Ephemera

New Ethic make t-shirts—they are accredited by FairWear, advertise in the Big Issue, and apparently consider themselves fine, ethical corporate citizens. These freebie stickers are distributed to retailers that stock their clothes. Compare and contrast: the peel-off back (“BESIDES, IT PROBABLY WOULDN’T HURT TO GIVE YOURSELF SOME MINDSPACE, FREE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPAGANDA.”) with the front, where the “New Ethic” logo appears in large type.

In full, the text reads:

PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS STICKER AS STREET GRAFFITI
THE PURPOSE OF THIS STICKER IS TO REDUCE WASTE, NOT TO CREATE IT.
STICK IT ON YOUR LETTERBOX TO DETER JUNK MAIL DELIVERIES.
IF ENOUGH PEOPLE REFUSE TO ACCEPT ADVERTISING MATERIAL, THEN MAYBE WE CAN SAVE A FOREST OR TWO.
BESIDES, IT PROBABLY WOULDN’T HURT TO GIVE YOURSELF SOME MINDSPACE, FREE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPAGANDA.

THIS STICKER IS MADE FROM RECYCLABLE POLYESTER.
WHEN IT REACHES THE END OF ITS USEFUL LIFE (USUALLY ABOUT TWO YEARS), JUST THROW IT IN YOUR RECYCLING BIN.

www.newethic.org

Exhibit B: A Sign

(From Au Go Go Records.)