In 1850, our nation wasn’t even, well, much of a nation. So how much finished cotton does Canada produce today?

That’s one of the questions I’ll be exploring in this month’s new category, Clothing. Last month’s Household Goods were a good introduction, but now we’re getting serious. The game is definitely afoot.

What am I hoping to learn about Canadian clothing? Let’s see:

• Where do our clothes come from?
• Do we actually manufacture any fabrics or other source materials in Canada?
• Can I buy a suit made from Canadian-made fabric?
• Are there Canadian-made running shoes?
• Is it even possible to create a wardrobe of clothes that are entirely sourced in Canada (without, you know, knitting and sewing them myself)?
• Why has the rest of the world adopted the term ‘toque’?

What in my wardrobe is already Canadian? For years, I’ve been a frequent Stanfield’s customer, underwear made with pride in Truro, Nova Scotia. I also usually get my dress shoes from John Fluevog (certified Satan-resistant, it says so on the sole). Neither products are sourced in Canada, but they’re a small start.

The Rules

I’d like to start from zero clothes in my closet, but that’s not practical. Not only would it be exorbitantly expensive to build an entirely gold-standard Canadian wardrobe, but I suspect that it’s virtually impossible. I also need to remain gainfully employed, and my work requires that I occasionally dress up. I can’t very well wear only Stanfield’s underwear and a Cowichan sweater to a speaking gig, can I?

So, I’m only going to add Canadian-made clothes to my wardrobe for the balance of 2011. As per my Made in Canada rules, I’m going to work as hard as I can to create entire outfits that comprise clothes sourced, manufactured and designed in Canada. Pray to your cold, Canadian gods for me.

I’m going to have to cancel two of my favourite clothes-by-mail services: the Threadless t-shirt a month club and Man Packs, for t-shirts, socks and underwear.

Have you got any recommendations for clothes that are made in Canada?

• Gold – The product is designed, manufactured and entirely sourced in Canada.
• Silver – The product is designed and manufactured in Canada, but its constituent parts or ingredients don’t all originate here.
• Bronze – The product is designed here, but neither manufactured nor entirely sourced in Canada.

Does somebody have an Olympics hangover?

My goal is always the gold standard, but I’m afraid there will be compromises. More on this in my next post, about this month’s category of clothing. I’m also going to write about the official ‘Product of Canada’ standards that the federal government has established, which differ considerably from mine.

What do you think of my approach?

Photo by Tom Magliery.

This was unexpected, and not a goal of the project. I’ve had a relatively-popular blog for (deary me, is it really that long?) nine years, and I’ve received a smattering of stuff (and regular tickets to local theatre for reviewing purposes) over the years. If I was going to seek out a bunch of free stuff, I’d have done it over on that site.

I’m not sure how to proceed. If I accepted free stuff, it’d be with no strings attached. I might write about, and I might not. But, on the other hand, I wouldn’t want to call the integrity of the project into question. So, I leave it up to you. Let me know what you think in the poll below, and I’ll do whatever you choose. I’ll close the poll in a week.

Photo by Xavier Tredjeu.

Kyle: Are you going to turn in your iPhone for a Blackberry?

Kyle asks this because Research in Motion, the folks who make Blackberrys, are located in Wateroo, Ontario. While, as you know, iPhones are designed by tiny hipster angels in Heaven.

If you consult the official 1Y1C calendar (note: calendar subject to change), you won’t find electronics on it. Why is this? I need to eat. In order to eat, I need to generate income and exchange it for food. Sadly, my only reliable skills require a computer and a phone. Plus, at best, I could find a device that was designed in Canada (and I wonder if RIM doesn’t work with American design firms).

I’m looking for (ideally) a company that will produce some little cards for this project, in the style of Moo Cards. Ideally, they’re located in Canada, and use card stock sourced from Canadian sources. Any suggestions?

David: Will you be mentioning the retail outlets where we can get the products you write about?

Absolutely. This project is designed to be about my thoughtful consumption, and I hope others who are interested can benefit from my research. I want to reward retailers for talking transparently about where their products come from.

Kat: Will you be getting rid of all the products you have that are not Canadian?

Whenever possible, I’m planning on using up the non-Canadian product and replacing it with a Canadian one during that category’s month. It seemed needlessly wasteful to chuck existing products, especially disposable stuff like soap or cleaners. Also, this eases my, uh, transition each month.

Lots of people: What are your rules going to be for the Clothing month, the Internet month or any of the other months?

Good question, lots of people. In truth, I’m not sure yet. That’s one reason I organized the project into 12 cumulative months, so that I could spread out my planning and research throughout the year. It also enables me to consult with you good people about what the right set of rules for a given month might be.

Rest assured that the rules will vary for each month, based on the category and the practicalities associated with it.

Theresa: If you can’t find toilet paper sourced and manufactured in Canada, why no just use (and re-use!) old rags made from clothes manufactured in Canada?

Fortunately, I make the rules. And while I welcome creative solutions to common problems, this seems like a bridge too far.

So, how will my project work? I’m dividing the year into 12 sections, each corresponding to a month. Each month, I’ll add another category where I restrict myself to consuming Canadian products and services. It’s subject to change, but my current plan looks like this. Click to enlarge:

Twelve months of living Canadian.

So, as you might imagine, things will get progressively harder through the year. I’m open to suggestions to how to adjust each month’s focus–can you think of another way I can live Canadian?