SOURC. WOKE with Melanie Clarke of Remedy
ASKING IF PRODUCTS ARE ORGANIC, SUSTAINABLE OR ETHICALLY SOURCED IS NO LONGER BEST PRACTICE. TODAY IT GOES DEEPER. AND IN A TIME WHEN THERE ARE SWEATSHOPS IN AUSTRALIA (YES, YOU READ IT RIGHT), THEN YOU GET IT WHEN WE SAY THAT MAKING A BUYING DECISION IS PART OF OUR DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING A HUMAN AND GOOD NEIGHBOUR (IN A GLOBAL SENSE). WE BELIEVE IN EDUCATING OURSELVES FOR CONSIDERED LIVING.
Melanie Clark has been asking the right questions for 18 years as co-owner of Fremantle store Remedy. She shares her knowledge and experience in responsible buying.
We all now know too well that the world is connected. Yes, our actions here, affect there. Now let’s throw in another one: global warming. It is no longer a warning of what might happen in the future. It is here. And it is affecting our local environments and humanity no matter where on this vast planet we live. That’s why it’s imperative that we move forward with consideration and care in what we choose to invest in. Whether we spend $3 or $3000, it all makes a difference and it can all bring change. And you know what? It feels great to quietly go about making change while meeting our own personal needs.
And while this world appears to be seriously off kilter and there is a lot to be frustrated or angry about, don’t fall into the trap of feeling pulled in all directions and turn to that easy cop out – ‘no-one is perfect’. Adopting responsible buying practices is not about perfection. Perfection doesn't exist. What matters is awareness and conscious decision-making from buying the toilet paper to doing the food shop to selecting clothing. There are opportunities at every level to make great decisions that contribute to moving the world forward in a better direction both within our local communities and in communities where we may never go or visit. We can have a huge social impact all the same.
The secret to this is what my husband Joe and I started doing almost 20 years ago when we launched Remedy. It’s about walking a path where we ask questions with depth, which are then answered with openness. With so many possibilities in the directions we can take, let's all start some conversations that are not only exploratory, but at times may make us uncomfortable. Let's also honour and explore those among us who are partaking in this journey to make change – some leading the way and others in key support roles. And let's keep reviewing and updating. It is after all a continually changing and truly evolving conversation with much to delve into, be fascinated by and celebrate.
Casestudy
AHEAD OF ITS TIME AND STILL ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, MELANIE TAKES US INSIDE HER BUSINESS, REMEDY, WHICH LAUNCHED ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO WITH AN ETHOS BASED IN RESPONSIBLE BUYING. BACK THEN, IT INVOLVED ALTA VISTA AND A FAX.
We are almost 20! Joe and I opened the doors of our small business on a side street in Fremantle 18 years ago. We decided to create a retail store that focused on the triple bottom line: a recognised concept where you focus on the health of people and the planet as much as the financial aspect of the business. Shouldn't be too difficult, right? At the risk of sounding like a retail dinosaur, Alta Vista was the major online search engine of the time offering very little to find and orders were made by fax.
We lived in one of the most remote cities in the world and it was difficult. The major way to source product at the time was at big-barn tradefairs. Here, many wholesalers and distributors would look at me with confusion over what I was asking of them. Wasn't this just transactional? 'We tell China man to make it at our price and they do or else...' . Yes, someone said that to me. Don't you just sell it, no questions asked. Ah, no.
I changed my title of Business Owner to Hunter Gatherer and sought out like-minded makers and producers via email, on the phone and in the street. Some had started to carve the path, mostly around organics, a term that has since been hijacked by a huge number of mass-producers with little to no basis for its use in their branding or advertising.
The products I found to be genuine were practical (great!) but not necessarily design driven. We wanted to achieve both. The pricing was also often high-end and not even within reach of the middle market, let alone the lower wage earner. This blocked out the majority of the consumer market. So unless those with high finances chose to support it and make it commonplace in their world, this type of business was unlikely to move forward, expand and be available to others.
And so the journey began. And it continues today. Was it possible to have a business model completely focussed this way and remain financially viable? It remains a challenging goal and not easily attained unless well-funded, focussed in one area and the maker of the product/s.
I've watched with great interest over the years as other retailers and makers have started this journey, too. The world has almost completely opened up with technology, enabling greater communication, and international travel has become more affordable. It has resulted in greater exploration of production possibilities across the globe. We now have access to farmers and factories in far-flung countries and higher quality materials production, which makes the ability to create better working conditions and environmental practices more financially viable, if we choose to.
I'm still 'Hunting and Gathering' after all this time, enjoying some great conversations and becoming that little bit wiser every time. There's a lot to learn. Come and wander with me.