Tuesday, 25 May 2010

Confused about what to do?... I am!

Spot the difference

Left: Finisterre Hoodie £90, Right: Topman Hoodie £20

As I started my day today at work, I did the usual: checking emails, reading the news and answering the phone. In between all that, I thought I would take a 5 minute break and see if there were any ethical online shops selling men’s blazers. Well, half an hour later I didn’t find a blazer but I saw this hoodie on Finisterre.

Finisterre were founded in 2002, the UK-based company has always tried to produce high quality athletic gear with the least amount of ecological impact. So they’re an ethical brand. This hoodie retails for £90. Here’s the shocking part. I have seen a similar one in Topman for £20!

They are almost similar in look, except the £90 hoodie on the left has been made with Finisterre’s philosophy of trying to make sustainable clothes to help preserve the world we live in. It is made from organic cotton / merino wool fabric.

And the Topman hoodie on the right is made from 50% polyester and 50% cotton. Polyester is a plastic, and manufacturing polyester burns large amounts of hydrocarbons and a significant amount of CO2 is released into the atmosphere. This is creating the greenhouse effect, and in turn spurs climate change on.

So there’s a dilemma, do I buy the cheaper one or the one, that will not have as much of a negative impact on the environment and is of better quality?

Which would you choose?

3 comments:

  1. Lets make it a little clearer. Ethical does not have to be more expensive. I did a quick search and came across www.cottonroots.co.uk

    You can get the same for even cheaper than the Topman hoodie. And there are men and ladies fit versions!

    http://www.cottonroots.co.uk/show_item.php?cid=257&ino=CREH004

    We need to go beyond thinking that it is always more expensive to buy ethical. Anyway, with the heatwave in UK at the moment, who needs a hoodie?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would choose the cheaper one because lets face it the average consumer doesn't have the money for a £90 hoody! I do care about the environment and ethical fashion, but i don't have the money to be spending £70 more on an item when i can get it cheaper.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I wouldnt buy the Topman one and I wouldn't pay £90 for that ethical hoodie. There are loadsa sites selling hoodies for a much lower price. if you can;t find one online there are always charity shops.

    ReplyDelete