Staff Photo Amanda Bancroft
In addition to men’s and women’s clothing, Good Things Boutique also carries salt lamps, jewelry, lotion, candles, cutting boards, pillows and more.
Organic and fair trade certified apparel is now common enough that it’s possible to buy t-shirts on sale for less than $10 locally, or go online and become virtually overwhelmed with fashionable, practical options from too many companies to count. If you know where to look and when to shop, it’s easier to choose organic and fair trade products.
Why Organic?
“Organic” is a term for products that are produced sustainably in whole or in part, with certification labels defining standards to protect the environment and often the producers, too. The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is one of the world’s leading processing standards for textiles made from organic fibers like cotton. Some of its rigorous requirements include making sure products are not toxic to people or the environment, do not consume too much water or energy during production, and are packaged in recycled material (to name a few).
Why Fair Trade?
“Fair Trade” is a standard of production that supports both people and planet, with various certification labels on products that meet these standards either in whole or in part. A nice summary of what fair trade does “on the ground” can be found within the Fair Trade Federation’s Nine Principles of Fair Trade:
1. Create access to the global market for economically marginalized people worldwide.
Staff Photo Amanda Bancroft
Good Things Boutique offers much more than women’s organic cotton clothing. They have clothes for men as well as a variety of accessories and fair trade merchandise.
2. Build capacity by providing producers with technical and business assistance.
3. Promptly and fairly pay producers.
4. Ensure the safety and health of workers and eliminate discrimination and exploitation.
5. Promote proactive, honest, and transparent communication along the trade chain.
6. Uphold the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to security, education and play.
7. Conserve, preserve and cultivate the environment for future generations.
8. Respect cultural identity and protect the heritage of diverse worldwide communities.
9. Promote fair trade through consumer education.
Where to Shop Locally
The upcoming “Dog Daze of Summer” sale happening July 21st through the 23rd is a great time to check out Good Things Boutique on Block Street. They carry both men’s and women’s organic clothing and a variety of fair trade merchandise, cruelty-free vegan skin care products, and locally-made jewelry. You can find the following organic and/or fair trade brands at Good Things: Indigenous, Synergy, Blue Canoe, Goddess Gear, Earth Creations, 100% Pure, Global Girlfriend, Ecoths, Soul-Flower, Antiplano Handmade, World Finds, and more. Owner Jesse Lang says, “I opened Good Things Boutique with hopes to grow the love (and demand) for organic cotton clothing and Fair Trade accessories. Many of these products can be found online, but experiencing them in person is the best way to truly appreciate the soft feel and quality of the fabric. It’s important to me that we have good choices available when it comes to purchasing safe, non-toxic products that aren’t made in sweatshops, so I decided to create a local store dedicated to this.”
Staff Photo Amanda Bancroft
The staff favorites on display at Fayettechill demonstrate the laid-back nature of the apparel and the atmosphere of the store on Dickson Street.
Fayettechill on Dickson Street is our own Fayetteville brand of sustainable, fair trade certified and made-in-America clothing for outdoor enthusiasts worldwide. Their popular unisex tees contain 50% organic Turkish cotton and 50% recycled polyester made from plastic bottles, are manufactured at a Bluesign sustainable textiles company in California, and are Fair Labor Association certified. One percent of their gross sales are donated to non-profit partners involved in preserving the great outdoors. Fayettechill also seeks to feature the work of homegrown artists to create designs for their products. Overall, they’re an amazing local brand that’s both organic and fair trade certified.
Pack Rat Outdoor Center is another place to find Fayettechill clothing and products from other sustainable brands, including Patagonia, a pioneer in the industry. Beyond the brands, Pack Rat takes sustainable design through the ceiling: the 435 tons of logs for their two-story building came from trees killed in a Montana forest fire. Their building is entirely solar-powered, and they installed a pond that became the nesting ground for at least one annual pair of Canada geese.
Looking for baby clothes and apparel? Terra Tots Natural Parenting offers cloth diapers and a wide selection of natural toys and organic baby clothes. Summer fun essentials include the organic baby bonnet by UB2, which is reversible, offers adjustable sun protection and allows discreet breastfeeding.
Where to Shop Online
Staff Photo Amanda Bancroft
Pack Rat Outdoor Center is known for its great gear, but many of their brands are also organic, fair trade or sustainably made.
There are many options to choose from, but one example is PACT Apparel. PACT has an online store with frequent sales and promotions that get the prices down on their super soft organic and fair trade basics: shirts, pants, dresses, socks and undergarments. The cotton is sourced from Chetna Organic, an India-based cooperative with 15,000 organic cotton farmers. PACT products are sweatshop and child labor free, and contain non-gmo cotton without any toxic pesticides. They have recently started selling at participating Whole Foods, including the new Fayetteville location.
When browsing stores in this online guide, remember to wait for sales and check back around holidays or during seasonal changes. Not every product will be organic, fair trade, or both, so be sure to check.
