This is overall a good episode from one of my favourite podcasts but there's an offhand comment "because cotton didn't grow in Japan" and that's really not true at all.
Cotton's been grown in Japan for like four centuries, light industry including cotton processing was a major development of the Meiji restoration and by pre-war Japan was a major producer of cotton, cotton is the traditional stuffing for futons and indigo dyed cotton fabric was the typical dress of the common people.
Its true of course that cotton nowadays things like Japanese selvedge denim normally use imported cotton, that cotton doesn't have the antiquity of hemp or linen or silk in Japan and that Japan's pursuit of autarky made it an early enthusiast for synthetic fibers and in fact its still true that that actual point you were making Japan's ability to produce cheap clothing for the US market was a function of imported fabric remains valid but one feels compelled to follow internet tradition and leave a comment.
This is good, important work. I love your unabashed contempt for self-auditing, accounting auditors trying to do social auditing, and ... audit consultants. I mean, really! Lots of facepalming in this episode.
Really interesting episode. One thing I always wonder, when I hear about the human costs of cheap clothes, is whether buying more expensive clothes actually correlates with better quality, fewer human rights abuses, better environmental practices, etc. I like the idea of paying more for things that will last longer and have fewer negative externalities, but I'm sure we can all think of consumer goods where a higher priced item is just a piece of junk with fancier branding.
Looks like an interesting episode, I'm looking forward to listening. I'm a former health and safety auditor that did internal audits for my multinational (non fashion) company. I know how hard it was to audit even internally having access to internal documents, having the time to prepare ahead and having authority, experience and full access. An external auditor could easily be misled by a company and given a "tour" instead of completing an "inspection".
such a great question! Really, it's a matter of if they post their audits and their factory information! And if they don't, ask them about it!
Tbh I sort of enjoy Notes on here. It’ll take time obviously but it’s fun. Feels sort of early days on Twitter
This is overall a good episode from one of my favourite podcasts but there's an offhand comment "because cotton didn't grow in Japan" and that's really not true at all.
Cotton's been grown in Japan for like four centuries, light industry including cotton processing was a major development of the Meiji restoration and by pre-war Japan was a major producer of cotton, cotton is the traditional stuffing for futons and indigo dyed cotton fabric was the typical dress of the common people.
Its true of course that cotton nowadays things like Japanese selvedge denim normally use imported cotton, that cotton doesn't have the antiquity of hemp or linen or silk in Japan and that Japan's pursuit of autarky made it an early enthusiast for synthetic fibers and in fact its still true that that actual point you were making Japan's ability to produce cheap clothing for the US market was a function of imported fabric remains valid but one feels compelled to follow internet tradition and leave a comment.
are there ways to figure out if the newer companies claiming to be “sustainably sourced” and “ethical” are even legit?
I would love to hear an article about mending! Particularly up-mending/ mending as an art form.
This is good, important work. I love your unabashed contempt for self-auditing, accounting auditors trying to do social auditing, and ... audit consultants. I mean, really! Lots of facepalming in this episode.
Really interesting episode. One thing I always wonder, when I hear about the human costs of cheap clothes, is whether buying more expensive clothes actually correlates with better quality, fewer human rights abuses, better environmental practices, etc. I like the idea of paying more for things that will last longer and have fewer negative externalities, but I'm sure we can all think of consumer goods where a higher priced item is just a piece of junk with fancier branding.
Looks like an interesting episode, I'm looking forward to listening. I'm a former health and safety auditor that did internal audits for my multinational (non fashion) company. I know how hard it was to audit even internally having access to internal documents, having the time to prepare ahead and having authority, experience and full access. An external auditor could easily be misled by a company and given a "tour" instead of completing an "inspection".