Look good + be good
Brad Bennett runs Commerce with a Conscience, a blog devoted to well-designed socially responsible products.
What does socially responsible mean? Brad writes:
There are many ways that a product can be socially responsible. Along with more obvious criteria like eco-friendly materials and ethical manufacturing practices, there is also how well an item is made, and how long it will last. The goods featured on this site run the gamut. While some are organic and sweatshop-free, others are so high-quality that they’ll never need replacing (there are even a few to which all three traits apply).
One of those few is from my former home state:
There are two core tenets that guide the work of Michigan’s Teamwork.
Number 1: sustainability is as much about being environmentally friendly, it is about making a product that is long-lasting and functional. And 2: never forget your roots. From design, to sourcing, to manufacturing, the brand carries out the entirety of its production in Grand Rapids, MI, hometown of the company’s founders. The bags, all of which are one of a kind, are made from used sailcloth and tractor tire tubes that the company gathers from in and around the area.
By sticking to their two key principals, the team behind Teamwork are able to give back to the community that raised them, while simultaneously sharing a small piece of that community with each and every one of their customers. You gotta respect that.
| Tagged with: | Clothes, Design Ethics, Ecology, Shopping, Social Responsibility, Stuff We Like |
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While socially conscious consumption is better than the alternative, it’s worth thinking about its limits. Readers of BlogLess may enjoy this RSA animation of a talk by philosopher Slavoj Zizek.