Women Don’t Owe You Shit
News flash: we never did. Before you roll your eyes, mutter some backhanded feminist sentiment, and click away- you should know that this article is not about women’s rights or any lack thereof. It’s about a very cool clothing company that takes on all types of ethical and moral issues and does it with style. Now that I’ve got your attention, I give you, exhibit A:
Let me tell you about a brand I discovered and how it changed the way I view shopping. CHNGE is clothing for cause. Not a cause, not the cause, but all causes. They have T-shirts to support women’s rights (see above), long sleeves that protect the planet (see below), and everything from hats to hoodies covering issues from racism, to equality, to the right and need to vote.
As if their incredibly cool styles weren’t enough , check out their mission:
At CHNGE, we pledge to donate 50% of our net profits to organizations and individuals creating progressive social and environmental change. By creating a new model, we can create a new world.
They talk the talk with their soft fabrics (organic cotton) and walk the walk: they are transparent about where all of their clothes/ accessories are made and pledge to only work with ethical factories and use sustainable resources.
I honestly was sick of brands like TOMS that were oh so public about their “charity” initiatives, but were more interested in profits at the end of the day. I also always thought that the styles of most of the non-profit/ social issue brands were tacky looking, and as shallow as that sounds it is important because if we want mass adoption of shopping with a cause, consumers have to like the products they’re buying. Doing good isn't enough, they also need to look good. I am excited to see more fashion forward social cause badass brands fighting the good fight in the future. I think this is how we all need to start shopping because the way clothes (and goods in general) are being manufactured today is unsustainable and largely inhumane.
If we are lucky enough to get to choose which products we buy, we should put some real force into making conscious efforts toward supporting the greater good. Wearing T-shirts, hats, and sweaters with words on them may not seem like a big deal but they start a conversation that needs to be had and spread the word about important causes without you ever needing to open your mouth. It’s also better to put your dollars behind companies on a mission, rather than supporting some giant conglomerate.
I have 5 siblings and I bought them each something from https://chnge.com for Christmas this year. Don’t worry- they never read what I write so this secret is safe. But honestly, I just wanted to use the money I was going to spend on presents this year in a meaningful way. I’m not receiving anything for this: no money, no swag, no thank you. I just want to spread awareness.
Today (12/18/18) is the last day to order items in time for Christmas, so if you were going to get someone a present and you have no idea what they need- give them the chance to step up and be a part of the Chnge.
