I shop at clothing resale stores that benefit nonprofit organizations, and occasionally I purchase items made in developing nations. I surmise these garments are from sweatshops that spew pollutants and have workers endure horrendous conditions for barely any pay. In buying them secondhand with the money going to good causes, do I untether myself from the harm that their manufacture entailed? —Diane Pepi

You shouldn’t shun all clothing manufactured in the developing world; textile manufacturing has helped lift huge numbers of people there out of extreme poverty. And buying previously worn apparel does reduce the environmental toll associated with our fast-fashion habits. What will really make a difference, though, are larger reforms—getting more companies to ensure that manufacturers meet decent labor and environmental standards. The more of us who commit to buying apparel only from such companies, the better. 

—Adapted from “The Ethicist” in The New York Times Magazine