Who Made My Clothes

Dear: Bec and Bridge, 

I am your customer and I love your clothes. However, I feel not enough positive change has happened in the six years since Rana Plaza collapsed, the tragedy which killed and injured thousands of garment workers in Bangladesh.

It is very important to me that people working in your supply chain are seen, heard, paid properly and working in safe conditions.

Seeing your "F" rating in the Ethical Fashion Guide 2019 by Baptist World Aid does not sit well with me.

So please tell me who made my clothes and where I can find out more information about your supply chain.

Thank you!

Lots o' Love, Linda 

Click for the full Ethical Fashion Report 2019. 

Who Made My Clothes

It's been five years since the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh with the death toll of 1134 people and approximately 2500 injured. 

That man-made disaster really was an eye-opening moment that made not just myself as a consumer, but fashion brands as well, to re-evaluate about our decision-making processes when it comes to the garment and fashion industry. 

Somewhat far removed from the reality of the working conditions behind each garment, because all I see is the end product sitting nicely in the shopping mall waiting to take place in my wardrobe. 

However, as a daughter of a (former) refugee, I'm quite aware of the sweatshop conditions with long hours for little pay, that a lot of Asian refugees in Australia have taken on as work because of their lack of English speaking skills but have strengths in sewing apparel. I'm sure this case is pretty much the same in other parts of the world. So, I can't begin to imagine what the possible factory working conditions are like overseas in a third-world country where most of my clothing pieces were made in. 

Being brutally honest (and disappointed at that), I've failed to become more conscious and make more responsible shopping decisions. I told myself I will no longer buy from fast-fashion shopping chains and have completely failed. It's actually not a good feeling, even though I have slowed down a little over the last 12 months. I guess it all really comes to down to discipline. 

The "Who Made My Clothes" campaign as a part of Fashion Revolution Week (23-29 April) is a refreshing reminder of sending out the message; to really consider the working conditions and supporting the well-being of those hard-working people who physically made your clothes. 

Whilst completely avoiding fast-fashion items or items made in a third world country is almost an impossible action to take, it's worth noting that you can make more ethical decisions based on the Ethical Fashion Guide published by Baptist World Australia. 

Click here to download.  

Alternatively, you can check out global brands in the Fashion Transparency Index 2018. 

I aim to buy less and choose better from now on. 

Lots o' Love, Linda

Decluttering...

It's been three years since my last post about cleaning out my closet. I have found myself back at square one, where I have accumulated even more stuff since then as I developed unhealthy and irresponsible shopping habits over the years, which then meant more clutter and stress. 

I'm actually very disappointed that I let myself to relapse like this but this time, it's easier to let things go. It took me a while but I had to be brutally honest with myself and asked "am I really gonna wear this again?", and when the answer was no, it had to go. 

So, I asked myself the following questions;  

• Does it suit my style?

As I've grown a little older and a little bit more wiser (and a little wider), I've realised that my style has definitely changed. I am no longer into patterned prints, bright colours or excessive florals that used to overflow my wardroble. Those fleeting trends that seem to be on trend one minute then completely forgotten the next minute don't appeal to me (eg: ruffles, gingham print, peplum, platform pumps). 

I'm trying my best to steer away from fast fashion in the attempt of being more socially aware of its impact. I'd rather stick to core, solid, staple and classic pieces that I know that I'd still be rocking years down the track. 

Classic pieces over fleeting trends, always. 

• Does it fit properly? 

My body weight and figure had fluctuated over the previous years, which is why I end up having so many different sized clothing. I had accumulated clothing that ranged from AU size 4 to AU size 10. I even had the bad habit of buying clothes that weren't my size, just for the sake of having it (which was probably just an ego thing - irresponsible shopping). 

Now, that I'm a little older, I'm seeing changes in my body. And, instead of beating myself up about it, I have come to acceptance that I just can't fit into some of my clothes anymore.

So, there you have it. I ended up donating my pre-loved items to my local thrift store, which I really hope they get more love. Some of these are items I've been hoarding for 10 years. It's still an ongoing process though, cause I still have too many things.

Nevertheless, it's a small but proud moment to finally let these go.  

Lots o' Love, Linda