to link them):

• Cri de Coeur: vegan-friendly shoes and purses. Check out Jesse.Anne.O to see how she styles her’s.

• Fashion-conscience.com: not super-cheap, but a lot of beautiful, ethically made clothing, accessories and home goods.

• I love Fashion Change’s “Wear this, Not that” where they show you similar yet more ethical versions of things J.Crew, Gap, Urban Outfitters, etc. sell

• The Mother Nature Network has a terrific Eco-Fashionista blog: sample post title, “‘Mad Men’ Style Goes Eco-Friendly”

• You guys have to check on {r}evolution apparel. It makes me want to stop shopping full stop, or at least cut way back and be much more creative. Thanks for the link, Spatial Drift!

• LearnVest Daily made this super-helpful chart that rates major brands (American Eagle, Zara, Asos, TopShop) on their eco and ethical friendliness.

—-

Dear Cath,

Off the to the Highlands today. I hope we can skype video soon. Isn’t that doggie photo the cutest thing ever? I want to blog it up poster-size and frame him 😉

Miss you so much! I promise I won’t climb the whole mountain. Found out Ben Nevis means Terrible Mountain. Trying to tell me something?

LOVE,

Larbar

(Black and white photo = broody, thinky, rambly post ahead).

Roughly a year ago I started getting rid of a lot of my clothes. I had been feeling a little weighed down by the number of shoes, bangles, earrings, blouses I had and rarely wore. It wasn’t excessive. I’d say it was the average amount of stuff that most of us have who are at least slightly interested in fashion/style (and can afford to be).

I gave a bunch of my stuff to Cath, went to a couple of clothing swaps, sent things to charity shops, etc. I knew I’d be moving and thought it would be a great time to start with a clean slate.

By the time I made it to Scotland in September, all of my clothes fit into one large duffel bag. I had this idea that this “clean slate” (aka extremely paired-down wardrobe) would give me the chance to really think about things (warning: long-winded rambling about to ensue.). Could I live with less stuff? How important are clothes and outfits and trends to me? Did I really want to be a fashion blogger?

Cath and I rarely talk about just clothes and fashion on AsianCajuns, but when I do, I feel kind of fraudulent. I like using clothes/attire as a way of expression, but I feel a bit stuck. I don’t feel the urge to shop at the places I can afford (H&M, Zara, Primark, Target, etc.) because I’m still struggling over the ethics of fast fashion. And the fashion world that I can’t afford, seems a little silly to me sometimes. I’ve always been inspired by the gorgeous craftsmanship and creativity that goes into high fashion, but my brain struggles with cost and importance of it. The artistry and creative expression will always be necessary, but the price, turnover and regurgitation of trends seem unnecessary and out of touch.

There are charity shops, Etsy designers, and independent boutiques to shop at when I do want to consume (nom nom nomm). But there’s still the tricky balance of buying less and having less in general.

In conclusion: I’m in a muddle!

While I try to figure this out, I hope you’ll continue to be inspired by Cath’s wardrobe and our adventures around Atlanta/Decatur and Edinburgh! I’ll try to keep most of my ramblings to myself and just share any light-bulb moments I have. In the meantime, thanks for your generous patience, readers!

xoxox,

Lar