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!

Sharing the Love

This week I'm sharing my love and passion for fair trade and ethical fashion over on Oxfam's fashion blog! I was very excited to be interviewed by the Monsoon Accessorize Trust on my challenge and my views on the fashion industry... Head on over to the amazing Oxfam blog for a little read!
For all you fair trade fashion fanatics: I suggest you keep an eye out for their other posts... and check out the great work of the Monsoon Accessorize Trust as well!

One Last Summer Breeze

I'm just back from a one week holiday on the beautiful southern coast of France and - although it's grey and rainy here and the autumn clothes are already in the shops - I am just not ready to say good-bye to summer yet... so let's look at some beautiful fair trade summer dresses, remember the warmth of sun on our skin, the sound of the waves, the taste of ice-cream and hold onto that summer feeling for a tad longer... Also, lots of these dresses are currently on sale - the ideal time for a little summer shopping spree. Here are some of my favourites...

Floral Dress by ASOS Africa

This hip floral dress by the ASOS' fair trade label ASOS Africa is currently on sale for only £31.50 and there's free delivery and returns!

Bright and Light 

I love the pale colours and airy feel of these short dresses. From left to right we have: Philippa Blossom Sun Dress from fair trade fashion house PeopleTree (reduced from £79 to £49), followed by Phily Printed Cotton Voile Dress from fair trade label Komodo (reduced from £55 to £33), and on the right the cute Sofia Stripes dress by German fair trade label Armed Angels (currently on sale for only €39.90). 

Poly Rayon Maxi Dress by Komodo

I wish I had known about this beauty before I went to France. This would have been perfect for a beach day or a nice meal out at a local Bistro. I love Komodo's effortless and chic aesthetic. And guess what - the Poly Rayon Maxi Dress is also on sale at the moment for a fantastic £39!

A Blue Hue

The colour palette of these cute dresses remind me of the many blues of the Mediterranean Sea... having said that, they would easily transition to autumn too! On the left and right are two more dresses by German fair trade label Armed Angels: the Tracy Ahoi Dress with a cute nautically themed print and the lovely Valetta Feathers dress. In the middle is one of Annie Greenabelle's sweet knot back dresses. I love the cool back detail of this one (see the pic above!). Ethically made in England, this dress is also on sale for only £30.

Net Tunic by Bibico

This casual tunic by ethical clothing brand Bibico is made from soft cotton jersey and just looks so comfortable - perfect for a day at the beach. I love the lace back... and the price - reduced from £55 to £24!

Can you see yourself spending a summer's day in one of these dresses? Which one is your favourite?

Pack your Bags!

Summer has finally arrived and how! Ireland has literally never been this hot. So get out there and enjoy the sun while it lasts. To accompany you on your romantic picnics, outdoor barbeques, trips to the beer garden and leisurely walks along the sea, I've gathered a selection of fairtrade and eco-friendly bags for you. Beautiful and practical, they will carry everything you may need, especially your clear conscience.

Let's start out with one of my all-time favourites from home: the Freitag bags. Freitag have been making super cool bags out of used truck tarps since 1993! The integrity of their designs is beautiful. They use seat-belts as bag straps and old bike tubes as lining. Freitag is also one of the last companies to still manufacture their goods in Zurich. Being Swiss, the quality of their bags is phenomenal. A Freitag bag will truly last you a life-time (believe me, I've seen it.). They don't just do courier-style bags by the way, at Freitag you can get funky laptop bags, totes, wallets, and backpacks too and no two Freitag products are the same. I particularly love the hand-bag model Joan (bottom right in picture). As you can see in the quirky 'How-to-use-video' here, it can fit anything from a baguette to a rolled up sleeping mat. The smart straps at the back of the bag, mean you can fix it to the handle-bar of your bicycle. Love it!

Planning on going to the beach? HandCrafting Justice sells the perfect summer tote for any beach adventure.  These beautifully simple canvas bags are super handy and their size means they will hold everything and anything you may want to bring with you. HandCrafting Justice provides access to Fair Trade markets for handmade goods created by enterprising women in the developing world. Their work fosters self-reliance and the creation of economic opportunities and networks, enabling women to achieve long-lasting success, lifting themselves and their families out of poverty. The artisans set the price for their goods themselves and HandCrafting Justice pays upon receipt, guaranteeing payment for each artisan. Have a look at their range of beautiful accessories, home-wares and gifts.

If you're going for a night out, but lacking that special accessory, I suggest you check out Escama Studio's fantastic range of handbags. I love the industrial look of these bags and still find it hard to believe they're made from used ring-pulls. Escama Studio is a social enterprise based in California and Brazil. The name means 'fish scales' in Portuguese, reflecting the look of their products. To achieve this unique aesthetic, Escama adapted traditional Brazilian crochet work, marrying heritage crafts with new materials and contemporary design. Eco-friendly, fair trade and stylish - these bags are just stunners in every way.

In case you were looking for something a little more affordable, why not check out the lovely accessory ranges of Earth Squared and PeopleTree. These cute and girly print bags are perfect for summer and retail between 20 and 30 pounds. If you follow my blog, you'll be sick of hearing me go on and on about PeopleTree... Earth Squared is one of my new discoveries though. A registered importer of BAFTS (British Association of Fair Trade Shops) they sell a lovely range of accessories and bags.

And saving the best for last, I want to introduce you to this beauty from fair trade label Nkuku:

Hand made from leather, dyed using extracts of tree barks and plants by a co-operative in Rajastan, the Savannah shopper is almost too beautiful in its simplicity. Each of the bags is lined with a colourful floral cotton fabric complementing its plain exterior. Nkuku is an eco-friendly fair trade home and lifestyle label with a clean and gorgeously simple aesthetic. Apart from bags, Nkuku sells a range of rustic home decor wares that I would love to fill my apartment with. The label's notebooks and journals are also to die for.

What about you? Which bag did you like best? Or are you in love with a different bag entirely? Let us know!

A Magpie's Nest

When it comes to ethical and sustainable shopping, jewellery is possibly one of the easiest things to find. Drumming up some fair trade and environmentally friendly jewellery makers for this week's blog was no hard task... however, choosing which gorgeous pieces to include was much more difficult!

Just like the magpie, I love glittery things, especially if they come in the form of beautiful necklaces, earrings or bangles. So here's my selection of jewellery that will make you sparkle on the outside and leave you feeling great on the inside.

Golden

You can't beat a bit of gold. Timeless yet fashionable it helps to spark up any outfit. Here are some of my golden favourites.

One: Hand-Made hammered brass cuff and ring with a wood-like effect from Made. Operating under fair trade and ethical principles, Made's goods are all hand-made in their workshop in Kenya. Made has collaborated with names such as Louis Vuitton, Tommy Hilfiger and Top Shop. Prices range from £20 - £40.
Two: Cute disc earrings engraved with leaves in copper and brass from Peopletree, one of the UK's biggest fair trade fashion houses. At £10 its incredibly affordable.
Three: Stunning Fern Leaf Wedding Bands made from certified fair trade and fairminted 18ct gold and Fallen For You Leaf printed bangle made from recycled sterling silver coated in 18ct gold. Both items are made by CRED Jewellery. Pioneers in ethical jewellery since 1996, CRED specialises in fair trade classical jewellery, engagement rings and wedding bands... Just in case you were considering popping the question! The wedding band also comes in 100% recycled platinum... good to know.
Four: Brass statement necklace also from Made. This necklace is a strong choice and ideal if you want to add a bit of spike to an outfit.

Colourful

Tired of the endless grey weather? Bring out all the colours of the rainbow with some of these fresh and happy pieces.

One: Multi-coloured choker incorporating beads and semi-precious stones. Shared Earth has made it their mission to improve the livelihood of disadvantaged people in developing countries and contributes towards keeping traditional skills alive that would otherwise be lost. Shared Earth has been selling fair trade goods and promoting ethical practice for over 20 years.
Two: Peacock bangle, also from Shared Earth. I've been a little obsessed with peacocks lately, so absolutely love this piece, and at £6.95 it's a steal!
Three: Brass hoop earrings with mint green glass beads from Peopletree. Yes, we're back to the mint green, just in love with that colour at the moment.
Four: Johari's Tabaka necklace incorporates unusual handcrafted paper beads and hammered brass triangle. 

Unusual

The accessories below may look normal, but each item comes with a bit of a twist. Looking for jewellery with a bit more to it? Then you'll love these pieces made rather unconventional materials.
 
One: Golden necklace with a blue stone made from recycled glass, from Made.
Two: These cute studd earrings from Peopletree are made from recycled sari fabrics. Hand-made in India, only £6!
Three: Environmentally friendly earrings from Urban Lace. These earrings are carved from the inner tubes of old bike tires which Urban Lace collects from local bike shops! They make deadly bracelets, necklaces and masks as well.
Four: Call Me Necklace from Hearts. As the name suggests, this fashion necklace is made using old phone cord. Hearts' mission is to sell accessories and jewellery that are vehicles for change. With every purchase from Hearts you help make the world a more sustainable, ethical and better place. Check out their 21 core values here.
Five: Up-cycled pendant necklace incorporating a bullet shell, also from Hearts. The necklace is made by a stay-at-home mum and designer from Alaska, who incorporates her daily finds and discarded items into her creations. Prices for Hearts jewellery vary, but generally start from about $20.
Six: Bracelet made from old parachutes and military material. Peacecord bracelets are made by women in Afghanistan. Peacecord ensures fair labour practices, creates employment and opportunities for artisans and disadvantaged women and provides them with training and education. What a great way to support the cause of women for only $15!

Favourite Find

And finally, I just want to share one of my favourite finds with you. I just recently bought this beautiful brass leaf necklace at Hibiscus Flower, a great fair trade fashion shop in Edinbufgh (there's more to follow on that one!). Like some of the pieces above its from Johari and I can't wait to wear it. Johari, which means "something precious" in Swahili is a social enterprise that works to empower vulnerable young adults in Kenya. 100% of the profit from Johari's sales are used to fund community projects run by the Johari Foundation. The programmes provide for children and youn adults educational, vocational, social and basic needs and help them to a better future.

Right, I'm magpied out! I hope you enjoyed some of my selections... What a better way to change the world is there than by treating yourself (or someone else) to some beautiful jewellery!

Which was your favourite piece? Do you know any other ethical or sustainable jewellery places?

A Brief Encounter

My challenge to buy only fair trade, second-hand or vintage has been going well so far, apart from one thing: underwear. If there is one area where the words "second-hand" or "used" sound most unappealing, it's this one. In fact, most second-hand shops don't sell underwear to begin with. So far I also haven't encountered any "vintage lingerie", so my solution has been just not to buy any... Unfortunately my underwear drawer is starting to look rather desolate. I need me some funky new panties!

Pants to Poverty

Pants to Poverty make fun and comfy looking fair trade underpants from organic cotton. The production of these pants supports over 5000 farmers in India as well as their local communities. The materials are grown on organic farms, which means no pesticides and chemicals. The pants are manufactured in carbon neutral faculties that pay their workers a real living wage, which means the pants are overall much more eco-friendly, sustainable and much fairer! Yet they are still affordable with prices starting from £13.

Petits Secrets
Petits Secrets Lingerie turns waste into beauty by selling environmentally friendly knickers that are hand crafted in the UK using up-cycled fabrics. Their designs are very girly and cute and they even have some bras and tops on offer. Petits Secrets lingerie can be purchased here or on their website. Their prices are in the region of £20 for a pair of knickers, so still good value!

R.A.W. Textiles

Textile artist Rio hand-dies natural fabrics, such as silks and organic bamboo, using natural dies including iron and pomegranate. Her fascination with historical undergarments has inspired her to create a number of sustainable underwear collections. Her creations are incredibly delicate and ethereal in their beauty.
Due to the amount of work going into them and they're one off nature, they are rather more expensive.

Do You Green

Do You Green are a French company that offer gorgeous luxury lingerie made from pine-trees! The renewable raw material is transformed into soft fabric and, according to the brand, has the "touch of cashmere". Apart from having a low ecological footprint, the material is also breathable and easy to care for. Do You Green's fabrics are mad and died in France and their varied range includes lingerie, nightwear and loungewear. They even have a men's section! The prices are surprisingly low, with bras from €37.

Nico Underwear
Based in Australia, Nico Underwear are the first underwear brand to achieve accreditation with Ethical Clothing Australia. Their pants and bras are made in Australia under ethical conditions and they aim to minimize their impact on the environment. The design aesthetic is funky, fresh and colourful. Pants sell from £17, bras from £35. They have some items on sale at the moment!



Life's not Fair but my Knickers are
The key to this one's in the name really... the brand sell cute and girly fair trade underwear at very affordable prices with underpants starting from £14. You can purchase pieces of their fairly dotty range here. I could not find a website for them and their facebook page seems to be long inactive. You can find out more about them on the blog DomesticSluttery (safe for work, trust me!). I just hope they're still around....


And last but not least... there is:

WhoMadeYourPants?

This is probably one of my favourites out of the bunch. Not only is WhoMadeYourPants? underwear made in Southampton, UK, but it is made by women who have had little opportunity in life. At WhoMadeYourPants the women can acquire skills, like making panties, marketing or finance, which will equip and benefit them in the long-term. Moreover the brand uses end of roll fabrics which reduces waist and makes the panties more sustainable. The pants sell for about £25 but all the profits are re-invested into the company.

As you can see there many different options for buying ethical and sustainable underwear and the ones I've listed here are only a taster of all the ethical underwear brands out there... Is your head spinning a bit? If you don't want to look in a million places for knickers that might suit you, then try this place. Saumarez is an ethical lingerie boutique that stocks some of the designers and labels mentioned here and many besides. Knowing that what you're going to buy from them is either ethical or sustainable makes life so much easier!

Do you know any other ethical or sustainable underwear brands? Where do you get yours?

Fair Game

It's that time of year again... with Spring lurking just around the corner comes the threat of short skirts, sleeveless t-shirts and - to be dreaded most - bikini season! After having hibernated for three months, five if you live in Ireland, we wake up and realise our bodies are completely inadequate to be exposed to daylight and the public eye. So we make our yearly resolutions to "get out more", go to the gym, run before work and just "be active".

Now, I don't know about you, but when I go running it does not look like the lovely lady in this picture... There is nothing serene about me running. I'm a graceless, fat-wobbling, huffing and puffing, red-faced, sweaty mess... But alas, if we can't look good while doing sport, at least we can feel good about the clothes we do it in. So here are some of the brands that not only care about selling neon coloured sweatbands and stretchy pants, but also about the people that made them and the world they're made in.

Outdoor and Running

Patagonia

Patagonia produce outdoor and sportswear to dress you on your rock-climbing, off-piste skiing, or fly fishing adventures. From as early on as 1985, they have invested in protecting and rebuilding the world we're destroying. Patagonia are open about the footprint of their goods, support local and international initiatives, such as the World Trout Initiative, and they invest 1% of their sales back into our planet. Over the years, they have invested over $46 million in grassroots environmental groups and are encouraging other businesses to do the same. 

Patagonia also pledged itself to the Common Threads partnership in an attempt to work with its customers to reduce waste and bring about a more sustainable way of living. Watch this beautiful video, to find out more:

Yew

Yew create women's and men's running and active wear out of 100% recycled polyester and organic cotton. The polyester is recycled out of post-consumer waste, meaning the t-shirt you buy was probably at one point a soft drink bottle!

Their prices are very affordable and they do free UK delivery. Unfortunately their range is quite limited and they mainly sell t-shirts, tops and jumpers. 

Nike, Puma & New Balance

Big brands such as Nike, Puma, New Balance and others have since jumped on the eco-bandwagon and are investing in more sustainable business practices. You may have seen this yourself, but some of the Nike gear now has tags on it claiming that 70% of the materials used in this garment are recycled. Both Puma and Nike have launched shoe recycle campaigns; Nike's is called Worn Out. Play On. and Puma's is the Bring Me Back campaign. The idea behind both is the same; you drop your old runners or trainers into the recycle bin provided in their shop, they are sliced up, ground up and the materials re-used to build athletic tracks, football fields and playground surfacing. 

The sports label New Balance has taken steps against the trend to manifacture cheaply in Asian countries and are producing part of their line in the US and the UK. Their Made in UK sports shoe collection is produced in their factory in Flimby, Cumbria, which employs over 210 people. Unfortunately, the collection is limited to men's shoes only so far.

With big labels such as these, I always find it difficult to know how much of it is just paying lip-service to a current trend, but at least the big ones are aware that eco-friendly and ethically made goods is what consumers want. 

Yoga

Asquith London & Gossypium

Among other things, Asquith and Gossypium sell a range of organic and ethically made yoga clothing. These mainly consist of stretchy and very very comfortable looking pants and tops in various colours. Compared to Asquith, Gossypium's range is a bit more limited. Asquith's garments are all manufactured in the family-run factory in Southern Turkey and they guarantee fair wages and treatment of employees. Gossypium work with various fairtrade enterprises and factories in India and England. Both companies use sustainable fabrics, such as organic cotton and bamboo.

Football

We live in a nation of football lovers. Football is truly everywhere. However, the sport, and the balls in particular, have attracted a lot of negative publicity in recent times, when it was revealed that the millions of sports balls we kick about daily are hand-stitched by children in in-human conditions. So here are two alternatives where you can purchase your football and keep a clean conscience: 

Senda Athletics and Fair Corp both produce fairtrade certified sportsballs. While Senda seems to only focus on footballs, Fair Corp also sells volleyballs and rugby balls. 

So this year why not purchase some ethical and sustainable sportswear to help you on your way to fitness and that bikini body? Consider it your first step and you won't have to train for the rest of the week!

Do you know any other ethical or sustainable sports labels? Let me know!

Esthetica @ London Fashion Week

With London Fashion Week just over, let's have a taste of what is going on in the high-end fashion world regarding fairtrade and sustainable fashion. Founded by the British Fashion Council, Esthetica has been promoting eco-friendly, sustainable and ethical fashion at London Fashion week for six years now. This year 14 cutting-edge designers have been showing their work at Esthetica. All designers wanting to show at esthetica must adhere to at least one of the three Esthetica principles of fairtrade, ethical practices and using organic or recycled materials.

Image by Goodone

Goodone are one of the labels that has shown their work at the Esthetica fashion fair at London Fashion week this year. The lable produces easy, wear-able pieces "with a humorous twist," and specialises in up-cycling. The label combines new British and sustainable fabrics with reclaimed textiles. In their 2013 Autumn/Winter collection for instance they re-imagined traditional Aran knitted jumpers, which you can have a look at here.

Designer Liora Lasselle was the winner of this years Esthetica/Veolia Resource competition. Veolia is the UK's leading recycle and waste management company. You may know the name from having seen it on public transport or high-vis jackets. The aim of the competition is to find a fashion student to develop creative and sustainable solutions in fashion. The gorgeous video below shows the Liora Lasselle Wig and Triangle collection designed re-using high-end textile waste such as vintage lace and upcycling old high-vis jackets from Veolia.

The North Circular is another of the design labels that showed at Esthetica this year. The North Circular creates beautiful and modern knitwear and it's all hand-made in the UK, from the sheep to the knitting. Using the wool of Wensleydale Longwool sheep, their pieces are knitted by lovely mums and grannies from around the UK, such as Gran Eileen. The label is so personal, it will even tell you who knitted your garment. Find out more about them by watching the video below.

image by the North Circular

Another favourite of mine is Beautiful Soul. I especially love their feminine and elegant dresses in gorgeous bold prints. Beautiful Soul uses luxurious, high-quality British-made and sustainable fabrics in their collections. Watch the video to see just how lovely the results are:

Did you visit or follow London Fashion Week? What was your favourite moment/ designer/ piece?

Scouting the Highstreet: Monsoon

We are back with another Scouting the Highstreet, the series where I go in search for fairtrade, ethically made and sustainable clothes in our Highstreet shops. This week we are investigating Monsoon, the emporium of flowy garments and hippie-chic, and it isn't looking bad, not bad at all. 

Inspired by the traditional craft and colourful block-printed fabrics he saw on his travels through India, Peter Simon launched Monsoon and struck a chord with shoppers. There was nothing similar available in Britain at the time, Simon informs the Sunday Times. The first Monsoon shop opened as a small boutique in London in 1973. It and its sister store Accessorize are now a global chain to be found in almost every city with 400 stores in the UK and more than 600 world-wide. The model in the very first Monsoon campaign was none other than Jane Seymour, Bond actress and Simon's girlfriend at the time.

Jane Seymour modelling for Monsoon in the 1970s, Sunday Times

Monsoon has started taking steps towards more ethical fashion very early on. In 1994 the company launched the Monsoon Accessorize Trust, which helps disadvantaged communities in Asia by providing education, health services and income generating projects. Watch the video here if you want to find out more!

Monsoon was also one of the founding members of the Ethical Trading Initiative, signing the coalition in 1999. The ETI is an alliance of companies, trade unions and voluntary organisations who work together to improve the conditions of the poor and vulnerable across the globe. In 2010, Monsoon was awarded 'Leader' status by the ETI.
The company also funds the Esthetica ethical fashion section at London Fashion Week.


Monsoon is certainly proud of its ethical stance. In 2011 it launched the LOVE collection, an acronym that stands for the company motto: Living Our Values and Ethics since 1973.
Simon believes in trade rather than aid as a means to decrease poverty; by providing trade in small consistent and fair forms, women can be enabled to have steady incomes and plan for the future.

"Fashion can be beautiful and desirable and still be sustainable. Everyone has a conscience and consumers will appreciate knowing what their clothes stand for."

Shailina Parti, design director at Monsoon

Monsoon still uses a lot of natural fabrics along-side polyester and other synthetics, but to compete in the Highstreet, the company does not invest fully in organic fabrics. Although Monsoon is not strictly speaking fairtrade and  mainline garments are still mass-produced, the company has launched a fairtrade and sustainable range. The Boutique Range was developed with SEWA, a women's support group and trade union for home workers in India, and provides customers with colourful hand-crafted gifts and home wares. Most of the Boutique producers are members of the World Fairtrade Organisation and the Boutique range aims to be more sustainable by up-cycling and re-using fabric cut-offs.

You can find a Monsoon in Belfast in the cool out-door Victoria Square Shopping Centre and in Dublin on red-brick Grafton Street.

Sneak Peak at my Wardrobe

Hello my dear blog readers. I hope you enjoyed last week's post by my lovely sister. If you've missed it,  make sure to go and check it out. It's well worth a read.
I've been going on my own challenge to only buy fairtrade, second-hand or vintage clothing for a almost four months now and so far I've been doing pretty well! I have to confess, I've had one slip-up. I accidentally bought a band t-shirt at a gig! I have no idea where and how it was made, but as my husband pointed out, by buying it I did support a very good native indie band. That made me feel better. (They're called the Staves and they're amazing - in case you're interested.)

So this week I'm granting you all a little sneak peak at my wardrobe, showing off some of my favourite vintage, second-hand and fairtrade pieces that I gathered over the years and especially within the last four months.

Let's start out with these two... on the left we have a very cool Jack Wills tartan blazer that I snatched up a few weeks ago in Rusty Zip, a cool local vintage & second-hand place. And I paid all of £15 for it. Ka-ching! The sparkly 80's top I bought a while ago in a vintage shop in Temple Bar, Dublin. I love the black & gold diamond shaped sequin patches and it has become my go-to piece for any night out.

The blue hand-bag below is also vintage, although I don't remember what year its from. I got it on a trip to Edinburgh last year. The shop is called Armstrongs and I think there's a few dotted over the city. If you're ever in Edinburgh, you have to go and visit this shop. My girlfriends and I were in there for ages!

The coral dress is from Peopletree (I know I keep going on about them). The pattern on it are actually small dragonflies. I got it in a sale and only payed about a tenner for it I think. So you can get fairtrade clothes on the cheap!

The little blouse is originally from Monsoon. I found it in the Oxfam on Stephen's Green, Dublin. This shop didn't use to sell clothes, but now has an excellent selection of second-hand pieces.
And then there is the floral dress, ah the dress! It's 70's and I bought it ages ago at a Vintage fair at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire. I love it - the husband hates it! You know, the usual... anyways I don't wear it enough and have just decided I'll wear it lots this year. The vintage fairs in Royal Marine are also well worth a visit. Watch out for them, they seem to happen every now and again. I'm sure, once a new one is announced you can find out about it here.

Last but certainly not least, especially in the current 0°C weather, comes my wonderful green Hippie Coat. Its real leather, cozy warm and has a huge hood to protect me from the wind and rain. It's also from the 70's and I got it on the same trip to Edinburgh in Armstrongs. Seriously - you have to go to that shop!

But enough of me. I want to hear from you! I'm launching a blog event called My Favourite Piece and I need your help. Send in a picture of you and your favourite piece and I'll feature it on the blog. Whether it's vintage, second-hand, fairtrade, recycled or home stitched does not matter - as long as its sustainable and ethical and you absolutely love it! Include a little bit about yourself too and why this item of clothing means so much to you.  Maybe someone special bought it for you as a gift? Maybe it makes you feel gorgeous? Maybe Ryan Gosling slept in it for a night? Whatever it is, let us know!
Email all contributions to fair.enough.the.blog@gmail.com

I'll include as many of your stories and pictures as possible on the blog at the beginning of February.
Thanks,
Sarah

The Weather Outside is Frightful!

Happy New Year World! Let's hope that 2013 will be the year of real change in the fashion industry towards ethically produced and fair fashion!

I'm back in Belfast after my Christmas visit to Dublin and it's rather chilly and VERY windy here! So I thought I'd devote this blog post to wrapping up ethically, i.e. where to find gorgeous fair trade hats, scarfs and gloves etc.. I myself have recently lost my favourite and almost only hat, so am currently on the search for a replacement. 

One place where you can get gorgeous knitted accessories is Lowie. For over ten years, Lowie has been selling intricately hand-knitted and embroidered clothes using organic materials and ensuring their workers get paid fairly. They for instance make these luxury knee-high socks, hand-knitted out of mohair wool.

Navy Mohair Knee Socks by Lowie

Or this gorgeous set of a scarf and finger-less mittens with a thistle and flower motif:

 

Mohair Lacy Beanie

I myself was tempted by this cozy little hat in a similar style to the socks above... unfortunately Lowie's prices are rather at the upper limit for my budget, especially just after Christmas. I can't afford to spend £40 on a hat or almost £50 on socks. However, if you're looking for a luxury fair trade gift for someone, Lowie is absolutely the place to go!

So my search for a fair trade hat continues. The next place I checked out was Bibico, an ethical clothing brand whose clothes are produced in fair trade cooperatives. Bibico's style is simple and very relaxed and they sell beautiful dresses, tops, cardigans and also some accessories. 

If you're like me and your feet are always cold, then maybe these hand-knitted woolen leg-warmers are the thing for you.

Irene Warmers by Bibico

In case hats are not your thing but you want your ears to stay warm in the chilly winter wind, then Bibico also make these crochet hair bands. This one is on sale at the moment and you can snatch it up for just £10!

Nassed crochet hair band

Unfortunately the hat I had set my eyes on was all sold out. Oh well, on goes the search, next stop: Peopletree. Peopletree is possibly one of the biggest fair trade fashion houses in the world. If you want to find out more about peopletree, check out my recent post about them. Apart from stylish clothes they also sell lots of cosy and colourful accessories to keep you warm. Here's a selection:

Accessories by Peopletree

Orla Kiely Stone Hat

I absolutely fell in love with this cute bobble hat designed by Orla Kiely. You wouldn't believe my excitement when I saw it was on sale! But luck wasn't on my side today; I soon found out that this hat is out of stock as well *sigh*.

In the end I went onto Oxfam's website and ordered a nice second-hand hat that was originally from warehouse and only cost me a fiver. And this would be my last suggestion on finding warm winter accessories: check your local charity shops or visit oxfam. Their online shop has lots of cool items, including nice vintage things. I know its not fair trade, but it's second-hand. So you're reducing waste and you're supporting a charity!

If you're looking for something quirky and you don't mind whether your gloves match or not, then there's this fun project by Do the Green Thing called Glove Love. Here abandoned single gloves find new partners. Find out more by watching this glove success story:

Do you know any places that sell or make great fair trade hats, scarves, gloves, socks to keep you warm in those winter days? Have you found a treasure at a second-hand shop or do you make your own? Let us know...