It talks about being a community and like minded people which is all very well but how successful will a bartering system on line be? What will the quality of goods be like and how are they defining the 'worth' at least on ebay it is actually what you are prepared to pay. I'm always cautious of alternative or manufactured economies.
Part of the blurb runs as follows...'CovertCandy provides an alternative to the cheap throwaway fashion that fuels the proliferation of sweatshops in developing countries. By exchanging clothes on CovertCandy, alongside buying organic cotton, and buying for quality not quantity, we can help reduce the environmental and social strain that the clothing industry has on this planet.'
Which is all very worthy and noble but it is mixing two premises here - one, the lack of disposable income and two, piggy backing on recent exposures of what we perceive as sweatshops - I use the word perceive as I don't know the culture of certain countries and the views of those who live there.
Oh so I'm all confused, have I've been sent the blurb because of my blog, the title Make Do Style seems to make some people think I'm worthy. And I'm not! Actually focusing on my need to make do with what I have is simple selfish. I like to use my blog to discuss style, promote myself to some extent and keeping me focused on not being caught up in more, more, more.
When I first got caught up with putting the breaks on and being more organised it took ages to adjust to the effort it required, but bit by bit I've learnt to live within my means; although it has taken ages. If Covert Candy helps to ensure you don't go overboard on spending and yet enables you to get 'new' things then it might be for you. Moi, I've got a pile of stuff I need to work and work and lots of essays to write! Please take a peek at Coco's Tea Party for a more upbeat analysis!!
If bartering isn't your thing either, than you can always plumb for LUCKY and enter this at My-Wardrobe
You make an excellent point regarding "perceived sweatshops".
ReplyDeleteWhat we as Westerners perceive as exploitation may be viewed by someone in a developing country as an opportunity. Moreover, efforts to impose western labor standards in emerging markets are frequently resented by the very people they're meant to protect. For an excellent piece examining the challenges to reforming overseas manufacturing in places like India and China, I recommend Carla Power's article for Time Magazine (June 11, 2008) entitled "Manufacturing: The Burden of Good Intentions" (http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1813511,00.html)
Helene
The Luxe Chronicles
This is a great post, and of course Make Do Style is worthy, because you always have a point of view.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Helene "What we as Westerners perceive as exploitation may be viewed by someone in a developing country as an opportunity."
This is an interesting conception, (I first thought things would be paied in candies LOL), not very sure if it will work...
Thanks for sharing, and have a nice weekend.
xoxo
Hi there-hmm, very interesting idea, not sure if I can be patient to 'save' for credits though. Have a lovely weekend!
ReplyDeleteOooh, I have to look into this more.
ReplyDeleteI do think the concept is a nice idea, but like you said what if you don't get the amount of credits you feel an item deserves?
ReplyDeleteAlso I hate the name and the layout. I don't shop at places that have the word candy in their name, I just can't!
I kinda agree with Coco, anything with Candy in the title makes me think imported of cheap Chinese sweat shop clothing.
ReplyDeleteBesides, if all the sweat shops close down how is Imelda expected to put food in Yum Yum's mouth and diamonds on her grills?
This sounds like an interesting idea. I wonder if it'll work? I'll go check it out.
ReplyDelete