Shopping Responsibly: Consumers, Brands, and Beyond

- Thought for the day: Who should take responsibility for the products we consume?  Brands, factories, agents, consumers, everyone?

In Europe, an interesting trend is emerging in the fashion industry, where responsibility starts with the brand.

http://www.fairwear.org/

By joining the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF), an international verification initiative, brands are required to work towards continuously improving labor conditions in the garment industry.

Their codes are strict but the rules are simple.  Brands must only work with factories that meet their eight labor standards, which are derived from ILO Conventions and the UN's Declaration on Human Rights.  

If these standards are met, brands are expected to raise the bar even higher.  If they are not, brands should take swift corrective action, or seek out new suppliers; if they do neither, they are eventually disbarred. 

If brands are stepping up, how can we as consumers do the same?  My advice is simple: be demanding - investigate how companies manage their social responsibility, and vote with your wallet.  If your favorite companies aren't already weaving good causes into the fabric of their brand, they soon will.

Share if you care, comment if you have your own ideas on the subject.  Thank you!

More info on FWF: