Target Takeover

Target will always be a place in my heart, but due to recent education it will presently only be good memories.

Of course, we could probably assume that most large companies are, at some level, abusing the marginalized. That's why their prices can be low. At the end of the day, someone has to pay. Although this isn't always the case, the numbers usually tell us the story. My memories of shopping Target, with babes in cart will always be. However, with Target's equation results in, placing product over people, shopping here happily just can't happen for me anymore.

Awareness is everything. If you didn't know, Target's clothing are pretty much in-house, meaning they have total control and don't have to lean on other designers/companies. With this in mind, you would think they would take action and allow for this control to make positive change in the garment industry. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

With over 20 billion (yes, that's billion with a 'b') in annual sales on their private labels alone, they continue to not provide their workers with livable wages. Nor does they have goals to do so. On top of which, they lobbied against the California's Garment Worker Protection Act, a bill holding companies accountable to provide workers with a minimum wage. This isn't just happening within their factories overseas, but also right here in the good ole' U. S. of A.

This needs to stop. But, how? The only thing that can force this billion dollar company is by our shopping hands. Our choices are the only thing that will begin to change things.

If you're reading this and thinking "I'm a middle-income mom and that's the place I purchase affordable clothes for my kids and myself" and I get that. But, at what cost? I'm not trying to demonize Target, they do that easily enough on their own. If you have to buy lipstick there and toilet cleaner - I get it. When it comes to the clothing, however, I encourage you to really ask yourself - is it worth it? Is buying this whatever dollar amount outfit for my child worth the life of another person's child or the health of a child's mother? Think hard about this one, because this is where change occurs. Then, Your answer should equate to your buying.

If, and hopefully when, you answer "no", here are some great substitutions where ethics and value meet: traditional thrifting, ThredUp (app of name-branded used clothing), Poshmark (another app of high-end used clothing) and of course, local consignment stores like Azaleas in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Like I said, Target will always have a past, memory place in my heart, but for the present I can no longer support them - at least not their clothing and shoes. I hope you can echo this, and begin to force their hand to think less about their equation of profit to a new place of people over product.

XOXO,

Jenny W.

LiveableMe

Sustainable + Fair