May 08, 2008
New A-Z of sustainable fashion – Oxfam launches new boutiques
Stephen Jones' amazing creation for the new Oxfam boutique in Notting Hill
It couldn’t have been a sunnier, more beautiful evening to open the first of Oxfam’s new ethical fashion boutiques in Notting Hill.
Simply but elegantly fitted with the best in recycled, remade, Fair Trade and ethical fashion – you’ll really want to check it out. People Tree is the biggest Fair Trade brand there and the store offers the widest range of People Tree on the high street (for other People Tree stockists please look here)
Well done Oxfam team!!
Jane Shepherdson and the Oxfam team pulled in the support of designers Christopher Kane, Giles Deacon, Stephen Jones, Henry Holland, Richard Sorger amd Jens Laugesen to produce one off pieces to launch the restyled section, apparently fashion students will be donating recycled pieces to the new store that will sit alongside carefully selected recycled and vintage pieces, Fair Trade and ethical pieces. Profits will go to supporting Oxfam’s work
Jane admiring Christopher Kane dress
Inside there are five strands of clothing that are carefully tagged
1) Fair Trade
2) ‘Reinvented’ – reworked donated product by LCF students
3) ‘Loved for longer’; - selected donated product
4) ‘Made with Lonve’ – volunteers reworking donated product
5) ‘Good Fashion Sense’ – working towards Fair Trade and organic
Models wearing the designer’s pieces
Where to go and when the stores open:
Oxfam – 245 Westbourne Grove, W11 2SB – opens 10th May
Oxfam – 123 Shawfield Street Kings Road, Kensington and Chelsea, London, SW3 4PL opens 17th May
Oxfam – Chiswick, opens end of May …
Bring your own bag and don't forget to bring your own clothes to donate too!!
Fair Trade - Where Social Justice and Environmental Justice meet
The theme of World Fair Trade Day this May 10th is Fair Trade and the Environment, the two things People Tree feels most passionately about. On Tuesday we held a press briefing to talk to the media about how Fair Trade is building new models of sustainable trade and how these models need to be scaled up to reduce global warming and promote Social and Environmental Justice.
On Monday the devastation of the cyclone in Burma became clear with estimated loss of lives rising from 30,000 to 40,000 and even higher (this figure hides the hugeness of each precious life lost).
Global warming and climate change has meant that weather related disasters have been increasing in number and ferocity from 1,110 in the 1970’s to 2,953 between 1993-2002 and the number of people affected in the same period has risen from 740 million to 2.5 billion people (source).
The FAO estimates that our food stock piles are at a global low, forcing up food price beyond the reach of the poor and already hungry and drought is a major factor
Together with climate change an economic model that is based on short termism and excludes the needs of all runs out of control. Cereal is used to make biofuels for energy rather than educating consumers to use less energy. Like all of us the Chinese have doubled their meat consumption resulting in precious cereals being used for animal food. Clearly we need solutions and new systems that are based on meeting people’s basic needs without further wreaking havoc on the environment and human life.
World Fair Trade Day and IFAT call on all consumers to think about their lifestyles and use social and environmental models to promote Sustainable and Environmental Justice
• Through the sustainable use of natural resources and biodegradable materials.
• Through the supporting of hand-production and production that is not capital and oil intensive.
• Enabling producer partners to invest in environmentally friendly production initiatives to minimize environment-impact.
That's why Fair Trade supports organic agriculture and production. It is estimated that organic agriculture takes nearly 2 tonnes of C02 per acre per year out of the atmosphere. A further 1 tonne of CO2 is saved through hand production and hand embellishment. It makes sense to promote the only plentiful resource natural resource we have, peoples hands.
Picture taken by one of my photographer friends Miki Alcalde in Bangladesh
People Tree does not have any partners in Burma and so will not be fundraising and working directly with the Burmese people. We do encourage you to support agencies that you know well.
As the number of people that have to leave their homes due to environmental crisis rises, (The Red Cross shows that more people are currently displaced by environmental disasters than war , and by 2019 the UN estimates that there could be as many as 50 million people escaping the effects of environmental deterioration. (source), the true cost of economic short termism will become more difficult to ignore.
People Tree’s press briefing on Monday included John Hilary from War on Want , Bora Aksu, international fashion designer and Amanada Le Roux from Aveda who all share one thing in common: a love for humanity and a desire to change things for the better - very many thanks to all of them.
May 01, 2008
Magazine Musings
The eco power of the thirty-something purse was revealed by Marie Claire this week following their survey of 3000 women. Apparently 70% of them consider whether products are Fair Trade or ethically sourced as a factor when purchasing fashion. Exciting -- although concerning is that 80% are prepared to spend more on designer fashion items, beauty products and luxury goods, if they know they are ethically sourced -- does that mean that we don't care about the normal stuff we buy every day? And especially when so much is ripped off the designer catwalk and sold in the middle sector -- why don't we shop for *everything* in an ethical way. We need to carry out convictions and not be swayed otherwise by Fair Trade and ethical fashion being less accessible -- by buying it, we make it more accessible.
Over at Conde Nast Traveller there is a certain irony, as they run a prize for 'Sustainability' amongst The Innovation & Design Awards 2008. However, People Tree was nominated, then short-listed, but pipped to the post by 'Solar Tree' -- an Austrian solar sheet light installation. (Great design and nice idea) -- should People Tree do a collaboration with Solar Tree? I found myself wondering -- make a solar panelled raincoat to charge up some energy as we walk to the tube or walk 'round and about during lunch? mmm...
Lovely that Conde Nast Traveller readers should nominate People Tree -- Thanks! But really wouldn't Conde Nast Traveller be better off dedicating their prize for 'Sustainability' to promoting sustainability in their sector -- tourism? It could celebrate the best in eco-tourism or even conventional hotel chains that go green. Not green-wash messages alone about not keeping the tap running whilst you brush your teeth, but a genuine programme of charge -- they could link up with Green Globe. Some of the most progressive, larger hotels I've partnered with have launched Fair Trade shops in their foyer (aren't hotel gift shops dire?! -- a Fair Trade shop thoughtfully produced can add a human touch to even the coldest marble 'luxury' hotels -- where else would you long to be touched by the warmth of handicrafts and natural materials?) Hotels have put Fair Trade matches at tables -- matches are often made by children in India, and hung hand-woven Fair Trade curtains at the windows and plumped hand-embroidered cushions on the sofas. Some have hosted a World Fair Trade Day Seminar and Fashion Show and Fair Trade lunch banquet for hundreds of family people. So, come on -- let's get real -- we need a revolution in the tourism industry, as we do in every industry, could our friends at Conde Nast Traveller not help promote that with their 'Sustainability' prize?
Anyway, I wore a hand-woven Fair Trade green dress to the Awards, rather too short revealing my 'porky' thighs (as my ex calls them -- that is not why he is my ex) -- and drank a little too much with Sarah Tolley who assists me in planning and Antony Waller, Head of Communications and James Minney.
Conde Nast Traveller -- if you want me as a judge for the 'Sustainability' Award, specifically for Eco Tourism, I am yours! :)
April 24, 2008
Tokyo: People Tree Shop - 10 Years Old Today!
Illustrator, Chris Haughton and me.
We opened a shop 10 years ago because I was fed up and embarrassed opening the front door to customers in my pjs and scrambling around for change - people wanted to buy stuff at my home and office - so we decided to open a shop.
Problem was, my illustrator and activist friend, Yoh Shomei showed me a *huge* shop next to his gallery in Jiyugaoka (literally translated that means "Freedom Hill"), a nice nieghbourhood in Tokyo. It would take 10 times more product than we had to fill it.
Nine years later it got rather too full and last year we ummed and ahhed about spending money on refitting it - friends like Chieko Terashima, who has done shop interiors for a lifetime, looked at our tiny budget, went a little pale, and rose to the challenge.
Then, Chris Haughton came to put on the final touches - working all night, like truly creative people do - according to Chris, they don't eat much either when working, and then eat as though it were Christmas between projects... I am certainly not that creative!
The People Tree Shop is the biggest Fair Trade store in Japan and has a fabulous range of Fair Trade foods, handicrafts, and clothing. Sales have grown over 10% last year which just shows that people care about people and the environment - and put their money where their mouth is. And they bring their friends along too. If you would like to help People Tree launch its first store in London, please contact me.
Great products! Great people!
Fair Trade never looked so good @ the People Tree shop.
New BBC ‘Thread’ Series -- MUST WATCH -- Send this link to your friends!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/thread
Factory made – an antidote to fast fashion?
I’d hate to work in a factory, live in a slum, away from my family, because my wage can’t afford me more. Factory work is the non-stop pressure of a production line, 14-hour days (no time to think about washing your socks), and allows no creative freedom and no life work balance, unlike the Fair Trade projects People Tree work with. So why buy fast fashion if you wouldn't be prepared to make it?
I loved the concept of Thread – 6 gorgeous, young things who care little about how the cheap fashion they buy is made, visit India, live with garment workers and supervisors and work in a factory. They start at the best factory – and find it all too much – tears and frustration at not being allowed to be a 'free range person'– have a look
The programme will move on to the lower end subcontractors and the ‘sweat shops’ we imagine. Do watch on BBC or if you are outside the UK, check out some of the highlights on You Tube . Send these links to your friends too!
