CLEAN Clothes

In response to my two previous posts - here & here - where fair trade and safe working conditions were topics of interest and ones that should be considered when we are shopping, I have done some research and come up with the following lists:

List of Non-Clean Clothes Providers:
http://www.sweatfree.org/hallofshame

Clean Clothes Providers:
Clean Clothes Connection
SweatX
American Apparel
No Sweat Apparel
Kumba Clothing
Maggies Clean Clothes
UNITE (Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees)
Justice Clothing

Clean Clothes Organizations:
SweatFree Communities
PICA - Peace through Interamerican Community Action
The National Labor Committee (NLC)
United Students Against Sweatshops
The Worker Rights Consortium (WRC)
The Campaign for the Abolition of Sweatshops and Child Labor
The Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN)
The Union Label and Service Trades Department, AFL-CIO
Behind the Label
National Mobilization Against Sweatshops
Slaves To Fashion
The Garment Worker Center
Sweatshop Watch
The Clean Clothes Campaign
Students for Labor Justice
The Clean Clothes Connection
The InterReligious Task Force on Central America
Kav La'Oved

Please have a look, add your own, and pass this along so that we can be informed - the more who read and get involved the faster we can make a difference.
I am still looking for one that provides information on popular brands like Nike, Burberry, etc. as well as Brands sold at Target - i.e. Mossimo, Etc.

Why Tom is so Cool

See the rest here

UPDATE:
I read an interview recently in the latest issue of Relevant Magazine with the founder of 'Buy Shoes Save Lives' where he makes the claim that TOMS SHOES are made in china for cheap. This didn't sit well with me and so I did a little digging. Here is the real story straight from the mouth of TOMS SHOES founder Blake Mycoskie in an interview found here:

Toms is brand named after the Shoes for Tomorrow, a program that intends to provide shoes for all kids in South America. And the company closely follows those principles. Based in Argentina, its manufacturing process closely follows the guidelines of fair labor practices. "If we're going to have a company that's geared toward helping people, we don't want to hurt one person to help another", said Toms' founder Blake Mycoskie in an interview.

Now that is more like it and ties in with our discussion from the 'Should I buy that?' Post. Do you know of any other Brands that practice these principles?

Do you have Compassion?

Shaun Groves first brought Compassion International to my attention.

Their mission - Save kids

He has written some good stuff about his work with them Here, here, & here


He has spread the news about Compassion by offering to come and perform for free in exchange for being able to share about Compassion. But recently he pointed out that this way of getting the word out isn't sustainable. So what is one to do?


Here is my idea:

A grass roots effort to set up local 'task force', 'clubs', 'not-so-secret societies', whatever you'd like to call them with the purpose of telling others about compassion and their mission. To raise awareness in our communities and Save Kids! I haven't thought much farther than this - but do you think it would work? Do you have any ideas? I mean there are clubs for everything - Alumni Associations for Schools, Greeks (Frats and Sororities), Wine Lovers, Book Lovers, etc. Why wouldn't one for Loving and saving kids work? Help me think this through...

Jesus Greater Than

War


Poverty


Thirst


Hunger

PD has a pretty cool idea - and all the profits go to organizations that work to releave these things.

Here is his Vision:
Jesusgreaterthan.org is an organization trying to further the kingdom of God here on earth by raising awareness to some issues we believe to be crucial. We are trying to answer the cries of the oppressed by taking action. There will be many movements in the coming days, but the first is our Jesus>War campaign. We believe that there is a third way to all things; and that way is Jesus Christ. All proceeds generated during the Jesus>War campaign including donations, shirts, stickers will pay for multiple scholarship funds for children who have lost a parent while serving during war. Other movements will be Jesus>Poverty, Jesus>Hunger, Jesus>Thirst, etc. In each movement, JesusGreaterThan.org will financially support issues within the problem. It is time for a change. We can make it happen.

Go to http://jesusgreaterthan.org/index.html to learn more and buy a shirt.

Thank to Brody for pointing this out.

The Feed Bag

Toms Shoes has come up with a pretty cool way to help feed hungry children. It is called the "Feed Bag." For every bag purchased, one child is fed for one full school year through the World FOOD Program.

Learn more or pick one up here and make a difference.

Walking the Walk

Alot of people talk about doing good, saving the world, being a "christian" - but how many people are actually doing it?