Fair Trade Shopping
I Said Yes to the Dress {The Proposed Abode}
Holy cow! All sorts of big wedding decisions are being made over at the proposed abode! Not only have we settled on our wedding venue, I’ve found “the” dress. I want to share the planned process and then what actually happened, but it might get a little lengthy, so I’m labeling each section.
If you don’t love wedding chatter, but want to see the dress I chose, then scroll to the bottom. It’s the last photo.
And Ryan – if you’re actually reading your fiance’s blog for once – DO NOT CONTINUE.
Chapter 1: What I thought I wanted
For the last few months I’ve been pinning a distinct style of gown – lightweight lace or chiffon gowns with simple but elegant flowing silhouettes and almost no train, like this: 
While of course I wanted to look fabulous and elegant and totally like a bride, for a fun-filled outdoor beachy wedding I wanted something comfortable and lightweight. Have you felt how heavy some wedding gowns are??
These chiffony or lacey gowns looked so dreamy, elegant, and easy to dance in, while still looking like a bride, of course.
Finally, there was one more important factor: I would not buy gown from a company that manufactured in China, because that would most likely be made in a sweatshop. In short – it narrowed my options, and definitely eliminated David’s Bridal.
Chapter 2: My planned gown shopping process
As I prepped for the gown-buying process, there were two key bits of information that I was armed with, all thanks to my blog friend Jeannine, who’s also a bride-to-be. Apparently she’s also the all-knowing queen of weddings, or so I think. :)
1. I knew about Church Street Bridal, a non-profit shop in Lynchburg that sells sample gowns donated by places like Kleinfelds, to raise money for the YWCA. It’s a store that seems way too good to be true, as the gowns are sold for a very tiny fraction of their retail price – but I promise, it really exists! According to their site, “for $250-$700 you can purchase a bridal gown that retailed for $800-$12,000.”
2. Jeannine pointed me to a list and info that shows there are actually wedding gown designers who still manufacture their dresses in the USA, as well as a few who manufacture in Canada.
My plan was to try Church Street Bridal first, in early January. It’s 3-4 hours from DC, so we had to plan it as a 2-day excursion. I determined that, at Church Street Bridal, I could try on any gown and even if I found a gown that was made in China, I could buy it. . . . but why?
Because the store receives the gowns as donations, all of the money I paid for the gown would go to Church Street Bridal, aka the YWCA – not back into the pockets of the company who made the gown. Since my goal is to not put my money into the pockets of sweatshop labor companies, this is/was an ok approach for me.
*I know this approach may not work for everyone, especially those who are more anti-sweatshop purists than I am.
Chapter 3: The Budget
I hoped to buy my gown at Church Street or else secondhand (online), so I set my “budget” at $4,000. If Church Street didn’t work out and then I found a $4,000 gown at a regular shop, I figured I’d buy it secondhand online.
Because I was shopping for a US or Canada-made, non sweatshop wedding dress, I knew that would increase the price. It’s a big purchase, and becuase I believe you vote with your dollars, I wanted my dollars to either go to charity or to a company whose ethics I agree with.
Chapter 4: What Really Happened
When I visited my parents recently, my mother ambushed me. She said we were going to a secondhand bridal store, but then she stopped the car at a regular bridal shop. Gah. I warned her that I *would not* try on any dresses that were not made in the USA or Canada, then we went in.
The sales associates at Anastasia’s were friendly and helpful but not pushy, and totally showed me which dresses were made in the US or Canada. They had a beautiful selection of gowns, many of which were made either by Paloma Blanca, a designer in Canada. The dresses are handmade in the same building as the company headquarters, and it’s a relatively small company. You can read more about them here. In other words, they get the Borrowed Abode seal of approval. :)
My mother immediately zeroed in on a simple strapless silk Paloma Blanca gown, and I was amazed by how light and just gorgeous the dress fabric felt. Seriously, there is such a huge difference in look and feel when you compare budget-friendly synthetic fiber dresses to the higher quality (and higher priced) gowns. I couldn’t believe the difference.
The first gown I tried was a lightweight chiffon gown made in NYC by Elma Reis. The price tag was a scary $3500, but it was exactly what I thought I wanted so I had to try it.
. . . and oh my gosh, I hated what I saw! It was beautiful and tasteful. And boring. It made me feel like an matronly old woman. No offense to anyone of any age, I’m just telling you how that particular style made me feel.
Dress #2: The Perfect Silk Dress
Next up, the Paloma Blanca gown that was simple, silk, and elegant. More affordably priced, at $1700. And definitely not old-ladyish. It fit me well, and I was pretty sure it would make the perfect dress. My mother, who seemed to be having *much* more fun than I was with this whole ridiculous process, insisted I try a veil. Ick. I’m not a veil girl, FYI. It quickly was removed from my head and replaced with a little lace fascinator. Much better.
In the photo below, it appears that they’ve pulled the skirt back some. In real life the skirt was more a-line and bridal looking.
Dress #3: Ridiculosity, Just For Fun
And finally, I tried on another more “hip” Paloma Blanca gown just for fun. Why? Because I’d seen things like it in magazines and thought they were absolutely ridiculous. At least the dress was also beautiful silk and super lightweight.
I put the dress on, simply becuase I wanted to try something different. I bet you know where this is going . . .
Yep, I saw myself in the mirror and fell for the dress. And then stood there confused, trying to figure out where my desire to wear this dress [that I tried on as a joke] was coming from. And then I realized:
You won’t see it often in my daily life or on this blog, but I do love me some fun fashion. I used to dream of being a fashion designer. But I keep that side hidden, because I’m trying not to spend money on sweatshop goods OR waste money on clothes.
I say all this because as soon as I put the dress on I realized that on my wedding day I really want to wear a phenomenal, very fashionable dress. Something with a lot of unique style. Something that is more fashionista-y and less “classic and timeless.”
I did try the other gown back on one or two more times just to make sure, but the damage was done. And it’s all my mom’s fault, for dragging me eagerly into that shop!
In Conclusion:
I’ve since been combing the internet, trying to find a used dress (Paloma Blanca Style #4159) to save money, but no luck so far. Apparently the gown needs to be ordered more than 5 months ahead, because it’s made to order (with or without train, etc) – so if I’m buying new, I have to do so by the end of November.
The result? I’m probably going to buy the dress new. But I like the company, so I’m happy to support them. And when I buy through the small bridal shop we found it at, I’ll be supporting a small business there as well.
***My advice to you if you’re going wedding gown shopping:***
1. Have an idea of what you like and don’t like before you shop, but if you’re set on one particular style or silhouette, be open to trying on one or two dresses that are different – because you just might be surprised.
2. HOWEVER, know your budget and do not – I Repeat, DO NOT – try on any dresses that exceed your budget. Please, just spare yourself the heartache or potential credit card debt. It’s not worth it.
That, more than anything, is why I did NOT want to try “new” dresses at a regular bridal store. But my mom said “oh let’s just look.” And you see what happened then!
Posted in 
What the !@#$% Are You Wearing {Featuring “MaryInk”}
Shop for a cause with Uncommon Goods
Who’s up for doing a little shopping, all in the name of Earth Day? Uncommon Goods has joined forces with American Forests for Earth Day – so if you shop with them this week, and use the code AMFOR at checkout, Uncommon Goods will donate $5 to American Forests’ tree-planting efforts. American Forests plants one tree for every dollar donated, so this week, customers can help plant 5 trees every time they shop at Uncommon Goods.
This “Scratch Map” is pretty awesome. You can track your travels by scratching off the areas you’ve visited to reveal adventurous pops of color and local facts. How cool is that?
Now you know I’m kind of picky about where I shop – as I try to avoid items made in sweatshops, etc. So several months ago I contacted Uncommon Goods, asking about the source of their products, and got a super friendly and helpful reply. Some of their products are made in the US, and many of their items made elsewhere in the world are officially “fair trade.” Now would I prefer that all of the items were? Sure, but compared to most companies, Uncommon Goods is ahead of the game. They’re currently working to implement a vendor code of conduct that includes guidelines on fair labor.
But that’s not all: On a broader note, Uncommon Goods is a founding member of B Corporation, as they strongly believe that their business should have a positive social and environmental impact. As a B Corp, we’re committed to a higher level of sustainability— which includes “environmentalism, fair working conditions and a commitment to the community.”
Shouldn’t every company believe in taking care of the planet and the people who inhabit it?
For more information on their commitment to sustainability, check out their mission statement. And a big thank-you goes to Julia in their Media Relations office, who answered all my emails promptly and sincerely.
Top 5: Handmade & Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas
Whoa! It’s already 12/12 and I haven’t shared my suggested gifts list! These are some of my favorite eco-friendly and/or handmade items from small business owners and bloggers – because, as you know, I’m all about local, small business, and fair trade shopping. Well, without further ado, may I present you with:
Borrowed Abode Top 5 Eco-Friendly and/or Handmade Gifts
1. Gadanke Journals
The handmade journals from Gadanke are by far my favorite go-to gift for friends and family members, because there’s something for everyone – and they’re unlike any other journal I’ve ever seen. Katie from Making This Home creates them from recycled and Italian papers, and includes clever little writing prompts that really inspire you to explore your thoughts. And because they’re held together with metal rings, they’re totally expandable.
This December I’ve been taking a few moments here and there to record memories in our “Joy to the World” Christmas journal. It’s perfect, because it’s compact size allows me to take it in my purse wherever we go. I’m also stealing a few moments to write in my She journal, which I also love – especially now that I have little time for scrapbooking.
2. Reusable Glass straws from Glass Dharma
The glass straws from Glass Dharma are a great eco-friendly solution for environmentally-friendly straw users! I’ve got one, but I would love to have more! They come in three sizes, from small to large, so that there’s something for every type of drink – even thick smoothies. You can read more about how they’re created here, but in short – they’re specially made to resist breakage, and they won’t leach chemicals like plastic does. And they’re made in the USA. The shop also sells assorted cases for them, so you can keep your glass straw handy in your purse, without worrying about breakage!
3. Handmade Jewelry
Why subject yourself to the holiday mall traffic for just another boring necklace from the jewelers, when Etsy and other sites are chock-full of beautiful, unique handmade pieces? And what fabulous lady wouldn’t prefer a beautiful handmade necklace? I know this girl would. In fact, I’ve been amassing a wish list on Etsy for some time now – and I’ve realized there is absolutely no reason not to shop at Etsy! Here’s a peek at what I’ve had my eye on:
(1) Sterling silver Hydrangea Cluster necklace from Patrick Irla on Etsy. (2) Stamped silver Smiling Pit Bull pendant (a fundraiser for the Oakland Animal Shelter) from Lulu Bug Jewelry on Etsy. (3) Falling Gold Orchid Necklace, with aquamarine Swarovski crystal, from In Style Boutique on Etsy. (4) Sterling silver Star Bright necklace from Silver Moth Design on Etsy. (5) Sometimes simple is perfect: Moonlit pearl necklace from Ellie Rose Designs on Etsy. (6) Stamped silver Voyager necklace with compass rose from Lulu Bug Jewelry. (I love the Walt Whitman quote on it!). (7) Silver Calla Lily necklace with lavender crystal from Balance 9 on Etsy. (8) Silver Mama Bird pendant with pearl accents from The Vintage Pearl (a shop featuring fabulous hand-stamped designs).
4. Upcycled LP Notebooks from Just L
Remember when we raved about Just L, the mid-century modern furniture store we discovered during our fall road trip? Well, they just got even cooler with their newest line of products: Upcycled blank notebooks. They select the most fabulous vintage LPs, book covers, bingo cards, paint-by-number paintings, and old Venture Magazine holographic covers, and have them turned into blank notebooks by a local book binder. Isn’t that a great way to bring new life to an old work of art?
Although these guys are a small operation in New Hampshire, you can admire and purchase their wares on Facebook, even if you’re not a FB user.
The Venture Mag holographic notebooks are totally awesome, even more so in person than in the photos. The vintage book blank books are from the 1900′s to the 1960′s, and are upcycled into notebooks while leaving the first 2-7 pages of the novel intact. All notebooks are filled with 75 blank pages of recycled paper and are priced at $16. Wouldn’t this be a great stocking-stuffer for the artist or sketcher or doodler (like me!)?
(1) Two upcycled and classic LP blank notebooks. (2) A vintage Venture Magazine holographic cover makes for a totally spacey notebook. (3) Two blank books with backs and fronts of repurposed Bingo cards. (4) A close-up of another holographic Venture Magazine-turned-noteboo cover. (5) Three vintage books-turned-notebooks: “500 Live Ideas for the Grade Teacher,” “Seventy Times Seven,” “First Steps in Acting.” (6) Two blank LP books: a Peter, Paul and Mary album, and a Chicago album. (7) Three vintage fiction books-turned-notebooks: “Puss in Boots,” “Blacky,” “Danny’s Secret.” (8) A peek at the inside of a vintage book-turned-blank book.
And don’t forget to hop over to Just L and check out all their other goodies, like the vintage desk calendars.
5. Cross-Stitch Pieces and Kits from Slipcover Your Life Stitchery
In case you haven’t noticed, cross-stitch is totally cool again – and Erin from Slipcover Your Life has some seriously fun and unique pieces to deck your walls. All of her designs in her Etsy shop are available as pdf patterns, stitchery kits, or fully-finished pieces – with prices ranging from $5 to $50, so there’s something for everyone, from the avid DIYer to the lazy decorator. She also does custom orders – in fact, she’s working on one for me right now as part of my office redecorating plan.
One of Erin’s custom stitchery orders was spotted in the Apartment Therapy tour of Loving.Living.Small’s home office! Clearly this is a great gift, guaranteed to leave your recipient in stitches. :)
So that’s it for my top 5. What’s on yours? Any small businesses or Etsians that I should know about?
Crate & Barrel: An ethically acceptable choice?
Because I’ve been searching high and low for an affordable living room rug that is made in fair working conditions, I contacted Crate and Barrel to find out more about their approach to labor in their overseas factories. It seemed to me the responsible thing to do.
I was surprised and pleased by their response:
Dear Jane Hoffmann,
We understand that in the world market, some countries do not sustain the same ethical beliefs as others, this is of utmost consideration in determining and maintaining our business relationships.
At Crate and Barrel, we sincerely respect the human rights of all people. Any inhumane employment relationships and working conditions violate this belief. Therefore, we request our suppliers and their subcontractors comply with certain rights for their employees. These conditions include, but are not limited to the prohibitions of child labor, mandatory overtime, forced labor, obstructing the employee’s legal right to form a union and discrimination. We reserve the right to monitor a company’s compliance to the above conditions and any violation may lead to the termination of the business relationship.
As a company, we take the issue of fair labor very seriously and hold our vendors and agents to the same standard. Every vendor we work with receives our Vendor Operations Guide that they need to read and follow. It outlines our standards and expectations around many topics such as workplace safety and child labor, to name a few. We also have agents in India (where most of our rugs are made) that conduct frequent surprise site visits on our behalf to ensure that our vendors are following the standards outlined. To be specific to your question, we do not use an outside certification organization like Goodweave; however, we feel very confident that we are taking the necessary steps to ensure that fair labor practices are followed in the making of our rugs.
We hope this information has been helpful and we were able to convey our level of commitment to ensuring that ethical practices are maintained in our trading relationships.
Sincerely,
Meredith Lorrin
Office of the President
Corporate Customer Service
This sure is a much more encouraging response than the one I received from Anthropologie! I now feel a bit more comfortable shopping at Crate and Barrel. They also appear to have a pretty good “green” initiative going at their company, and I know that much of their furniture is handmade from solid hardwoods in the USA. I think, though, that Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams is still a great company with better quality furniture, and I’m still on the lookout for smaller, locally-owned businesses that carry affordable pieces as well. But in the mean time, it’s nice to know that this major home decor retailer has high ethical standards.
Even if their name is misleading, as they don’t sell crates – or barrels – for that matter.
I’m Trashy
Why am I so trashy? Why do I corral clutter with old glass jars, and used cardboard boxes covered with fabric? Why do I scour thrift stores and flea markets for used goods? Why do I long to build furniture out of wood reclaimed from trashed shipping pallets?
I do it because it’s free. I do it because it’s easy.
I do it because it beats sitting in DC traffic to go to The Container Store any day.
But most of all, I do it because it’s better for our planet, and the people who inhabit it.
Most of the furniture, decor items, and organizing goodies in stores (from WalMart to Target to The Container Store to West Elm) are made overseas in third-party factories that aren’t eco-friendly, and do not provide fair working conditions or a living wage.
In our society, where more for less is better, we’ve been trained to shop without questioning how the items we purchase were made. We want cheaper prices so we can buy more, and big box retailers give them to us so that sales can soar and stockholders can grow richer.
I didn’t used to think about how we got “always low prices” at Wal-mart when I lived one block away in college. I loved to buy the cute new candle holders at Target, fun decor items, and every organizing bin on earth.
In 2007 and 2008 I read a ton of news reports that kids in China were being kidnapped into basically sweatshop slavery. . . and their local government turned a blind eye to it. I didn’t change all my shopping habits immediately, but I started to think more about the products being sold. Are we really so desperate for a cute and cheap little desk caddy that we will ignore the conditions in which it’s been produced? Do we really believe that cheaply decorating our home is more important than the way human beings are treated?
Today, two years after that realization, I do think long and hard before purchasing a clothes or decor items. Like a rug for my living room. In the end, if I decide to buy something – like the little dish soap caddy from Target – it’s only after a long time spent thinking about if it’s really worth it.
I get it: This may not be a battle you can afford to wage right now. I do not judge. The economy’s in the tank, and chances are you’re just as worried about saving money as the next family. We’re all doing different things to leave our mark on this world. Heck, you’re probably doing more than I am, whether through volunteering, through your work, at your church, or by trying your hardest to raise good kids in this crazy world.
In case you’re curious, I’ve saved a ton of money. I haven’t been to Target in over a month, and haven’t been to the mall since April. I’ve investigated labor conditions in factories used by companies like Anthropologie. These are the choices that I make, and they are the right choices for me.
Here’s a few recycling/upcycling/simplifying/repurposing examples from fellow bloggers:
Mikalah at Posy the Porcelain Pig
And of course Sunny at Life in Rehab, is overflowing with examples. (That’s why there’s a recycling box at her home that her kids named “crap mom can make stuff out of.”)
Sidenote: if you’re curious to see how I negotiate even better deals when buying used furniture, you can hop over here.
Anthropologie = Fair Trade? Guess again.
Anthropologie / Urban Outfitters has seriously disappointed me. Of course that has to happen just when I’m finally at a point where I can afford to shop there!
Let’s back up a few steps, shall we?
After Robin enlightened me about the poor working conditions and child labor employed by most rug manufacturers, I contacted Anthropologie to “make sure” their rugs (and other goods) were produced in fair labor conditions, without the use of sweatshops. I really, really wanted to buy one of their rugs for my living room.
I was so sure that they’re reply to my inquisitive email with a positive message about their focus on working conditions.
I wrote:
Hi,
I’m wondering where your rugs are made, and if the factories producing them are fair labor factories.
Thank you,
Jane
Instead of offering up some reassuring facts, they simply replied:
Hello Jane,
Thanks for writing Anthropologie. Please know that we take workplace human rights very seriously and we insist that our business be conducted according to high ethical standards. As a requirement of doing business with Anthropologie; our vendors and their suppliers must commit to meeting our Code of Conduct standards and conditions of employment.
You can find our full Code of Conduct and Ethics by visiting: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=115825&p=irol-govboard
If you require additional assistance or have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at service@anthropologie.com.Please include this email with your reply.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Hinson, Anthropologie
Well, that wasn’t the positive and enthusiastic reply I hoped for, but I hopped over to their corporate governance document to see what it said.
E. Comply With Health and Safety
Urban strives to provide a safe and healthy work environment. Each employee has responsibility for maintaining a safe and healthy workplace for all employees by following safety and health rules and practices. Violence and threatening behavior are not permitted. Employees should report to work in a condition to perform their duties, free from the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol.
Four sentences. That’s all they wrote about labor conditions. And those four sentences really only sound like a disclosure required by US law. Just four sentences, to address how people – human beings – are treated. Yet they devote pages to financial regulations, such as insider trading and conflicts of interest. To protect their money, their assets.
Well, I did still have more questions, so I wrote back, asking for more info – such as how do they ensure sweatshops are not used in their supply chain. Anthropologie never responded. I wrote them off as a company that I didn’t need to buy from, but I was disappointed.
Now, writing this post, I thought I’d better double-check my facts before ranting about them. I’ve Googled all sorts of things, trying to get some concrete facts one way or another because I certainly don’t want to post inaccurate information. And I was not thrilled with what I found, especially in their recent SEC filings.
In past years, including April 2009, shareholders proposed that the company:
Adopt, implement and enforce a publicly-available Code of Conduct that would extend to the companies’ suppliers and that would include internationally-recognized workplace human rights based on the International Labor Organization’s core conventions.
Why?
Urban Outfitters does not have a publicly-disclosed Code of Conduct, does not publicly report details of how it monitors any human rights policy, and does not publicly report how its suppliers comply with its expectations. . . Urban Outfitters lags far behind its peers in the specialty retail segment. Two of the largest specialty retailers in the world, Gap Inc. and H&M-Hennes & Mauritz AB, publish Codes of Conduct and issue periodic reports detailing their efforts and progress in enforcing their human rights policies.
The results? I can’t find them for the 2009 proposal, and I need to get to sleep, but in 2007 they voted against it:
The Board of Directors unanimously recommends voting against this proposal and believes that we have adequately addressed the matters raised by the proposal through the terms of our agreements with our outside vendors and through a compliance program for apparel products designed and produced in-house.
They go on to say that they don’t want to adopt the ILO standards because they want to “recognize and respect the cultural and legal differences in the world.” That sounds fishy to me. If another country has lower ethical and legal standards, as in sweatshops and child slave labor, we don’t have to respect that. We can do better.
So it looks like I’m going to be looking for an affordable and fun living room rug elsewhere. I’m sure by now you’re thinking that I’m crazy, getting this wrapped up in the details. But I figure if I’m going to spend hundreds – or thousands – on a single item for my home, I would rather keep looking for one that fits my standards.
Is it too much to ask that the people who manufacture our home decor be treated ethically?
Guest Post: Who made that rug?
My approach to shopping has changed drastically this year. I don’t know when, exactly, it happened, but I started questioning the origin of things I was buying: how they were made, who was making them, and the conditions those employees were working in. Therefore, when I was searching for a living room rug and my friend Robin mentioned to me that the rug industry was loaded with child labor and slave labor conditions, I asked her to do a guest post about it. She’s currently working in the human rights field, so she’s more more well-informed about these things than I am!
Hello! This is Robin from Life Without Want. I am honored to be guest blogging here on The Borrowed Abode! I have had the good fortune to not only be Jane’s blogger friend but we used to be real life neighbors!
Recently, Jane has been hunting for the perfect living room rug for her house- one that is affordable, eco-friendly, and made using ethical practices. She asked me to share some information with you about ethical consumerism and the rug trade and suggest some resources to use when purchasing a rug.
The hand-woven carpet and rug industry in countries across Asia such as India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Afghanistan rely heavily on the use of debt bondage and child labor. Those in debt bondage are often forced to work 16+ hour days in factories, often children are brought in to assist in “repaying” the debt incurred by another member of their family. These children are unable to attend school in order to continue working and can suffer from severe health problems as a result of poor working conditions.
There are ways to make sure the rug you purchase is not made in poor factory conditions by men, women, and children held in debt bondage. Look for the RugMark label on carpets and rugs. RugMark certifies that all of their rugs are made without child labor. For more information:
- GoodWeave- a Washington DC based non-profit that provides more information and a good list of resources and retailers
- Made by Survivor’s Store- where you can purchase rugs made by the survivors of modern slavery
- Green Leaf Rugs- one example of a company promoting ethical and eco-friendly rugs
- The Rug Company- often hailed as the source for designer rugs, partners with RugMark to ensure that all of their rugs are produced in fair and ethical working conditions
If you are interested in a rug but are unsure of its origins, ask! Contact the company who makes it to find out where it was made and by whose hand. As a consumer, you have the right to know not only what the product you are buying is made from, but where and by whom. The more people who ask, the more companies will be forced to be honest about the conditions and circumstances that create their goods.
Beautiful, handcrafted carpets and rugs made with love and care in fair working conditions do exist! It is up to us as consumers to send a clear message that those are our standards for all carpets and rugs.
