Ethically clothed: an ethical approach to business clothes

Ethically and organically sourced food is becoming hugely popular with more and more people considering things like food miles, sustainable farming, and ethical supply chains. To affect real change this needs to become the norm, and I think we're on the way.

Clothing is another area that needs attention. Cotton is one of the most pesticide heavy crops (using about 1/4 of the world's insecticides), is water intensive (causing salinisation), and creates soil degradation due to a mono-crop culture. Cotton crops also have a negative impact on the atmosphere (and climate change) due to the large amounts of CO2 and nitrous oxide heavy industrial fertilizers and the degradation of soils which were acting as carbon sinks. Cotton production also causes issues for farmers and their communities who fall ill from mishandling of fertilizers and the pollution of waterways through crop runoffs.  

Organic cotton on the other hand uses natural methods to control pests, soil fertility management, crop rotation and natural inputs such as compost, mulch and manures. While the yield is lower, the quality of the cotton is higher and this sustainable farming approach provides huge societal and environmental benefits. 

I went looking to make the swap to organic and ethically sourced cotton for my business shirts (as I wear them 5 out of 7 days). However it turned out to be a really difficult product to find, with the few on offer being limited in options or hugely expensive (and far away). 

I would like to look in to getting some business shirts (in the first instance) made up, they will need to be ethically sourced, affordable, accessible, and as good as non-ethical options. I will initially focus on business shirts for men in Australia, but I'd love to hear responses from everyone.

Keen to hear your ideas & opinions, would be hugely grateful if you fill out this survey and/or let me know what you think in this post.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MPRG7NJ