an little organisation tip for non-schedulers

source: Flickr by oclaire

Originally posted here (but changed up a bit for the blog).

I'm quite a procrastinator, so it has taken me a long time to get to this point. (Well, I'm not really sure what 'this point' is, because I've gotten much better since I started Heidi & Seek, but I still procrastinate.) I find that I'm a big workaholic when it comes to being online and promoting that way. But when it comes to making things, I've built it up in my head that's it's maybe more effort than it actually is, so often I have to use some strong willpower to get away from the computer, head over to my studio space and start making.

I've tried making timetables to schedule blocks of time, but I can never stick to them. I guess they just don't make me feel very in control. They don't cater for creative types like me, where sometimes I get an idea and just want to run with it, regardless of what I'm 'supposed' to be doing at that moment. So lately I've been working without particular goals, and not getting very much done consistently. I have spurts of making and spurts of procrastinating.

So I made a little notebook to help me instead. It's filled with weekly charts of blocks of time that must be completed by the end of the week. I don't schedule time, I just have a weekly goal that I can work on at any time. I colour in each block as I complete it. So far it's working better than any other system I've tried. Here's how to try it for yourself.

1. Firstly, work out how much time, on average, your items take to create. Then place them in a box, using Word or Photoshop or whatever you prefer. It might look like this, for example:
2. Work out how many of these you can realistically complete in a week. Then subtract a few, because we're going to start small. I worked out how many days a week I have to work on my label (4), then how many items I want to make each of those days (5). I'm using a conservative estimate to start with because I don't want to feel too overwhelmed. That's 20 items per week. That's my goal. Yours will probably be different.
   
   
3. Put all the blocks in rows and columns on a page each. (I printed three weekly charts to a page to save paper, then cut them out). If you want to work four days a week and make 3 items a day, and your items take about 25 minutes to make, your chart will look like this:
   
   

   
   I've purposely not written the day dates at the top of each column, beacuse I don't want to feel 'behind' if I've not done all the day's work or too boxed in, just that I have to make some more by the end of the week.
   

4. Paste the chart into a notebook with a week to a page, and write the week dates at the top of each page. For each item I make I will colour in one block, until all the blocks on the page are coloured in, hopefully by the end of the week.

5. I've come up with a reward (mine is a visit to an op shop or second-hand market), which I may only happen when the week's blocks have all been filled in. I can then 'cash in' my week's chart for the reward.

I'm treating it like homework. If I've been slow making during the week, or even if I have to take a day off to do something else, I have to catch up by the end of the week and make sure all those blocks are coloured in. Whenever I have a spare however many minutes, I'll make one thing, and these will add up. This is why I recommend you don't try to push yourself too hard when you're starting this. If it seems too overwhelming you might give up.

Make it fun! Use a cute font for your charts and colour the blocks in with your favourite colours. If you're using a plain notebook, dress it up by making a collage on the front or covering it with fabric. I haven't decorated mine yet, but I'll post it when I have.

The benefits of this method are:

• It encourages you to set goals. Most successful people set goals for themselves.
• You can track your progress in a fun way. You can see exactly how you are or are not meeting your expectations of yourself.
• Writing how much time it will take puts the task in perspective and makes your creating seem more achievable. Sometimes when I have an hour or two to spare I don't think to make an item because it seems like a bigger committment. With the blocks you can see right there that it's really only about a ___ minute committment.
• It's not just for makers, you can apply it to any project if you can accurately estimate how much time it will take you to do, then break it down into small pieces.

Shampoo: Not the best way to clean hair? How to go poo-free

"In recent years, "no poo" has become something of an underground beauty trend... that's split into two camps: beauty mavens who believe they've found hair care's dirty little secret, and environmentally minded folks who want to use fewer plastic products and products with fewer chemicals." (Source: Today)

I've recently discovered the 'no-poo' movement, in which people replace shampoo with a natural alternative like baking soda or clay or or nothing at all. It seems like a crazy idea to not use shampoo. It's something that we just accept as absolutely necessary, almost as much as toilet paper (which, by the way, I won't be giving up any time soon). But it's not necessary. I've avoided shampoo for the last week and my hair looks and feels much better than before, plus I'm no longer having product build-up problems that made me obsessive-compulsive about washing my hair every day. Thanks to Lucy and I, I found the solution.

Why go poo-free?

Your health

• Shampoo contains chemicals that strip your hair of healthy natural oils, replacing them with artificial oils that don't absorb into the skin very well and don't allow much release of your natural oils. This makes your hair weaker and requring more frequent washes.
• It can eliminate problems such as dandruff, itchy scalp and product build-up.
• It makes your hair look and feel better, if not at first, then after your head has gotten over its shampoo addiction and returns to a state of balance.
  
• Most shampoos contain mineral oil, which is what's left over when crude oil is turned to gasoline.
• Other common chemicals in shampoo may have additional unhealthy effects on your body. Since chemicals are absorbed by the skin, these enter your body, too. There's a (scary) list of them here.

It's very inexpensive

• All you need to replace shampoo and conditioner is baking soda and apple cider vinegar (more on that below). Both are very cheap compared with some shampoos and conditioners.

It's more eco-friendly

• Cut down on frequent fancy bottle packaging and buy the things you need in bulk instead - usually with very minimal packaging.
• Avoid supporting the production of harmful plastics and chemicals.
  

Avoid animal testing

I posted about animal testing in the cosmetics/personal care industry (and how unnecessary it is) last year.

• The use of chemicals in shampoo, such as those above, mean that these products will probably have to be tested on animals.
• Most shampoos and conditioners purchased are tested on animals. This makes it easier to avoid supporting these companies.

How to do it (my way)

You can check the below links for alternative and trouble shooting ideas if this doesn't work for you. There's no 'right' way. This is just what I like.

You need:

• Baking soda
• Apple cider vinegar
• Two small plastic cups. One should be shallow enough for you to easily reach your fingers into the bottom. You could cut off the bottom of a plastic bottle due for recycling. I used a cup and bottle of Ellie's that weren't being used.
  
• A big everyday hairbrush that's comfortable to use

Optional:

• A bottle of an essential oil like lavender or jojoba, depending on what remedy you want (check this link for ideas)

Instructions:

1. Put about a heaped tablespoon of baking soda into the shallow cup.
2. Turn the tap on as little as possible and put a tiny amount in the cup, and mix. I like using a thick paste (but it shouldn't be gritty), but some people like a more watery mixture. Include more water if you want.
   
3. You can add a few drops of your essential oil to this mix, if you like.
4. Put about a couple of table spoons of apple cider vinegar in the other cup, and fill it up with water.
5. Head into the shower with your two cups.
6. Spread some of the baking soda paste onto your fingers and rub into your roots. Keep going back to the cup until it's finished. I usually start with the areas around the hair line - front, sides, then back, and then do the middle by parting the hair horizontally at intervals.
7. Leave it in for a minute and clean the rest of your fine self.
8. To get rid of any existing product buildup (especially this first time) give your head a good massage. It also stimulates growth and natural oil production (no, this won't make your hair oily!). Use your fingertips and rub back and forth in short strokes, gently but firmly. Concentrate on the area around your parting, because that's where the roots mostly show.
9. Rinse the mixture out of your hair.
10. Use the other cup's contents on the lengths of your hair. (I promise the vinegar smell won't stick around forever.)
11. Rinse it out.
12. When your hair is dry, brush your hair. (Use a wide-toothed comb when wet if you need to). Brush it at least twice a day, regardless of when you wash it. This will distribute the natural oils along the length of your hair and make it nice and shiny.
    

For convenience, I usually estimate the amounts without using a measuring thing, then mix the baking soda with my fingers in the shower, and just swirl the apple cider vinegar cup.

How it's worked for me

I had given up on my hair a little, because in my teens I started getting a lot of product built up on my scalp. I didn't use much, if any, styling products, so it was the shampoo and conditioner. I stopped using conditioner. I didn't use a hairbrush because my hair didn't get knotty. I washed my hair every day because otherwise it got greasy and awful.

The first day I tried this my hair and head felt lighter, due to the lack of chemicals and product in my hair. It felt softer, too, and very clean. When I brushed my hair it had a really nice shine that wasn't there before.


I've been doing this for two weeks so far. I've been washing my hair mostly every two days. It gets a little flatter on the second day, but not oily like before. Once I left it three days and it looked a bit greasy by the third. This might stop happening in time, when my hair is used to the new routine.

If you try this, let me know how it goes!

Links

No poo community on LiveJournal
Skin problems TV programme on ABC.net.au
Shampoo-free on Babyslime at Livejournal
No Shampoo Experiment
Why you should go no 'poo'
Shampoo-free: Healthy hair, naturally

The Story of Stuff

I really encourage you to watch this online animation called The Story of Stuff. It's about the lifecycle of the things we buy and the inherent problem with the processes involved: that natural resources will run out, that people are exploited along the way, and that it's actually worsening our quality of life. It's really easy to watch.

Some of the things learned:

• Only 1% of the things we buy are still in use in 6 months. 99% is trashed within 6 months.
  
• In just the past 30 years, one third of the world's natural resources were used up.
• There are 100,000 different chemicals used in commercial products, and only a handful of them have been tested for health effects.
• For every 1 garbage can that we put out on the curb, 70 cans worth of garbage were produced in making the amount we used up.
  

Quips appreciated:

• The little guy representing the government shining the shoes of the fat corporation guy.
• "We'll start with extraction, which is a fancy word for 'natural resource exploitation', which is a fancy word for 'trashing the planet'."
• "We take our pillows, we douse them in a neuro-toxin [a flame retardant chemical], then we bring them home and put our heads on them for 8 hours a night to sleep? I don't know, but it seems to me in this country with so much potential, we could think of a better way to keep our heads from catching on fire at night."

To be honest though, watching this made me angry. I know I'm a part of the consumer cycle so I'm partly angry at myself. But mostly I'm angry at those capitalists who make a dedicated effort to increase consumption and disposal at the expense of the planet and people. I'm angry at computer companies for purposely changing the pieces of new computers so they don't fit into old ones, in order for us to throw the whole thing away and buy a new one. I'm angry at the guy quoted in the video, who after WW2 stated that high levels of consumption and disposal is in our best interests to better the economy. I'm angry that companies purposely design things to break.

I suppose that the high stats per person of waste and consumption means that if we buy less and try not to support the 'buy disposable' system, then we're doing a lot of good. If one can of the garbage we put out each week actually represents 71 cans, then by cutting that down to a quarter of a can, we'd save about 50 cans per week. That's a lot.

It's easy to conform to the idea that new is better, given it's blasted into our heads with advertising everywhere we turn and it seems to be what others are doing. It's great that there are videos like this to renew my dedication to a sustainable lifestyle.

Preparing for the fashion show

I am not ideal at organising my time. I had my outfits made well before the fashion show, and I assumed I wouldn't have to do much else. Then I learned that we could set up a rack of our clothing for sale after the show. I knew that meant more work, but I didn't prepare quite far enough in advance. I have yet to do my first market, so I'm not wise to the ways of face-to-face handmade selling.

This is what went on during the day before the show:

I decided to set myself the deadline of debuting these brooches at the show, and made way more than I needed.


My hands were aching from squeezing the glue bottle so often (Ecoglue!) hard enough for the glue to come out. If anyone knows about replacing glue nozzles or a way of not savaging my hands with bulk crafting I would love you forever if you'd share. The badges will be up online soon and first dibs and a discount will go to those on my mailing list, so make sure you're signed up if you want 'em! (Enter your email address in the green box on the right of my blog.)

Back to fashion show stuff. I compiled and printed some flyers to hand out.


I used Ecocern unbleached post-consumer recycled paper. I love Ecocern! They're Australian and have a good range of 100% post-consumer recycled paper products. I do wish they sold post packaging though. I used both sides of the paper and cut them in half to A5 size to save on paper.

After finalising outfits and testing the fit on my manniquin against the model's sizes, I was ready to pack it in for the day. Then I realised that my clothing for sale still needed to be tagged and priced. And then I realised that I was pretty much out of hang tags. I make my hangtags with my printer, discarded index cards, applique paper and reclaimed fabric (in this case, a thrifted nightgown. I know, weird fabric for a nightgown, right?)

The next hour was spent battling with the printer because the back and front of the tags didn't match up, only to find that I was placing the card in the wrong way for the back printing. By then I'd wasted a good couple of dozen cards. I was not a happy camper. But I got them done.


For my little stall, I makeshifted a shelf for my badges with a hat, a hanger and two clips. And I used a frame from the house for a drawing of my logo to hang up with a thrifted jersey tie.

All was right with the world.

Eltham fashion show experience: a first

Yesterday, I was one of eight local designers showcasing their clothing at a fashion show in Eltham. It was my first public appearance with my designs. They day was exciting, nerve-wracking, slow at times, and at others so pacy that I barely had time to blink (namely, getting the models dressed and prepared to walk out on stage in time for their spot).

I'm afraid I was so distracted that I completely forgot to take pictures, but when the press shots arrive I'll point you to them. All I have is this horribly, horribly blurry picture of what I wore, taken in a rush at the end of the day. I know, I'm a terrible blogger. (But look, I finally worked in those blue tights!)


We arrived four hours before the show was to start, along with the other designers, models, and the MC. But the venue was shut, nobody was about, and we didn't have the key. After waiting a while, the models began getting their hair done and trying on shoes outside, while Ellie grabbed my hand and led me in this direction and that.

Over an hour later someone arrived to open the door, and I spent the rest of the time before the show trying my designs on the models, finding shoes that matched the outfit and fit, choosing which ones to leave out because they didn't fit right or look good, and rearranging my schedule of outfits based on the models having enough time to get out the back, change and return to the stage with the next outfit. Things didn't quite go to plan here, but more on that later. I also chose jewellery from designer Airdie's gorgeous Joolz line to pair with my clothing for the runway.

As a side note, you should also know that I wasn't superwoman enough to do all that while taking care of Ellie: Tim came along as well and was on baby patrol. I would likely have exploded from multitasking if he wasn't there.

Anyway, when the show started I made my way backstage and watched the first part of the show from the sideline. I was fifth in the line-up, so when the third finished, I went to the dressing room. That was kind of a sucky part - I wanted to be out watching the show and seeing how my designs looked on the runway, not out the back!

There were five models and nine outfits, so I didn't know how it would go with them changing so quickly to get back out there. Things were going well until the seventh outfit, when the song I chose to accompany my collection finished and the audience started clapping. Bugger. The song was Free by Cat Power. I spent ages deciding which music to choose and thought this was the best match, but I wasn't sure how long each model's walk would be, to know what length my song needed to be. I was just hoping it would be okay, but I really should have planned that a bit better and maybe cut down my number of outfits.

Anyway, the show went on without my final two outfits, which was fine. I'd already decided to auction one of my dresses for the Bushfire Appeal, so what was to be the last outfit was showcased and bought later on:


I'd brought a bunch more of my designs to sell after the show and had set up a little rack for perusal. The badges I mentioned also made their debut. The badges will be available in my online shop soon, promise! In my next post I'll talk about preparing for the show, because that was a trial in itself.

I was so impressed with the people involved. The show was organised by Georgia Young, who also showed her collection. I can't even imagine what a mammoth task it must have been alone, much less making pieces for the runway as well. My favourite designs were by Georgia Young, Ali Bou and Valerie Randello, but all the pieces were gorgeous. It was my first time seeing Joolz jewellery in person and they are gorgeous. Owner Airdie was lovely to meet.

I was really glad to be involved and a good time was had by all (except for my brother, who got lost on the way and took a 40 minute accidental detour).

Eco-find: Naturally Hip cloth menstrual pads

Most people know about the cloth versus disposable nappy debate. But how many of you have thought about cloth menstrual pads? Not me, I have to admit. But now that I've looked into it a little, I'm going to give it a try. Here's why:

• In the US alone, 7 million tampons and 12 billion pads are sent to landfill every year - not to mention the packaging each disposable comes in. If I never buy disposables again for the rest of my life, that's going to make a significant waste reduction.
  
• It's cheaper
• No nasty, chemical-laden plastics against your skin. I imagine it just feels nicer, and you're less likely to have irritation issues 'down there'. Some women's privates react to the chemicals and they mistake the problem for 'just that time of the month'.
  
• It can help reduce period pain, and it commonly makes periods shorter and lighter.
• Support the little (and eco-friendly) guys - most cloth pads are made by self-employed, work-from-home women.
  
• Many cloth pads are made from natural materials, which means you won't be supporting the production of plastics and chemicals, which adds to pollution.
  

I spoke to the lovely Lindsay of Naturally Hip, who makes cloth pads both gorgeous and functional.


Tell us about yourself and what you make.

My name is Lindsay. I live in Burlington, Ontario, in Canada, with my wonderful husband and two adorable children ages 6 months and 2 and a half years. Naturally Hip is my line of handmade cloth menstrual pads and wet bags. I am a one-woman show. Everything I create is made by me from start to finish (right up to dropping it in the mailbox)! Down the road I would love to expand my business to include nursing pads and cloth baby items as well.

Tell us a bit about the cloth versus disposable pad debate.

Disposable hygiene products have become so mainstream in the last few decades that we forget they haven’t existed for long! Cloth pads have come a long way, but have been around for ages. There are lots of opinions but the key issues of the debate are health benefits, cost, environmental impact, and comfort.

The absorbent material in disposable pads and tampons is bleached with the chemical dioxin, a known carcinogen. Research suggests that continuous exposure to this chemical can lead to increased chance of cervical and ovarian cancer. Unbleached pads are available, but are more expensive and still end up in the landfill. Many women report irritation caused by disposable products which disappears after making the switch to cloth (I hear this over and over). Some even experience shorter and less painful periods!

There is definitely an initial investment with cloth pads. However, since they’re made to last several years, the cost is quite a bit lower in the long run. I calculated it out a little while back and the savings were close to 50%!

Every disposable product ends up in a landfill – and women go through thousands in a lifetime – while cloth pads can be washed and used over and over. There is a small increase in water consumption for washing cloth pads, but the environmental impact is less overall. Sanitary waste in landfill sites is also a valid concern.

Cloth pads are wonderfully soft and comfortable - like your favorite flannel pajamas! There is just no comparison with the sticky, plasticky feeling of disposable ones.


What's the difference between cloth and disposable pads in terms of absorption, convenience and ease of use?

Like disposable pads, cloth pads are available in all different levels of absorbency. They typically have an absorbent core of natural fibers such as cotton or bamboo with a soft fabric top layer. Disposable products have a combination of cotton batting and absorbent gel inside and often have a perforated plastic top sheet.

Although the convenience of disposable products seems hard to beat, using cloth pads is pretty simple too! Away from home they can be carried in a wet bag (a washable pouch with waterproof lining) or zipper-seal plastic bag. They are easy to wash and dry, and - maybe the best part - they’re always there when you need them!

Cloth and disposable pads are worn the same way. While disposable pads have a sticky plastic backing, cloth pads with wings fasten with a simple snap or other closure (wingless pads stay in place nicely when worn with close-fitting cotton underwear). After use, cloth pads are rinsed or soaked until wash day. From there, they go right in the washing machine and usually through the dryer too. The process takes no longer than wrapping and throwing away each disposable pad and taking out the garbage.

How many pads do you recommend to start?

This is a tough question since everyone’s body is different. I usually suggest starting with a couple of pantyliners, some daytime pads and a couple of larger pads for overnight, and go from there. The ideal collection for you depends on how frequently you do laundry, the length of your period, absorbency needs, your body size, etc.


How did you start making cloth pads?

I discovered cloth pads while researching cloth diapering options for my first child. It was intriguing to me (though of course not a new idea by any means!) and curiosity took over. I drafted some patterns and started trying out various designs and materials. A few months later I started selling them online and Naturally Hip was born.

What aspects of your business are eco-friendly, other than the obvious?

Behind the scenes I try to be as green as possible. I reduce waste by using every last scrap of fabric – my 2-year old crafts beside me gluing teeny fabric scraps to paper - and by using recyclable and reusable packaging materials. I buy fabric locally and in bulk, walk to the mailbox whenever possible, and compost dryer lint from pre-washing fabrics. Being a stay-at-home mom saves a lot in gas consumption too - I commute on foot to my downstairs studio!


What's your best eco-tip (besides switching to cloth)?

Reduce! In everything I do or buy, I first try to think “how can this be more earth friendly?” For example, cutting down on the amount of plastic we use and throw away, buying products with less packaging, purchasing used items at second-hand stores, conserving energy, composting. In addition to helping the earth, we’re often saving money too!

Thanks so much, Lindsay, for the informative and thought-provoking responses. I really love finding people running businesses who have the same concern for the environment that I do. I love that her first eco-tip was 'reduce!' because I really think that's the key. We can recycle absolutely everything and still be doing bad things for the environment because the initial high consumption is still there. I won't be buying my cloth pads from anywhere else, because I think it's important to support like-minded people. Plus, after reading my previous blog posts about the Bushfire Appeal, Lindsay has decided to donate some of her items to the Oz Bushfire Appeal shop. So kind of her.

Visit the Naturally Hip online shop

Eco-style find: Hoakon Helga's upcycled handbags

This is the first in a series of weekly eco-friendly style features. I'll be handpicking and interviewing entrepreneurial ladies and lasses with gorgeous products (not just limited to clothing!) AND socially responsible business practices. This means fair trade, handmade, recycled, organic, second-hand, vintage galore!

First up: Hoakon Helga is a fun and funky handbag and jewellery line by Andrea Strand. The bags currently available in her Etsy shop are made from repurposed materials.

willow handbag

This is my favourite. Gorgeous, right? Made from repurposed red leather and part of a vintage sweater. I'd be all over this if it were in backpack format. But, more on that another post. Interview time!

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you make.

My name is Andrea Strand, Andi for short. I'm from Canada and live close to the beautiful Rocky Mountains where snow is abundant, and nature is unavoidable. I make bags from recycled jackets, and jewelry from real feathers, vintage and recycled pieces, and newer components.

How did you start making bags? Was it a big investment or learning curve?

I started making bags in art school. Originally I thought I would go into graphic design which is why I went to school in the first place, but I took a course in natural dyeing techniques on fabric, and I immediately fell in love. It was then that I switched my major to textiles. I was making lots of different fabrics through weaving, printing, dyeing, and rusting and I didn't know what to do with them, so I started making bags out of them. I started selling them at local art shows and people liked them and I haven't stopped ever since. My designs have changed quite a bit over the years, but there's still the same core aesthetics there: simplicity, functionality, feminity, and originality.

mondarda handbag

The love for vintage and recycled materials comes from growing up in my mother's antique store. I have collected lots of old textiles, and jewelry pieces over the years and began to incorporate them into my work for the same reason, I didn't know what else to do with them...

Tell us about your materials. What new supplies do you use? What recycled?

My bags are made from vintage leather jackets and I use new metal hardware for the zippers, hooks and d-rings in each bag.

My jewelry is a mixture of vintage and newer components. Each piece is totally different, but sometimes its hard to find an abundance of vintage chains, so I have to use new ones. I do my best to recycle older pieces as much as possible.

Why do you use recycled leather? Is sustainability important to you?

Absolutely its important to me! I try my best to use sustainable approaches in all facets of my life. It's simply the way the world is going, and I don't think there is any other option but to go with it.

furrow handbag

What has the response been so far to your recycling? Do you think people care more about good style?

The response has been nothing but positive! I think that people are looking for quality products but are also looking for their own way to contribute to environmental practices as well. I like that I can give them this option.

Which item of yours is your favourite?

Hmm, that's a tough one. My favorite items change constantly as I make every bag as if I would wear it myself. But I think right now it's the Durian in this color option:

Durian handbag (sold)

It's the color combination that i'm in love with. I used a beautiful soft brown jacket, and combined it with some vintage barkcloth curtain material from the 1940's. I was inspired from a customer's request.

What's your best eco-tip?

I think that a sustainable lifestyle can be a little intimidating as there is so much to think about. Doing the small things, like purchasing items that have recyclable packaging, buying organic when possible, and shopping vintage would be my day to day tips.

Thanks Andrea!

If you have any suggestions for future eco-style features, please do let me in on it.

Second-hand shopping for beginners (Part II)

This is the second part of this article. Check out the first part here.

Types of second-hand stores

One thing you need to know about Savers: it's not a charity organisation. Only a small percentage of the profits go to charity. It's handy that you can trade your own unwanted goods for store credit, though. Interesting fact I just found: About 50% of goods donated to Savers are unsaleable, so "roughly 262 pounds of clothing, shoes, toys, books and other items are sold and shipped to developing nations each year, keeping those goods from landfill." (Source) I wonder what percentage of that unsaleable 50% goes overseas, given that they didn't say all of it went. And whether the cost of them is reasonable. But that's a topic for another day.

Alternatively, those little local op shops that are in most suburbs are usually run by volunteers and all of the profits go to charity. Then there are stylish vintage boutiques, where the goods are more expensive (sometimes by quite a lot) because they are hand-picked for their trend factor. Needless to say, none of these profits go to charity.

The Camberwell Market in Melbourne, which runs every Sunday, is also well-known for having great second-hand items. Most of the stalls I've shopped at were run by casual stallholders looking to clear out their wardrobe. I've found a lot of quality contemporary brands here, like Country Road and Saba. If you're not in Melbourne, there's probably a similar thing nearby.

Make sure you..

Check for faults before you buy. There's been a few times I've come home and found that something has a hole or a stain in it that won't come off. If it's noticable and you're not into altering, like I am, you've wasted the purchase (but still given money to charity, so it's not so bad).
Try it on. Yes, even if it smells. I promise, it won't be so gross next time.
Check every rack you have time to. It's not like browsing in a shopping centre, where there's a bunch of the same items and they're nicely spaced out. If you don't look at everything you might miss something great.
Don't buy things you're iffy about just because they're cheap. Having things you're not going to wear or use is a waste of space. Personally, I'd rather have a closet half-full of things that get worn regularly than a wardrobe that's bursting but with me still not having anything to wear.

Removing the smell from second-hand clothing

Generally, just chucking something in the washing machine won't remove the smell. I must emphasise that you should not add heat. Putting a smelly item in the dryer or ironing it is outro, because it'll lock in the smell forever and ever and ever. (Yes, I did this once, and yes, it still smells.)

There are a few different ways you can do it, involving vinegar and tea and things. But my preferred method is this: Before you wash the garment, hang it outside for at least a few non-rainy days. Bring it in at night, though. This works especially well if it's sunny, but keep in mind that sun fades fabric, too.


I hope you enjoyed this little sequence, folks. Happy treasure hunting!

Second-hand shopping for beginners (Part I)

Charity shops, op shops, thrift stores and markets, oh my. I was a bit lost when I started buying pre-loved fashion, so I thought I'd share with you my tips and experiences.

Why shop second-hand?

It's one of the most eco-friendly ways to add to your wardrobe. Brand new items take quite a toll on the environment, regardless of whether they're named organic or eco-friendly. For instance, an organic cotton tee and a regular cotton tee both use up to 2500 litres to make.
It's fun! There's something oh-so-satisfying about finding a unique little gem in the corner of an op shop, tucked between some uglies. It also satiates my thirst for creativity, because I often buy second-hand on the basis of what I think it could be.
It's cheap. Many people are tricked into thinking that they can keep up with fast trends because chain stores offer clothing so cheap. But the quality is often poor and the styles can date quickly. Second-hand shopping is cheaper because the outright cost is less, plus the items may have longevity.
Truly one-of-a-kind things are waiting for you to find them. If you're buying true vintage, it's nice to know you'll probably be the only one wearing that awesome find of yours.
There is something for everyone. No matter what your style, you're bound to find something you love if you keep at it. I've found lasting basics by contemporary brands for under $5 as well as quirky, unique pieces.

Venturing into the second-hand

I remember my first time in a second-hand store, years ago. I had heard about all these great second-hand clothing finds and I wanted to bargain-hunt for unique items, too. I dropped into Savers in Dandenong on my way back from uni.

I was not impressed. I rifled through an aisle of short, slightly stretched tees from the 'Now' brand of Big-W and other such contemporary junk, and then I just couldn't take it any more. It smelled musty, old and slightly damp, the other shoppers looked a bit withered, not quite with it and were dressed in the aforementioned junk. I just wanted to get out of there. So I did. I put second-hand shopping in the 'no thanks' category and went back to my regular chain store shopping.

My first tip for those who haven't done any thrifting is 'don't give up'. While most opportunity and second-hand shops smell a bit, the atmosphere of each is different and some have worse 'vibes' than others. Savers probably wasn't the best place for me to start. It's huge and often requires lots of searching to find anything great. If I got squeamish at one aisle (probably not even that), I wasn't going to want to make it through the entire store.

I ended up at the Savers on Sydney Road a year or two later. I'm not exactly sure what the difference was, maybe the interesting and stylishly dressed shoppers or the fact that it didn't smell quite as horrible (maybe I had a stuffy nose that day) but I had a ball.

Check out Part II here.

Animal testing for cosmetics

Due to lab testing, "one animal dies every second in the US, in Japan every 2 seconds, and in the UK every 12 seconds" (source: Choose Cruelty Free). Over six million animals were experimented on in Australia in 2004 (source: AAHR). Although this figure doesn't address the severity of the experiments, it's still a staggering amount. Shouldn't animals have the right to live without this kind of exploitation, as we do?

The animals used for testing are: dogs, preferably beagles for their docility and easily maintained hair, cats, monkeys, mice, rats, rabbits, sheep and pigs.

image credit: quetxal

Animal rights organisations argue with those in the medical field about whether the testing is necessary. One one hand, humans and animals are biologically different, so the animal testing results can be irrelevant to us, and many of the testing results gathered have been ineffective. However, drugs have the potential to be harmful to humans if not tested first.

I'm not a scientist. I don't know who's right. But I do know that cosmetics are tested on animals as well as drugs. Animal testing for cosmetics is unnecessary, and proof of that is simply that vegan cosmetics are on the market, and nobody's died. Although cruelty-free drug options don't exist, cruelty-free cosmetics definitely do. I prefer to purchase those products and I encourage you to do the same. Here's why:

• They're available at a number of different price points and some brands are very inexpensive.
• For most items of cosmetics you buy, there is a vegan alternative.
• If you care about animals, take a stand and show it by choosing not to endorse unnecessary animal testing for cosmetics.
• They aren't necessarily hard to find. You can find cruelty-free cosmetics at your local supermarket.
• The products not tested on animals aren't in any way inferior. I love my Nature's Organics shampoo a lot more than the Sunsilk and Pantene I previously used.

It's a simple way to make an ethical difference. Visit http://www.choosecrueltyfree.org.au (AU) or search.caringconsumer.com (INT) for lists of accredited cruelty-free cosmetics. Another thing to note is that although product might state 'This product is not tested on animals', they may be sneakily hiding the fact that the ingredients were tested on animals. Check it on one of those sites first.

Here's a short list of Australian, widely-available cruelty-free make up brands:
Innoxa
Face of Australia
Jurlique

And cruelty-free hair care:
De Lorenzo
Organic Care
Nature's Organics

Body care:
Thursday Plantation
Alchemy
Nature's Organics

I also have to mention that, despite their reputation, The Body Shop lost its CCF accreditation: something to do with the L'Oreal takeover in 2006, perhaps. It seems they follow the animal-testing practices of their parent company now.

If you can't find a particular product in a cruelty-free version, Google it. There's a wealth more information available. I found a lot of the answers to my questions by searching the Vegetarian and Vegan Society of Queensland forum.

For more info:
Choose Cruelty Free
Caring Consumer
AAHR Medical research fact sheet

And if you're interested, I use:
Nature's Organics shampoo and conditioner - available at most supermarkets
Innoxa Satin Sheen Natural Finish Makeup - I love how light it is. Gives me a smoother complexion and looks like I'm wearing nothing at all.
Innoxa eye liner pencil - from a pharmacy
Thursday Plantation roll-on deoderant - I got this from a pharmacy, I think
Red Seal Natural toothpaste - available at supermarkets
Nature's Organics sorbolene cream - available at most supermarkets or pharmacies

Vegetarianism and the environment

World Vegan Day is next weekend in Melbourne. I have to admit that I'm not vegan. In fact, I'm a pretty poor vegetarian, given that I eat seafood on occasion. I really should label myself a pescatarian if I want to be accurate, but then I have to launch into an explanation and feel like a bit of a chump for using a relatively unknown word in the first place.

However, since the beginning of the year I have avoided all other types of meat, unless it was snuck into my food without my knowing. And there are the little things that crumble my ethic. Like cheese. I previously thought it was all vegetarian. I even stupidly scoffed along with Tim at the 'vegetarian cheese' at the supermarket, because all cheese is vegetarian, isn't it? Then I learned about rennet, a cheese ingredient which is made from calf stomach, and ate my words. Fortunately there are resources like the Vegetarian Network Victoria, which, as part of it's vast wealth of veggie information, includes a page on brands and types of rennet-free cheese.

I understand that not everyone wants to change their eating habits based on animal ethics, and that's certainly fair enough. But I also think that we should make informed decisions, and most people aren't aware of the environmental effects of eating meat.

Raising pigs, chickens, cows and other animals for food is "one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global." (source: UN report: Livestock's Long Shadow) Avoiding meat is the most effective thing we can do to help climate change, even before switching our car to a hybrid. Why?

• Every kilogram of beef uses up to 16,000 litres of water to make.
  
• Our rainforests are being destroyed for cattle grazing land at a rate of one football field per second. We need rainforests to supply oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide and moderate our climates.
  
• Livestock produces 130 times more waste than we do and it's poisoning water, air and land.
• One third of all fossil fuel in the US is used to raise animals for food.
• Cattle produces one fifth of methane emissions, which is 24 times more damaging then carbon dioxide to the environment.

Eating less meat is good for the planet as well as your health, if you do it right. Even changing one of your restaurant orders to a vegetarian one has a decent impact on the environment. Making a few dinners each week meat-free helps even more. It'll save you money, too.

There is an incredible amount of other ethical reasons to decrease your meat intake, but I think I've exhausted my preaching allowance for today. If you're interested, you can find out more at these great sites:
Vegetarian Network Victoria
GoVeg.com

Reinvent your existing wardrobe

My wardrobe history is a little embarrassing. When I was living with my parents, shopping was my thing. I bought an item of clothing most weeks, and cleaned out my closet often (and things weren’t actually thrown away, just stored “for later use”). And yet, my style wasn’t any better for my frequent shopping. It was probably worse, because all I could afford so often were cheap clothes, usually tops.

Another problem is that I didn’t experiment. Every item of clothing had its set purpose. Tops didn’t get worn if they were too loose in the waist or too short. All my pants and skirts sat at the hips and bare-midriffs aren’t really my thing, so I thought those tops were useless. I was very conservative with colour coordination, so that limited my outfits, too. The extent of my layering was ‘I’ll wear this long tee under this shorter one’. When my closet got full, I thought that I should throw out anything that didn’t fit into this mould.

I get that not everyone wants to dress outrageously. But there are ways you can experiment with your wardrobe while keeping a simple style. If you’re more confident you can be as risky as you want.

Part of my current closet - skirts and tops

Your clothes are more versatile than you think.

Think about why you don’t wear something in your closet. Then try ways of wearing it that rectifies the problem. Too revealing or short? Wear something underneath or over the top. Too big? Cinch it in with a belt or a high waisted skirt. Sleeves too long? Snip ‘em shorter (jersey will usually hold up with raw edges, but you might want to hem other fabrics). Neckline too high and doesn’t suit you? Wear something low-necked over it and you’ll have a more flattering silhouette. If it’s simply uncomfortable and you can’t fix it, then get rid of it. It’s not worth having.

Experiment.


Combine colours and patterns you never thought would match.

Try a tee under a tube or singlet top.

Tuck a dress into a skirt.

Pull up a low-waist skirt and hold it up with a belt.

Cinch in your waist with a ribbon or belt.

Try a top over a dress.

Layer two skirts.

Mix styles. Wear a dress with army boots, or denim with a business shirt.

Layer items that are different lengths.

There are no rules in fashion. There are opinions and there are trends, but neither should fully dictate what you wear. Wear what you love. Sometimes you might regret it (I sometimes do after walking out the door) but don’t let that get you down. Someone else might think you look fabulous. Be confident. Fashion is fun.

If you have any other experimentation ideas, please do comment.

Overcoming the procrastination beast

If, like me, you’ve looked for answers to procrastination and found only directions to 'make a schedule', 'just do it', 'prioritise' and other seemingly simple-sounding tasks, then you’ll understand how frustrating and hopeless it can appear. These instructions don’t work. But I can tell you what helped me.

Procrastination is something I've suffered since I started high school. Assignments became less of a curious and creative joy, and I took less and less pride in my work. I might have been saving my honour, because if I didn't try as hard as I could, I couldn't really 'fail', could I? After I started university, which brought with it a new freedom, I left assignments 'till closer and closer to the deadline, until I got to the point where I finished them with just minutes to spare. Sometimes I went one step further and thought, 'What's the worst that could happen if it's handed in late? I need more time, so it's worth the late mark deduction.'

I'm still a student, trying to finish off my Arts degree during gaps in the rest of my life. I'm taking the current semester off and will resume it next year. At the moment I'm working solely on my clothing line, heidi and seek. So when the procrastination beast crept into my making life, which is meant to be an endless motivation, I knew I had to try harder to fight it. That meant not just looking for quick-fix tips, but unearthing the real root of my procrastination problem.

Years ago I bought a book called The Now Habit, a guide to overcoming procrastination. I read a little of it then and all I took away was one quote that I thought was inspiring. This time I approached it with a new perspective, and found it incredibly helpful. I don't believe that self-help books have all the answers. The authors don't know you personally and they write for a wide audience, so they generalise their advice. I skipped over parts in the book that I thought were irrelevant to me, and used the case studies and other information to determine my own answers. I didn't fit completely into any of the profiles given.

I want to share with you some of the things I learnt and found helpful, because I know procrastination affects most people at some point.

#1. Humans are naturally curious and creative and have a natural motivation for meaningful work. Procrastination happens when negative habits get in the way.

#2. Procrastination is a learned response to anxiety about doing something. Have a good think about why the task makes you anxious. Why don't you want to do it? You might fear success, failure, or imperfection. You might want to live up to someone else's expectations, rather than choose your own path.

I found that I felt anxious about making clothing because I placed immense pressure on myself. I turned one task - getting up and starting to make something - into a massive dilemma because I felt it was a measure of my worth as an entrepreneur and as a productive person. My ability to do that one task was the deciding factor of whether I was lazy or not, whether I was cut out for working for myself. It's no wonder I resisted it so strongly. I can now see that this not rational. One task is one task, and I’m now trying not to put any more meaning on it than that. I accept that I am not a lazy person and that I am capable and productive. I also realise that I do love to create, and I’m bringing the joy back into my making by letting go of the baggage it previously brought.

#3. Find out the root of your anxiety. Try talking with someone or writing down your thoughts. Think about how you were treated as a child. Were there high expectations? Were you criticised a lot? Was your good work ignored? Were you allowed to pursue your own interests? Were your siblings or parents high achievers? You might have learned to be critical of yourself, to judge yourself, or strive for perfectionism. Reading a book like The Now Habit might help you find answers, too. Once you find the cause of your anxiety, you can start trying to resolve it. If you procrastinate in more than one area of your life, there might be different underlying causes.

#4. Procrastination temporarily eases the anxiety. Each time you do it, you reward yourself with immediate relief, and over time this response gains momentum as your go-to defence against the anxiety.

#5. You are not lazy. That is not the reason you procrastinate. Don't label yourself or use it as an excuse. People aren't born procrastinators, they're born wanting to learn and work. If you think about it, there is some area of your life that you don't procrastinate with, and that's because it doesn't hold anxiety for you. It might be making something, writing or journaling, doing chores, or something else. Once you resolve your anxiety in your problem area, you'll be able to apply your true level of motivation to it, like you can in those other areas.

#6. Be nice to yourself. Listen to your inner dialogue. Thoughts like ‘I can't do this’, ‘I'm just lazy’, or ‘I'm not smart enough’ all work against you. Don’t allow them to fester. Cut yourself some slack. Understanding the reason you procrastinate might help. Accept that it's not as easy as it might look from the outside and acknowledge that your response to the anxiety is understandable. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones.

#7. Don't fight yourself. Every time I encountered procrastination, one side of me thought ‘You have to do this. If you want to be successful you'll do it. Just get up and do it, or you might as well give up now.’ It was as if that one side wanted to beat the other side into submission. But threats don't work for long, if at all. And they definitely don't make you feel so good about the task. It worsens the anxiety. I changed my thoughts to ‘I'm not lazy, I'm creative and curious. I don't have to do this. But I choose to. This one task is not a test of my worth. It's just one task. I want to do it, so when can I start?’

#8. Talk yourself into being a producer. Change your ‘I have to,’ to ‘I choose to’. Change ‘I have to finish,’ to ‘When I can start?’ Change ‘This is so big,’ to ‘I can take one step’. Change ‘I don’t have time to play’ to ‘I must take time to play’. Change ‘I must be perfect’ to ‘I can be human’.

Once you’ve found the cause of your anxiety, you can question it, try to resolve it and begin to change how you talk to yourself. When you feel good about yourself, you feel good about producing. And if you have this foundation to your procrastination problem, those scheduling and prioritising tips might actually come in handy.

Buying green is not the greenest

I was reading some user-submitted eco-tips today, and one of them bascially said 'If you buy green, you can buy as much as you want with a clean conscience'. This is not true. And to be honest, it kind of rubs me the wrong way when I think about those who might read it and think it's correct.

Pretty much everything you can buy comes with a carbon footprint - some are just smaller than others. Significantly smaller, in some cases. I think the difference between new organic cotton and new regular cotton is quite similar, in terms of carbon emissions. Pesticides aren't used, but there is still the water used, transport, manufacturing, production, packaging.. all of these add up.

It rubs me the wrong way when I see product marketing making a similar point: 'here, have a clean conscience!' I know that businesses generally exist to make a profit, and that nobody is going to start a marketing campaign to encourage us to buy less. But there is a middle ground, one that I hope I'm acheiving. Ideally, every one of my customers takes more away from heidi and seek than a garment. Not that we need to be perfect. Instead, that if we are more aware, more connected with the entire process that led a product to us, we can make some kinder decisions, while still staying true to our interests.

Fast fashion findings

An article I found recently brought up some interesting points about garment ethics: Analysis: Do consumer concerns threaten fast fashion?

1. "In countries like Vietnam or China, worker exploitation isn't hard-wired into how business is conducted. Some businesses might well exploit their workers if they think they can get away with it - but so might businesses in the US or Sweden."
   
   Absolutely. This makes it even more difficult to know whether a garment is made by an exploited worker or not. Even garments made in Australia may be made by workers who don't receive adequate pay and conditions, usually homeworkers.
   
   
   (image source)
   
   
   
2. "Last-minute changes of mind, or delayed decisions, rarely translate into extended delivery dates: factories are expected to get garments out in time to meet a ship, however often the buyer might have changed the brief. And with greater pressure on time comes pressure on workers, and pressure to use unvetted subcontractors."
   
   This indicates that the fault may lie mostly with the buyers rather than the factories. I hadn't thought of this before. Factories may feel backed into corners by buyers, just as the workers feel backed into corners by the factories. The reason that buyers change their minds so often is probably due to the nature of fast fashion - a fad trend is discarded just as fast as it was introduced.
   
   
3. "So it's easy to assume that the further a garment travels while being made, the more carbon gets emitted... Cambridge University's Institute for Manufacturing published some serious analysis of carbon emissions in apparel manufacturing in late 2006 [1]. It showed that - even for a T-shirt made in China from American cotton, transport to Europe accounted for only 10% of the carbon emissions produced during the garment's life.

   How the consumer washed and dried the T-shirt mattered most; and manufacturing the T-shirt emitted three times as much carbon as transporting it round the world.

   But here's what Cambridge didn't look at. A factory that's heated in winter, air-conditioned in summer, highly automated and operated by people who commute to it by car must dump more carbon than a factory that's properly ventilated, is highly labour-intensive and where workers walk, cycle or get a (very overcrowded) bus to work.

   On this basis a factory in Bangladesh must be better for the planet than a factory in France or South Carolina."
   
   Something I'll definitely be thinking about. Obviously working conditions should be considered to look at the bigger ethical picture, but from a purely environmental standpoint, this is an interesting theory.
   

The eco-bandwagon

There are so many products spouting 'eco-friendly' or 'recycled' these days that it's hard to know who's legitimately and passionately trying to make a difference, and who's using it as a marketing ploy. Perhaps I'm being cynical, but I'm not interested in supporting a brand like Sportsgirl, despite their small range of organic garments. If they were really passionate about environmental ethics, they would design for longevity, rather than fad trends. "The motivation was to give our customer the opportunity to buy 'on trend' fashion while understanding her concerns about the environment. The collection delivers on that," said Sportsgirl's buying manager (source). To me, this is a blatant contradiction.

No one seems to be saying 'buy less'. If you want to help the environment, that's the best way to do it. An organic cotton tee, while it doesn't poison the earth with pesticides, still uses up massive amounts of water and resources through production and distribution. Unless you really need it, is it all necessary?


I do think it's great that awareness is increasing, and Sportsgirl is taking a step in the right direction. However, I question their motives, and would much rather support a brand that is passionate about change and shows it in all aspects of their business.

Sometimes the ethical options aren't there or aren't evident or are out of our price range. No one can fix all of the environmental imperfections in their life, I certainly have a long way to go, but I do think it's important that we try.