I agree with the comments raised, that we need to do what we can even in small ways. Unfortunately big businesses have a desire to make profits, so my strategy to change corporate behaviour is to make unethical businesses unprofitable by not buying the product and supporting companies whose values I do like.

This of course requires a reasonable budget with clothing, furniture and is not possible all of the time. I find it much easier to do with food. Buy local and fresh and pay a fair price for it. Be prepared to have and buy less, but enjoy a nicer quality - Runcarla's story of the quilt says it all. I would prefer to have one quilt lovingly made than two Walmart quilts.

Thanks for the very interesting discussion, ladies. A lot of food for thought.
This Is an issue I deeply care about, but can't seem to get ahead of. Plus, It encompasses so many areas of our life, not only fashion... For now I have decided on a few points:
Buy less and take good care of what I have. I have a pair of cognac boots bought in 2011. Still going strong.
For this reason I prefer natural fabrics: yes, cotton and leather are not sustainable, but they last me longer and don't get to the landfill as quick as synthetics and faux leather.
I have come to handwash my delicates to make them last longer. It's not a matter of saving money as much as of avoiding sending stuff to the landfill.
As for the issue of ethical treatment of workers, I really feel useless on this. There were reports of items being "made in Italy", but made in Italy by Chinese immigrants being kept in dishuman conditions. Price can be an indication of how much a worker is paid, but not necessarily. Of course of I buy an Armani haute couture, hand made by expert seamstresses in Rome, the seamstresses are probably paid right. Buy that's something I can't afford and will never be able to.
I feel I don't do enough, and I know I could do more. Buy I also think if everybody did a little, all together It would become a lot.

I’m glad this sparked such good discussion. I’m not always the most careful shopper, but I am focusing this year of being more selective and cutting down the quantity of new items I purchase, and I would like to move forward with an eye toward more quality and longevity. Sustainability is certainly on the list, but by the time we look for things that:

- fit and flatter our body types
- suit our style
- are in our preferred color palette
- play nicely with our wardrobe
- are comfortable
- are realistic for our practical needs
- are within our budget
- are easy to maintain
- are sufficient quality for our demands
- are “current” in style

...sometimes we find ourselves turning a blind eye to these ethical concerns that are usually more difficult to pin down (even if a label says what country a garment was manufactured in, that gives us no real insight into the actual conditions).

No easy answers indeed. But it gets us all thinking and talking and paying a bit more attention and care, and that makes it worth discussing. Thanks for all the great insights and resources!

I love Angie's response, about how thorny this all is, and how we have to set our own standards and prioritize the things that are important to us. I sometimes find myself paralyzed when I try to research everything to make the absolute best possible choice. It's impossible!

Case in point: I have two brothers. Brother 1 works in international trade for a large retail company that most of us wouldn't hesitate to slap on our "unethical" list (in fact, it's already been mentioned in this thread). Brother 2 owns a small business with two locations. Recently, Brother 2 posted photos of a sourcing trip he went on for his small business, and Brother 1 was AGHAST. He pointed out that his company would never be able to get away with the conditions Brother 2 was showing in his photos, because the spotlight on them is too bright.

I guess the moral is, as consumers, we have to keep those spotlights shining and continue talking about what we expect from businesses, large and small. It makes a difference. Those big companies are hearing, and many of them are definitely trying to make changes, but they're not 100% there yet, so we need to keep telling them. Probably forever.

I agree with Jenn. I researched and became overwhelmed with how to make responsible consumer choices. So, I had to come up with my personal decision.
So far my No buy list:
Polyester
Real fur or leather clothing
Angora sweaters
Clothing from Walmart

But most of all, I must try to curb the constant churning of clothes in my wardrobe. And this is a hardest part. It put so much pressure on me when I decide on what to buy. Donating used clothes is not the best solution. Too much of it either ends up in a landfill or in the developing countries, where it devastates the local small manufacturing businesses.

I didn't include my list, but right now, my rules of thumb are:
* Stay away from fast fashion. Those stores cloud my judgement.
* Limit the number of clothing items I purchase per year.
* Look for ethical fabrics including wool, silk, organic linen, organic cotton, and sustainable viscose/modal/lyocell (Tencel, Lenzing)
* Support companies that are transparent about their labor/sourcing practices

This is so disturbing. It’s also complicated. And it kind of stresses me out because it is so complex with no simple answers.

IF you do shop at Zara ( think my one 2015 top from Melbourne before it even came to my country may not count), why not send them a copy of the article on their email contact and ask what they are doing about worker's rights? Could help ?

I’ve always been leery about my ability to judge when and where to shine a spotlight because I suspect, all too often, that spotlight just might need to directed back at myself.

My own perspective is that I need to take responsibility for the consequences of my own actions and decisions instead of trying to focus my ethical concerns onto amorphous entities like “fast fashion” or “big business”. I’ll happily wear real fur when I’m in the North because I’ve seen how important it is to the trappers and hunters to have a sustainable market for their products to support their families. I’ll be equally happy to wear leather because I want to support the cattle ranchers I know who take pride in maintaining strong, healthy herd. I’ll forsake fake fur and polyester, though, because I’m bothered by willful blindness of the petrochemical industry to the environmental destruction and chemical contamination caused by its activity. I’m aware, too, that animal rights activists and environmentalists will find these decisions “wrong” because my choices do have darker sides which I need to acknowledge.

Even child labour isn’t a slam-dunk because I know that shining a light onto this disgusting practice might mean forcing a 10 year old girl onto the streets instead of having her spend hours sewing a seam in a poorly ventilated factory. Using my power as a consumer to force companies to change will have consequences for people in ways I’ll never have intended—and I think I need to acknowledge my responsibility when my good intentions have unexpected destructive effects on the lives of others.

As so often , Gaylene has articulated how I feel about so many of the complexities involved with this !