Short Guide to Buying Ethical

In the quest for ethical fashion, every choice we make counts. As consumers, our power lies in being informed and making conscious decisions. Here’s a concise guide to ensure your fashion choices align with ethical standards:

1. Seek Out Certifications: as painfully superficial as they are, look for labels like Fair Trade, Organic, or Rainforest Alliance on your clothing. They are simply the standard we have for the moment. These certifications are not just tags; they are at least some assurance of fair labour practices, minimal environmental impact, and adherence to sustainability standard. Far from perfect, they are better than nothing at all.

2. Transparency Matters: Choose brands that are open about their supply chain. Companies that disclose where and how their products are made are likely more committed to ethical practice. Make sure if there is this transparency it goes beyond a simple press release about their immediate “first tier” suppliers.; that is not where abuses tend to happen.

3. Examine the Code of Conduct: Investigate a brand’s labour and environmental policies. A robust code of conduct is some reflection of a brand’s dedication to ethical practice. It is not easy to know, but there is a lot of information online so a quick Google search before clicking “Buy” is not too much to do.

4. Assess Environmental Impact: Evaluate how products affect the environment, from the resources used to the carbon footprint they leave behind. Sustainable materials are a sign of an environmentally conscious brand. gin, not easy, but a little online digging will give you some indications for whether your brand do what they say they do.

5. Fair Labour is Key: Look into a brand’s labour practices. Ethical fashion brands ensure fair wages and safe working conditions for their employees. It is very hard to do this, but try doing a little online research about your brand before buying. The information is largely out there, somewhere.

6. Leverage Ethical Shopping Tools: Use resources like the Ethical Consumer, Good Guide, or The Good Shopping Guide. Apparel Insider is very strongly recommended; nobody does it better. These tools do offer evaluations of brands, helping you make more informed choices.

7. Track Progress and Goals: Opt for brands that are transparent about their ethical goals and their progress in achieving them. This ongoing commitment is a positive sign of a brand’s dedication to ethical fashion. Companies that own up to their failings are demonstrating trust in you; they should be better than those who don’t.

There is simply no perfect solution. Perfect solutions are hard so they don’t make it to market. Making ethical fashion choices is a step in the right direction, and practicing a little Googling before buying goes a long way. Be part of this movement, one garment at a time.

Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.