Jacket: Unique Batik | Scarf: Andes Gifts | Earrings: Mata Traders | Leggings: PACT
This week I’d like to introduce you to Catie from Fair Trade Warrior. Catie’s blog is one of the first ones I found when I renewed my interest in fair trade this year, and I love the way she incorporates fair trade items into her everyday wardrobe. I’m constantly finding new sustainable clothing lines thanks to Catie’s blog and Instagram stream.
I have always loved fashion, and I may have a slight obsession with accessories. I would be lying if I said my earring collection was under 100 pairs…but hey, at least 40 of those pairs are Fair Trade! Apparently at a mere eighteen months old I decided that I could pick out my own clothes and get dressed all by myself. My mom could not stop me from rockin’ a polka dot rain jacket, pink striped leggings and tangles of Mardi Gras beads almost every day of my childhood. Although I’d like to think my outfits are not nearly as ridiculous as they used to be, I still LOVE pretty much any accessory or piece of clothing with sparkle and sass. These days, I make an effort to direct that love towards Fair Trade items!
My passion for Fair Trade spiked two summers ago
when I traveled to Nicaragua with an organization called Witness for Peace. The delegation focused on the consequences of CAFTA on Nicaraguans. I had the opportunity to meet with a variety of individuals and organizations to discuss the impact of neoliberal policies on labor rights, the environment, food security, and standards of living. The most significant part of the delegation was visiting a Free Trade maquila and listening to workers share their stories. As I stepped foot into the maquila, I replayed the words of a woman who had sacrificed a whole day of unpaid work to tell us about her experiences working in sweatshops. My heart broke as my eyes swept over the workers. Eyes stared blankly and dust masks hung loosely around everyone’s neck as they cut and hemmed fabric. Name brands like Eddie Bauer, Mountain Hardware, Patagonia and North Face swam before my eyes behind a fog of fabric particles. It would have been dead silent if it were not for the ten large exhaust fans that were supposed to cool over one thousand Nicaraguans.
The hour I spent in the maquila changed the way I view the world. That experience is why I choose to educate myself and others about ethical consumerism and why Fair Trade is a great alternative. I hope that one day ALL trade will be Fair Trade, but that is every Fair Trade consumers’ greatest wish! So I encourage you to be a Fair Trade warrior: Think when you buy. Educate yourself. Be a sustainable consumer. Shop organic. Think when you get dressed. Educate others. Be an ethical consumer. And last but not least, shop Fair Trade.
Fair Trade love always,
Catie
I feel excited about the future of fashion when I see someone like Catie working for change in the apparel industry.What sustainable items are you rockin’ this week? Leave a comment or tag a pic with #fairfashionfri!
Thanks so much for your support!