Do you know of CDN made, or US or European children's clothing?

[scoop]

My wife has decided that she would prefer to not support, to the best of our abilities, clothing stores selling clothes which may come from questionable sources. Ie clothes made in China, Bangledesh etc where questionable labour practices may be in place. Unfortunately this rules out companies like the Gap, Childrens Place, Gymboree and Please Mum. Im not saying these stores dont make their best efforts to avoid these types of manufacturers, but its hard to be certain. The RFDer in me cringes at the potential loss of savings :D, but I do understand and support her stance.

So does anyone know of any North American or European made clothing stores?

[NeilMcduck]

Try http://www.canadianmade.com/

[nalababe]

There is a high end store of hand made french clothes on Yonge between Lawrence and Eglinton...Have to ask wife about name.

[scoop]

Try http://www.canadianmade.com/

Thanks - I had found that one but many of the clothing retailers they list are CDN companies selling clothes not made in Canada.

[kellya]

www.snugasabug.com is located in Toronto and all items are manufactured in Toronto as well. The few pieces I have are very well made.

That is really the only one that I can think of that manufactures in Canada. I believe the same as your wife and I have started to buy quite a big second hand. (so even if I am buying name brand I'm at least not supporting the store by purchasing new) I also like American Apparel clothes for my kids. I do buy them in co-ops on some boards that I am on so I get a bit of a price break. They are made in the states and the t-shirts etc are very cute (plain but cute)

That's all that I can think of at the moment. There are some European designers for children's clothes that I believe manufacture in Europe. I can't think of the names off-hand though because they are really $$$$$ so I've never purchased them.

Kelly

[cloneman]

american apparel :lol:

[scoop]

www.snugasabug.com is located in Toronto and all items are manufactured in Toronto as well. The few pieces I have are very well made.

That is really the only one that I can think of that manufactures in Canada. I believe the same as your wife and I have started to buy quite a big second hand. (so even if I am buying name brand I'm at least not supporting the store by purchasing new) I also like American Apparel clothes for my kids. I do buy them in co-ops on some boards that I am on so I get a bit of a price break. They are made in the states and the t-shirts etc are very cute (plain but cute)

That's all that I can think of at the moment. There are some European designers for children's clothes that I believe manufacture in Europe. I can't think of the names off-hand though because they are really $$$$$ so I've never purchased them.

Kelly

Thank you Kelly - appreciate it.

[davecanada]

My wife has decided that she would prefer to not support, to the best of our abilities, clothing stores selling clothes which may come from questionable sources. Ie clothes made in China, Bangledesh etc where questionable labour practices may be in place. Unfortunately this rules out companies like the Gap, Childrens Place, Gymboree and Please Mum. Im not saying these stores dont make their best efforts to avoid these types of manufacturers, but its hard to be certain. The RFDer in me cringes at the potential loss of savings :D, but I do understand and support her stance.

So does anyone know of any North American or European made clothing stores?

There was a great store I found last time I was in Ottawa,,,, Across from the US embassy, the sold online also if I remember correctly.

Sorry I cannot remember the name, anyone from Ottawa know the store?

[mart242]

Thanks - I had found that one but many of the clothing retailers they list are CDN companies selling clothes not made in Canada.

You'll have to look at the tags in the store to find the ones made in canada. I've seen some at walmart, lots at costco (for you and her!) and other stores. It's not easy however.

[Emancipated]

A fool's errand if I ever saw one. Commendable but not practical. You'll spend half the time running from store to store and looking through tags like a crazy person. Save what's left of your sanity and embrace change.

[raptorfan]

may be of help...

http://www.toronto4kids.com/component/option,com_mtree/Itemid,99999999/task,listcats/cat_id,100/

or

http://www.kiddingaroundtoronto.com/shopping/

[scoop]

A fool's errand if I ever saw one. Commendable but not practical. You'll spend half the time running from store to store and looking through tags like a crazy person. Save what's left of your sanity and embrace change.

Thanks for your concern.

[abstract808]

Top Kids in Square One (Mississauga) carries only European-made clothes (mostly Italy) if I recall.

It's good quality, but be prepared to fork over some $$$ though....

[sz1999]

My wife has decided that she would prefer to not support, to the best of our abilities, clothing stores selling clothes which may come from questionable sources. Ie clothes made in China, Bangledesh etc where questionable labour practices may be in place. Unfortunately this rules out companies like the Gap, Childrens Place, Gymboree and Please Mum. Im not saying these stores dont make their best efforts to avoid these types of manufacturers, but its hard to be certain. The RFDer in me cringes at the potential loss of savings :D, but I do understand and support her stance.

So does anyone know of any North American or European made clothing stores?

Your cause is noble.

There are three obvious parties to be blamed for the bad labor practice in China. 1). The big oversea procurers like walmart, they squease the manufactures's profit to the bare minimal, they force the manufacturer compete each other at unreasonable low cost level, when you buy a $9.99 baby pajama at walmart, guess who makes the most profit. 2) manufacturers, most driven by HK and Taiwan capitals, use the early industrial age's pratice 3). Chinese local government who does not do their best to oversee. But let's bring up the mother of all bad labor prictices in third world, the consumerism in the western world, the more you buy, the more third-world products will pour in one way or another, within the process, evey parties involved (from consumer to manufacturer) are strictly money-saving or profit-driven, the international trade in some degree is not too much different from 18th century slave trade, behind the shipping containers and nice packages, the bad stuff keep happening on the side of ocean as long as we buy more and more. My suggestion is don't buy anything unless it is necessary, when you get an italy-made sweater, who knows who are behind that, chinese cotton? bad trader? a poor third-world labor who happens to live in that country and have to work 2-3jobs to meet the family need?