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a question of ethicsSubmitted by sweetdumpling on Mon, 06/23/2008 - 8:39pm.
ok mamas. i'm having a dilema. what would you do? sweetdumpling's blog | login or register to post comments | email this page | printer friendly version
we dont have ross here (in calgary, alberta canada) but i'm thinking it might be similar to winners. i could definatly check that out. Nothing too scary! At the discount store I check to make sure the stitching is sound in the gussets, there are no holes, puckering where there shouldn't be, etc. Most of them are fine. In the thrift, I'm checking for skank, stains, rips, worn out spots, discoloring, etc. Most of that happens in the armpits and the crotch and most people don't look for that, they just look for the obvious stains or holes. I have some friends that are also very conscious of where their purchases come from. They will shop at Old N*vy & T*rget but only buy things that are made in Cambodia, which supposedly has very stringent anti-sweatshop laws. Can you leave the kids with DH & go to the thrift store solo? Or drag him along with the kids? Clothes shopping is IMPOSSIBLE with kids, IMHO...which is why I have 10 year old bras & panties.....ugh. How about a Cotton Ginny outlet type store? They usually have a heap of discounted stuff in all sorts of sizes and some of their stuff is organic too.. you can not find much wearable clothing at thrift stores here, I guess because the area isn't as affluent in general? i just find them teadious to go to. my mind can bearly handle a normal day with the kids, i dont think i'd be able to dig through crap to find one nice shirt. is basically just well worn Walm*rt clothes sold for more than they originally cost at Wal*art *awful* I am swisterland...switzerland? fuck it, I am swiss. You'll spend as much time at old N*vy as you will at a thrift store. So, you might as well go thrifty. Have any good thrift shops? I feel if it's second hand you're not really creating the demand for the new sweat shop non organic what-have-you clothing. You're recycling!
but all of our clothes are Ta*get or Old N*vy clearance because that's what we can afford while still being able to pay mortgage & get more organic food (which is my big priority in the house) I am swisterland...switzerland? fuck it, I am swiss. |
To find stuff in bigger sizes at the thrift stores. The pants get pilly and worn out in funny places, the shirts... eh. the same! And a lot of it costs more than new! I just go to Target, Old Navy, Ross, etc. DH makes fun of me, asks me if I like my "slave made jeans"... I'll get back to thrifting when I'm a little smaller! I still do try, I just can't find a whole wardrobe in one trip. Often I'll go thinking I want a couple sweaters and one pair of pants, then can't find a single item I would wear, or it's all more than I'm willing to spend on new.
I have way better luck in discount stores like Ross. It's better quality a lot of the time, just last year's stuff bought from bigger department stores like Penneys and Macy's and the like. I get a lot of housewares, curtains and kitchen stuff there too. Case in point... We needed a big frying pan or a wok recently. I went to three thrift stores and couldn't find anything that was still useable for less than 20 dollars. One beat to shit pan with dents and peeling nonstick toxic hell was, I shit you not, 50 dollars. WTH? So I went to Ross, and found a big wok with all the accessories for 9.99 Where, I ask, is the logic? I added a 24 set of drinking glasses, a set of ramekins and got out of there for 20 bones. a couple months ago I needed new bras and got six of them for 25. And I'm a big girl, I would normally pay that or more for one bra! I don't bring the kid with me because like the thrift store, you do need to dig and you need to check out what you buy, open it up, make sure it's not broken, make sure to check the pits and the crotch of everything. I can't do that and stay sane with the kid in tow.
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