News | Eighteen Rabbit Fair Trade

News

Hay Festival Approaches as the Literary World Descends on Hay

by Andrew Williams | May 22, 2019 | 0 Comments

It's that time of year again! At the end of this week, the literary world will descend on Hay for ten days of entertainment, education and inspiration. We are looking forward to welcoming all of you who are visiting our beautiful town. 

We were delighted to be featured in a preview of the Festival in the i newspaper - 

There is so much to see in Hay over the Festival, but here are a few of our highlights from the programme...

Friend of the shop, Richard King, is doing a few events this year to support his new book, "The Lark Ascending." Catch him in conversation with Peter Florence. 

King of American Noir fiction, James Ellroy is in Hay over the second weekend.

Music maestro and celebrity vegan, Moby will be talking through his memoirs - turns out he wasn't always so clean living :) 

Live music highlights include the Waterboys and the Gypsy Kings, but we'll be at the front of the queue for Ezra Furman on Tuesday night. 

Bring on the Sunshine With New Tees!

by Andrew Williams | May 08, 2019 | 0 Comments

It's a bit wet and miserable here in Hay on Wye as I write this, but we are already looking forward to sunnier weather :) To help get you in the mood we've just had some new tees in from Beth at Boodle. 

This new design called "Murmuration" is sure to be a big hit over the summer. We also have some classic designs back in all sizes...

This "Mountain Bear" design is back in small to XL - great for outdoors types!

As well as our unisex tees, we also have some fitted tops for women:

This "Under the Sea" design is perfect for eco-conscious sun lovers!

Zero Waste Club

by Andrew Williams | May 01, 2019 | 0 Comments

Recycling, plastic and pollution are on everyone's minds at the moment, and we were delighted to be approached by Zero Waste Club to start stocking their products. We've started with straws, toothbrushes and soap, and hope to expand the range over time. 

The straws come in a pack of two - made of sustainable bamboo. 

The toothbrushes are also bamboo, with a tree planted for every pack purchased!

The olive oil soap is vegan, and paraben and palm oil-free - just a great, natural bar. 

Let us know what you think and if you'd like to see more similar products.

News from Sri Lanka

by Andrew Williams | April 24, 2019 | 0 Comments

Like many of you, we have watched in horror the news coming out of Sri Lanka this week. It seems inconceivable that innocent civilians have been targeted in such a way during Easter week. 

One of our best-loved suppliers, Lanka Kade, are based in Sri Lanka. Mercifully, as far as they are able to tell, none of their workers have been directly affected by the attack. I believe they are mostly based in the north of the island, away from big cities such as Colombo. Nevertheless, given the scale of the casualties, it is inevitable that some friends and family will have suffered injuries or been killed. 

A Lanka Kade ark as part of our window display a few years ago.

You can keep up with the latest news from Lanka Kade by following their Instagram feed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those suffering in Sri Lanka.

Cyclone Idai

by Andrew Williams | April 10, 2019 | 0 Comments

While our domestic headlines read like a particularly convoluted extract from "Yes, Minister," the very real suffering of thousands of people in southern Africa is sadly being ignored. It's just over a month since Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, and the region is still in desperate need of help. 

Cholera and malaria are now a real threat in the area, as a lack of fresh drinking water combines with people being forced into cramped and crowded conditions to make outbreaks more likely. 

The Disasters Emergency Committee has now launched an appeal for aid for the survivors of one of the worst natural disasters in modern times. DEC brings together 14 aid agencies in a combined effort to direct relief to where it is most needed, and their representatives include Oxfam, Tearfund, Save the Children and the Red Cross. 

Please take a break from Brexit and give whatever you can to help alleviate this terrible disaster.