by Andrew Williams |
March 31, 2014
|
We love these fair trade cutlery sets! They make a lovely gift as they come in a hemp denim carry case, and feature a bamboo knife, fork and spoon. Just the thing for summer festivals, a hike in the hills or just a picnic in the park.
Bamboo is the world's fastest growing plant, which makes it a sustainable choice for raw materials. These sets are made in China, which can be unusual for fair trade products. The couple who own the company spend part of the year living in China so they can ensure that standards for workers making these products lives up to their ethics.
Tagged:
bamboo,
China,
eighteen rabbit,
fair trade
by Andrew Williams |
March 10, 2014
|
Now we know that you are all lovely people who think about your mums all year round... but as it's Mother's Day coming up on Sunday 30th March 2014 we thought we would highlight some of our favourite products which any mother would love. It will mean all the more to her knowing that you've been making the world a fairer place at the same time as thinking of her...!
These gorgeous scarves are made in Bali using a batik process. Available in four colours they are perfect for spring, made from 100% silk.
These slouchy bags have been really popular in the shop - great for shopping round town. Lovely colours with a modern, contemporary design.
Our Jali work pendants are one of our best-selling ranges, and they're now half price! £5, were £10. Perfect as a little extra something.
However you say thank you to your Mum, we hope you have a great day! Tell her to put her feet up :)
Tagged:
2014,
fair trade,
fairtrade,
Mother's Day
by Andrew Williams |
February 23, 2014
|
Fairtrade Fortnight is almost upon us. Tomorrow sees the start of two weeks of promotion around the benefits of fair trade. We'll be doing everything we can to help spread the word and get people thinking about how they spend their hard earned cash.
The Fairtrade logo we're all familiar with is applied mostly to commodities - things like coffee, cocoa, sugar and tea, and of course bananas! While we don't sell may of those things, we believe we can still play a big role in promoting fair trade by telling the stories of the talented and creative people who produce the beautiful items we sell.
We have some great new products which have arrived just in time for Fairtrade Fortnight and will be online very soon - including beautiful scarves, a great new range of bags and some fantastic cushions and picture frames.
However you celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight, have fun and go bananas!
Tagged:
2014,
bananas,
eighteen rabbit,
fair trade,
fairtrade,
fairtrade fortnight
by Andrew Williams |
February 17, 2014
|
Fair trade should be simple. We as consumers buy things knowing that the people who have produced them have been paid fairly. But as with many supposedly straightforward ideas, it gets more complicated when you drill down into the details.
Our friend and neighbour Oliver Balch linked to this excellent piece in the Stanford Social Innovation Review which looks at a subtle yet fundamental point of difference between some of the big players. It should be said right from the beginning that both sides of the debate have their hearts in the right place. Nevertheless, it seems to have turned into something of minor schism between those who believe fair trade should be producer led or consumer led. While this may seem like a fairly esoteric distinction, these wrangles can end up distracting us from the main issue.
In the first camp, perhaps best personified by the Fairtrade Foundation in the UK, we have those who are focussed on the producers. Prices will be set to work around their margins and their needs, replenishment times will fit to their schedules, and so forth. In the other camp we have groups such as Fair Trade USA who see the fair trade revolution as being a consumer led campaign. The more consumers can be persuaded to purchase fair trade products, the better life will be for the producers, but the focus has to be on the customer - get the packaging right, make it attractive to them, get the price points right, and the products start to become mainstream.
Do we have to pick a side? No, of course not. But it may interest our customers to know where we come down on the balance sheet. For us, the focus has, and always will be, on the people who make our products. That doesn't mean we don't want more customers, or aren't interested in growing the market for fair trade products. For us, however, the imperative behind our brand is to make the world a better place. We do that (in our own small way) by choosing producers whose work we love, and who we think will inspire our customers. If we start to get sidetracked by market forces and a "race to the bottom" in pricing we'll have failed our suppliers as well as the people who buy from us.
Ultimately, it comes down to a choice between cooperation and system change vs globalisation and market forces. For us, our fair trade mission will be best served by "new laws and new governments and new policies... to change the structures of power," as Harriet Lamb of Fairtrade puts it. If we as a business can become "change agents" - influencing the debate, putting pressure on those in power for change, and informing our customers about how they can help - then perhaps we can really make a difference.
Tagged:
2014,
fair trade,
fairtrade,
harriert lamb,
oliver balch
by Andrew Williams |
February 09, 2014
|
We had a very productive trip to the "Spring Fair" show in Birmingham this week - thousands of suppliers and it was really heartening to see so many fair trade products for sale. We will have lots of exciting new stock soon, so keep checking back to find out more! Among our forthcoming new lines are...
- An incredible selection of summery womenswear which will be perfect for holidays and festivals.
- Some gorgeous scarves - great from Spring onwards and practical all year round.
- Stylish jewellery lines sourced from a new fair trade supplier in Africa.
- More of our ever popular bamboo range.
- Incredible jewellery and bags from a fair trade project in the Philippines.
We'll have all of the details on these great new lines soon! Don't forget we offer free UK shipping on all orders over £40.
Tagged:
2014,
apparel,
fair trade,
fairtrade,
spring,
spring fair
