Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 14 pm

I couldn't end the week without wearing one of my own makes - which also gives me a chance to talk about fair trade and ethical fabric.
So this evening's church youth event gave me a chance to wear a Wild Angel's clerical shirt in pink organic cotton from Offset Warehouse, with my Monkee Genes and the same wonderful boots as this morning. Offset was set up with the realisation that being ethical in the world of fashion is hard work and so they aim to source socially and environmentally responsible fabrics and haberdashery.

Final degree show - Inspired by Luton

The items in the cover photo on Wild Angels Facebook page were all made with Offset fabrics - dark red ahimsa (peace) silk and bamboo silk which I hand dyed and printed. And I went to a great garden party they hosted too - see blog from September 2013.


Greenfibres is also an interesting company; the dark red skirt is lined in red poplin that came from them, and I have other undyed fabric waiting to be used and made up. I have also bought organic sewing thread from them too. Their aim is to offer beautiful and useful textile products that are kind to the environment and to our health and well-being - and their range includes clothing and bed linen as well as fabric and knitting yarn.

Another source I have used frequently is Fair Trade Fabric - but more for garments made for others and for sale - I don't think I have anything made for me (yet?) in their fabric but they have recently introduced some wonderful prints ... could I risk the orange and pink circles print for trousers alongside this shirt, or would that be too much? Fair Trade fabric source cotton fabrics that help to improve the lives of poor and marginalised producers, from those who grow the cotton to those who due and weave it. They have a lovely range of colours in plains, stripes, checks and recently a range of fun prints.

Then one I discovered on the net recently, with gorgeous knitting yarn (though I haven't yet succumbed to buying any!) is Yarn Yarn which sells eco-friendly and recycled yarns handmade by women's co-operatives in India. They have a fascinating range of ribbon yarns and silk waste yarns, banana yarn ... and even spun newspaper!