World Fairtrade Day

Just a reminder that ‘when we know better we do better.

Supporting companies with fairtade and ethical policies does help.

Consider also the health benefits for workers from ‘GOTS’- Global Organic Textile Standard producing factories, they do not have to be exposed to toxic chemicals like azo dyes, pesticides in the cotton and formaldehyde and we ALL benefit from that.



We recently were invited ( thanks to Shona: the ethical entrepreneur) to have a stall at World Fairtrade Day in our city, Perth, Western Australia. Sorry no photo yet.

It was a fantastic day interspersed with some serious discussion! Got to meet an amazingly talented fairtrade ethical eco fashion designer Charlene. We now have in stock her recycled denim crocheted wraps that come with a wonderful story behind them.

Babette

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Organic Cotton Clothing: The Luxury You Can Feel…

The world is changing, fast. Everywhere you look, you see manifestations of technological advancements. For in fact, in the last couple of years, society has tremendously evolved.

Changes have been created to facilitate better and easier production of necessities. One such necessity is clothing. But all change is not good. With the advent of easier and faster clothing production come the ill-effects of modern science to ecological balance.

Today, one of the booming businesses is cotton and textile production. Clothing is necessary so the demand is undeniably always present. But would it be better that while we cater to our demand, we also take care of our environment? For this part, there is a solution. And it is called organic cotton clothing.

Organic cotton clothing is simply a material made from organic cotton — produced through organic farming, without the use of chemicals and pesticides. Cotton clothing has currently been becoming popular worldwide. Not just because it is environment-friendly, but also because it is very comfortable to wear. And people love to wear comfort. Who doesn’t?

Cottons may also come in different types. Each type possesses something that it can boast. For example, one type of cotton, called Canton cotton, is the heavier. It is best suited for sweaters, which is popular during winter and fall. While it may be strong and difficult to pull apart, it is still soft and comfortable to wear.

Another type of cotton that is lighter than Canton cotton is cotton twill. This type is also suitable during fall, but still contains the soft feature of cotton.

Bamboo cotton is also another type. As the name suggests, the material comes from the bamboo, which has a smooth quality similar to silk, added with organic cotton. It is chemical-free and all natural. It is best not only for the skin but also for the environment.

Honeycomb cotton is another type. This is lightweight and dries quickly. There is also the Egyptian cotton, which features longer and thinner fibers best for creating strong yarn and nice fabrics. Lastly, there’s also the medium-weight Oxford Chambray.

Besides featuring smoothness, these cottons only spell one more thing: the feeling of luxury. Once worn, it does not only give you comfort but a sense of pride, too. It generates pride because through it you’ve promoted ways to preserve the ecological balance and has become a consumer of products that have been painstakingly made from farmers who stuck to holistic approach in harvesting cotton. And because materials for making such cotton abound all around, most of these clothing are cheap. So this can also be rightfully called cheap luxury that anyone can afford to wear.

And once you own that luxurious cotton material, you would always want to preserve its quality as best as you can. So here are some useful tips on how to care for organic cotton:

1. When washing, look for the wash cycle. Follow the cycle as prescribed. Then avoid fabric-eating industrial detergents. They might work best on polyester or artificial cotton, but not for your organic cotton. Use organic detergents instead.

2. When repairing your clothes, it would be best to use organic threads as well.

3. Ironing will also need a different strategy. You might have been used to holding irons on clothes for a longer time. With organic cotton clothing, try holding the iron for a shorter time and then gradually work your way up until you discover the best timing.

4. When stained, try the organic ways of clearing that smear from your cotton. First use lemon juice or zest. You can also use organic table salt. Only resort to other ways when you’ve exhausted the organic types of clearing stains from cotton.

In short, caring for organic cotton clothing simply means doing it organically!

So why not indulge luxury the organic way? Try organic cotton clothing and help save the environment while flaunting that desired comfort!

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Eco Fashion is Growing Fast!

Nowadays, we hear a lot about "going green" and being gentle to our environment. This movement is hitting the fashion industry and we are starting to see more and more so called "eco fashion designers" designing ethical and sastainable clothing line. 

Here is the video featuring on those young eco fashion designers (sisters) doing a pretty good job. Good on them!

 

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Eco-Fashion: The Hottest Trend on the Runway

I’m a fashion fan, and I myself am a fashion gaga. I usually go for what is comfortable to wear. I put fashion with the clothes I am wearing even if it’s just jeans and a simple T-shirt. Although, I’m a fashion geek, I haven’t heard much about Eco-fashion but when I researched and read an article about it, I was amazed. I found out that Eco-fashion can help us be friendly with Mother Earth.

I found out that going green, which doesn’t mean you have to wear green, can be trendy, hot and sexy. Mostly, I wear sexy cotton blouse which is very comfortable for any given season and occasion. But, have you ever thought that what you’re wearing might actually cause a terrible health condition?

Eco-fashion is referred to stylized clothes that are environment-friendly. As, the nonprofit STEP or Sustainable Technology Education Project defines Eco-Fashion as clothes "that take into account the environment, the health of consumers and the working conditions of people in the fashion industry."

Eco-Fashion is the hottest trend these days. Why? It is unique and aside from that it helps us to reduce the damage of the nature. Eco-fashion clothes are made from organic raw materials like cotton grown without pesticides and silk made by worms that are fed on organic trees which help us reduce the damage to the environment, animals and our health.

Eco-fashion does not use any harmful ingredients such as chemicals and bleaches to color fabrics. This is good for those who have allergies with unnatural colored clothes. It is usually made from recycled and re-used textiles. We can even use and keep it longer because it is a high-quality garment made from second-hand clothes and even recycled plastic bottles. Who are making these clothes? Eco-fashion clothes are made by people who have a decent working condition. And they are being paid fairly.

For us to know, whether the clothes we are wearing are made with Eco-friendly clothes, they will be using an eco-labeling system which is being established to show that the clothes have been made in an environment-friendly way.

Many famous top Fashion Designers are now using Eco-friendly clothes such as Uber-cool Heatherette designer Richie Rich who have shown his masterpiece using a stunning pink-and-yellow skirt that is made from corn.

And one of the many fashion designers that are now using Eco-Friendly clothes is Designer Linda Loudermilk who uses exotic plants including bamboo, sea shells, soya and sasawashi, a fabric made with Japanese paper and the kumazasa herb that contains anti-bacterial properties and anti-allergen, in her "luxury eco" clothing and accessories. She also creates natural themes on each season like her recent one being an oceanic motif.

As you can see, Eco-fashion allows you to wear fashionable clothes while keeping the environment healthy. It is one way of saving our surroundings from further manmade pollution and damage. In addition, we are also helping the fashion industry workers to be paid fairly and not having to undergo the so called “sweat shops.”