Ethical Fashion

First things first, I am pretty rubbish at buying ethically.

I have a horrible sense of guilt whenever I buy a new T-Shirt and combat this by sticking to charity shops, assuring myself that the money spent on something that smells like grannies goes to charity, and not Primark.

This, I feel, has to change.

A series of high street super-chains and purveyors of cheap, disposable fashion have been getting hot under the collar recently.

The airing of a Panorama programme exposing Primark and its overseas child 'employees', has fuelled debate from shopaholics nationwide.

Personally, I can't stand the shop.

There's something seemingly desperate about the manic faced shoppers on their lunch breaks, squeezing into £2.00 T-shirts in sweaty over-packed changing rooms, but my constant moans about the wretched place are often met with blank stares from fellow students who revere the shop for its super low prices; I'm often challenged with the rather threadbare argument of 'but all the shops do it!.'

Well, actually, they don't...and here is a select offering of the shops and websites I have found not to specialise in sweatshop chic...

1. Topshop

The favourite high street store of many, surprisingly given rumours of sweat shop enforced labour, the website has a good range of fair trade basics, simple cut tee's and fun beanies.

The media will continue to shock with horror stories of child slavery and oppressive factory environments in the third world.

Aby Davis

It's just a shame the fair-trade logo doesn't extend to the rest of Topshop's bang up to the minute range.

2.PeopleTree.co.uk

Often seen associated with Topshop, this company mainly sell online or through mail order catalogues.

The self-claimed 'Fair Trade Pioneer' they specialise in bold prints and timelessly flattering shapes for women, and eco logo tees and cargos for men.

Very much a grass roots organisation, you can read all about the men and women in India who work for them at a fair wage, given independence and consistent work for low (or non-existent) income areas.

Some of the clothes wouldn't look wrong on your secondary school English teacher, and the prices are a bit high for a student budget, but Topshop on Oxford Street once housed a discounted People Tree stand in the basement - any news of its reappearance would be appreciated! 12»