What values & ethics did your family instill in you when it came to shopping? Did they promote frugality and thrift? Did the promote quality over quantity, or where they simply quantity, quantity, quantity? Did you learn the value of your dollar early on and how it was spent? Or did you just spend, without knowing how that dollar came to be & if there would be more?
Imagine by Katie Kirk
During my younger years (up until about 10-12), I grew up with the mentality of quality AND quantity. Through my parents separation and divorce, the values of quality never went away, though quantity was no longer a luxury.
One of the ways I learned to assign value & quality was by the materials: for example, silk was strong & warm, while leather long-lasting and durable. I remember being told this as young as 3rd grade, when my mother bought me a bright blue silk blouse. She taught me how not to ruin it, and how it was one of my “good shirts” because it was made of silk (I remember wearing it with my dad’s tie and shiny black jazz shoes).
As the green movement continually grows stronger and stronger, I’m forced to reevaluate the way I react and interact with materials and my ideas of quality. It requires more research and investigation, and ultimately more thought before I reach a final purchasing decision.
This came to my attention recently, as I contemplated buying a new Hayden Harnett purse or a bag by Matt and Nat (though I ended up with neither). In my mind, I knew that the Hayden Harnett would be great quality: I’ve purchased from them before and know their products are beautifully made; the leather is strong and soft. I found myself uneasy about paying an equal or slightly lesser sum for the Matt & Nat bag, because of it’s “vegan materials.”
What makes their vegan bag “better” than a synthetic bag I could find at TJ Maxx and for a fraction of the cost?
When it comes to quality, durability, and long-lasting, I’m not yet sure what vegan means to me.
**Please bare in mind– this article ISN’T about the abuses that animals go through for food or for clothing or why veganism may have superiority over living a life with animal products in it.
Matt and Nat are an exception, in my opinion, given the recycled materials used in building their products. I think recycling is wonderful, and the fact their bags are made from recycled plastic bottles is superb. But not all vegan substituted materials are so eco-conscious or are working towards reducing the waste going in to landfills.
Many times materials like PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and PU (polyurethane) are used to create synthetic leathers. However, both materials are considered toxic to the environment & your health (via Greenpeace). When I see a bag made from these materials, I often wonder whether they or leather would be the more environmentally sustainable option. As we see these often in products deemed “vegan,” it feels like false advertising to say that this “vegan” product IS environmentally sustainable.
In many ways, I see my conundrum in the trend of using aluminum water bottles instead of plastic bottles. While Sigg may promote that their manufactured in an ecologically-friendly environment and are 100% recyclable after their very long lives, that doesn’t stop the fact that mining aluminum is incredibly energy inefficient to mine and recycling it requires more.
There’s no easy answer for what I’m questioning– and the process of changing my values and educating myself to make informed decisions is a long one. Have you faced this problem yourself? How are you, or do you, find a happy medium between buying products that are eco-friendly while still being quality products?
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this post. Honestly, I think about it all the time. I think about sustainability in every part of my life though. I think the key here, as my friend recently articulated in a blog post, is that we simply need to use less stuff. We don’t need new stuff every week, always look for quality over quantity, recognise that ‘quality’ doesn’t need to mean leather or other animal product and that ethically produced products can also be quality products – think about where all that shiny pretty stuff you so ‘need’ is going to end up once you’re done for the season or have moved onto love of another trend, cut, colour, style. We should try and make our choices as ethical as we know how, but we should also focus on not over-consuming.
I totally agree with you about the vegan “pleathers”, often PVC, versus real leather. Although leather tanning uses lots of nasty chemicals typically as well, I feel like leather generally lasts much longer?
Also… I could be wrong on this, but I think that aluminum recycling is one of the least energy intensive forms of recycling, and it requires less energy to recycle aluminum than to mine it new. Many other forms of recycling are energy intensive however and create toxic wastes by-products… I was talking recently with a friend about a documentary they’d seen about how much waste and chemicals are created through the newspaper recycling process. Again, I could be wrong, as this is all going off of memory…
.-= Mallory´s last blog ..New Limited Edition Scents from Lollibomb Beauty =-.
Kate, you made some excellent points, especially regarding consuming less overall. It always bothered me how some bloggers would proclaim they only shopped vintage or from thrift stores, like they were mightier, only to do their giveaway process & show that they had more clothes to give away than I had in total. If I’m consuming less than them, what does it matter if mine is new & made in the USA and theirs is vintage?
Mallory, I’m not sure, but you could be right, because I tried to look up the energy levels of mining vs. recycling aluminum and couldn’t find anything reputable. Like you, I had heard somewhere it was actually more energy intensive to recycle aluminum, but I can’t find a source on it. That’s so horrible to hear about the newspaper recycling :(
Also, on the leather tanning, there are some great companies like Corso Como who use natural methods to tan their leathers, which I imagine creates less waste & chemical byproducts…
Ashe, shopping at thrift stores & buying vintage clothes still generates less waste because you’re recycling things that were already made, bought & paid for. Buying things new promotes more factory labor, & more materials being used to make new items. Kudos for buying things made in the U.S. though – sweatshops aren’t cute.
Not that I think it’s “better” to shop only secondhand or buy vintage clothes, just wanted to point that out. I do think it’s pretty nuts the idea of buying tons and tons of clothing and then re-donating it & buying more all the time. At the very least, it’s certainly wasting a lot of time & money.
I buy a lot of used clothing but I don’t go through it as fast as I possibly can. I look for things that are well made & will last awhile. If I am going to buy something new, I’d rather buy something that’s as high of quality as possible. It’s probably a bit confusing – I’m more likely to buy one more expensive, well made shirt than 5 lower quality ones for the same price. I like things that last.
I could say more, but I already feel like I’ve written a thesis. ;) Great post.
.-= Kylie´s last blog ..Quotes on Writing =-.
Kylie, I definitely agree with you that buying used is definitely a better alternative to buying new! I just meant that in relation to Kate’s comment, that excessive consumption is excessive consumption– even if it IS vintage, these people are still consuming more.
Afterall, there’s a limited amount of vintage and second hand products to be purchased– if someone is buying an excessive amount of it, it does make it more difficult for others who want to to do so because the pickings become more slim.
You’re right that buying vintage in excess is a waste of time & financial resources, especially if you’ll get limited wear from it & then redonate it with your yearly donation.
Overall, I think you & I are both on the same page–which is shopping smartly & consciously, choosing quality over quantity when we can, whether it’s new or used (and ideally, choosing the most eco-friendly option available). Sadly, vintage is something I tend not to get a lot of, mostly because of my plus-size at this point… there aren’t many great options available! I try to be careful & smart about what I buy, especially when my weight is in flux…
Thank you for great things to think about! :)
I generally wonder about the process of “natural tanning” – my dad hunted when I was a kid and because that side of my family is Salish, there’s a huge emphasis on not wasting anything. I’ve seen things naturally tanned. It’s kinda gross.
On a different note, I’m glad fashion is slowing down! I’m glad people are only making 4 seasons instead of 4 seasons and 6 interim shipments. The onslaught of fast fashion speeds up the construction process (things are more poorly made), and the rate at which new stuff is discarded (“it’s so last season”).
/rambles….
Great post – it really made a girl think!
.-= birdie´s last blog ..Win Tickets to See SPYGIRL =-.
I LOVE this post, as it’s a topic that features in my thoughts regularly. I agree with Kate: she perfectly articulated a lot of my own beliefs, and as such, my purchasing has seriously decreased!
.-= x Corrine/Frock & Roll x´s last blog ..Online Authenticity & The Positivity Vs. Negativity Debate ? =-.
hmm… good question, i usually end up doing a bit of both, in my mind there is a scale or a chart and on that chart there is an area of which i’ll buy something. obviously i won’t buy something if it’s shit, because then i’ll never use it… no matter how cheap it is. but then again, if it’s expensive, it’s not practical for me to buy. often times i’ll go with sales or thrifting if i’m looking for quality.
.-= Jennine´s last blog ..Mummy Dearest =-.
This is something I am thinking about myself. I am vegan but still have some leather stuff. I want to look at stopping buying it however. This does not mean just buying a lot of vegan stuff too.
I think there is a difference in quality of materials on both sides (vegan and non-vegan), so I think you should be equally choosy in where you spend your money. There are cheap leathers as well as. And I think both sides have negatives.
But, while you mention it isn’t about what the animals go through, that is a huge part of it. That will always and I think should always, be a huge consideration. Not just for the animals themselves but also for the environmental impact these factory farms have on places like the rainforest and with water run off etc.
.-= Princess Poochie´s last blog ..Featured Shoe: Lela Rose Ribbon Heel =-.
I think you can certainly find things that are both made of environmentally friendly materials and will last a long time.
In the construction industry, durability is a huge part of sustainability. It’s also a major factor in the cost of owning a building. We try to spend more money up front to make a building that’s well designed with durable materials, so we don’t have to spend more money later fixing it. I took a course in Sustainable Design at an architectural college and it was primarily about durable buildings (aka designing things that last).
What’s better: cladding a building in something that takes a lot of energy to make but will last 100 years, or something that doesn’t take a lot of energy but will last 20? I’d go with the 100 year material. Not only do you have to throw the 20 year material out after 20 years, but you have to manufacture more to reinstall on the building.
Same thing with clothing. If the environmentally friendly thing takes no energy or new materials to make and biodegrades, then who cares how long it lasts? But it usually does take energy and possibly new materials to make and it probably will at least partly end up in a landfill.
.-= Lara´s last blog ..Irene – Portrait Shoot – Downtown, Victoria, BC =-.
Wow,you bring up lots of interesting and important points. It worries me that recyclig might be bad for the environment too. That’s why I also try to reuse things like my go-cup, rather than getting a paper (or worse, styrofoam) cup.
.-= Meg´s last blog ..And the Winner is… =-.
This is the greatest conversation I have seen in a while.
Rethinking to me is one of the most important things we can do as consumers.
Please visit my website STOPrecycling.com
I have been preaching this for years.
paper or plastic??????? Duh. Finally – and it has been years – I am not looked at with total confusion when I hand over my “Durable” organic cotton string bag at Office Max.
REDUCE, REUSE, recycle only when you must. And rethink everything you buy.
Mckenna Hallett
I am a full time artist making jewelry from found objects without burning fossil fuels since 1992 based on the principles of Voluntary Simplicity. http://www.lowerimpact.com
I’ve honestly never thought about the sustainability of my clothing purchases although I normally skew in the direction of materials that aren’t man-made.
I’m going to have to pay more attention when I’m shopping. Thank you for the entry, Ashe.
.-= Alicia´s last blog ..It must be August again… =-.
What a brilliant post, and some great points made.
There are so many considerations to be made when purchasing anything and I think all anyone can do is weigh up the options as best they can to balance environmental needs, ethical needs and your own personal needs.
I actually have a very small wardrobe, and most of it is bought in sales or charity (thrift) shops. When I need something I have to not only balance my desire to buy sustainable products but also my budget. I can’t walk the streets barefoot, but I’m also on a very limited budget so buying £100 ethical shoes isn’t an option for instance!
I also feel compelled to make a point about sweatshops. Although unpleasant places from a Western perspective it’s important to remember that the alternative for people working in them is often worse. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take some responsibility for ensuring the condition in them improve or as good as possible, just that feeling smug about “saving” people from sweat shops because you only buy local or second hand goods is a little misguided.
I wrote something on this back in March http://www.retrochick.co.uk/2009/03/06/can-cheap-fashion-be-ethical-fashion/
.-= Retro Chick´s last blog ..Win Reese Witherspoon’s new In Bloom Fragrance for Avon =-.
great conversation starter, Ashe… I don’t have any answers. I don’t think we’ll ever figure out what the environmental impact of production really is. There are downsides to everything, and upsides. It’s a matter of weighing the pros and cons. Can’t someone just do the math and let us know!?
.-= glamspoon´s last blog ..I’m in love with Frida =-.
You know, I was just thinking about this the other day. My sister had bought a knockoff Prada in Mexico and it broke while we were shopping, and I said something like “Ha, Ashley, that’s what you get for buying cheap knockoffs!” And her reply was “Well, it lasted a good six months!”. My first thought was “Six months?! THAT’S a long lifespan of a bag to her?” But, she’s a little younger than me (just turned 18), and I don’t think a lot of younger people think about it – I know I didn’t start thinking about sustainability until just a year or two ago. I buy a LOT of my clothes secondhand, partially for budget reasons and partially just because I like doing so. So, generally, if I buy cheap crap at least it’s secondhand cheap crap, you know? I’m wearing a tank right now from Old Navy that I got at the DAV back in Joplin, and it’s one of my favorites.
I have the same worries about vegan replacements for leather too, especially when it comes to shoes. I’ve just not had very good experiences with leather replacements in shoes or in handbags, but they weren’t very expensive items either. I’m still very on the fence about it.
My major concerns when making any sort of purchase are:
Is it reasonably priced? Why would I buy it if it isn’t?
Is it good quality? I’m not about to spend any amount of money on something that’s going to fall apart.
Will it stick with me? I’m not going to buy something that I won’t be using/wearing in a few months. If I can safely say I’ll wear it for years, then I’ll make it mine.
Whether it’s vegan or eco-friendly never really crosses my mind.
.-= Trish´s last blog ..CFW Recap: Batlak og Selvig =-.
Yes, I think about this constantly. But I haven’t made up my mind yet.
.-= Anna´s last blog ..AnnaKaffekanna: http://twitpic.com/dpldx – Me as a character in Mad Men. You can also “Madmenify” yourself on http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/madm … =-.
I think it is great you bring this up. It is up to us as consumers to make informed decisions about the products we buy and support. There is a whole back story to processing fibers and materials for clothing (or anything for human consumption for that matter) like the amount of natural resources and energy it takes to get from A to B. Knowing the whole story could change your mind about purchases. Fast fashion is great for to satiate our desires to consume consume consume and be on top of all the trends but that might be it…I do agree that we should all desire quality over quantity and reduce and reuse when we can.
.-= Mary P.´s last blog ..It’s poll time! =-.
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