On being ethical. Maybe.

One of my commitments has been to ensure that we're only dyeing fabric and clothes produced ethically. But what do we mean by 'ethically'? It's a slippery term, and can often become a slightly natty little weasel word. By that, I mean that, whilst those who are philosophically will tell you that ethics is all about making sure that you do the good/right/dutiful/intuitive thing whilst avoiding any harm to others/the planet/animals, people who work within business or healthcare will tell you that, essentially, ethics is about following the rules and about using the right jargon and buzzwords and about being seen to be doing the right things. So really, everyone will tell you their products are ethical or ethically produced or ethically sound. Like, even Wal-mart who own Asda and even Apple - both companies known for their appalling sweatshops and altogether dodgy practices. Um,right...

But even without the forky-tongued green-coloured policy pages,there are many ways to consider ethics. Amongst wholesalers, Dharma Trading* seem very genuinely committed to good labour practices in supporting small-scale local deveoping world enterprise and do produce lovely gorgeous things... however,

a. they're based in California (and therefore email me exhortations to 'have a wonderful day!!!!' at 2200h GMT), and it takes them a lot of non-renewable fossible fuel to get their Bolivian-made wares flown to me
 and
 b. they could easily been regarded as promoting drug use as means of spiritual enlightenment. I mean, I know I know I know that shamans and aminists and great people across the world have been doing exactly that since long before Abraham, but that doesn't mean that I won't be teaching my kiddies that psychosis is far too scary a thing to be exposing oneself to the risk of

But on the other hand, this one of their dresses does look as though it might have a high enough neckline to cover my scars without making me look like a giraffe in a polo neck. So yes, I have ordered one. Ethics is always subjective, and it can be hard not to let personal ishoos get in the way.

And that's why, in terms of UK retailers, I'm a bit hesitant with Marks and Spencer. I've often heard them referred to as a very solid ethical choice... however, I've had friends who worked for them and forever appalled that they pay their shop staff so far below what anyone would consider a 'living wage'**, and their procedures for dealing with staff illness and disability seem questionable at best. You wouldn't want to work for them whilst trying to cope with psychosis, drug-induced or otherwise.

But nevertheless, I quite like their knickers, and I love their sandwiches...

And them the ultimate question becomes: how do we decide what we consider ethical, and how do we know what is accurate? In my otherwise real life, I'm supposed to concentrate on what is 'evidence-based'. It's a tenuous model to apply when choosing babygros to dye.

But I would love to take Tiny Girl and Tinier Boy to visit some clothing factories around the world to gather our own evidence.

*This is not a sponsored post. However, if the nice people there would like to send me a few freebies of this dress and would be so good as to include a size Ss so I can have one for myself, I will take lots of nice pictures and plaster them all over this blog and Facebook.

** Memo to Marc Bollard: Please mate, don't sue me. If I've pissed you off by writing this, I'll tie die your wife/daughter/mum some of your lovely cotton lingerie and blog a formal retraction.