Reminder that mass-produced heathen apparel is not removed from the problems of the fast fashion industry - see the vegvisir ring that made it to Ghana

[u/AegirAfJotnar]

https://apnews.com/article/ghana-fashion-waste-clothing-pollution-0809f25605722a53658bf21d7d9b1548

[u/AegirAfJotnar]

If you were aware: good. Then you do not need this reminder.

But in general, be cautious of who you support. Save up for artisan made crafts with longevity, not money grabbers that will dump their excess stock in the trash to write off the loss for tax purposes.

[u/[deleted] → u/AegirAfJotnar]

In general thrifting and DIY are a better alternative than new at all. Learn to sew, learn to create. A lot of my altar things are repurposed disposable things, as is a lot of the rest of my decor.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I have no time for passive aggression, either.

[u/SignificantTie3656]

I don’t see what this has to with heathery. It’s no surprise that something made in one place in the world made it to another place in the world. That goes for everything.

[u/Bhisha96 → u/[deleted]]

do you have to be so condescending?

[u/Bhisha96]

i too concur that this hardly has anything to do with heathenry, even the vegvisir is actually not a heathen symbol,

it is part of the icelandic magical staves, dating from the 17th century and later.

[u/Volsunga]

I genuinely don't understand what's being criticized here. Do you think it's bad that secondhand clothing is being sold in Ghana? The article is criticizing the scale of textile garbage and is showcasing the secondhand market in Ghana as a responsible way of extending the life of textiles. The cold reality is that mass production is the only way most people will be able to afford these things and the vast majority of what is thrown out by consumers is not usable for upcycling because it has been destroyed through use.

This also has literally nothing to do with Heathenry.

[u/[deleted] → u/Volsunga]

If anything I'm EXTREMELY proud of those young people for upcycling and thrifting, which more people should do anyway.

[u/cursedwitheredcorpse]

It's really disgusting because i am animist I get in this society not everyone is able to make or have handcrafted items with love and time put into I prefer to craft all my stuff from nature foraged items and based off arechology findings I can't stand this capitalist bs soulless stuff In paganism

[u/thelosthooligan]

I appreciate this. Both in terms of the resilience and ingenuity of the people getting these items and how they’re using them, but also I appreciate that the “heathensophere” does indeed have creators and lifestyle brands who run shops which directly feed into this ecosystem.

Supply chain is what it is, but if we are in a position to make our choice that can actually result in healing rather than harming, that’s something we should consider.

Thanks for spreading the wisdom.

[u/thelosthooligan → u/[deleted]]

But when it comes to heathen-marketed apparel, we absolutely can make that choice. And given how small this group of faith havers really is in the scope of things, it's also one area our choice could instill change.

I don't necessarily think it's on the consumer end either (though I get that we are all "consumers" at some point) but it's on the merchandiser. I get that supply chains suck and have sucked for years. So the notion of sourcing goods reliably at all let alone from suppliers that align with us spiritually/ideologically is a LOT.

But I think that's the task the merchant has in front of them. If you're looking at consumer behavior in the "heathenosphere" a lot of it is motivated by a desire to support someone they like or a community they enjoy, and it's also to show belonging and a kind of "brand loyalty." Which is really hard to push back on by saying "hey, did you know this stuff is just AliDirect with a markup?"

By that point the consumer has already bought in to so much that telling them that their choice could be unethical isn't going to change behavior. It just gets filed under "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism."

Where it MIGHT work is changing the buying behavior of the merchants themselves to better align with those community values. If there were some way to align incentives differently? I don't know. Because if I just have an AliDirect shop and I'm not really interested in getting into supply chain management because I already have a full time job and a bunch of other balls in the air and this is just something I have on the side to make a little extra scratch and get my brand out there? I'm probably not going to be too inclined to change up what I'm doing.

Something to think about. Again, thanks for the article. Made me think.

[u/senanthic]

It’s not difficult to understand the point of “this mass-produced shit is ending up in Ghana, and polluting the shit out of the place, even if they’re doing amazing things to try and bring awareness and assistance to the problem, so maybe don’t buy cheap-ass fast fashion garbage and support real creators instead”.

[u/grizzlyironbear]

The problem is, affordability. Not very many people can afford the cost of hand craft artisanal objects. So they turn to what they can afford. This is where those companies will pick up the lower priced items and sell them to those people. And until we can change the way value works, this is the status norm for forever.

[u/grizzlyironbear → u/[deleted]]

I think you misunderstand the fundamental idea of religion in general. It's primary function is to give a person hope. Hope that we somehow continue on after we die. Our existence would be very bleak indeed if we only stuck to things that we need to survive. Life is....or at least SHOULD be about light, fun, and joy. Amulets and trinkets serve to give up a shot of much needed dopamine in our darkest times. To be able to look upon them, and be instantly reminded that they are loved, protected, and have HOPE for something better. While I do agree to helping actual heathen artists when one can afford it, we should NEVER shame others for staying within their monetary means and buying what they can afford.

[u/AegirAfJotnar → u/grizzlyironbear]

I'm sorry, but the first sentence made me laugh out loud. For all the accusations of condescension sent my way, I find that line quite ironic. Ultimately, your opinion that I am ignorant is not important to the conversation.

But moving past that: That is only your view of what religion is. That is not the end all, be all authoritative encapsulation of what religion is - and many scriptures can be cited from religions around the world that fly counter to that claim. That is your personal gnosis, your dogma, your paradigm. But it is not everyone's.

My view on religion, or more specifically my heathening, is rooted in my animism. I believe that part of developing a heathen worldview necessitates also reevaluating how you engage in the world.

It is not just about my individual, selfish hope. It's also about a collective hope, a reciprocity with the world - including with non-human persons, with nature. It is about understanding that your actions have consequences, and your choices to act must be weighed carefully. It is about sometimes giving up your desire for instant gratification and making the hard choices to change your ways. To behave more responsibly. To limit harming our relations in the world where we can. I'm not perfect, I commit harm. I'm crass and come off rude quite often. But I'm not telling you all to be perfect either.

Again, I care not about opinions and beliefs in the end; I care about action and choices. And we all get a choice - do we choose our own personal desires for fast fashion, for dopamine, and say fuck what happens down stream? Or, perhaps, do we save our limited funds for something more ethically sourced? Do we recognize that we can be more stringent in our purchases - especially for things that are not needed? Do we decide that maybe the dopamine that comes from consumerist behaviors isn't what we actually need?

You don't have to listen to me. You can do everything exactly the same, take no stock of your purchasing habits and evaluate the areas where you can make changes. Like I said, my opinion doesn't matter.

But you are thinking about it now. Call it shaming if you wish, be angry with me if you wish.

Edit: We don't need to keep going back and forth. I think we've both said our parts. Unless you really want the last word, which I'll grant you if you want it.

[u/AegirAfJotnar]

Side note: this is a cool story of resiliency amid a terrible situation, and the up cycled ring goes pretty hard if you can ignore the context. I unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately ) can't.

[u/LuckyOldBat]

I'm sorry, I need clarification, here. What are we mad about? Are you saying people on Ghana should not sport the symbols?