Spotlight On: Glimmering Adornments from Objets d'Envy

     I've written about a lot about a lot of women's wear brands but want to share one of my favorite fashion jewelry brands.  Objets d'Envy is a Chicago based jewelry brand created by Kirsten Goede.  While not being touted as "eco", Kirsten's focus on keeping her jewelry handcrafted in small batches and sourcing only genuine Swarovski crystal elements definitely makes it a conscious brand.  

     

Love my Violet colored Amie earrings!
http://instagram.com/p/LBpbDMFMEq/

January: National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

I know I've let the whole month slip by, but the new year brought a lot more changes and stress than I anticipated.  I've been taking it day by day, trying to find motivation to improve myself, my writing, and my life.  I hope to stay accountable to my goals by sharing my progress and thoughts here.

January was declared National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.  The majority of Americans would agree that slavery is wrong and are glad it has been outlawed, but that same majority may not know how prevalent forced labor and human trafficking are in modern times.

Photo credit: Powerhouse Museum Collection

It is estimated that between 12 and 27 million people globally are victims of human trafficking or forced labor.  It is hard to pin down since most of these cases go unreported.  This includes not only manufacturing, but also labor in nail salons, restaurants, agriculture, and domestic servitude.  Many of those workers are forced into sexual exploitation.  Even more unnerving is that half of forced labor victims are children.

An Introduction to Fair Trade

     There are some changes underway here at Urban Orchid.  I'm in the process of moving my blog from googlesites to blogger/blogspot and while I am working on my layout/formatting it may look a bit odd.  I'll also be working on adding more items to my blog sale and if you live in Las Vegas you will soon also be able to see some items for sale on Rumgr.

     Last week, I posted about the circumstances under which some of our clothing may be made.  Sometimes we forget that our clothes didn't just magically appear in the store and then home to our closets, but that there is a whole process in sourcing the fabric and turning that into the garments on store racks.  

     One way to ensure you are shopping consciously is by looking for fair trade items.  A brand or retailer that is committed to fair trade practices will sell products that support the producers and communities in which the items are made.  These items extend further than clothing but include chocolate, coffee, tea, soap, lotion, olive oil, and almost anything you can think of.  Fair trade items may be priced higher than a typical alternative, but that is because some brands that sell at lower cost do not ensure good working conditions or living wages for the manufacturers.

Where are you wearing?

     When was the last time you looked at the care tag of your favorite clothing item and thought about the life of the person who made it?
     At the Green Festival in Los Angeles, I was able to listen to a provocative presentation by Kelsey Timmerman, author of the book "Where Am I Wearing? A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People that Make Our Clothes".

Cover of "Where Am I Wearing?" Buy the book here.

Shopping More Consciously: Why I Started This Blog

        My sister and I recently went shopping at an inexpensive chain retailer and even armed with coupons on coupons, I didn't find myself wanting to buy much of anything: a few camisoles to replace ones that had worn out, a pair of slacks for work while I'm losing weight and between sizes, and a flyaway cardigan in a trendy color. 
        Even if the clothes were cute on the rack, many of them felt static-y and flimsy with loose threads all over. If the item actually fit properly, it just didn't seem worth buying. Cue inner rant on "fast fashion". Cue guilt and curiosity about how the prices of these items can get so low - where are they coming from, who is making them, how little must they be getting paid for the company to sell so low?      
        The store was closing so we checked out and went home. Having a shared love of movies starring Rachel McAdams, we watched The Vow before turning in. Shots of the Chicago skyline and neighborhoods I know made me miss Chicago - the city that sparked my love of shopping local and wanting to know the contents and origin of my food, clothes, and other goods.
        After the movie, my sister was eager to (yet again) show off what great deals she scored when the musings in my head came out.

Image courtesy of stockphotos / FreeStockPhotos