Love the planet with a Katharine Hamnett organic cotton tote bag
Ever since she encouraged us to Choose Life in the 80s, designer Katharine Hamnett has been passionate about political and environmental causes – and she remains true to those beliefs with this stylish Katharine Hamnett ethical bag. An oversized tote made from 100% organic cotton, this Katharine Hamnett ethical bag is big enough for everything you need – whether it’s to use for all your groceries (and reduce your plastic bag consumption) or just to carry round your everyday essentials in style. The bag is available in pink and black or black and white, and further sealing its eco and ethical credentials, it is printed in the UK with water-based, eco-friendly inks that will fade after the first wash to give it a fantastic, vintage look. Katharine Hamnett is one of the first – if not the first – to bring us slogan t-shirts (she famously wore an anti-nuclear t-shirt to meet Mrs Thatcher). As one of the UK’s most influential designers, the fact that she is putting the weight of her name behind a campaign to raise awareness of injustice in the clothing industry is helping drive demand for organic cotton. This helps small farmers – who earn up to 50% more for their goods when they are organic, as this massively reduces production costs – and the environment, as non-organic cotton is one of the most chemically intensive materials to produce. So you may have grown out of dancing to Wham!, but you can still enjoy some vintage cool with this chic and eco-friendly Katharine Hamnett ethical bag.
Quality ethical products from Nkuku
For high-quality, eco-friendly fair trade gifts and homewares, look no further than Nkuku. The name comes from a village in Zambia and was inspired by the travels of the founder of this Devon-based company, which aims to promote fair trade and reward traditional artisans in Africa and India by selling their work in the UK. Examples of this include the stylish Savannah leather case, perfect as an alternative to a briefcase. The Savannah is handmade from leather and is dyed using vegetable extract and tree bark by a co-operative in Rajasthan, so you can be assured that not only is the bag eco-friendly, the workers are paid a fair wage for their work. Nkuku also sells classic leather-bound journals and photo albums, made with naturally tanned leather and recycled paper. If you’d rather use vegetarian friendly materials, Nkuku offers stylish journals and photo albums bound in hand-printed cotton paper, which come in recycled cotton boxes, or books made from recycled saris, making each one different depending on the fabric used. If you are looking for eco-friendly homewares, Nkuku produces a range of handmade cotton bed linen, printed by hand using traditional methods and wooden block printing, as well as high quality woollen throws, made from recycled wool. So you can enjoy original, beautiful things for your home while knowing you are supporting a fair trade, environmentally responsible company and helping traditional artisans profit from their skills.
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.
