From car tyres to flip flops – reusing rubber to make stylish shoes
Discarded tyres are an eco-menace, taking hundreds of years to decompose, but around the world some manufacturers are recycling these old tyres into fashion statements, by turning them into stylish flip flops. With Brazil often considered the home of the flip flop, it shouldn’t be surprising that one of these companies is based in Rio de Janeiro. With an estimated 20 million tyres a year discarded in Brazil, footwear company Amazon is finding innovative ways to reuse old tyres. It collects, chips and reforms tyres into eco-friendly and fashionable sandals and flip flops, making these some of the greenest shoes around. Combining recycling and fair trade, Rebearth eco-friendly fair trade sandals are made by a collective of workers in Nairobi, Kenya. These workers take old tyres and cut and mould them by hand, combining with locally grown organic cotton and unworn recycled leather to create simple, stylish shoes that are easy on your feet and your conscience.
Of course, it’s not just rubber and leather that can be recycled in this way, and large manufacturers are also getting in on the idea. Take Levi, who now produce affordable, stylish and eco-friendly trainers made from old pairs of Levi jeans. As each pair of shoes differs slightly according to the source material, they are totally unique, so they’re good for the planet and good for your image!
Recycling car parts – from high fashion to life saving products
Handbags made out of licence plates may sound crazy, but company LittleEarth is turning old car parts into eco-fashion. Even with the rise of greener motoring solutions such as the Nissan Leaf and Toyota Prius, motoring remains one of the least environmentally friendly – but generally most necessary – pastimes. But around the world people are making an eco-virtue of this necessity. LittleEarth was founded in 1993 to recycle old car parts to create beautiful and fashionable bags. They use old American licence plates to create beautiful, stylish metal bags that retail at around £100-200, and are perfect for a night on the town. They come in a range of styles, with some making a design virtue of their origins, while others – such as the ‘More Shoes’, ‘Lace Wallpaper’ or ‘Cocktail Time’ bags – are designed to be more high fashion. Each one comes with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity, so you can be sure your gorgeous handbag really is made from recycled car parts. With party season fast approaching, they are the perfect winter accessory.
If all this sounds too frivolous, it’s good to hear that ethical design collective Design That Matters has been working on a way to use recycled car parts to build neo-natal incubators for developing countries, and has already delivered a prototype for further development. So from fashion to health, the by-products – and waste products – of the motor industry are being reused for eco-friendly purposes, and that’s something we can all get behind.
Green is the New Noir – Fair Trade fashion hits the catwalks
While ethically made, Fair Trade products are becoming increasingly popular, Fair Trade fashion still has struggled to shake off its slightly dowdy image. Some mainstream, high street retailers such as New Look and Marks and Spencer now stock organic cotton items alongside their main ranges, but for many people, the words Fair Trade fashion conjure up tie-dyed clothing, shapeless smocks and twee print dresses. This could be changing as, more and more, high end designers are recognising that there is a market for stylish, well-made clothing that is both fashion forward and ethically made. Set up by Peter Ingwersen and aimed strictly at the luxury end of the market, Noir is a high fashion brand that doesn’t compromise on either style or social conscience. Pieces include beautifully made shirts, tuxedo jackets and tops, proving ethically made doesn’t need to be ugly.
At the more affordable end of the scale, People Tree has done a lot to help shake off Fair Trade’s frumpy image, offering smart design at high street price. Fair trade jewellery, too, has moved away from its ‘hippy image’, with brands like Made and Fifi Bijoux making stylish, ethically produced and – most importantly from the fashion point of view – wearable pieces. Made’s design partnerships with celebrities like Peaches Geldof is also helping bring Fair Trade to a younger audience.
Organic Fortnight at the Ethical Superstore
The Soil Association’s Organic Fortnight finishes this weekend, but there is still time to scoop up a bargain at the Ethical Superstore. This eco-retailer is holding an Organic Fortnight promotion, offering up to 20% off selected groceries. Many of these are also available in good value multi-buy offers also – and there’s free delivery on all orders over £60. The Soil Association is keen to show that not only is buying organic better for the planet, it doesn’t have to be expensive – with smart shopping, you can still bag a bargain, and the Ethical Superstore’s range starts from under £1! But organic isn’t only about food – cotton production is one of the most chemical intensive processes in the world, so buying organic cotton can make a huge difference. From bedlinen to dresses, underwear, t-shirts and children’s clothes, there’s now a huge range of organic products available – you can even now buy organic cotton mattresses! And don’t forget beauty products – the humble cotton wool pad or baby wipe – as buying organic versions of these will also help reduce the amount of chemicals that are used. And it’s not just specialist eco-retailers like Ethical Superstore who are promoting organic goods – big high street names like Marks and Spencer are getting in on the act. They now sell a range of organic clothing and household goods (including curtains). Plus, you can buy a stylish organic shopper to carry it all home in…
Fair Trade Gets Fashionable
As awareness of the plight suffered by many in the ‘Third World’ increases, choosing Fair Trade products has become a popular trend among consumers in developed nations. The economy of Fair Trade produce ensures that workers in developing countries receive a relatively comfortable working environment with fair rates of pay and social security. Furthermore, a significant proportion of Fair Trade profits is driven back into the local community that produced the goods, so not only does such trade become sustainable but the future of developing nations becomes a little more secure.
With the recent news that Fair Trade products in the UK have just broken into the beauty care market, it is timely to discuss the continuing growth of Fair Trade fashion accessories. Indeed, various accessories including pendants and bracelets are produced by workers in countries such as India in addition to those across Asia, South America and Africa. Hand crafted goods are typically produced to a very high standard in such places by workers who rely on such trade to support themselves and their families. For some of these workers, the extra money earned from producing Fair Trade accessories can make the difference between eating or not eating or being able to put a child through school. Therefore, the importance of buying Fair Trade fashion accessories should never be undervalued.
Fair Trade goods have long since thrown off their worthy but dull image. Lingerie brand Pants to Poverty do a selection of fun, trendy Fair Trade and organic underwear, while fair trade brand Made has commissioned pieces by young celebrities such as Peaches Geldof to appeal to a younger demographic. At the higher end of the market, designers such as Fifi Bijoux specialise in well-crafted precious metal pieces and fine jewellery. Furthermore, Fair Trade accessories are often highly sought after for their rich attention to detail and splendid decorative charms. Goblin charm bracelets, tutti frutti necklaces and a range of sparkling pendants are staple items of such trade, whilst stylish handbags made of recycled materials are increasingly in demand. Fair Trade shopping bags are also becoming more popular as people cut down their usage of plastic bags.
