Hey There Styelle-ish Babes,

We normally write light-hearted and fun posts, but today's post is a very serious one. This is to bring the attention to why ethical business is so very important!

Without a doubt, the most important thing about ethical fashion is its impact on humanity, nature, animals and our beautiful home, Earth - without these things, we cannot survive - yet as humans, we abuse them ALL so very much.

How does being ethical impact these essential, life-giving things you ask? Well let me explain... but first a trigger warning for serious assault of women and children, grievous bodily harm, and death.

Recent United Nations reports detail the 'horrors' inflicted on Rohingya in Myanmar's Rakhine state. In this article, the author explains an event Myanmar, as witnessed by a 19 year old woman. Soldiers decided to kill a man in front of his family, literally butchering him - then stomped on his wife's stomach to kill their unborn baby while she was in labour. Screaming, the soldiers then gang raped the woman, repeatedly while her 19 month old son cried for milk. Irritated by his cries, they butchered the little boy too. The woman's five year old little girl ran to her mothers aid, crying her eyes out - the soldiers then slit her throat in front of her mother as they keep raping her. Sound extreme? This is just one of the many horror stories of the civil wars happening around the world. As we sit comfortably in our homes nursing our babies to sleep, curling up next to our significant other, or spending time with our family and friends... think of this woman, she has beautiful healthy family one day - and absolutely nothing to live for mere moments later.

So what has this got to do with ethical fashion? A LOT.

As an ethical business, we, and other ethical businesses only source our products from factories that employ locally within their country, paying them a decent wage to be able to support their families and rebuild their lives. They are not forced into camps if they are the working class. Ethical businesses can offer clean, safe working environments.

A little more detail:

To learn more about the unethical supply of clothing from Bangladesh, read this article about the collapse of Rana Plaza, where 1137 people were confirmed dead with 200 unaccounted for when the building collapsed. When you buy that cheap t-shirt from many "big" fast fashion chains - ask your self - who made this shirt? Where did it come from? If it is under $50 and from Bangladesh, it was more than likely made by a child of primary school age. Look at your child, or niece, or nephew and ask yourself - is that child the same age as this one that is a part of me, and I love so much. Ask yourself, if any child this age should be in school, guarantee you say yes. Children as young as 6 are forced to sew to be able to contribute their tiny little wage of around $0.12c an hour to their family to be able to make YOUR cheap t-shirt. In buying "fast fashion", you are supporting these practices.

Now, we head over to the first world of London... No words need to be written, just watch this video.

This video is provided by Animal Activist Group - Surge Activists. Please go to: www.surgeactivism.com for more information.

Where to from here?

When you buy ethical, yes you are paying a little more at checkout, but you are also getting a better garment, made by a happy person, in a happy and safe working environment. Please, stop buying fast-fashion! It's cheap, nasty, doesn't last and ends up in landfill (google this, there has been recent news about fast fashion and landfill, and link it here)

When you spend a little more money, wearing a quality, longer lasting garment, you feel better about you. Spending a little more means throwing away less as you value that garment and will look after it better, hold onto it longer and take great pride in it.

A few words from fellow ethical businesses and advocates for humanity, the earth and animals:

Katy Ferguson "The cost of fashion is so much more than the price tag. It costs our environment, and at times the lives of humans and animals. Ethical fashion takes away the unknown, and it feels goooood!" www.shopja.me

Juliet Siu: Ethical fashion is important because fashion is a statement and an expression of my personal value, what I stand for and against that matter most to me. www.julisa.co

Kimanh le Roux: Ethical fashion is important because it forces the question, "Who does this cost?" Not, "How much does this cost?" www.linklay.com

Keziah Krikmann: Ethical fashion is important because PEOPLE MATTER. Plain and simple. Their time, their lives, their families, not to mention their mental and physical health. When production cycles forget the hands that contribute towards product completion, sure it may cost less to the end user but it's the workers who pay. Everything costs someone, something. We need to shift that cost.

I hope now you see some of the many reasons why being ethical is so important, not just to the people of the world, but to yourself too. We love our earth and all its inhabitants - we hope you will make the move to love them too.

Buy ethical for a better world.

Charys Caldarella xx
Owner, Designer, Lover of all life for
Styelle Bikinis