Blogger Babble: Commerce with a Conscience

By Lexi Green
April 23, 2010

In a virtual world bursting with green shopping sites for women, by women, Brad Bennett’s eco-menswear blog Commerce with a Conscience gives the guys a shot at sustainability. Chicago-based by way of Brooklyn, Bennett started CWAC just over a year ago out of his love for thrifting. As a New York City kid, Bennett cultivated a deep affection for the art of scouring vintage stores for well-made, wallet-friendly American clothing.

An environmentalist at heart, Bennett lauds the earth-friendly elements of vintage clothing. ("Recycling" clothing keeps it out of landfills and avoids the waste, energy consumption and use of resources associated with manufacturing new pieces.) At the same time, he also appreciates new brands that utilize earth-conscious materials and production processes. Both vintage and new/eco-friendly fashions make frequent appearances in his blog, a site dedicated to helping his fellow mates reach their sustainable and sartorial potential.

“Dirty prep"—that’s the way Bennett describes the style of the clothing featured on his website, along with the pieces inside his own personal closet. He loves the authenticity and the quality of American-born clothing. “My wardrobe is a lot of very trim, very well-tailored raw denim, Oxford cloth, and American-made wingtips. I like things that grow more beautiful each year as they get beaten up with age,” he says.

CWAC reads like an ever-growing shopping list that is at once socially and environmentally conscious and true to Bennett's aesthetic. Here, he shares discoveries, like plaid neckties from a brand that puts proceeds towards education for children in the developing world and handsome organic cotton raincoats and boat totes. On his tongue-in-cheek monthly “Instead of Rent” postings, he rounds up what he calls “the moderately and (very) immoderately priced goods that I'd rather spend [my rent] on this month.”

Bennett finds a good portion of his own pieces on eBay. Though he admits he's often reluctant to share his finds for fear he'll get outbid, he nevertheless has a regular “eBay of The Day" section on his site, where he has recently featured finds that run the gamut from deadstock madras swim trunks to a shawl collar sweater from a favorite seller to mint condition outerwear that transitions easily from winter to spring. His personal favorite eBay purchases include an “ever-growing” collection of vintage L.L. Bean suede penny loafers and “way too many” shawl-collared sweaters.

We asked him to do a little shopping with us for some eBay pieces he could see posting on his site.

1. Deadstock Dee-Cee Chambray Workshirt (buy it now price, $19.95) "This is one of those rare (and great) occurrences when the seller doesn't actually know just how good their item is. Dee-Cee was a big-time work-wear manufacturer in the '70s, and their chambray work shirts are in high demand right now. That fact that it's NOS and a size small makes it all the more amazing of a find."

2. Deadstock Woolrich Shirt Jacket (buy it now price, $59.99) "A great U.S.-made outer layer for chilly spring nights."

3. New Barbour Classic Bedale Jacket (buy it now price, $179) "My year-round outerwear of choice—brand new and almost $150 cheaper than in stores."

4. New Birdwell Beach Britches (buy it now price, $47.95) "One of the most iconic swimwear brands ever, and still handmade in the US."

5. Allen Edmonds Lloyd Wingtips (starting bid, $19.99) "The only thing better than a pair of American-made Allen Edmonds is a pair of American-made Allen Edmonds for a fraction of their retail cost."

6. New Recycled Web Wallet (buy it now price, $15) "This wallet is so simple, preppy and effortlessly summery."

7. New Keds Slip-Ons (buy it now price, $55) "I can't really think of a more summery pair of sneakers than these unworn, made in the USA Keds slip-ons."

8. New American Optical Original Pilot Glasses (buy it now price, $31.99) "My all-time favorite sunglasses, still made to mil-spec in the U.S."

9. New Rag & Bone Shawl Collar Cardigan (sold for $115) "Rag & Bone is just one of many brands I would never be able to afford if it weren't for eBay. You can't beat NWOT [New Without Tags] for less than half the retail price."

10. Filson Rugged Twill Tote Bag (buy it now price, $94.50) "Few brands can claim that their products are as well-made today as they were 100 years ago, but Filson most definitely can. $10 off the retail price and free shipping only sweetens the deal."

11. New Organic Cotton Boat Tote (buy it now price, $24.95) "An iconic summer staple in 100% organic cotton."

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