Every product filling the aisles of Whole Foods Market is labeled with its exact ingredients: the butcher reassures me that the beef I buy comes from happy cows (whatever that means), and my favorite cookies state “gluten free” in bold to comfort my allergy concerns.
 

As a society we are growing our awareness about what we put into our body, but what about the things we choose to cover it with?
 

Students at Paly are filling their wardrobes with brands like Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Free People, but have you ever asked yourself exactly what they are supporting by wearing these brands?
 

Despite what you may think, you are not advocating the liberal façade of flared hippie pants, “Legalize Gay” t-shirts or even controversial ads with two women kissing.
 

In reality, your purchase is not supporting the cause it advertises; instead, a portion of the profits made from your purchase go towards the opposite of what you intended.
 

The name Richard Hayne might not sound familiar, but from 1994 to 2005, he donated almost $14,000 to the political campaign of the notoriously conservative Rick Santorum.
 

Now why, you might ask yourself, is this important?
 

Well the answer is that this man is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the seemingly “liberal” brands listed above. You don’t have to dig too deep to find Rick Santorum’s policy on gay rights and abortion. He makes his stance pretty clear: neither is tolerated.​

 

So what does this mean if the CEO of these companies is funding this campaign?
 

Say you buy your “Legalize Gay” shirt at the local Urban Outfitters store, those funds go to the company, the company pays for expenses and then Hayne (the CEO) gets his cut of the profit.
 

With those profits, Hayne may choose to support Santorum, thus by buying that shirt, assuming you bought it because you believed in the message it stands for, you have directly supported the antithesis of your original belief.
 

Though Haynes has the right to spend his money the way he desires, it is the consumer’s responsibility to understand where your clothes are coming from and what they stand for, just like that piece of meat behind the butcher counter at Whole Foods Market.
What a company represents is only one part of the larger equation that we must consider when we buy our clothes.
 

While not all companies are supporting anti-gay rights and anti-abortion causes, it is important as a consumer to take into account what your money is supporting.
 

Another important aspect we must consider is whether a company farms out labor to sweatshops either at home or abroad.
 

Many name brand companies rely on sweatshop labor to craft their products due to its inexpensive cost and its plentiful results. And though labor issues are prevalent throughout the world, the United States has an enormous influence on the trade because of the size of our economy and each individual’s buying power. But with this power comes responsibility.
 

If we choose to spend our money on fair trade items that come from a reputable company with firm labor policies in place, we can combat slavery instead of unwittingly supporting it.
 

And it’s not necessarily hard to find out which companies use sweatshop labor. The Not for Sale Campaign is a nonprofit organization that is devoted to reabolishing slavery. Their Free2Work app and website offer a fairly extensive list of companies that have been rated according to their labor practices. This is an important source to consult before giving your money to these brands. Companies listed on their website are graded on an A-F letter scale. Some of the A grade clothing companies include GAP, Athleta, Levi’s,Timerland, Adidas and Banana Republic. This site makes it easy and understandable to find the source of your clothing. 
 

When it comes down to it, supporting these clothing lines becomes a moral dilemma; do you support where the profits are going? It is important to make an educated choice in the products you purchase. Instead of buying from these brands because they have the latest trends or the cutest items, take into consideration where your money is going after it leaves your wallet and whether or not you can be happy with the end result.