Last updated August 11, 2019
When I first made my commitment to buy ethically made and/or sustainable clothing, swimwear wasn’t something I was worried about. I already had plenty of swimsuits and wasn’t in need of new ones. However, as time has passed and some of the suits no longer fit or have gotten worn out, I have had to purchase some new suits.
Below is a list of the brands I have discovered, including the ones I have personally purchased!
Read MoreThis post is sponsored by Amani ya Juu. All opinions are my own and reflect my honest thoughts on the products.
I’ve done a great job over the past several years of going ethical with my wardrobe. I pretty much exclusively buy fair trade or eco-friendly clothing items. But extending fair trade purchasing into other areas of my life has been more of a struggle. The next fair trade frontier on my radar? Home goods!
For some reason, my mind doesn’t automatically turn to fair trade when I’m in need of a home good item. When I say home goods, I really mean anything that I use at home, from decor to more practical items like dishes. When I need a set of oven mitts, I don’t think twice about running out to Bed Bath & Beyond and buying the first pair I see on the shelf. This is so different from how I shop for clothing, which is much more selective and thoughtful! Part of the problem is that I have no idea where to even begin shopping for fair trade home goods. And I’m ready for that to change.
Read MoreFor me, part of what it means to be “Fairly Southern” is to be fair to and inclusive of people of all races, genders, abilities, ages, sexual orientations, and cultures. One of my original intentions for this blog was for it to be a space that promotes diversity and inclusion in the South. Social justice is an undercurrent in many of my posts about ethical fashion and sustainability, but I also hope to publish more posts that directly focus on promoting a more inclusive Southern culture. I am excited to do just that today with a spotlight on Hannah Setzer, a Virginia native with a rare medical condition who is on a mission to make the world, and especially the fitness industry, more inclusive for those with disabilities and medical needs!
I did a Q&A with Hannah to learn more about her background and her mission. I can’t wait for you all to get to know this spunky lady! Without further ado: meet Hannah!
Disclaimer: I received a pair of Oka-B sandals in exchange for a review. This review contains my unbiased, independent opinions.
I used to always choose fashion over comfort when it came to my shoes. Now, I won’t settle for one or the other! I want super comfortable shoes that still look cute and are practical (i.e. can be worn for multiple occasions). And, it helps if they are made ethically and sustainably, too!
I had heard about Oka-B shoes and had contemplated ordering a pair for about a year or so. Then, Oka-B reached out to me and asked if I’d like to try some. The brand seemed like it could check all of my criteria boxes, so I jumped at the opportunity! I chose the Quinn Sandal.
Read MoreThis post is part of my Why Series here on the blog. I often write about fair trade, eco-friendly, socially conscious living, but I am not always able to fully address in each of my blog posts WHY I choose to live this way. This series goes into greater detail about my why!
Personally, I’ve never thought of myself as a big spender or stuff accumulator. However, after reading Jen Hatmaker’s book 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess several years ago, I began to turn a critical eye to what I was purchasing. Clothes, beauty products, home decor: It’s all stuff. I began to realize that perhaps I was buying more stuff than I realized, even if it didn’t necessarily seem like a ton in comparison to other Americans in my demographic. I began to consciously scale back my shopping habit.
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Friends, we are about to leap into a BIG week for sustainability and social justice. Monday, April 22 is Earth Day, and April 22-28 is Fashion Revolution Week!
There are lots of ways to honor both of these occasions. Here are a few ideas for both Earth Day and Fashion Revolution Week:
Read MoreIf you’ve gone clothes shopping lately, you may have noticed a new trend hitting the racks: snakeskin! This animal pattern is popping up everywhere. Unsure about how to wear it? I’ve teamed up with my favorite ethical fashion boutique, The Flourish Market, to show you a couple of different ways to style this versatile pattern! (And I’ve got a coupon link for 15% off your first order at The Flourish Market, too!)
Y’all have been asking me for outfit styling posts for a while now. While I often blog about fashion, I come at the topic from more of a social and environmental justice perspective. I don’t actually consider myself much of a fashion expert! So, I asked Katy, Chief of Style at The Flourish Market, to help show me (and y’all!) different ways to wear one of the latest trends in the fashion world, all while keeping it ethical! (You can read more here about why I choose to purchase ethically made clothing.)
Read MoreA guest post by Stephanie Capps
I am not a water conservationist. I don’t know the latest stats on rivers and watersheds. I can’t tell you much about where my water actually comes from or where it goes. I am just a regular person living a fairly normal life. But, I can say with certainty one thing: WE WASTE WATER.
Read MoreThis post was written for my church’s series on fasting. Each week of Lent, the church focuses on a different item for fasting (food, clothes, waste, etc.). During the week focused on clothing, church members are encouraged to fast from clothing in some shape or fashion. Examples include wearing only two outfits the entire week, cleaning out unused clothing and donating it, or fasting from buying new clothes for the duration of Lent. I personally encourage fasting from buying fast, exploitative fashion, not just during Lent, but as a lifelong goal. Read on to find out more!
We tend to envision fasting as a practice of recentering our hearts around God rather than some other object (in this case, clothing). We often treat clothing as an idol, coping mechanism, and giver of self-worth, when God should be those things instead. Working on our personal relationship with clothing and God is an important thing to do this week, but in this reflection I want to focus on a different aspect of fasting: A change in our hearts that results in social action.
I’m not going to lie: This reflection discusses difficult things, like the role we personally play in human trafficking. But if there’s any group willing to dig deep and not turn away from hard topics, it’s my church family. So let’s jump in!
