Independence from Corporations: Life Skills 101

It occurred to me that I know a lot more about coping without corporate-made items than a lot of the folks who don’t know how to protest the corporations.

I know you. You feel like you’re stuck. You’re scared of losing your job/home/car/significant other/whatever if you stand up with the shouting throng. I know a few people in the media got fired for siding with OWS… they won’t be the last.

There are things you can do, as well as sending shingles back to the banks with their crappy credit card offers (High praise to that man, I love you!).

Learn how to sew.

You do not need a machine. Needles and threads are freely available, and not just in branded hobby shops. You can find adequate sewing kits practically anywhere, even in a dollar shop or 99cent store. The thread they supply may be crap, and the scissors are guaranteed to suck, but you get some needles. You can’t skimp with them.

Yes, it takes some trial and error. Practice on some old clothing you were planning on throwing out. Look up instructions online. Practice sewing on buttons. Stitching up hems and, yes, patching up tears.

Every shirt bought at a big box mart - especially the fancier kind - costs upwards of $20. Twenty cents gets to the kid in the sweatshop in Eastern Craplackistan(Note: This is not an actual country. It is a made-up country name to prevent lawsuit-happy corporations from landing on me with a legal ton of bricks) where it’s actually made. The rest of the money goes to advertising and executive pay.

Every cheap-arse sewing kit I’ve ever seen sells for less than a dollar. A good packet of needles, spool of thread and a pair of scissors can cost up to $15, depending on where you shop. Even then, you’re still $5 ahead. More so with every clothing repair you do.

Smarter folks than I may note that fabric and sewing patterns cost less than some shirts you can make. If you’re very good at it, then I would advise saving up for a sewing machine. Do not buy one and expect it to make you a clothing genius.

Yes, your first few garments will be swimming in fail. Nobody has ever just looked at the instructions and produced haute couture overnight.

Yes, your first efforts will be frustrating and take up some otherwise free time. Sew during the advertising they run during your favourite shows. It’s not like you were planning on buying any of that stuff, anyway.

Yes, most of the patterns available for cheap are from a few years ago. Pretend you’re a hipster or otherwise setting a trend.

If anyone snarks at you, say, “At least I’m keeping my money in this country, instead of sending it overseas.”

At least you will have clothing that fits, that suits you, and is made from material you like. And, as an extra bonus, doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars per wardrobe-refreshening.

And you’re not paying for anyone’s executive bonus for building the most polluting sweatshops in countries that really can’t afford it.