# non-sweatshop clothes and shoes



## plum (Mar 7, 2003)

does anyone where we can find non-sweatshop clothes and shoes, preferably made in america?

(i realize i could probably sew clothes but i am crappy at it).


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## mocha09 (Jul 6, 2003)

for clothes (not baby clothes, though







), this place sells U.S. made stuff and their workers are in a union:

http://unionjeancompany.com/

women's clothes and shoes:
http://www.mypersonalstyle.com/shop/directory.htm

provides links to union-made products, including clothes:
http://iamaweduc.adhostclient.com/buyunion/american.cfm


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## AmyB (Nov 21, 2001)

No Sweat Apparel (100% Union made)
http://nosweatapparel.com/

Deva Lifewear (Home sewing cooperative)
http://www.devalifewear.com

--AmyB


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## pugmadmama (Dec 11, 2003)

Thank you both so much for those links.

I love my Deva wear and am looking foward to exploring the other links.


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## Gitti (Dec 20, 2003)

Great links, thanks!


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## plum (Mar 7, 2003)

thanks for the links!


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## daylily (Dec 1, 2001)

These clothes are not made in the US, but a note on the back of their catalog claims that they inspect their factories to make sure the workers are treated fairly.

www.bodendirect.com


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## plum (Mar 7, 2003)

dh loves that no sweat apparel site! he's going to order shoes and he wants me to get baby clothes from there. he actually came across that on his own last night.


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## merpk (Dec 19, 2001)

This is not made in America but I do so love these folks and their clothes ... and while they're beyond our budget nowadays, but they are really quite inexpensive ... and another place in the world to spend your clothing money in a positive way ... so am posting it anyway.










_edited to adjust the link_


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## thistle (Aug 10, 2002)

Is there any brand of running shoe that is ok?

thistle


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## doulamomvicki (Nov 4, 2003)

I believe New Balance is ok.


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## darkpear (Jul 22, 2003)

Please tell me Doc Martens are safe...


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## thistle (Aug 10, 2002)

Doc Martens are made in England, at least all the ones I have are. Thank goodness!!







I LOVE my DOCS!!

thistle


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## LaurenS (Aug 7, 2003)

New Balance are not necessarily safe. Only some are made in the USA and they are made in the USA of imported materials. At the moment, I don't know of any totally safe running shoes.

What about children's shoes that are made in the USA and are not leather? We are vegan and have been told that there aren't any options. Thankfully we found a pair of canvas shoes at a rummage sale that are made in the USA. They look like they are about 30 years old though so once he outgrows them, we don't know what to do. I am thinking of sewing clothing but I'm not sure I would know how to go about making shoes.


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## napless (Mar 20, 2003)

That's one reason I like shopping at thrift stores and consignment stores - I know my money isn't supporting sweatshops.


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## Aura_Kitten (Aug 13, 2002)

thanks for the links.









normally i shop at thrift stores, used clothing/goods shops, etc. that way i can buy just about anything i like and not worry that it's supporting any specific industry or corporation that i don't agree with. i also get used clothing from friends, family, etc. everyone just kind of gives me what they don't like anymore, and if i don't like it or can't wear it i pass it along to the local women's crisis shelter.


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## LaurenS (Aug 7, 2003)

My husband and I thought that the best was to not support sweatshops was to buy used until we really started thinking about this aspect. Cheap goods that are produced in sweatshops are almost disposable. Meaning, people don't really care about them because they didn't pay alot for them. This then causes them to buy lots of cheap goods and then give away stuff away more often. Then since there is a market for second hand things, those "disposable" goods are then bought up. Here is an example, a woman in my neighborhood gave me some clothing for my baby that her kids had outgrown. Most were these "disposable" goods (ie clothing from old navy etc) but there was a hat that was Hanna Anderson. She said that I could have all the clothing, but that when I was done with that hat, she wanted it back because it was Hanna Anderson. Or in other words, because it was expensive. Here's another example, we just recently went to a church rummage sale and only bought used stuff that was made in America. We felt that if everybody only bought used stuff made in america, then nobody would want the rest and then people might start to change their mind. Perhaps the church would only want items to be donated that were made in america because they find that the items made in sweatshops are always left over and they don't know what to do with them. I know this is unlikely, but just think about it. I'm not flaming anyone, it's just something we have been discussing lately.

That being said, I did go to some of the above links and not all were made in america. For instance the diva website didn't always list where the clothes were made. In fact, I saw one that said made in mexico. I was very happy to see a place to buy jeans made in america (Union Jeans Co.) however, the jeans are not long enough for my husband.


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