July/August 1997 Issue

Clothing Arguments: Reviews & Resources

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I N P I C T U R E S

In “Hemp for Victory,” a World War II era propaganda film, the virtues of the “natural” fiber are extolled by none other than the U.S. Government. Recently dragged into the age of technology by Free Speech TV, the film is a little outdated for educational value, but it’s an entertaining cultural history lesson. Laden with cartoonish xylophone riffs and heart warming Americana images, how can it lose?

Of course, it only works with RealPlayer or VDO Live. You’ll also have to listen to an angsty intro blurb about Free Speech TV and Psych@ctive — a weekly feature covering the marijuana legalization front — but it’s only 40 seconds or so. Then the fun starts. 

A R O U N D T H E N E T

ORGANIC COTTON
Patagonia’s “Tale of Two T-Shirts” is fairly riveting as it compares the cultivation, from start to finish, of conventional, chemical intensive cotton t-shirt with that of organic cotton.

ECOTEX NATURAL FABRICS
Ecotex was one of the pioneers of the eco-friendly fabric Tencel, and it’s Web site isn’t shy about telling you how smart a move that was. Self-praise aside, the FAQ page does shed some light on the tree-based fiber.

ECOLUTION — CYBERHEMP
Hemp enthusiasts will feel right at home at the Ecolution site. You can find out more about hemp products, hemp conspiracy theories and hemp news — one article explains how Mercedes-Benz is trying to use cannabis in the structure of its vehicles. Now that would be the ultimate driving machine…

FAIR TRADE FOUNDATION
This Connecticut-based organization makes the point that being socially conscious when buying clothes is just as important as being environmentally conscious. That’s why it’s trying to develop a label for clothes that says “sweat shop free.”

WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

About that: It’s unfathomably hard in the news business right now, and we came up about $28,000 short during our recent fall fundraising campaign. We simply have to make that up soon to avoid falling further behind than can be made up for, or needing to somehow trim $1 million from our budget, like happened last year.

If you can, please support the reporting you get from Mother Jones—that exists to make a difference, not a profit—with a donation of any amount today. We need more donations than normal to come in from this specific blurb to help close our funding gap before it gets any bigger.

payment methods

WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

About that: It’s unfathomably hard in the news business right now, and we came up about $28,000 short during our recent fall fundraising campaign. We simply have to make that up soon to avoid falling further behind than can be made up for, or needing to somehow trim $1 million from our budget, like happened last year.

If you can, please support the reporting you get from Mother Jones—that exists to make a difference, not a profit—with a donation of any amount today. We need more donations than normal to come in from this specific blurb to help close our funding gap before it gets any bigger.

payment methods

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