Next time you go into a shop and buy a handmade jewel or accessory think about how much work has gone into that and then look at the price tag – hand embellishment is time consuming, if its cheap you can bet there is no fair wages involved and who knows what their working conditions. If the tag says ‘Made in Britain, Handmade in Britain’ check with the designers direct to clarify that the beadwork on there is, many import the separate parts and assemble separately… it’s not crystal clear as it seems. What I’ve described in the paragraph above is the murky side of many clothing and accessories industries, that’s mass production, that’s being totally money focussed and losing your conscience but there is an ethical movement in this industry, there are a small handful of other designers and artisans that hold these beliefs dear to them to which means creating with love, passion and be careful to details. I focus small scale and direct, no middle men who blur the supply chain. Purchasing high quality materials locally to benefit other businesses and ‘paying it back’. Its not about making something as cheap as possible, its about making it responsibly and ensuring the people involved are paid fairly.
