Guest Blogger Grace Timmerman
Fair trade organic cotton from Fair Indigo blends comfort with conscience for a guilt-free closet.
Whether we like it or not, working from home has become the new normal for many of us (myself included) during our slow and awkward adjustment to COVID19. While the shifts in routine look different for everyone, there are many facets of this experience that we all seem to be sharing - starting, perhaps, with deciding what to wear each day now that leaving the house is not only unnecessary, but discouraged. The concept of business-on-top, pajamas-on-the-bottom is no longer foreign to the majority of the WFH population as we navigate Zoom meetings and Google Hangout calls neatly from the waist up. And for many of us, the question of, “What do I wear today?” has morphed into, “Should I get dressed today?”
Enter the Joggers from Fair Indigo, a Madison, Wisconsin-based, online, fair trade clothing boutique. I put these “athleisure” pants on for the first time several days ago, and I am 99% sure I will never wear any other pants again - in fact, I intend to get multiple pairs so that I can have designated Work Joggers and Pajama Joggers. These are not your ordinary lounge pants. Crafted of 97% organic cotton (with just a hint of spandex to help maintain shape and prevent baggy knees), these surprisingly lightweight, tight-knit pants are exceptionally soft and cozy without the thickness or bulk of typical sweatpants. They have a tall cuff to make roll-ups easy (for when your ankles crave a breeze), an unfussy drawstring waist, and deep pockets. For those of you living with fur-babies, I have great news for you, too - you would never know from looking at my charcoal-colored Joggers that I live with two white cats. It’s almost like these pants repel pet fur; which, if you ask me, is a small yet significant modern-day miracle.
For those of you who thrive on looking the part no matter where you’re working, the Organic Straight Leg Knit pants are made of the same soft and durable material but would successfully make the cut both at Church or the office. I’d also be remiss not to sing the praises of Fair Indigo’s stylish selection of versatile, everyday shirts, sweaters, and dresses. The Lightweight Boxy Sweater is like wearing an unobtrusive cloud, and their variety of short- and long-sleeved tees are equally soft, with a nice cling that forms to your body shape without the shock of static electricity. These pieces are a winning trifecta of practical, comfortable, and flattering. Better yet, they hold up to the washing machine and low-temp dryer, scoring major points on the convenience scale.
Though it can feel pretty amazing to wear clothing made with organic Pima cotton, responsible dyes, and sustainable practices, the fact that it can take up to 97 pairs of hands to make a single T-shirt adds another pertinent perspective to the story of one’s closet. Fair Indigo works closely and personally with their production partners in Peru who grow the cotton and craft the garments, committing to truly fair wages and safe, healthy work environments. Additionally, they’ve created the Fair Indigo Foundation, a non-profit that directly supports local schools in the Peruvian communities that these garments come from. This is an amazing, collaborative effort to radically transform the way we think about clothing - a part of our lives that is so ingrained we think about it every day when we get dressed! Fair Indigo provides us the opportunity to also think about supporting healthy farms, communities and relationships, beautifully blending comfort with conscience for a guilt-free closet.
Grace Timmerman
Grace is a Madison, WI native who now resides in Portland, OR. She has written about food, farming, and travel for many years, and is thrilled to contribute her first piece on fashion for an admirable local company.