Core Values of The Good Wear
We’ve all heard the catchy phrases or quotes on how important our values are. There’s a personal “code of conduct” in each of us that’s developed purposely, over time or just subconsciously based on their influence. We may all come to our values in different ways, but as people who want to work together, support one another and make positive changes — what does it look like to mindfully reflect on them and share them with one another?
With this new update to The Good Wear for 2020, it’s evident that in our current state of life, there’s a need to stand up for values that are inclusive and direct. And so listed here are the 4 values that are the primary lens when considering what to post on brands, content and conversations. Perfection is not the goal — I have a lot more work to do… but growth, advocacy and conversation is what I’m hoping to continue for this site and for the best versions we can be for one another!
human labor—
The Good Wear started after years of reading countless stories on the mistreatment of workers throughout the world, that make most of our clothes (Read more about one of those examples here). This mistreatment is often the same narrative we hear of in a majority of industries, but since we’re focusing on fashion, I want to be extremely mindful of the real people behind the things we buy, wear and share.
So you’ll see more content on here (and instagram) that focuses on the human rights and labor behind the brands and products we shop. This is one of the biggest things I look for when researching a brand online — do they have some sort of supply chain tracking, details or transparency statement? If you email the brand, can they provide honest information that includes where their products are made, what type of worker rights legislation are in place in that country/factory? Or do they list what type of steps they are working towards to improve visibility into wages, safety, working conditions, community livelihood?
Because the value of human life is the goal (we must not diminish this just because we live on the other side of the world), a focus on the people behind the products and standing up for the rights of other’s within this industry will always be a primary goal. That’s why I love following along with the non-profit Fashion Revolution and the work they do to advocate for workers around the world and the annual reports they put out for improvements brands are making.
conscious consumption—
One of the largest problems we have in our world today is over-consumption. We could talk about it for so long - overconsumption of food, technology, resources, etc. And clothing is no different. Based on the 2017 EPA study, just the United States, was estimated for a waste of clothing and footwear at12.8 million tons… and that number had doubled from 6,470 since the year 2000 (see source here).
We are constantly being marketed to buy new. We walk into a store and are bombarded with racks of clothings that looks cute (of course), but how often do we really think through questions like - do I actually need this? Is this just an impulse buy? Do I like this trend or am I just purchasing this to fit in? Will this shirt last more than 6 months?
There has to be some call of action within us, our communities and the industry that our consumption is part of the problem. But guess what… we can control our own consumption and therefore we can make a difference! It may seem pointless when you keep hearing about the big problems of waste and fast fashion, but if we start with our own purchasing habits, we can make little ripple effects that will influence our circles. Maybe it’s a start with a shopping goal (can you shop only second hand for a season?). Maybe it’s a new purchasing check list you make up for when you walk into Target — do I have something like this in my closet already? Will I keep wearing this?
So we’ll be talking more about this as time goes on… but there’s a term in business called purchasing power. As a customer, we have purchasing power with the brands we shop for and if we are consistent in standing up for what we believe in, calling on better standards and simply, putting our money where our mouth is… then the brands have to change with us to keep profiting.
community involvement—
We can do nothing for global change alone. Involvement within our communities and spheres of influence is vital for any sort of advocacy and change! But that takes willingness to meet in conversation, willingness to admit when you’re wrong and a deep desire to seek what is right. Ethical and sustainable fashion may come with levels of trends and beauty that may overpower advocacy sometimes… but hey, that’s fashion for ya. But knowing the purpose behind our extra steps that are being taken to care for more than just a cute outfit, is so important. And that’s where our communities come in — safe spaces to have important conversations to build up knowledge and go out to more people and spread the word to be more conscious consumers.
So what does else could this community involvement look like? It could mean getting plugged into conversations with those around you and acting on them! Setting up some steps of accountability for shopping, start listening to some podcasts on the value of ethical fashion (recommendations coming soon) and just being curious! We truly are all influencers to our immediate circles of friends and family because trust and respect is there. So we start here with a focus on caring for our neighbors, our people and our cities or towns. Who knows, it may be the perfect time to say… “well I learned this last week about our fashion industry…” as an easy start to your own role in this advocacy.
healthy habits—
This is another core value to The Good Wear and it may seem vague, but it’s important! Similar to our consumption as fashion consumers (we all wear clothes, so that does make us consumers!), we can only truly control our personal habits.
We can still make changes by the way we act and talk… consistency is key! So with this being a value, the healthy habit lens will be dedicated to promoting and building up strong sustainable habits that we can produce in our lives to pursue more conscious consumerism and get to know this side of the fashion industry. What might be accessible to some, may not be for someone else… so we want to build up rhythms that help us succeed and build up those around us! We’ll be working our best to stray away from toxic language, cancel culture and pursue ways to collaborate with those who are taking steps with us.
So to end this value synopsis… we get to be personal examples of how when we develop healthy, sustainable habits, things change. These things include, open-minded conversations, checking our purchases, ethics towards what we buy and why. Let’s not settle for what’s always been done!
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” —Maya Angelou