Ein Paar Faire Adressen

Habt ihr euch auch schon gefragt, ob und wo ihr in der Schweiz fair trade und ethische Mode kaufen könnt? Obwohl ich noch nicht lange hier bin, habe ich bereits ein paar tolle faire Läden entdeckt, die ich natürlich noch so gerne mich euch teile!

Guckt euch doch mal durch... vielleicht ist das eine oder andere Geschäft ja ganz bei euch in der Nähe.

BLACKOUT

Kanntet ihr den Laden bereits? Ich auch! Was ich aber nicht wusste, ist, dass BLACKOUT bei der gemeinnützigen Organisation FairWear dabei ist. FairWear arbeitet mit Unternehmen zusammen, um die Arbeitsbedingungen von Arbeitern in der Textilindustrie zu verbessern. Heute zählt FairWear bereits 80 Mitgliedsunternehmen aus sieben Ländern Europas. Mitglieder verpflichten sich dazu, den FairWear Kodex einzuhalten und ein gerechtes Arbeitsverhältnis anzustreben. Der Kodex verbietet zum Beispiel Kinderarbeit und exzessive Arbeitszeiten und schreibt menschenwürdige Entlöhnung (von der es sich auch leben lässt), einen legalen Arbeitsvertrag, sowie sichere Arbeitsbedingungen vor. Wer neben BLACKOUT, Switcher, Mammut und Jack Wolfskin sonst noch alles bei FairWear dabei ist, findet ihr auf ihrer Webseite.

BLACKOUT verfügt über ein grosses Sortiment und Filialen befinden sich beinahe überall in der Schweiz. Die Kleider werden zu äusserst erschwinglichen Preisen gehandelt und einige Stücke werden zudem aus Bio-Baumwolle hergestellt und sind fair trade zertifiziert. Dieses hübsche Lace Top zum Beispiel ist fair trade und kostet nur 24.90 Fr. Ich bin begeistert!

Caritas

Die Charity Caritas kämpft in der Schweiz sowie weltweit gegen Armut an. Teil ihrer weitreichenden Arbeit ist auch der faire Handel. Unter dem eigenen Label Unica verkauft Caritas fair trade Mode und Accessoires, die sich durch ihr schlichtes Design auszeichnen. 
Die Damenlinie ist schon ziemlich ausgereift. Für Männer ist abgesehen von Unterwäsche und ein paar Hemden leider wenig dabei. Caritas betreibt zudem tolle Secondhand Kleiderläden in der ganzen Schweiz. Einer befindet sich ganz in der Nähe in Winterthur. Eine List aller Läden findet ihr hier.

Changemaker

Wenn ihr ein paar meiner alten Posts gelesen habt, dann kennt ihr Changemaker bestimmt bereits. Ich bin einfach so begeistert von dem Laden, ich muss ihn hier nochmals erwähnen. Bei Changemaker gibt es wunderschöne Accessoires für Heim und Küche, Deko-Sachen, Schmuck, Geschenke, Bio-Kosmetik und noch vieles mehr. Und wie die lieben Menschen von Changemaker das so schön auf ihrer Webseite sagen: „Jedes Produkt hat seine eigene Geschichte. Bei Changemaker haben Sie die Gewissheit, dass es eine gute ist.“ Ob bio, swiss made, fair trade oder umweltfreundlich, bei Changemaker findet ihr alles.

Und dabei machen die das Einkaufen noch schön einfach, denn alle Produkte sind mit den entsprechenden Changemaker-Symbolen gekennzeichnet. Damit man auch genau weiss, was man kauft.

Changemaker gibt es unterdessen in Basel, Bern, Luzern, Thun, Winterthur und Zürich. Der Laden verfügt ausserdem über einen Online Shop.

Claro Fair Trade

Claro fair trade handelt mit Lebensmittel, Fair Trade Kleider und Kunsthandwerk aus dem Weltsüden. Ihre Handelspartner sind Kleinproduzenten aus Randgebieten der Entwicklungsländer, die auf sozial und ökologisch nachhaltige Weise qualitativ hochwertige Produkte herstellen. Claro Läden und Produkte findet ihr in Winterthur, Schaffhausen, Bern, Zürich und an vielen anderen Orten in der Schweiz.

Migros und Coop

Die beiden Titanen des schweizer Detailhandels, Migros und Coop, haben inzwischen beide Bio Kleider und Heimtextielien eingeführt. Die Produkte von Migros Bio Cotton und Coop Naturaline stammen aus sauberem ökologischem Anbau. Coop wie auch Migros setzen sich dabei auch für faire und menschenfreundliche Arbeitsverhältnisse ein. Wobei es bei Migros vor allem die Basics gibt - T-Shirts & Tops, Unterwäsche, Frottéwäsche und Babykleider etc. - findet man bei Coop auch modische und farbenfrohe Styles. 

Tarzan

Werbekampagne Tarzan, Foto: Mathias Willi

Das hippe schweizer Label ist zu einem meiner Favoriten geworden. Das kleine Unternehmen und sein junges Team mit Sitz in Basel kombiniert Kreativität und Swiss Design. Das Resultat ist eine Qualitäts-Streetfashion, die Originalität mit Eleganz paart. Tarzan sind soziale und ethische Aspekte ein grosses Anliegen. Die meisten Produkte stammen aus Indien und werden aus 100 % biologisch angebauter und zertifizierter Baumwolle hergestellt. Mit regelmässigen Besuchen vor Ort vergewissert sich Tarzan, dass die Produzenten Humanität und Ökologie berücksichtigen und den „Code of Conduct“ einhalten. Tarzan setzt sich auch in der Schweiz ein. Einige Produkte werden in einem sozialen Wohn- und Werkheim bedruckt und weiter verarbeitet. Dieses bietet Männern eine Zukunft, die durch die sozialen Maschen gefallen sind. Tarzan hat einen Shop in Basel und Zürich. Auf dem Online Shop ist zudem gerade Sale!

Zum Schluss noch zwei hilfreiche Webseiten:

Nachhaltigleben.ch

Diese tolle Webseite habe ich erst vor kurzem entdeckt. Auf Nachhaltigleben.ch findet ihr Artikel, Infos, Lifestyle-Tipps, Kochrezepte und vieles mehr das euch beim Führen eines umweltfreundlicheren Lebens helfen wird. Ganz praktisch ist dabei die Rubrik Einkaufen, die nachhaltige und ethische Läden in der ganzen Schweiz auflistet.

Biofair.ch

Die Webseite biofair.ch ist ein Engagement der gemeinnützigen Organisation Helvetas. Mit bio-fair.ch will Helvetas den Umsatz an fair gehandelter Bio-Baumwolle weiter fördern. Die Webseite wird unterstützt von Coop, Switcher und der Stiftung Max Havelaar und verfügt über einen interaktiven Ladenfinder. 

So das war’s mal fürs erste. Alle Links werde ich auch unter Fair Links hochstellen. Viel Spass beim fairen Einkaufen!

Kennt ihr noch weitere fair trade Geschäfte in der Schweiz? Dann teilt sie doch hier mit uns!

Easy Lace Collar Necklace

Happy New Year every one! I'm starting out 2014 with a bit of DIY, sharing with you this lace collar necklace I made last year. This post is only going to be in English as it should all be quite simple, but German readers don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

Tools & Equipment

So first off, here's what you'll need to make this necklace:

Tools:

- Scissors

- Needle & thread

- Eyelet punch (or bolt & hammer)

- Gluegun & superglue

Equipment:

- Felt

- Eyelets

- Beads, rhinestones, sequins etc.

- Lace

- Ribbon or yarn

Out of the felt cut out two identical sickle shapes to make up either side of the collar. These are your top layers and the ones to be decorated. To prepare them, punch an eyelet through the end of each sickle. This is where the ribbon or yarn will be fastened onto the collar to create the necklace. If you have one, use an eyelet punch, but punching through felt is really easy so I just used the little applicator bolt that came with the pack and a hammer. Your collar pieces are now ready to be decorated. 

Step 1: Stitch on the Lace

Cut out a piece of lace to roughly match the shape of your collar pieces. Then, folding the lace around the felt, stitch it onto the base. Don't make your stitches too big, or they are likely to crumple or pull the fabric together. My piece of lace was not bit enough to cover the entire felt, so I sewed on another separate piece. Leave the eyelet uncovered of course. 

Step 2: Decorate 

If you want you can add a bit of sparkle to your necklace. I chose these mint blue sequins, which I sewed on as well, and some nice black rhinestones to highlight the flowers on my lace. I glued the rhinestones on using superglue and not the glue gun as it's not as precise and you're likely to end up with a big blob of glue in the middle of your necklace. 

Step 3: Back it up

The front of your collar is now done and looking pretty. The back, however, still shows all the stitching and left-over lace. To cover it and to make the piece more stable we need to back it. Cut out another identical sickle shape out of your felt - I used rougher, stronger felt for this - and glue it on using the glue gun. Then do the same with the other side of the collar. 

Step 4: Assemble

To assemble the necklace you can simply sew it together at the front. If you want to hide the stitching you can glue a rhinestone onto it or sew on a button to connect the two pieces. The good thing about this is, that the necklace will remain flexible. Then thread a piece of ribbon or yarn through each eyelet, tie it and finished is your statement collar necklace. Perfect to add sparkle to an old outfit.

All that remains doing now is wearing it. Mine was a gift for my lovely sister, who was kind enough to model it for the post. I think it looks great on her...

I hope you liked my little tutorial. Of course you can decorate your felt base any way you want... give your creativity free reign! I would love to see what you come up with!

10 Great Christmas Gifts - Part 2

Last week I published the first half of my ethical and sustainable Christmas gift ideas... and now here's the second part! 

Letzte Woche habe ich den ersten Teil meiner ethischen und umweltfreundlichen Geschenkideen geteilt... Hier nun die Fortsetzung!

Buying clothes as a gift is not easy... it's hard to get not only the size, but also the style and look right. Which is why vouchers for a clothes shop are always a great idea... and what better way to encourage someone to make a more ethical choice than to buy them a gift certificate for a fair trade label? There are so many cool ethical brands out there selling beautiful and trendy clothes. Komodo, the London-based green label, for instance sells vouchers of different values and you can even get them emailed to you. Convenient! 

Kleider als Geschenk zu kaufen ist zwar eine gute Idee, aber gar nicht mal so einfach. Geschenkgutscheine für das Liebelingskleidergeschäft kommen daher immer gut an. Gibt es also noch einen einfacheren Weg, jemanden zu ermutigen, mal fair trade Kleider zu kaufen als durch einen Gutschein für ein verantwortungsbewusstes Label? Heutzutage gibt es unzählige coole ethische Kleidermarken, wie beispielsweise das deutsche Label Armed Angels. Das hippe fair trade label verfügt über ein riesiges Sortiment und bietet Gutscheine ab €10 an.

Coffee pod machines are everywhere these days... they're clean and very easy to use. They also, however, produce a lot of waste and the pods can be rather expensive. The dutch company Coffeeduck had the ingenious idea to produce refillable pods! This way you protect the environment and save money at the same time. We bought a set a little while ago and they work perfectly. Just make sure to stuff them tightly with strong, finely ground espresso to get a good strong cup of coffee. They are available for Nespresso and Senseo and Coffeeduck ship world-wide. What a neat and cheap little gift!

Kaffeekapselmaschinen, wie die von Nespresso, stehen bald schon bei jedem zu Hause. Sie sind total einfach und sauber zu benutzen, produzieren aber jede Menge Abfall und die Kapseln sind auch nicht gerade billig. Die holländische Firma Coffeeduck hatte die geniale Idee, auffüllbare Kapseln herzustellen. So schützt man die Umwelt und spart zugleich noch Geld. Wir haben uns ein Set der Kapseln gekauft und sie funktionieren einwandfrei. Einfach starkes, fein-gemahlenes Espressopulver verwenden. Die Kapseln gibt es unterdessen für Nespresso und Senseo und Coffeeduck liefert in die ganze Welt. Ein nützliches und preiswertes kleines Geschenk.

Ok, this one's a bit on the pricier side, but one can never go wrong with a piece of beautiful jewellery. Looking for something extra special for your girlfriend, fiancée, wife, mum? Brilliant Earth sells a gorgeous range of ethical fine jewellery. Their diamonds are from pure sources and they donate 5% of their proceeds to help those harmed by the diamond industry. They're also environmentally conscious. The lovely pendant above for instance is made from recycled silver. Brilliant Earth recently introduced a fair trade gold range and - for anyone who is planning to pop the question at Christmas time - they sell stunning engagement and wedding rings!  

Der nächste Vorschlag ist eher auf der teureren Seite, aber mit richtig schönem Schmuck kann man dafür nichts falsch machen! Bei Brilliant Earth gibt es grossartigen fair trade Edelschmuck. Die Diamanten werden nur von reinen, ethisch-vertretbaren Quellen bezogen und Brilliant Earth spendet zudem 5% ihres Einkommens an die Opfer der Diamantenindustrie. Die Firma ist auch umweltbewusst. Der hübsche Anhänger oben ist aus wiederverwertetem Silber. Vor kurzem hat Brilliant Earth zudem eine fair trade Gold Kollektion eingeführt. Und - sollte jemand für Weihnachten oder Neujahr noch andere grosse Pläne schmieden - sie verkaufen auch wunderschöne Verlobungs- und Eheringe!

A watch made from wood... now that's a truly unique gift. This one is perfect for the man in your life... we all know how hard they are to buy for! These cool and contemporary looking watches by the brand Wewood are made reusing surplus industry wood of the highest quality. Due to the natural colour and pattern of the wood, every watch is different. Working together with the charity American Forests, Wewood will plant a tree for every watch they sell. They also have a stunning line of women's watches.

Eine Uhr aus Holz, das ist doch mal was Besonderes. Dieses Geschenk ist perfekt für den Mann in deinem Leben... Wir wissen ja alle, wie schwierig es ist, für die Männer ein passendes Geschenk zu finden. Diese modernen Holzuhren der Marke Wewood sind aus qualitativ hoch-stehenden Holzresten der Industrie.  Durch die Verwendung verschiedener Holzsorten entstehen die Farben der Uhren auf eine ganz natürliche Art und Weise. Die gemeinnützige Naturschutzorganisation Organisation American Forests pflanzt zudem für jede verkaufte Uhr einen Baum. Wewood hat natürlich auch eine tolle Frauenkollektion! In der Schweiz gibt's die Uhren übrigens auch bei Changemaker.

Socks might be the most traditional and clichéd Christmas gift there is. Having lived in Ireland, I've really come to appreciate a pair of warm woolly socks. These quirky hand-knitted socks by Peopletree are made from recycled wool yarn, so they will keep your feet warm and your conscious clean. If you're looking for something a bit more stylish or refined, try Lowie - they always have beautiful woolly accessories.

Zugegeben, Socken sind wohl das klischeehafteste Weihnachtsgeschenk überhaupt. Nachdem ich aber in Irland gewohnt habe, weiss ich ein paar warme wollene Socken so richtig zu schätzen. Diese kuscheligen Wollsocken von Peopletree wurden von Hand aus recycling Wolle gestrickt. Da bleiben die Füsse warm und das Gewissen rein. Wenn du was stylischeres suchst, dann schau mal bei Lowie vorbei - die haben auch immer schöne Wollaccessoires. 

That was it. I hope you found my suggestions useful and I wish you all Merry Christmas!

Sarah

10 Great Christmas Gift Ideas - Part 1

Christmas is almost around the corner - is it just me or did it creep up on some of you too this year? And as always, we're all wracking our brains trying to think of good presents. So I've decided to take a couple of traditional Christmas gifts and provide you with a cool ethical or environmentally friendly alternative! Here are the first 5 of my 10 great ethical & sustainable Christmas gifts that will make this world a better place!

Weihnachten steht schon fast vor der Tür! Ich kann es selber kaum glauben, das ging dieses Jahr so schnell. Vielleicht zerbrecht ihr euch ja auch die Köpfe, was ihr euren Lieben nur schenken sollt... dann seid ihr hier genau richtig. Ich habe nämlich ein paar tolle fair trade und umweltfreundliche Alternativen zu den üblichen Weihnachtsgeschenken zusammen getragen... Hier mal die ersten fünf.

First up, Christmas baubles with a twist. These beautiful decorations by the fair trade label Nkuku are made from recycled paper. You can get them plain or printed and they cost between £4 and £10. Nkuku is a homewares and decor brand that is socially responsible and built on the principles of fair trade and equal opportunity. They have an absolutely stunning range and are well worth checking out!

Weihnachtskugeln mal anders! Für diese wunderschönen Weihnachtskugeln der Marke Nkuku wurde Altpapier wiederverwertet. Es gibt sie bedruckt und uni und sie kosten zwischen £4 und £10. Namensgeber der Marke Nkuku ist ein kleines Dorf in Zambia. Nkuku steht nicht nur für aussergewöhnlich stilvolles Handwerk, Qualität und Fairtrade, sondern auch für ein vorbildlich umweltfreundliches Unternehmen. Zu kaufen gibt's die Artikel in ihrem Online-Shop (Nkuku liefert in die ganze Welt) oder aber auch bei Changemaker in Winterthur, Zürich, Thun, Luzern, Bern und Basel.

Chocolate and wine are a classic... so why not make the chocolate fair trade and the wine organic? There are some delicious fair trade chocolate ranges out there... One of my favourites is the Divine range (they're currently selling some lovely Christmas treats too!). Organic wine is becoming more and more popular. And apparently, because of the lack of additives, its meant to give you less of a hang-over! You should be able to get the Divine chocolates in a normal grocery shop, and some of the organic wine too... if you want a bigger selection - Organico sell lots of them.

Schokolade und Wein kommen als Geschenke immer gut an... warum also nicht einfach ein bisschen fair trade Edelschokolade und Bio-Wein schön einpacken und verschenken? Fair trade Schokolade findet ihr in den meisten Lebensmittelläden. Eine grosse Auswahl an Bio-Wein gibt es bei BioWein.ch. (P.s. Mir wurde gesagt, dass der Kater beim Bio-Wein weniger schlimm ist, weil keine Zusatzstoffe drin sind... das müsste man ja gleich mal testen!)

How great would it be if, on top of the mum, boyfriend, uncle or cat you're giving your present to, someone else would get one as well? The mission of TOMS shoes is simple: 1 for 1. In return for buying any of their cool shoes (or other products), TOMS will help a person in need. So you make your loved one happy and somewhere else in the world, someone less fortunate than you, whom you've never met, gets a gift too... Amazing! Also, I just love those newspaper print loafers!

Schenk was, das doppelte Freude bringt! Die Devise von TOMS ist einfach: 1 für 1. Im Gegenzug zu jedem Paar Schuhe, das du bei ihnen kaufst, hilft TOMS einem Menschen in Not. Du kannst also nicht nur jemandem in deiner Nähe mit einem hippen Paar Schuhe Freude bereiten, sondern zusätzlich einem Menschen irgendwo auf dieser Welt helfen. Eine Liste von Läden in der Schweiz, welche TOMS verkaufen findet ihr hier.

Bring one of your loved ones comfort and warmth with this lovely oriental style lantern from Nkuku. At £26.95 this is a very reasonable gift that will make any girlfriend, mother or mother-in-law very happy!

Vertreib die Winterkälte und schenk Licht und Wärme mit dieser hübschen orientalischen Laterne, ebenfalls von Nkuku. Für nur £26.95 kannst du damit einer Freundin, Mutter oder Schwiegermutter bestimmt eine grosse Freude bereiten.

Many people want to buy organic produce, but find it just too expensive to splurge on on their weekly shop... As a Christmas present, however, it is perfect! Do you have a friend that likes to cook? Well get yourself to the shops, buy a nice assortment of fancy organic food, pack it into a basket and you're sorted! To make it extra special, you can give your hamper a theme, like Italian Nights, Let's sushi or Some like it spicy! (Yeah, sorry, those are terrible...)

Bio is teuer. Viele meiner Bekannten hält der Preisunterschied davon ab, regelmässig Bio-Produkte zu kaufen... was einen Bio-Essenskorb zum perfekten Geschenk macht! Hast du einen Hobbykoch unter deinen Freunden? Dann such dir im Supermarkt ein paar leckere Bio-Spezialitäten aus, pack sie schön in einen Korb und fertig ist dein Geschenk. 

I hope you like my suggetions so far. The second part of the list will follow shortly... so watch this space!

Off to New Adventures...

With our move to my home country, Switzerland, there will be a bit of a re-organisation and re-focussing of FairEnough. It's been over a year since I started my challenge to only buy fair trade or second-hand clothes for a year. Looking back, I can hardly believe it. I thought I would struggle more with abstaining from the High Street, but on the contrary, I felt free and almost relieved. By completely removing myself from this environment, I freed up so much head-space and time to focus on other things. Writing FairEnough, finding out about fair trade and sustainable ventures, and visiting new places and meeting all these creative people has been such a rewarding experience...

Having said that, my commitment may prove difficult to maintain... There are a few things (bras for instance), I've just not been able to buy or afford... And, even though Switzerland is world-renowned for energy efficiency and recycling, they do not have the same charity-shop culture here as they do in Ireland. This will make shopping fair trade and second-hand not only more difficult but also infinitely more expensive. And there is another tiny issue, now that FairEnough is based in the international home of chocolate: that of language! 

So I've been doing a lot of thinking and I've decided that, despite the added difficulties, I do not want to give up on FairEnough. I will still try and shop as ethically and environmentally friendly as I can, but I will have to make a 'normal' purchase every now and again. I may not post as frequently, but I will continue to show-case fair trade and eco brands, sustainable design and share my tips and hints for an ethical lifestyle with you. And now - if the post demands - I will do so in German and English! To keep the blog relevant for my dear readers on the emerald isle and abroad, I will try and maintain an international focus, with particular reference to Switzerland. 

Lastly, all that remains for me to say at this point is a big Thank You to all my lovely readers. Thank you so much for sharing this journey with me, for encouraging me, inspiring me and most of all, thank you so much for reading! Your interest and commitment has truly baffled me and it has been my biggest source of encouragement. I do hope you will continue travel with FairEnough as we embark on new, Swiss adventures!

Lots of Love

Sarah

Und jetzt noch auf Deutsch!

Da mein Mann und ich nun wieder in der Schweiz wohnen, wirds auch bei FairEnough ein paar Änderungen geben - angefangen natürlich mit der Sprache. FairEnough wird von nun an für gewisse Posts zweisprachig verfasst!

Im Oktober 2012 habe ich mit entschlossen ein Jahr lang nur fair trade oder second-hand Kleider zu kaufen. Wenn ich so zurück denke, kann ich kaum glauben, dass seither wirklich schon mehr als ein Jahr vergangen ist! Ich dachte eigentlich, ich würde mehr Probleme damit haben, mich von den Kleiderläden fern zu halten... aber im Gegenteil: ich fühle mich befreit und entspannt! Der Shopping-Enzug erlaubte es mir, viel Zeit in andere Dinge zu investieren. Für FairEnough zu schreiben, über fair trade und nachhaltige Projekte zu recherchieren und all diese kreativen und aussergewöhnlichen Menschen zu treffen war für mein Leben sehr bereichernd.

Ich sehe aber auch ein, dass es in der Schweiz mit meiner Challenge wohl ein bisschen schwierig werden könnte. Zum einen gibt es Dinge, die ich aus finanziellen und anderen Gründen, im letzten Jahr einfach gar nicht gekauft habe... zum anderen ist die second-hand Ladenkultur in der Schweiz bei weitem nicht so ausgeprägt wie in Irland.

Was ist also zu tun? Eines ist klar: Ich will FairEnough auf keinen Fall aufgeben. Ich werde weiterhin versuchen so umweltfreundlich und fair einzukaufen wie möglich, werde aber meine "Regeln" ein wenig lockern und ab und zu auch mal etwas "normales" kaufen. Natürlich werde ich weiterhin - wenn auch nicht ganz so regelmässig - meine fair trade Funde sowie Tipps und Tricks für einen umweltfreundlicheren Lifestyle mit euch teilen. 

Zum Schluss möchte ich diese Gelegenheit nutzen um euch, meinen lieben Lesern, von Herzen Danke zu sagen. Danke viel mals, dass ihr mit mir auf diese Reise gekommen seid. Euer Interesse und Engagement war immer eine grosse Ermutigung für mich. Danke fürs Lesen und ich hoffe, dass ihr FairEnough auch auf den neuen Schweizer Abenteuern begleiten werdet.

Alles Liebe und uf Widerluege!

Sarah

By the way: Do you know what the image at the top depicts? Have a guess!

de → en

Of course ,

de → en

Thank you

interjection: Thank you!, Thanks!, Ta!

Bye Bye Belfast

Hello dear readers! It's been a little while since my last post. A lot has happened in my life in the mean time. After finishing up work in Belfast, my husband and I decided - rather suddenly - to move back to my home country. So now, a month later, we are sort of settled in lovely, chilly and hopefully-soon-snowy Switzerland. I'll be sharing my thoughts on the future of FairEnough soon, but for now, it is time to take stock, look back and say Good-Bye to my dear Belfast.We had a great year in this beautiful city. We met great people and discovered amazing places. As my tribute to Belfast, I thought I would share some of my favourite vintage, second-hand and creative spots with you!

Shops

Rusty Zip

Rusty Zip * 28 Botanic Avenue * Belfast

On the beautiful Botanic Avenue, home to many Queens University students, you'll find Belfast's oldest vintage and second-hand store; Rusty Zip. This gem of a shop has been a huge help to me in my challenge to only wear vintage and second-hand for a year. On its - now much brighter and lighter - shelves and racks you will find an excellent selection of vintage clothes and accessories from a range of decades. The emphasis is on the 60's and 70's, but you may find some 20's and 40's pieces too. Rusty Zip also has a brilliant second-hand selection featuring most high-street brand names, such as Topshop or French Connection. This is a great place to find a real treasure at a bargain price and on Sunday, there's a 10% Discount for students!

Oxfam Botanic

Oxfam Botanic * 88 Botanic Avenue *Belfast

A little up the road you'll find what I think is one of the best Oxfam shops. Those of you who follow my blog will recognize this as the shop I worked in for a day for my Charity Shop post. Oxfam Botanic sells lots of high quality second-hand and great and very cheap vintage clothes. The shop also has a great jewellery selection. The staff in both shops are lovely, friendly and very helpful.

Vintage

Vintage * 78 - 80 Royal Avenue * Belfast

It may not look like much from the outside, but Vintage is a great little charity shop. To be fair, the majority of clothes are second-hand rather than vintage, but I've discovered some real treasures here, including a Vivienne Westwood dress.
Nestled at the top of the Royal Avenue, Vintage is run by the East Belfast Mission. The charity is behind a number of other cool social enterprises, such as Recycle, a bicycle upcycling service.
Out of the three shops, Vintage is by far the cheapest. So why don't you pop down, have a nosy and support the work of this great charity.

Refound

ReFound * 7 Wellington Place * Belfast

I know, I know, I keep going on about this place, but it really was one of my favourites in Belfast, so I just have to mention it again here. ReFound is a great shop based on a brilliant concept. Behind ReFound stands an artist collective that - using their impressive skills - breathes new life into old and unwanted furniture. In ReFound you will find the most unique and most imaginative things to decorate your house with.
All of this is organized by the lovely Jill, who I had the pleasure of working with on different occasions, including the fun 5-9 talks we organized. I will miss this place badly and I wish Jill and her artists all the success in the world. I really hope this place takes off even more than it already has. If you visit Belfast, this is a MUST-SEE!

Markets

I love going to markets and in this respect, Belfast has lots to offer. 

St. George's Market

St. George's Market * 12 - 20 East Bridge Street

Known and loved by all Belfastians, the St. George's market happens every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Friday Variety Market dates back to 1604 (!) and sells a tempting mix of products including local fruit, veg and fish, antiques, books or clothes. The Saturday market focusses on local and continental specialty food and on the Sunday, you will find a mix of both of them, accentuated by a different musical entertainment every week. Lots of local craftspeople and artists sell their goodies at this market. It is a great place to find unique gifts and stuff your tummy with gorgeous food!


Fashion Souk

The Fashion Souk * Spires Mall *Belfast

Wanting to make fashion and shopping greener and more environmentally friendly, founders Aly and Linzi started the Fashion Souk. The bi-monthly market takes place at Spires Mall in the heart of Belfast city centre and offers fashionistas a huge choice of preloved luxury labels, vintage and retro items, as well as locally designed accessories and furnishings. There's always a great atmosphere at the Souk with music and fashion shows making this a truly unique shopping event.
The Souk is now no longer confined to Belfast, but has expanded and is happening all over Northern Ireland. Check out their webiste for locations. The next Belfast market is happening on the 7th of December. Don't miss it!

Frock Around the Clock

Frock Around the Clock Vintage

Featuring up to 50 stalls at any given event, the Frock around the Clock Vintage fairs unite vintage dealers from all over Ireland and the UK. The markets usually take place in gorgeous locations; such as country houses, grand estates and castles. At Frock Around the Clock you'll find high quality vintage and vintage-inspired garments, accessories and home-wares. Prices tend to be a little higher, but you can also catch some real bargains. In conjunction with their vintage markets, they also run the stunning vintage bridal fairs Rock the Frock. If I could get married again, I would definitely go looking for my dress there!

Hangouts

Finally I wanted to share two of my favourite places to hang out and spend time in Belfast.

Black Bear Café

Black Bear Café * 17 Stranmillis Road * Belfast, Pics: Tripadvisor

 Right across from the Ulster Museum is the cozy Black Bear Café in which I spent many hours drinking good coffee and looking though their hipster magazines. Black Bear frequently displays art by local and emerging artists and sells gorgeous organic and vegan food. Their lunches are delicious and they make superb scrambled eggs!

The Black Box

The Black Box * 18 - 22 Hill Street

The Black Box is one of the most versatile venues I've ever come across. The events here cater to even the most obscure and diverse tastes. I visited it for the first time at an upcycling fashion show, which was great fun.
The Black Box gives local artists from every artform a platform to show their work. I love their little café and bar - the Green Room. On the first Thursday of every month, after Late Night Art, one of my favourite events happens here. Real Sketchy invites artists and common folk into the Green room for a sketch fest. You can have a drink, watch people sketch and draw, have a go yourself and buy any sketches you like! Genius!

It seems I could go on about Belfast forever, but now it really is time to say good-bye. Take care, dear Belfast - You will be missed and I promise I'll come back to visit soon!

I want to ride my Bicycle!

Bicycles are great! When I lived in Dublin, I used to cycle everywhere. Bicycles are pretty much taking over that city. Unfortunately, they haven't really captured the hearts of the Belfastians yet... when really, the bicycle is the perfect means of transport in a city this size. Nothing is too far away to cycle, you fly past rush-hour traffic, you get fit AND you don't harm the environment one bit! So there really is no down-side... (Irish winds, rain and the ever-persistent drizzle aside).

Maybe the reason why the lovely people of Belfast don't cycle is not that they don't want to, but because they don't know which bicycle-type they are! So to encourage cycling - I proudly present my expertly researched and utterly complete guide What Bicycle are You?

#1 THE HIPSTER

You: You know about everything before it's cool and like Bon Jovi ironically. You live in urban spaces and hang out in coffee-shops - drinking eco-friendly fair-trade coffee from that little independent roasting company - sitting on chunky wooden benches under the glimmer of giant light bulbs writing your blog. You use nothing for the purpose it was intended for (oh but serving drinks in jam jars is SO last year - it's all about the "Hip" flasks now). You recycle, buy your groceries at the local organic grocer that your mate runs and ideally play "synth". Your flannels look like you've bought them at a thrift shop but secretly you get your clothes from Top Shop and Urban Outfitters. Your skinnys are so tight your Iphone doesn't fit in the pockets.

Your Ride: You dash through the city streets on your fixie, a stripped-down version of a bike; no gears, slim and super hard tires and no brakes (I still don't get that) whilst your beard flaps wildly in the wind. The wheels of your bike sport some funky neon colour - making you look like something out of Tron. Your bike comes with one additional accessory: a lovely wicker basket for the front - to transport your organic toothpaste, craft beers and retro 90's walkman.

There is one alternative ride for you: A Victorian Penny Farthing, but let's face it both are equally uncomfortable! (have a little look here).

#2 THE RACER

You: You've got all the gear: fingerless gloves, clip in shoes, Oakley's with your nickname engraved on the lenses. You wear your helmet to reduce your drag profile more than safety. Despite working in an office a fifteen minute ride away you insist on changing into your full-on spandex that are as tight as a second skin. Everything about you and your ride is stream-lined. Your legs are more cleanly shaven than your girlfriend's. Your thighs are so big - you have to have your trousers specially made (or at least you say you do).

Your Ride: Your machine is the latest in technology. Made from some new material that hasn't even been invented yet - it is as light as air. The handle bars have those weird horns that allow you to lean over low - your bum poking up into the air. The tires are razor-thin, the pedals have clips to strap in - everything about your bike is made for speed.

And so, German techno blasting in your ears, you race past rows of stopped cars at deadly speed. You don't admit this to anyone, but it makes you feel immortal, super-human almost - until you hit the smallest pot hole - BOOM - and your mum/girlfriend has to pick you up (again) because you have a puncture.

#3 THE COMFY CRUISER

You: You don't really know anything about bikes. You couldn't change a tire or even pump it for the life of you. After all, you ride it because you look cute on it, and also because you're broke. You wear lovely dresses and are perfectly styled and although they make cycling hard - you insist on wearing those heels. You would never wear a helmet - that would totally ruin your hair! You like shoving your bicycle from one vintage shop to the next, on a sunny day, as you don't cycle when its rainy. And you love cats. You watch cat videos online because you love them so much. You dream about having a cat. You freaking LOVE cats.

Your Ride: You chose the dutch-style city bike because its comfortable and oh so pretty! You've painted it a lovely pastel colour and your basket overflows with cup-cakes and crochet smartphone covers you just bought at the local craft and artisan food market. And so you cycle around town at a leisurely pace (probably on the way to a picnic) while in your mind you hum a Taylor Swift soundtrack. Your bike has lights, a stand and a comfy saddle. The vintage handle-bars allow you to sit up nice and straight. 

#4 THE ADVENTURER

You: You're the Bear Grylls of men. Come rain or shine you spend every free minute outside engaged in such outdoorsy pursuits as fishing, hiking or wrestling bears. You've never actually seen a bear but you figure you could fight one - with your bare hands. You're a beer-drinking, deer-hunting, wood-carving heap of manliness and you smell appropriately. You always (always!) wear a baseball cap or a hat of some sort and your beard is a rough 3-day stubble (revealing how long you've actually been 'in the wild'). You wear trousers with lots of pockets that can be turned into shorts - zip! Everything you own is muddy - Everything! You've done and eaten a few things that no normal human being would be proud of. You love dogs, you admire Robinson Crusoe and Into the Wild is your favourite film. You also carved that chair you're sitting in...from a larger chair.

Your Ride: For you there is no other choice but to ride a mountain bike. It may be awkward and really slow in a city but leaving it outside work, covered in mud, gives you the perfect excuse to launch into one of your lengthy weekend-wildlife-adventure stories. Your bike has as much suspension as an Alfred Hitchcock movie. The profile on your wide tires is extra deep - for better grip. You purposely took off the mud guard, as already mentioned, you love mud! Your bike comes with lots of extra fixtures and hooks to fit your water bottle, fishing rod, climbing ropes, surf board, snow shoes, cross-country skis, bounty knives, and flashlight. 

I hope you found this useful and know now which bike-type you are! Or maybe you're like me; just someone with a bicycle (although I do LOVE cats). To finish I thought I'd show you my little beauty. My lovely bicycle has accompanied me to three different countries so far and although it's getting a little old and rusty it still works perfectly. I love it with all my heart. Soon enough it will have to travel across the sea again as we move country once more. As we're currently trying to figure out quite a lot of things - a place to live, jobs & careers, life etc. - the posts on FairEnough may get a little less frequent, but I'll try to keep them up as much as I can.