The Great American Apparel Diet

http://www.thegreatamericanappareldiet.com/about/

I first heard about this "diet" on the national news. My first reactions was - how did this make the news? I was simply stunned that not buying new clothes for a year seemed that difficult for people, so much that they needed a support group and website. But then, ok, I get it. Maybe I should join if it is so easy. AHHHHH! Caught.

Our family has it's own "diet" thing going on anyway. I need to create a website for this: we figured out that we lived on a food stamp "diet" every week, without the food stamps, at first without even realizing it. But I digress.

Here's the thing... we hardly ever go out shopping for clothes. When I do go, I often go to used clothing stores. I'm starting to find some good selections in this area but it hasn't been easy. Luckily I have friends that shop second hand as well. I think buying second hand clothes and giving clothes away when I do buy new clothes is recycling. And that is good enough for me. So why should I challenge myself to a diet of no clothes for a whole year? I'm already a responsible shopper and I don't need to go "cold turkey" as I don't have a shopping addiction.

I do think that I could do better with buying clothes that aren't made in sweatshops. I used to read labels for exactly that reason, but why did I stop? What about the so called "green and earth friendly" clothes? Let's take a look at this HUGE business area and see what is being said.

Green and Earth Friendly Clothes (a tutorial):
In general, all the websites seem to agree on the following principles:
1. Buy Fair Trade
2. Buy less and reuse (recycled clothes, second hand)
3. Buy Made in USA with Unite label, meaning that the clothes were made by members of the union, Unite Here - retail workers with a voice regarding wages, production standards and safety.
4. Research who you are buying from

Here are some good resources to start with:
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/fashion-beauty/sweatshop-free-clothing-guide.html
http://www.thegreenguide.com/ (National Geographic)
http://www.greenamerica.org/programs/responsibleshopper/
http://www.greenamerica.org/pubs/realgreen/articles/nosweatshops.cfm

What about our "Super Stores", like Walmart? Haven't you heard that Walmart sells organic clothes? A lot has been said about Walmart, but doesn't it make sense to be able to buy SO much in one place - even food. In the US, it's hard to live where we can just walk out the door and find everything we need in walking distance... but if we drive to Walmart, there it is, and cheaper too! ON the other hand -

Here is what one link says about Walmart:

http://www.greenamerica.org/programs/responsibleshopper/company.cfm?id=306

• Wal-Mart operates over 6,500 discount stores throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico and sells products ranging from groceries to clothing to automotive and electronic equipment.

• Due to low wages and negligible benefits, thousands of Wal-Mart employees are dependent on public assistance to meet their basic needs, and American taxpayers eventually subsidize Wal-Mart's low prices.

• Wal-Mart hurts U.S. communities by undercutting local merchants and increasing urban sprawl, and its suppliers have been cited for labor and human rights violations.

ME: "I am not sure it is fair to say that Walmart is increasing urban sprawl, but rather may be a result of urban sprawl, as that already existed before Walmart".

• Wal-Mart has been repreatedly accused of union busting in the US and Canada, and of using a "Labor Relations Team" that stops Wal-Mart workers from unionizing.

• Wal-Mart's overseas suppliers have been repeatedly accused of using sweatshop labor.

• A recent investigation by the AFL-CIO affiliated Solidarity Center found that Wal-Mart is sourcing shrimp from plants in Thailand and Bangladesh where workers as young as 8 years old are subject to sweatshop conditions.

• Shop with Go Green and pressure Wal-Mart to reduce its environmental impact and respect its workers.

I always think that people should be educated enough to make informed decisions. After all is said and done, why do you shop where you do and do you know the company practices? Do you care whether your clothes are made in a sweatshop? Would you pay more to buy free trade and union made clothes?