Just Wear: Decent Exposures

If you have made some sort of commitment to buying all of your clothing secondhand, you know underwear can be tricky.  Even I get a little squeamish thinking about wearing someone else's underwear.  One solution is to sew underwear (usually out of old t-shirts), but my kids complained they weren't as comfy as storebought, and in the end, they just couldn't hold up to the wash and wear regimen required for them.  When you start hunting for sustainably made underwear, it can get tricky, too.  Although some of the larger companies produce organic cotton underwear, I would still question their labor practices around growing and harvesting the cotton and manufacturing the product.

This is where Decent Exposures, based in Seattle, saves the day.  First of all, it is a one-stop underwear shop, with options for the whole family.  They began in 1986 and have remained committed to the quality of their materials and their manufacturing process.  All of their pieces are made here in Seattle by people receiving decent pay and benefits and flexible schedules.  A friend of mine actually did her internship there and confirmed it is a great environment for a working woman.

They keep a lot of stock on hand, but also do custom orders.  At one point, you could even send them your old t-shirts and they would make them into underwear for you.  Yes, the price for one pair is the same price you might pay for a 3-pack at Target, but the product is of much high quality and will last longer.  Also, I guarantee the people involved in making the 3-pack did not receive a livable wage and benefits.

  

If it is an area of your life that you have considered making a change in, they are definitely worth checking out.  I know I found them because they are local, but I haven't really come across another company like them.  I'd love to hear any other recommendations or suggestions on this topic!

 

Just Wear: Spicy Green Mango

Last year I was able to start a fiber arts and textile collective for other artisans in my community.  Some I already knew, and invited personally, but I also made use of some of our town's Yahoo groups and Facebook pages.  As we neared our launch I used the Shop Local feature to search Etsy and stumbled on the shop for Spicy Green Mango.  Anya, the owner, was new to our island, having moved recently from Cambodia.  While living in Cambodia, she saw firsthand the waste generated by the many garment factories located there.  It is not uncommon for these factories to be filling an order for 50,000 articles of a single item of clothing.  They are often working with huge bolts of fabrics with up to 1,000 yards on them.  Despite efficient pattern cutting, it is understandable they end up with thousands of pounds of excess fabric every day.  In fact, the average garment factory throws away about 60,000 pounds of excess fabric every week.

Before this fabric is thrown away, it spends some time in a warehouse waiting for someone to use it.  This is where Anya and Spicy Green Mango enter the picture.  After purchasing the "deadstock" fabric, Anya works with a team of designers and seamstresses to create clothing for men, women, and children.  Since its inception, Spicy Green Mango has been committed to providing their workers with a fair living wage and employment opportunities allowing women to stay with their families.

Now, Anya returns to Cambodia a few times a year to purchase more fabric and develop more designs. Besides mixing and matching various prints and patterns creatively, she utilizes fun and graphic screen printing to make their pieces unique.  A statement from their website sums up their style and mission best:  Spicy Green Mango believes that globalization does not mean cultural homogenization.  That mixing ideas between - across - through cultures, places, and people adds to the amazing kaleidoscope of life, love, and cool clothes!