random fashion thoughts

[DudleyGray]

what kind of black is the jet black? green, blue, brown, red? thanks!

Sort of an indigo/purple when diluted.

[stagename]

Sort of an indigo/purple when diluted.

Thanks!!

[Shucks]

about nike's sweatshops. how can anyone justify ever buying from this fucking company...

[DudleyGray]

Because the vast majority of people are selfish, lying cowards. That and I guess there are very few reasonable activewear alternatives, I guess maybe some New Balance is OK.

[gregor]

it's convenient not to think about it.

[yay]

is it even possible to get workout clothing that's not made in sweatshops? especially for specific sports

[Shucks]

yes of course it is.

www.prana.com
www.4-rth.com
http://altagraciaapparel.com/

[yay]

oh i should've been more clear, i meant specifically for shoes, something like jogging shoes or soccer shoes etc. i'm sure they exist SOMEHWERE too, but i definitely can't just go into my city right now in a sports store and get sweatshop free jogging shoes.

[Shucks]

here's one option:

http://www.veja-store.com/

basically i'm of the opinion that it is every person's own responsibility to find the best possible alternatives for whatever his/her needs are. don't be lazy - people in third world countries are suffering because we consumers are too lazy to care about what we buy. so i suggest you get on google and find out what other options you have....

[yay]

i haven't bought any sportswear in 2 years or so, still have the same old shit i use so i haven't been searching for anything. but the bigger problem is still the fact that the huge sporting good chains just flat out don't sell that stuff, they just reach an insane amount of customers. convenience is still the major factors for any of this, if they would just be sold side by side in the same shop sooo many more people would buy them. i remember when everyone pirated movies because it was flat out easier to do than buy them, obviously not the same thing at all but just a good example of where convenience just trumps most other needs for a huge part of people. now with things like netflix, or other streaming services it is just more convenient to actually pay for your stuff. i doubt the mindset of convenience will ever change, it's something that should be catered for by stores imo

[guardimp]

This just seems like a big justification of doing things wrong. Just because it is harder to do something the right way should not be an excuse to do something the wrong way. Sure it is easier to rob people than work to buy stuff, or just go to the store as opposed to buying stuff that does not rely on horrid working conditions - but does it really matter? Think about what you are doing because it is easier, when you are just passing the buck. It seems obvious that there is more at play here, such as an uncaring society that does not think of how their garments are made. Perhaps the problem is not that bad choices are more convenient, but rather that many people are just awful people.

Also, why should retailers bear the burden for consumers? If consumers wanted the items they can go online and buy them. Its not like there is a huge demand for these items.

[550BC]

So everyone who wears Nike sneakers or work-out gear (quite a lot of them on here) is a ''selfish, lying coward'' ?

[guardimp]

I'm not sure who you are quoting as calling them a "selfish, lying coward". I don't think that you can know that much about a person just from the clothing they own. Consumption should not be used as an identity or a means to derive someones values. Shucks said it best with just calling people who buy clothing made in sweatshops lazy, and even that can be questionable if they are not lazy but are uncaring.

The only thing certain is they could have picked a better alternative for their need, where better is referring to the purchase causing less suffering.

[DudleyGray]

So everyone who wears Nike sneakers or work-out gear (quite a lot of them on here) is a ''selfish, lying coward'' ?

Don't take it personally, I think that of everyone for lesser offenses.

[casem]

Nonono, yay is completely right. The problem with capitalism is the way its puts a veil between the consumer and the means of production, allowing you to make purchases without moral dilemma. It's not that society is full of awful people; it's that we're so far removed from the suffering caused by our purchasing habits that convenience trumps ethics more often than not. In other words, it's a systemic problem not a personal moral failing. Without changing the system completely, the only way to make things better is, as yay suggests, to make the convenient choice the more ethical one.

Think of Chipotle, I'm super glad they source their food in a thoughtful way and that makes me like them more, but ultimately I wouldn't eat there so much if it wasn't cheap, delicious and ubiquitous. Yea, it sucks I probably wouldn't seek out an ethical burrito place if it was out of the way and expensive, but it's not just me, this is how consumers behave in the system so it's something that needs to be understood to affect positive change. Simply guilting/shaming people into making better purchasing decision has been shown not to work time and time again (look at the way the fur industry bounced back in fashion).

Now, of course I'm all for changing the system, but it's a mistake to attribute systemic problems to the individual because it shifts blame away from the real problem. (In the same way we'd rather blame 9/11 on a few fanatical zealots than recognize it as a response to US foreign policy and Orientalism)

This just seems like a big justification of doing things wrong. Just because it is harder to do something the right way should not be an excuse to do something the wrong way. Sure it is easier to rob people than work to buy stuff, or just go to the store as opposed to buying stuff that does not rely on horrid working conditions - but does it really matter? Think about what you are doing because it is easier, when you are just passing the buck. It seems obvious that there is more at play here, such as an uncaring society that does not think of how their garments are made. Perhaps the problem is not that bad choices are more convenient, but rather that many people are just awful people.

Also, why should retailers bear the burden for consumers? If consumers wanted the items they can go online and buy them. Its not like there is a huge demand for these items.