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!

A Little Daydreaming...

I have caught myself daydreaming a lot lately, thinking about the future and dreaming about opening my own little shop, selling fair trade and sustainable clothing and accessories somewhere in Switzerland... you know, just as a back-up, in case the whole heritage and museums career does not work out...

I'm imagining something along the lines of a charity shop, but in a boutique style with a really beautiful design and a curated selection of clothing. See, there are plenty of charity shops here, but they don't exist like that in Switzerland. There are vintage shops and second hand furniture stores, but barely any second-hand clothes shops and the whole charity-shop concept just isn't around.

It could be a little shop somewhere in the historic downtown of Zurich, selling a range of vintage, second-hand and fair trade garments as well as accessories with part of the proceeds going to charity. I catch myself dreaming about what it would look like... For instance, I love these romantic shop-exteriors. I am infatuated with the pale mint greens or light blues at the moment!

Pictures from: top: Shy Violet, bottom left: Pinterest, bottom right: Fade

What do you think? The interior could be in the same whimsical style. Something along the lines of this, maybe, with lots of whites and greys and period furniture...

Pic on the right from  Shy Violet

Or it could look more rustic and industrial. I love the industrial look of this AllSaints store in Chicago.

pictures from glamshops

To make the shopping an even more enjoyable and relaxing activity, there would be a little cafe in the shop. Maybe something to match that rustic, Victorian feel... with lots of chunky wooden furniture, a retro coffee-machine and an antique cash register...

pictures from Pinterest

Oh and of course, there would have to be books! Walls full of books to inspire people... My customers could sit with a cup of coffee and read and feel good about themselves and all their ethical and sustainable purchases. We could run events aswell in the space, exhibitions of local artists and designers, talks, wine tastings and cookery classes, poetry readings, film screenings...

pic from pinterest

But along with clothes and books and coffee there would naturally have to be cake. We could not go without cake, surely.

Carly Cakes

These dreamy creations are made by my very talented friend Carly. I think they would fit wonderfully into my hypothetical dream shop...

As you can tell I'm getting just a little bit carried away here... There's value in dreaming though,  and who knows? Maybe my career really won't work out..  The more I think about it, the more I'm left wondering whether that would truly be such a bad thing.

Can you see it, my dream shop? Would you make any additions? Do you have dreams of your own you'd like to share?