Month: April 2014

I started this project thinking I would likely get a mix of honest answers and spin back from companies whom I asked specific questions about where their products are made.  So far I have had some great answers and feed back from two companies and one telling me they are looking into the answers. What I did not expect was… Read more →

It was a year ago today that building collapsed in Bangladesh killing over a 1000 garment workers.  The world was shocked.  Companies reacted and people questioned where their clothes were made.  As the story slowly slipped out of the news cycle so did it slip from many people’s minds and we continued to shop for the latest fashions and good… Read more →

The reasons that i have started this are many.  I want to say it was the collapse of the building in Bangladesh that inspired this blog – but that would not be the entire truth.  I think the less shocking and horrifying reason had more of an influence. That reason was this: I took up sewing, less than a year… Read more →

I have been delaying writing this post because I don’t quite know how to summarize the response from Marks aka The Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC). First off they are very proud of signing on to the non-binding agreement in Bangladesh.  The weaker agreement that many feel does little to protect workers.   I quote: “Since its launch, the Alliance has focused on its… Read more →

From the 1900s to 1950s, American consumers spent approximately 12-14% of their annual income on clothing. Today, we spend about 3%. But our closets are actually bigger. The average American house has doubled in size since the 1950s and closet space has increased, too, particularly with the advent of the walk-in closet in the 1980s. We likely have more than five… Read more →

Over the long weekend I sent messages to about 6 companies both independent and chain stores.  Twiss and Weber were the only ones to respond right away with a detailed answer no less! Most of the products they carry are made on site and they seem to have a good working environment for their employees including a living wage.  … Read more →

From their website: Flock carries a wide range of Canadian-made, independently designed clothes, accessories and gifts. From one of the owners: Yes, our focus is on clothing, accessories and jewellery handmade here in Canada. We carry over 160 independent Canadian designers/craftspeople and It has already appeared on various lists of best songs by different magazines and online portals. “Thinking Out… Read more →

When emailing to ask where Miz Moos were made I received a response from a company called Global Shoe.  They were very quick to respond by both email and twitter and told me that their shoes were made in:  China, Italy, Turkey and Portugal.  They also told me that “The owners at Global Shoe Connection have visited all the factories… Read more →

And it might not be all good. Oxfam:  “The global trade in second-hand clothing (SHC) is worth more than $1 billion each year. Supporters of the SHC industry point out that the trade creates employment in the receiving countries (transporting, cleaning, repairing, restyling, etc.). It also provides low-cost clothing for people living in poverty. At the same time, however, there… Read more →

The only Canadian company to sign on to a binding agreement to improve labour conditions for garment workers in Bangladesh was Loblaw – who make the clothing label Joe Fresh https://www.joefresh.com/ Information on The accord can be found here: http://www.bangladeshaccord.org/ Update: Loblaws does not have a lot posted on their website.  Getting answers from them has proven tricky.  Given they… Read more →