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May 27, 2008

Witness - Troy, NY

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Posted by cat at 12:34 PM

May 17, 2008

Peru Pictures

Forgive my blogging absence, I just got back from Peru/Argentina and still processing my experience there. It is a total heaven for anyone interested in textiles. Here's a few pics.

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Yarn hand-spun from alpaca wool.

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Downtown Cusco "Down with Privatization" ... the government is considering privatizing Inca ruins, obviously a devastating idea to everyone we talked to.

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Machu Picchu

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Yes, they sell sweaters on the train to Machu Picchu

Posted by cat at 11:59 AM

10 Steps to your own Sweatshop

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Just watch for yourself and read more

Posted by cat at 11:44 AM

May 08, 2008

"Alternative" or "Ethical" Clothes

Following campaigns by the international anti-sweatshop movement and increased consumer interest in fair trade and ethical shopping, a number of initiatives claiming to sell "ethical", "alternative" or "fairly produced" clothes have sprung up. The standards and processes of these initiatives vary greatly. For the concerned consumer, it is important to be able to assess and compare these different standards and to look critically at claims made by the new "ethical" market.

To help consumers make informed choices, the Clean Clothes Campaign has compiled an overview of these brands on its website. The focus is on small brands that attempting to challenge current trading systems and to find a different way of doing business. They are: Dignity Returns/Solidarity Factory, No Sweat and Blackspot Shoes. These brands may have long-term partnership-based sourcing relationships and may manufacture through partner cooperatives or artisan groups. New and updated information about other brands that make ethical claims or are perceived to be ethical, such as Gap Red, Edun, Kuyichi and American Apparel is included in the regular companies section on the CCC website

Posted by cat at 01:17 PM