This Plug-In Tells You Where Major Fashion Companies Put Their Money

The seismic shift in consciousness happening in 2020 is important. The current climate around systemic racism has prompted the masses to question everything — and shopping habits have become paramount in the widening discussion. Right now, there's a trove of infographics working their way though Instagram that expose brands' ethics and political affiliations, from corporate giants to indie brands. Sometimes, it's best to have it all in one place — and, luckily, there's a super-handy tool that's making it easier than ever. Progressive Shopper is the e-commerce helper that's pulling all the insights from your favorite brands into one small, color-coded tab that lives in your browser — and it's primed for conscious shopping.

For years, the The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has been tracking all of the ways a brand can invest in political party, and pooling data on their exact expenditures. Progressive Shopper takes this information, which had previously been hard to access, and puts it on display every time you visit a new e-commerce destination. This way, you can shop rest assured that your dollars are going somewhere that aligns with your personal values.

Take, for example, Neiman Marcus and Chanel. When visiting their sites, the Progressive Shopper emblem will turn blue, indicating that the companies and their employees predominantly make contributions to the Democratic party. Alternatively, when you visit Revlon or New Balance, the banner motif will turn red, indicating that the lion share is awarded to the Republican party. The symbol can also appear purple for destinations that remain divided, such as Amazon and Kohl's, which vary in their corporate, PAC (political action committee), and employee contributions.

By clicking into the banner, a drop-down will appear, which includes more information on the retailer's spending, and suggested alternatives if the brand doesn't align with your values. There's also a separate metric, "Serious Issues," which goes beyond money-in-politics and showcases practices supported by retailers that may be unethical or contrary to one's personal beliefs. These include enablers of deforestation and fossil fuels, tax evaders, "Pinkwashers" of LGBTQ+ rights, as well as brands funding private prisons and anti-abortion politicians.

Progressive Shopper will soon be adding to these, including a new Corporate COVID-19 index, which rates a company's response to the crisis by measuring its support of workers and the greater community through the pandemic. Until then, it's created a spreadsheet that can be used as a guide. Progressive Shopper will also be flagging brands who fund anti-racial-justice platforms, as outlined by the NAACP and The Plug.

Be sure to add the plug-in today — and, in the interim, TZR's including some goods from e-tailers whose ethics are verified by Progressive Shopper: