Many of our children have become walking billboards for certain name-brand clothing companies. I understand this. I grew up, and here I am going to date myself, in the tail end of the 80s and through the 90s. Th ere were certain things that I had to wear to fit in. I know that there was the most peer pressure on me to conform in middle school. Once I got to high school, I adopted my own attitude, my own way of dressing and became more carefree about whether I had the right purse or shoes or jeans. Now, don’t get me wrong, I still had my insecurities; they just weren’t as much about fashion anymore.

So, if you have middle schoolers, I get it. Keep up the good work of not losing your mind and if they need the latest name-brand item to make this most horrible time in their hormonal, whyis- this-all-happening-to-me-life a little more bearable, I completely understand. However, here are some things to consider about namebrand clothing:

THE GROWTH FACTOR
Kids grow incredibly fast, especially babies and toddlers. The amount of money you might be investing in these miniature outfits divided by the actual time that your child will spend wearing these outfit does not always make sense. Consider buying something off brand and investing the monetary difference. Believe me—your child would probably rather have the money; ask any 20-something.

THE FREE ADVERTISEMENT FACTOR
No one likes being taken advantage of. Do you let the neighbors steal your Wi-Fi? You most likely password protect it. Every time you put your child in a shirt with that company name emblazoned across their chest (or nowadays the butt), you are providing free advertising for that company. These companies should be paying you for putting their logo on your children, not the other way around.

THE SWEAT SHOP FACTOR
Most big clothing companies use cheap overseas labor. I’m not judging anyone and I’m certainly not a nudist, nor am I even writing this article, at home, in the nude. I love clothes, too. Unfortunately, a majority of name-brand companies take advantage of cheap labor in order to compete in the global marketplace; it is up to us as consumers to get informed.

Taking all of these factors into consideration, then, how do we make a change in our buying habits and avoid having our kids be unwitting advertisements for companies X,Y, and Z?

FOSTER INDIVIDUALITY
When we delight in and encourage our children’s individual spirits, then maybe we will be less likely to fi nd ourselves having to buy those certain, specific brands. Th en we can branch out and shop at diff erent retailers, taking advantage of fair-trade clothing manufacturers, local artisans, and second-hand clothing stores.

BUY SECOND-HAND
The advantages of buying second-hand are twofold: easy on the pocketbook and good for the environment because you are re-using. I understand that buying second-hand for older children is hard. Th ey want those name-brands and the status of new clothes because they want to fi t in with their friends. Th is may not be feasible advice for them. But for younger children who aren’t tied to labels as part of their identity yet, you can take full advantage of the less expensive pricing and feel good knowing you are making an environmentally sound choice. Consignment shops local to your area, Ebay, Goodwill, and Salvation Army are all places to score secondhand deals.

SHOP ETSY
Etsy is an online community of artisans specializing in hand-made and vintage items. Many times you will fi nd custom-made, one-of-kind items. These are made directly by the artist, so you are supporting the artist and getting a quality, handmade product. Th e other advantage to this is that you can communicate directly with artists from all over the world, putting the global artisan community as close as your computer keyboard.

SHOP LOCALLY
Just as there has been a movement to buy food locally, why not buy your clothing locally too? Buying clothing from locally-owned boutiques will help to grow your local economy, which will make your community an economically healthier place, which is a win/win situation. Change isn’t something that happens overnight and we all give in to temptation occasionally. Sometimes those outfi ts are just too cute to resist, so consider starting small—maybe a t-shirt— and build from there. Taking the corporate logos off of our kids, one t-shirt at a time, helps to remind us that we aren’t just brand identities and consumers and target groups; we are communities and children and individuals who are already part of our own unique brand identity: our family.

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MOLLY FULLER is an editor for the online literary magazine, Buried Letter Press. She has her MFA from Sarah Lawrence College and her BSJ from Ohio University. She currently resides in the heart of it all in Akron, Ohio. She has written for various publications since 2007.