How to Find Clothes that Support a Cause
In the past few years, there seems to have been a growing trend in conscious consumerism, especially with grocery shopping. It seems that now more than ever before, many consumers interested in where there foods are coming from and how their foods were packaged or prepared. This new wave of smart consumerism has the potential for many benefits, such as better results on the environment and helping small businesses flourish.

Imagine this. You work full time as a laboratory technician during the week. You are enjoying a rainy weekend afternoon in your local coffee shop and someone stops to complement the shirt you are wearing. Imagine that the money you spent on that t-shirt went to support a cause you were extremely passionate about, such as raising money for stem cell research. What a great opportunity to share important information on your favorite charity or nonprofit organization with a total stranger!

What if smart consumerism extended beyond the super market and into our wardrobes and closets? We’ve all heard the horrendous stories of underage children working in factories with little to no pay to produce clothing. What if the same mindset used when shopping smart for groceries applied when we shopped for clothing? Feel good about the money you spend by knowing you’re making a positive impact with your purchase.

While it might be easier to consciously shop for food rather than clothing, we’ve compiled a list of ways to make attentive clothing shopping a bit easier. 

How to Find Clothes that Support a Cause:

  1. Do initial research online. Google is like your know-it-all best friend and can help you learn more about brands like Tom’s Shoes or Gap’s (RED) line, both of which products are part of a larger charitable initiative.
  2. Do you have a favorite charity? Visit their website. Chances are they’ve got a merchandise section where you can shop to support the cause.
  3. Visit smaller independently owned boutique-like shops. Storeowners in these types of places tend to be more conscious about what they’re buying to sell to consumers. It is much more likely to find clothing lines focused on raising awareness in these types of shops than in larger chains like a Target or Macy’s.
  4. Shop at Goodwill. Goodwill helps people from all backgrounds or walks of life earn a living through customized job training, specialized employment placement, and offers services to people who are disabled, lack education or job experience, or face various employment challenges.
  5. Sevenly is a great resource that was created to promote sustainable awareness and fund projects or organizations that support charities in their efforts to improve the world. For every purchase made from the website, seven dollars is given to the current week’s charity. Visit Sevenly for more information and to learn more about the ways you can help.