Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 8

Teaching today so required to be smart. Another Skunkfunk skirt with lovely asymmetric stitched panel, worn with a People Tree polo-neck jumper and Terra Plana shoes. I can't remember where the necklace came from but the ear-rings are hand made using Tibetan beads, purchased from a craft stall while visiting friends in Australia in January.

Skirt detail, stitched pattern

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 7

Navy fair trade clerical shirt from Butler & Butler, navy linen skirt and turquoise fish ear-rings from Traidcraft, and my new, very comfortable, Vivobarefoot navy and turquoise shoes. A real bargain in the sale, even if people were surprised to see me in flat shoes!

But let's talk about knickers! I have been wearing ethical ones all week - but haven't mentioned them since Day 1 when I introduced you to my new find of Kerala Crafts. All the profits from their sale of fair trade knickers (and colourful men's boxers) are ploughed back into supporting projects for rescued girls and marginalised women.
Today's are a pair by Peau Ethique which only just come second place (to Pants to Poverty) in the Ethical Consumer guide to underwear. Based in France (so their own website is in French) they make bras, nightwear and knickers as well as pants for men too. They can be purchased in England from By Nature, who also stock men's and women's items available from German company Living Crafts. All of those I have purchased from these three manufacturers are made of far better quality cotton jersey than the current standard from the 'usual go-to high street supplier'. The most recent purchase from Living Crafts does have a loopy edge to the elastic that I think might catch, but a previous pair is lasting extremely well. Keep an eye open for sales from suppliers, which makes the purchase price more reasonable. Natural Collection also stock underwear by Braintree, but I cannot comment on that having never tried it.
The really beautiful knicker manufacturers sadly folded last year having not been able to sustain the business. 'Who Made Your Pants' was based in Southampton and provided training and jobs for refugee and asylum seeking women, utilising waste from the high-end lingerie industry. You can still read about them online (see for example this Oxfam blog), and ended by donating their remaining pants to women incarcerated in Yarlswood detention centre. The founder, Becky, is still keen to find a way to make this work - fair trade has got to work in ways that are not only about people in lower income countries manufacturing (however well paid and safely) for rich people elsewhere.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 6

I attended the first session of a series of workshops in Bedford Archives today as part of a Textile Arts project entitled 'Weaving Narratives'. We had been warned it might not be warm so I was searching out thick clothing and realised I knitted this jumper with handspan wool from Botswana. This was a newly set up project for local income generation when I was there in the 1980s. Here it is worn with a pair of bamboo Monkee Genes and my comfortable blue Conker buckle shoes (looks like they don't make this style any more).
There is debate about the ethics of bamboo fibre - it grows fast, but does require energy and chemicals to produce - it is a 'regenerated cellulose fibre', which basically means the plant is chemically mushed down and then extruded to create the fibre. However the plant grows fast and doesn't require the pesticide use or water supplies of cotton and the fibre does hold colour and shape well - these jeans haven't worn on the knees .... yet! Bamboo Clothing are in favour, Patagonia are not.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 5

Back to the plum Monkee Genes cords today, with a white Bishopston shirt, red Nomads cardigan lined with print fabric, red Conker bar sandals, red Elvis and Kresse belt from recycled fire-hose, ear-rings from Covent Garden and an angel necklace from UKUnicorns.

Bishopston Trading Company closed down after 28years of working with the village of K V Kuppam in South India creating employment in weaving and sewing. However by then all of the workers children and been educated and many gone on to higher education, no longer wanting work in weaving or tailoring, Coupled with that we ethical purchasers in the UK were buying less. Fair Trade Fabric sold Bishopston cloth by the metre but fortunately have managed to find alternative suppliers so we sewers still have that ethical source of lovely cotton fabric in wonderful colours.

Conker Shoes website says: Conker Shoes has always been a small friendly business with a strong ethos of fair trade. Each pair of shoes is individually made especially for you.
While they may look pricey (they were about half this price when I bought mine) they really do last 'forever'. They will resole and repair - but mine have not needed it yet.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 4

Today's warm fleecy sweater dress is by People Tree (these days they seem to be calling it a 'loopback  dress', with the same Patagonia boots as before. The websites states that "People Tree is a different kind of fashion business. We give customers an alternative to fast fashion. Slow Fashion means standing up against exploitation, family separation, slum cities and pollution – all the things that make fast fashion so successful."

My scarf today is hand-painted silk by local artist, Hilary Anderson, while the ear-rings come from My Fair World, and are also hand-crafted. Part of buying ethically is to support artists and the craft skills which add value and a unique quality to items.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 3

Today's outfit comprises a lovely jersey tunic dress from Nomads. A version in a different colourway is still available in the sale! This is worn with a blue Nomads drape cardigan and cream Terra Plana Shoes. Jewellery items are local crafts.
The shoes state inside: "This shoe is made from natural and recycled materials". Terra Plana do not seem to have a website of their own any more, though I believe there is a shop in London. I have found various items for sale on the internet - but often from sites I wouldn't use! A dilemma - does one buy ethical items from an unethical source?
My friend Barb bought me the dress for Christmas - she knows my taste well! I had seen this and wondered, but wasn't sure I could justify it! While I love fashion, and buying clothes, I am aware we need to consume less for the good of the planet and its people. However, on the other hand. our purchasing does keep people employed. Somehow we need to work out an optimum balance of buying the right things at the right frequency - and there are so many factors to consider. Fair Trade Fortnight is a time to become more aware of the issues and take stock of what we can do to enable decent employment, a fair share of the earth's resources for everyone and the survival of the planet.

Fair Trade Fortnight - Day 2

Today's focus is a Skunkfunk skirt, worn with a Namaste pink blouse, a Nomads black longline cardigan and Patagonia boots.  Jewellery is via My Fair World again today as well.
I was very fortunate to get the boots in a sale - less call for size 2 maybe! Mostly an outdoor-wear brand, Patagonia's mission statement is Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis. Rather than claiming to BE a responsible brand they describe themselves as  BECOMING one, realising it is an ongoing journey.
I first came across Skunkfunk when I purchased a dress in Shimto the dress agency in St Albans (see blog post 5/8/13) and was delighted to find out about their ethics when researching the company. They hold GOTS certification and have a strong commitment to sustainability as part of their corporate responsibility. Primarily based in Spain, I am even more delighted to have found a few of their interesting pieces available from time to time in England.