Fashionably Fair-Trade

Adili.com is one of the growing number of stores that are realizing the buying power of ethical and eco-friendly consumers. But in saying that, purists may want to steer clear. This is because the online boutique features brands that vary in their definitions of ethical. For example, I looked into shoes pictured by Terra Plana, and found out why their company is ethical:

"All Terra Plana women’s footwear is lightweight which is an essential component of eco design – therefore their footwear is less energy consuming & easier to ship around the world"

Now I'm aware that making lightweight footwear is one more positive step, but I don't think that qualifies the company as ethical. However, Adili.com still sells brands that are one step closer to sustainability.

One example is the brand Ciel, which uses materials like hemp and silk in creating luxurious fabrics with low wash temperatures. What I like about them is that they create timeless designs that will last every season in their 'future heirloom' range, and can be handed down to the next generation.

The brand has attracted a celebrity following with ecofabulous stars such as Cate Blanchett and Sienna Miller shopping there. The line is available in designer boutiques countrywide.

Suit Into Loot

My favourite charity TRAID has come up with yet another ecofabulous idea, known as the Suit into Loot campaign. It's pretty self-explanatory, the lovely people at TRAID hand out jute bags to put your unwanted clothing in, and they collect it. This scheme operates in offices in Canary Wharf and the City, and the charity claims they get very high quality cast-offs that fly off the rails in their more fashion-forward outlets.

The scheme is open to any London businesses, local authorities, and not for profit organisations. If you're interested in the scheme, then contact sarah.jones@london-recycling.co.uk or call 020 7511 800. Yet again, I lament the fact that I don't live in London :(.

Happy recycling!

TRAID Turns Trash into Treasure

Have you ever seen those clothing recycling bins around your city and wondered what happened to the contents? It may end up in the shop window of TRAID, a charity that, well, I'll let them explain:

"TRAID (Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development) is a charity committed to protecting the environment and reducing world poverty through recycling and delivering educational programmes and campaigning within the UK. Funds raised by TRAID through the collection and sale of reclaimed clothing and shoes help to divert waste from landfill and fund sustainable development projects in some of the poorest regions of the world."

So, clothes are taken from one of 900 bins around the country and transported to the central warehouse for hand sorting. Different styles go to different areas of the country (with varying price tags). Clothes beyond repair are reconstructed into new pieces and sold under the label TRAIDremade. These pieces follow the trends of the season but are also fresh and completely original. This is especially refreshing when we are living in an age where shopping chains dominate the high street, and unique boutiques are few and far between.

The downside is that there are only 9 stores in the country, mostly concentrated in London (find your nearest store here: http://www.traid.org.uk/shopat.html). Frustratingly, there's a store on the very street I grew up and where my dad still lives, and I have always dismissed it as another charity shop!

There are no shortage of charity or thrift stores in this country, but this seems to me one of the few where you don't have to sort the trash from the treasures. Where else can you buy original, good quality clothing on the high-street that easily? I eagerly anticipate the openings of TRAID store all over the country as a fresh alternative to identikit fashion. Until then, I'll have to pack a bigger suitcase on my next visit to North London.

Can you be a fashion lover and eco-warrior?

After just finishing the fantastic 'Green is the New Black' by Tamsin Blanchard, I have resolved to put my (somewhat depleted) buying power to good use. This book is for any woman who wants to give her wardrobe an ethical makeover, or for anyone who just isn't aware of how our shopping habits are devastating the planet. If Ms Blanchard should be reading this, I would like her to know that she has converted me.

Deep down, I think I've always known that £6 jeans and £12 coats have their dodgy side. Aside from the working conditions of the people who make them, they're so cheap it's just not worth getting a button repaired or a hem stitched. So they end up in landfill. Being a student, I know that sometimes, Primark and George at Asda are the finest we can afford.

But I'm determined to make a difference with my fashion choices, and maybe save some money in the process. Hopefully, with this blog I'll show others that it's much easier than you might think!