I have a confession to make: I am teetering on the brink of a Pinterest addiction. I make a conscious effort not to rely on my phone for constant distraction, but I do find myself checking Pinterest at least 3-4 times most days. Despite its drawbacks, like the fact that it helps exacerbate a culture of aspirational consumerism and feelings of inadequacy, I find it to be both entertaining and helpful for the following reasons:
- Even though the majority of items in my feed aren’t ethically made, pinning things I like gives me an idea of what my own personal style is. I can then look for ethical alternatives or DIY projects that would give me a similar look.
- There are tons of tutorials for DIY projects, including recycling/upcycling projects and basic sewing tutorials, both of which I am all about right now.
- It’s a great source for finding artwork and photography I wouldn’t have seen otherwise.
- I like evening gowns, and Pinterest shows them to me!
There are a few pinners I follow in the ethical lifestyle realm who I can always count on for interesting pins. Here are some of my favorites:
Fair Trade Quilts & Crafts – This account was fully responsible for me embracing aspects of bohemian interior design. The gorgeous interiors they pin give me inspiration for creating a home full of eclectic fair trade and secondhand items.
Visit Fair Trade Federation’s profile on Pinterest.
Fair Trade Federation – The FTF uses Pinterest to showcase cool products from their members.
Mata Traders – I frequently find myself re-pinning links to high-quality blog posts about fair trade pinned by Mata Traders.
Visit Elizabeth Stilwell | The Note Passer’s profile on Pinterest.
Elizabeth Stilwell | The Note Passer – I love Elizabeth’s pins that link to blog posts about zero-waste living.
To follow me on Pinterest, hit me up here! Full disclosure: not everything I pin is ethically-made, since as I described above, I use Pinterest to figure out my style, not to make a specific shopping list. My board Fair Trade & Ethical Lifestyle is devoted to ethically-made products and related links. (And if you’re looking for some evening gown eye candy as well, my Wearables board is where it’s at.)
How do you use Pinterest? Who are some of your favorite pinners?