Reaching the free shipping threshold when shopping online is always tempting. As someone who has worked in the trucking industry for years, I know that free shipping hides the true cost of moving things around the world.

Paying your dues is an out-of-date and backwards attitude found in many industries. In my field, graphic design, there is no lack of old timers who love to tell stories about the abuse they endured, almost relishing it like a badge earned. I’m not following that path.

As a professional creative, I have put boundaries around which aspects of my creativity are for sale. Although my job is “creative,” I fiercely protect my true creative passions from a capitalistic mindset.

A fashion industry professional reflects on her experience of meeting maximal expectations with minimal resources and how this erodes the quality of our garments. What if we didn’t accept exhausting work conditions that dull our ethics and inure us to unsustainable business practices?