Show Me The Pretty is a two-part interview series between hand-selected indie fashion labels and fashion PR/marketing experts. Sound like fun? Email info[at]prcouture.com for consideration.
I stumbled upon Janette Crawford’s blog, Fashion Loves People, when doing research on fair-trade fashion companies, and spent much of the afternoon reading her archives. In addition to providing a great resource, Janette works full-time with her husband, focusing on writing for and marketing Storenvy.com, an online store and social shopping community supporting indie artists, and has her own ethical apparel line, in partnership with illustrator J. Kirk Davis. This afternoon I was lucky enough to sit down to lunch with Janette and enjoy basking in her immense knowledge of the ethical fashion space.
PS – If you’re gift shopping, all FLP tees are buy one, get one free during December, with 5% of profits donated to the Not For Sale campaign.
Which came first? The blog or the t-shirt line? What is a typical day like juggling those responsibilities plus your day job? Any productivity shortcuts to share?
The blog came first, in 2007, when I started searching the web for fashion that was produced fairly. Even though I’d find a brand here and there, I couldn’t find a go-to source with the perspective I was looking for. So I started my own. Two years later I partnered with Kirk, a retired creative professional, to launch the line “Fashion Loves People ♥ Kirk” on the side.
Unfortunately, I’m not the one to ask about productivity shortcuts! My full-time job is for a startup, Storenvy.com, supporting indie merchants from all niches. We work long hours, so I typically fit my Fashion Loves People time into Sunday evenings, plus a weeknight or two if I’m lucky. Every once in a while I’ll set aside a larger chunk of time for it, like for a new tee design launch or a big post, which works out fine as long as I have a weekend or so to spare. Both the blog and the tee line are classic passion projects!
Your t-shirts are ethically made in the Dominican Republic and Peru. What process did you go through to identify these manufacturers?
The tees I print on are made by Alternative Apparel, so I don’t actually have anything to do with the manufacturing — though I think it would be fascinating to be more involved at some point. Alternative’s manufacturing is certified by several third-party organizations, so I trust that it’s legit.
“eco-friendly, fair trade, for-benefit, vintage, indie-designed and heritage items” – there sure are a lot of labels in the space! Can you provide a quick rundown on the differences between them?
You’re right, that is a lot! (Too many?!) But here’s why each one is important.
Eco-friendly: Made from materials that are planet-friendly: organic, renewable, natural, etc.
Fair trade: Each element of the product has come from a source that is certifiably fair to its workers.
For-benefit: Inherently supporting a cause through its purchase, like TOMS Shoes’ one-for-one model.
Vintage: If an item was previously owned, no new demand for materials or labor is being created — the best option!
Indie-designed: I am a lover and supporter of most anyone’s passion project, and if it’s awesome, I want to help it succeed.
Heritage: Classic designs that (for the most part) are manufactured today just like they were back in the day, like French-made St. James sailor shirts and Maine-made Bean Boots.
I am also a big proponent of buying locally, so if none of the above are available for a type of item I need to buy, I prefer to buy it from a local boutique rather than from a chain.
When evaluating if a piece of clothing is actually eco-friendly, what should we consider?
First, some background: I got into ethical fashion once I learned about modern-day human trafficking and realized that the money I spend on things could be supporting practices and conditions I don’t agree with. And then once I learned more about the manufacturing world, I realized that it’s really hard to define exactly what’s black-and-white out there, even with things like third-party certifications. So now I’m all about our own “shades of green,” meaning that I think we should buy things that support causes that are important to us individually. We already do this naturally, but like I mentioned above, we can be conscientious about making sure that each purchase we make supports at least one value we believe in.
My own passion is in how people are treated, so I look for brands that talk about their manufacturing — and most times, brands that care about one good practice care about them all. Some of you might be more passionate about vegan brands, or vintage, or supporting local businesses. All are important, and reading a few extra paragraphs online can help us spend our money on things we genuinely want to support.
Who are some of the most interesting eco/sustainable/for-benefit brands on your radar? (Tell us a bit about each)
Some of my favorite brands right now are…
The Podolls: Designed by a husband-and-wife team, and manufactured right here in San Francisco! All of The Podolls materials are eco-friendly, and their designs are beautifully simple and classic. I just bought my first piece, a top from their Fall collection, and am so excited about it.
Early Jewelry: Designed and handcrafted in my college town of Lawrence, Kansas, by Kylie Grater. Kylie designs with natural and vintage materials on gold-filled or 100% recycled sterling silver. Her pieces have a perfect handmade feel to them and are made to last forever, and yet they’re totally affordable. I have about four of her designs and am ordering several more for myself for Christmas!
fashionABLE: An African-based scarf brand that employs and empowers women who previously worked as prostitutes. My Bezuayhu scarf is a great design and the perfect weight, and just read the women’s stories, like this — http://livefashionable.com/stories/bezuayhu/ — and tell me you’re not touched! Also very affordable, especially for what the brand enables.
About Crosby
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Thanks for the great interview, Crosby! Great to meet you!