"We all need a life full of connection & dignity, conscious choices of handmade provide dignity to the maker & connection to the user"
I remember early in my college days I read a story about the workers manufacturing our denims in China. Specifically sand-blasting them. The article was about how those factories had installed human catching nets to save the workers from dying, when they tried to commit suicide by jumping off from the high rise factories. I was shocked beyond measure and terrified. How horrific the reality of these laborers must be that they would seek a way out in death?! It lead me to read more and more about the manufacturing practices of the beautiful, harmonious fashion industry I was hoping to be part of. The more I read, the more I realized the inhuman conditions, the never ending work hours and the price of their lives these laborers pay so that we can get that swanky bootylicious pair of jeans or a chunky top. And it doesn't just end there. We are constantly fed in latest fashions that keeps the cycle of discarding our clothes or even electronics at a lightening speed. This is the truth of clothing industry as I saw it. We, the consumers save some bucks but they are in fact paid by someone else bleeding through their nose in a third world country like Bangladesh. That was a moment I stopped liking everything fast-made and it boosted my inclination towards Artisan made, one of a kind products that had a versatility of use and that I could use for long and then re-invent it or refurbish it. So, as I said : Buy Less, Value More.
Not only does it let you truly flower into your own authentic style by giving you a choice of unique, artistic pieces that connect directly to your heart (Why else would you spend your money on it?), It also ensures that we are consciously contributing to fair wages, that we honor Artistic expression and support a production method that flourishes locally and is deeply rooted in the community. I can also go on and on about the huge favor we do our environment by doing so. And then, in a practical sense, we reduce the clutter around us. We need lesser space in our suitcases than the mindless accumulation of things that we might rarely use or are not truly aligned with.
Do we need say more? :)
love & light
aastha
Comments