Two Birds….

 

….with one stone.

So I have this book. It looks good. It kinda sorta even looks doable. I think it’s going to help me with a couple of things.

Now I don’t know how much notice you take of these things, but a bright orange, retro styled, rather lovely button has appeared in my sidebar, as if by magic. The magic, and the button, is from Isis, and it signals the pledge that I have made to myself, and the ethics I seem to have fallen into, since signing up for Wardrobe Refashion some months ago. I know I didn’t actually refashion very much, or make anything much wearable, but I didn’t BUY anything new either. And since getting out of the habit, I haven’t yet felt the urge to get back into it. In my opinion, if one can make it through the Boxing Day/January sales without buying so much as a singlet, then the clothes buying retail monkey is completely off their back.

Isis created the Ethical Clothing Pledge for herself, but it’s such a grand idea that several other people have joined her, including me. A pledge, to me, is a much more personal decision, which requires much more personal action, than a ‘challenge’. Taking a pledge means that you honestly believe to continue that which you have begun, while taking a challenge means, at least to me “let’s see what happens”.

Here is a copy of the pledge for your consideration:

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T H E _ E T H I C A L _ C L O T H I N G _ P L E D G E

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I pledge to only wear clothing that is one or more of the following:
1. Pre-loved
2. Handmade (preferably by me)
3. Reconstructed
4. Made with ethical / environmentally friendly materials
5. Made by a company with strong ethical policy & workers' rights
* Companies with environmentally friendly practices (such as cutting down on waste/energy/water) get brownie points
* If I get one little inkling of sweatshop labour, I'm outta there!
* Above all though, I think the most important thing is reducing the amount of things we use in the first place. Not purchasing ANOTHER piece of clothing just for the sake of it is the biggest statement we can make.

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My lovely new book is going to assist me in making my very first piece of clothing since taking the pledge, and that first piece of clothing is also going to fulfil the requirement of this challenge. It all seems to fit so nicely & neatly in place, that I may very well mess up the entire thing.

I’m going to try to work slowly through the book, doing each project as it comes & trying hard not to get scared of making new things, which sometimes happens. I have actually realised that the world is not going to end if I mess up some sewing, but some personal fulfilment could very well result out of completing something I didn’t think I could do.

Who knew?!