In today's post the founder of Salt.Mango.Tree Megha will share her journey towards ethical fashion and why it's important.
Hello! My name is Megha, and I am the human behind Salt.Mango.Tree; an e-commerce store based in Melbourne, Australia. My journey towards a sustainable lifestyle and fashion began in 2017 when I learned about the Rana Plaza incident; and the realities, horrors, and detrimental repercussions fast fashion has on our society and environment.
The founder behind Salt.Mango.Tree
Like most people, I too enjoy fashion, beauty, and bargain hunting. I believe in a kind and just world where everyone is of equal importance with no disparity in health or wealth; however, I was aghast that I was in actuality contributing to the wretchedness of so many people worldwide. It was hard to believe. How could there be so much unhappiness, so much cruelty behind all those shiny picture-perfect advertisements?
I knew how unrealistic beauty standards were and that I would never measure up! But little did I know that I was partaking, however, convoluted, in modern slavery. The more I read, watched, listened, the more disgusted I was.
In recent years, fast fashion brands have created a culture of ‘use and throw’, and with bargain prices, throwaway prices, and sales every week, it was hard not to fall into that behavior. I quickly learned that a bargain for me - meant that someone else was paying the price and sometimes with their life.
I remember watching an interview where several garment workers talked about not being paid a living wage, which meant that daily they had to choose whether to pay life bills or put food on the table. I believe every object made by human hands retains a tiny bit of their souls, emotions, dreams, and it is a no-brainer to me that happy hands make happy products. With a newly found purpose to make changes in my wardrobe and lifestyle, I began looking for brands that shared my values of sustainable practices, respect for the art, and ethical wages.
As a nod to my heritage, my search began in India, and; I came across independent brands who not only foster these values but also bring together artisan communities practicing age-old crafts and techniques to produce contemporary everyday objects.
Salt.Mango.Tree
Salt.Mango.Tree was thus born as a medium to bring these extraordinary artisans and communities, their stories, products, and designs to a wider audience. Salt.Mango.Tree is a consciously curated marketplace for ethically sourced fashion and lifestyle objects produced by artisans, slow fashion brands, and grassroots organizations of India. Fashion and lifestyle objects are crafted by nurturing and employing rich and living handicraft traditions steeped in all kinds of love whilst supporting conscious consumption, ethical practices, fair trade, natural and organic materials.
I hope to share my love and enthusiasm for unique and beautiful everyday objects; sharing my knowledge about crafts, textiles, and the value of choosing quality over quantity can empower people to make better decisions around fashion. And we all know how powerful fashion can be!
Make sure to check this amazing brand out:
website https://www.saltmangotree.com.au
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salt.mango.tree/
pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/FriendsofSMT/
