We are veering off the subject of brands, talking about the shortcomings of ethical products (if they're branded, they're out in the case of this project). But lets go over the questions raised, as so many of you have been kind enough to post responses.




Holly Howe said...

Hi Neil,
I think the obvious reason for the products not being good is because it's a small market so they tend to make bland clothing in the hope that they will appeal to all….I need to go to specialist shoe shops to purchase footwear for my clown like feet and similarly, the stock is crap. Boring, generic, granny shoes tend to be what's on offer despite the number of young(ish) people with the same problem as me. It seems that some companies think that if you can't turn a big profit, then what's the point in trying to make something desirable? Boo hiss!

Neil says…
Yes its tough being in an un-catered market; you'd think that the net would have made smaller markets more viable financially, or that overcrowded markets would begin to compete on diversity, as opposed to price, which is what we tend to have now.

Justin D-Z said...
There is definitely an issue with the high cost of "lifestyle" goods not produced through pure profit-driven logistics. Unfortunately, the upper class is going to pay a LOT more for designer wear and the lower class is going to spend according to their means. The middle class, if they are the type to spend rather than save, are going to spend for sub-designer wear in order to appear more upper-class.

It's a tough market. Food with a consciousness is catching on, because being healthy is an image thing. Branded clothing is also an image thing. I don't see that changing anytime soon.




Neil says
It is interesting that organic food has caught on to such a scale, yet ethical clothing remains stuck in the back pages of Oxfam magazine. I guess a simple answer is that eating organic food gives clear personal benefits to the consumer, as opposed to clothing, which requires a little more altruism. But lets face it, we generally wear clothes to make us look to reflect our culture, success, youth and sexiness; who wants to sacrifice any of that for the sake of a few poor cotton farmers on the other side of the world? Also, apart form Katherine Hamnett, the designs are just rubbish.

A note about the consumer habits of class…in my school, all the poorer kids had the best-branded stuff, while the same things were denied to my middle class friends and I. In the same respect, the affluent aristocracy is famed for living in borderline destitution (crumbling houses, battered old cars, ancient hand me down Barbour jackets). So I'm not so sure that people spend according to their class, especially as credit is easily available these days. It's an interesting subject.




gillsans said...

Have you looked at BlackSpot Shoes? If you ask me, their anti-brand is a brand, but I do know their shoes are ethically produced. You may need natty dreds to wear them though.

Neil says…
Adbusters have come under a lot of slack for those blackspot sneakers (especially in this book, which I think is 90% cobblers). In fact Adbusters come under a lot of flack full stop. I'm going to give them flack now: I contacted Adbusters a dozen times about this project for comment and maybe even support, and they are the only ones, out of all the ad agencies, brands, politicians and anti corporate groups, that have failed to respond and get involved. The only ones.

But about Blackspot… why don't Adbusters just sell them without the brand? It seems simple to me.

lee powers said...
Its 1 million percent impossible for you to live brand free...all you can do is choose one brand over another...

Neil says…
That sir is a challenge that I will rise to. Doubtless I will fail in some ways, but I'm gonna give it a bloody got try.



Anonymous said...

hi,
i've been reading your blog for a while and i can't help but wonder whether your fiance is going to follow the same 'rules' as you've set yourself. i assume you're extending to no brand thing to household items as well as clothing, and obviously cosmetics too, so what about items you share? this may be an intrusive question but is she as brand obsessed as you? and will this burning of the brands affect her in the same ways as it is you?
sorry if i seem nosey but you've mentioned her a few times and it got me thinking!

Neil says…
Well, my fiancé is partly the reason why I woke up to my brand addiction; when we first met, she wasn't really interested in consumption full stop. By living with me for six years, that has changed (although she still isn't a label junkie like me).
She's not getting involved with the de-branding process herself, clothes-wise, and whether she'll share my home made toothpaste and shampoo remains to be seen.

I don't drink, but the fridge is always stocked with wine for the missus, so I guess we are used to consuming separate products already. Its not going to be easy though. More on this soon.