Traditional clothing manufacturing has a significant impact on the environment, from the unsustainable farming of cotton to the poor working conditions of factory workers who make the clothes. If you want to be part of the solution, one option is to look for certified Fair Trade clothing made from organic cotton.
York was the first university in Canada to sell Fair Trade clothing in campus bookstores and is currently offering Fair Trade t-shirts made from 100 per cent organic cotton. The shirts are certified by TransFair Canada, a member of the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International. The bookstore plans on expanding beyond T-shirts into other clothes in the future.
For more information on green purchasing at York, visit the Sustainability website.
There are many other easy ways to green your purchasing habits, such as:
- Buy products that are locally made.
- Source items made from recycled materials.
- Buy products with minimal packaging.
- Bring a reusable shopping bag along with you to the store.
For more information on Fair Trade products, visit the Fair Trade Canada website.
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