Skip to Content

Destroying the False Idol of Ethical Fashion

Changes in Ethical Fashion & Influencing Remember capsule wardrobes? You may recall that I was initially very skeptical of the capsule wardrobe movement, mostly because the people I saw touting it were using it as a way of feigning a reduction in their consumption – after all, a capsule wardrobe is “minimalist” – while, in …

Read More about Destroying the False Idol of Ethical Fashion

Why Give Back Brands Aren’t Ethical

Why Give Back Brands Aren’t Ethical In today’s consumer landscape, more and more companies want to be seen as “giving back” to those in need. But give-back brands that focus on donating a portion of profits to social causes can’t properly be called ethical. Because they don’t work toward systemic change… Are Give-Back Brands Really …

Read More about Why Give Back Brands Aren’t Ethical

Is Your Artisan Made Item *Really* Ethical? 5 Things to Look For

This piece was written by me with compensation and support from MATTER Prints What Does Artisan Made Mean? Artisan made was the buzzword that triggered my exploration of ethical consumerism. In 2011, while undertaking a routine shelf-tidying during my shift at Hobby Lobby, a privately held “Christian” craft and home decor chain, I came across …

Read More about Is Your Artisan Made Item *Really* Ethical? 5 Things to Look For

Is Social Good Marketing Just Another Form of Greenwashing?

Is Social Good Marketing Hiding Ethical Issues? Recently I’ve been dealing with a really unpleasant situation regarding a company that reached out to me for collaboration. Their marketing looked good: they produce eco-friendly accessories in the USA through a program that empowers marginalized women. What’s not to like about that? After all, the US has …

Read More about Is Social Good Marketing Just Another Form of Greenwashing?

“Conscious” Capitalism and Imperialism

“Conscious” Capitalism and Imperialism I recently finished reading Dangerous Territory, a spiritual memoir about Amy Peterson’s experience as a short-lived missionary in a closed country in Southeast Asia. I read it hoping to glean some good information about cross-cultural communication and the dangers of Western missionary models and related forms of “development” (read this post for …

Read More about “Conscious” Capitalism and Imperialism

What Is Fair Trade and Is It Fair?

What’s Fair in Fair Trade? A Chat With Brad Jeffery of CAUSEGEAR (now MADE FREE) Growing interest in conscious consumerism has necessarily brought with it a range of questions about what constitutes fairness, ethics, and transparency. While the definition of fair trade has remained fairly solid over the last several decades, new companies, marketers, freelancers, …

Read More about What Is Fair Trade and Is It Fair?

You Can’t Buy Your Way to a Better World

You Can’t Buy Your Way to a Better World Since I recently reworked my Direct Sales critique from several months ago, I wanted to take the opportunity to answer a particular question I received from a reader: Why would you use your influence to speak out against a company that is ultimately seeking the greater …

Read More about You Can’t Buy Your Way to a Better World