Our friend Kate Black, curator of the magnificent blog Magnifeco, where ethics meet aesthetics, is also the author of a book by the same name.  

She's come up with a handy acronym for you to remember when shopping;  V.A.L.U.E. Each letter represents a word (Vintage, Artisan, Local, Upcycled, Ethical) that poses a question to help evaluate the purchase.

It starts with: Do I need to buy it and does it need to be new? Could I rent, borrow or buy it second-hand? (Vintage). Could my purchase help an artisan community in a developing country (Artisan), or could it help a designer or maker in my own community (Local). Is the item saving something from landfill? (Upcycled) And, lastly, does this purchase match my values? Does it support animal rights (vegan), human rights (fairtrade) or environmental rights (eco-friendly)? (Ethical).  

Get your hands on a copy of the  #magnifecobook, a head-to-toe guide to ethical fashion and non-toxic beauty today to read all about shopping with V.A.L.U.E. and more!