shopping season

Now that election season is over, it’s holiday (a.k.a shopping) season.

Our political voting may be over for the year, but we still vote with our money. As I mentioned in my last post, we implicitly support the way that businesses are run when we buy from them and give them revenue.

While it’s near impossible to ensure that everything you buy is produced justly and sustainably, please consider making atleast a few purchases (if not all) from businesses that pursue ethical labour and good environmental practices this holiday season. As you will see in the list below, there are lots of options.

I thought I’d list a few stores and brands that I like. They usually have some combination of local, ethical labour or sustainable environmental practices, though few of them are 100% perfect in any of those categories. Below my list, I’ve also included a list compiled by Co-Op America in this brochure. It’s an even more comprehensive list of different businesses. I haven’t browsed most of these stores but some of them sound like great places to find gifts for others or for yourself. It's also possible to look up retailers on Responsible Shopper. I've also blogged extensively about labour practices in the past (1, 2, 3, 4)

If you know of other brands or stores that you particularly like, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. Or if you find out that any of these stores or brands are not quite what they're made out to be, please let me know as well. I’ll update this page as I hear about more stores and brands.

Please feel free to forward this link or this list to others. Spread the word! If you’re going to consume, you might as well support good business practices while you’re at it.

Food
Equal Exchange - Fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate. Yummy!
Your Local Farmer’s Market – To find one near you and if you’re in PA, try Buy Local PA or Local Food Philly


Clothing and accessories (Online ordering available for all of the below)
Fair Indigo – Fair trade clothing online retailer that sells Ann Taylor Loft-like clothing. They are sleek and corporate-looking, which immediately arouses some suspicion, but for the most part, I believe that they are genuine. Proceed with caution.
Wiksten – Handmade clothing sewn by a woman who resides in Kansas City; A bit on the pricey end and a small collection but I appreciate people who start their own craft business working out of their houses.
Passenger Pigeon Clothing – Eco-friendly clothing and bags made in Canada. Also pricey so I’ve never bought anything from them, but they have some really gorgeous designs
Anti-Factory - Hand-made "urban" clothing made from recycled materials. Really nice, colourful casual styles.
ReLoad – Handmade custom messenger bags, backpacks and other accessories. Orders can take up to a month to process as they are all hand-made and based on customized colours. They also do custom graphics and machine appliqué on their bags. They are headquartered in Philadelphia.
VicPickle – Purchase your own customized handbag (i.e. you get to pick out the fabrics, style etc…) which will then be made by hand in Philadelphia. They’re headquartered in Philadelphia as well.
Mooshoes – Vegan and cruelty-free shoes and bags. Store is in NY.
WarmLegWear – A family business operating out of Maine (I think?). It sells lots of tights and socks, most of which are made in Canada.
Sockdreams – Similar to the above, but with a wider selection, including organics. Not sure where most of their socks/tights are manufactured though.
Adbusters BlackSpot Shoes - Union made canvas sneakers ($79) and boots ($120)
Planet Bike - Bike lights and other accessories
Camper – is a Spanish shoe company with long history of environmental and labor responsibility. They’re also pricey but the shoes are very stylish—they’re famous for the “Twin” shoes where two shoes have different but coordinating designs.
The Green Guide also has a good list for ethically-made and environmentally-friendly shoes (including Timberland and Birkenstocks)

Miscellaneous
Etsy – Online retailer of vintage and handmade items. It’s Ebay meets an arts and crafts fair.
Ten Thousand Villages – A fair trade nonprofit organization. It sells jewelry, home décor (including beautiful wicker baskets), cards, notebooks, china and other gift items.
LUSH – Organic bath and body products made in Canada with minimal packaging. They’re pricey but the store smells good.
Paperbackswap – Not really a source for gifts but a good website to post and swap books with other members.

Local Stores specific to Philadelphia
I’ve tried my best to list the intersections but if you do plan to visit any of these stores, please google the addresses to be sure.
Thrift stores and consignment stores – There are plenty in the Philadelphia area. To list a few: The Second Mile at 45th and Locust, Goodwill at 22nd and Market (across from Trader Joe’s), a place at 50th and Baltimore, Buffalo Exchange at 17th and Chestnut, Sophisticated Seconds at 21st and Sansom, Immortal Uncommon Resale at 18th and Sansom, Greene Street (or something like that) on South Street etc…
Smak Parlour – A boutique located on Market Street between 2nd and 3rd Street in Philadelphia. It has great (somewhat flashy) clothing mainly for parties and nightclubs. Most of the clothing is designed by the owners and sewn in Chinatown. I almost got the bridesmaid dresses for my wedding from this store, but they unfortunately would not be ready on time.
Vix Emporium – VIX Emporium is a handcraft store located at 50th and Baltimore. They have quite a bit of fun jewelry, t-shirts, cards, soaps, bags and other
Black Cat – Another gift shop located 3424 Sansom Street Philadelphia. Straight from the website: “We strive to be a socially responsible business by focusing on merchandise that contributes to the good of the planet as a whole. These "Whole World Products" include pieces made from recycled materials, the work of local artists and craftspeople, fairly traded international handicrafts, and products sold in support of disabled or disadvantaged people.” It’s the counterpart to the famous White Dog Café.
Firehouse Bikes - Worker-owned used bike store and repair shop; Bikes range from about $100-$600; Great service (though sometimes slow), good prices, really friendly owners! I purchased my own bike there June of 2007.
Used/local book stores – The city also has plenty of used or locally-owned bookstores Book Trader (2nd and Market), A House of Our Own (39th and Spruce), The Last Word (40th and Locust), Big Jar Books (2nd and Arch)
Some of the above stores in the other lists are also headquartered in Philadelphia or have stores in Philly, including Ten Thousand Villages (13th and Locust), LUSH (15th and Walnut), VicPickle and ReLoad.
Fabric stores – Fabric Row has a whole bunch of fabric and notions stores located near 4th and Bainbridge; Spool Sewing at 19th and South; Cloth & Bobbin in Narberth
Yarn Stores – Rosie’s Yarn Cellar at 20th and Locust, Loop at 19th and South, Ewe and I in Narberth; Look specifically for Manos del Uruguay and Shokay yarn purchased from cooperatives in China and Uruguay.

Co-Op America List

A Greater Gift
www.agreatergift.org
Fairly traded home decor, jewelry, and more from artisans and farmers around the world.

Autonomie Project, Inc.
www.autonomieproject.com
Fair Trade, sweatshop-free footwear and clothing made by worker-owned cooperatives in the developing world.

Bamboosa
www.bamboosa.com
Makes bamboo fiber clothing and baby products that are sweatshop-free and American-made.

BaaBaa Zuzu
www.baabaazuzu.com
Jackets, mittens, hats, scarves and bags: one-of-a-kind and made in the USA from reclaimed woolens.

BTC Elements
www.btcelements.com
Offers earth-friendly and socially conscious apparel, accessories, beauty, and baby clothes.

Chapter One Organics
www.chapteroneorganics.com
Uses organic fabrics sewn in the US to make stylish, fun, and practical baby and toddler clothing.

Certified Jean Co.
www.certifiedjean.com
Jeans for men and women, made from organic cotton: grown, milled, and made in the USA.

Cottonfield
www.cottonfieldusa.com
Organic cotton and hemp clothing including sweaters and underwear for men and women.

Decent Exposures
www.decentexposures.com
Shirts, leggings, skirts, bathing suits, and over 200 sizes of organic cotton bras made in the USA.

Dreams on Looms
www.dreamsonlooms.com
Collection of apparel and accessories handwoven by tribal women from northeast India.

Earth Creations
www.earthcreations.net
Clothing in organic cotton, hemp, tencel, and bamboo blends; dyed with natural clay dyes.

Ecolution
www.ecolution.com
Direct Romanian sweat-free manufacturer of hemp products: hats, bags, apparel, fabric, and more.

Ecoganik
www.ecoganik.com
Private label sweat-free organic fashion for men, women, and kids: career and casual wear and more.

Esperanza Threads
www.esperanzathreads.com
Organic fiber clothing made under fair conditions in Cleveland, Ohio.

Equita
www.shopequita.com
Fair Trade, organic and green essentials including: apparel, jewelry, handbags, and baby
clothing.

Fair Industry
www.fairindustry.com
Fairly traded women’s clothing and jewelry; modern design combined with traditional skills.

Fair Trade Sports
www.fairtradesports.com
Fairly traded eco-certifi ed sports balls for soccer, football, basketball, rugby, and more.

Far East Handicrafts
www.fareasthandicrafts.com
Direct importer from indigenous craftspeople, specializing in handmade paper, singing bowls, chimes, bells, silver and wood carving, and more.

Global Exchange
www.store.gxonlinestore.org
Not-for-profit, non-exploitative online store supporting artisan cooperatives in 40 countries.

Global Mamas
www.globalmamas.org
Clothing and jewelry handmade by women’s cooperatives in Africa.

Greater Goods
www.greatergoodsonline.com
Fair Trade hats, natural fiber clothing, jewelry, gifts and more.

Justice Clothing
www.justiceclothing.com
Men’s and women’s union-made-in-the-USA clothing, coats, underwear, socks, ties, and more.

Kusikuy
www.kusikuy.com
Fair Trade llama and alpaca blend knits. Ponchos, sweaters, hats, mittens, and scarves.

Maggie’s Organics
www.organicclothes.com
Sweat-free clothing including T-shirts, camisoles, tops, socks, and tights made with organic cotton.

Marigold Fair Trade
www.marigoldfairtradeclothing.com
Fair Trade clothing and household items from a women’s cooperative in India.

Natural Beginnings
www.naturalbeginnings.biz
Organic and natural sweat-free products for babies and their moms.

No Sweat Apparel
www.nosweatapparel.com
Union-made, sweatshop-free sneakers and clothing for men, women, and children.

North Star Toys
www.northstartoys.com
Creative, nontoxic, nonviolent wooden toys made by a family business.

Parnassus Investments
www.parnassus.com
Offers seven socially responsible mutual funds, all of which consider both financial and social factors when making investment decisions.

Rugmark
www.rugmark.org
Working to end child labor in the rug industry, and offer education to former child weavers.

Splaff
www.splaff.com
Sandals, bags, and belts handcrafted from used tires, hemp, and recycled materials.

Traditions Fair Trade
www.traditionsfairtrade.com
Promotes Fair Trade relationships with artisans around the world; offers sweat-free sneakers.

T.S. Designs
www.tsdesigns.com
Full-service apparel domestic manufacturing and screenprinting company based in North Carolina.

Under the Nile
www.underthenile.com
Children’s apparel, diapers, bedding, blankets, and more, made fairly in Egypt.

World of Good
www.worldogood.com
Fair Trade apparel, scarves, jewelry, housewares, and gifts from around the world.