Safia's blog

World Fair Trade Day - May 12th

People Tree celebrated in Japan with a huge event, thanks to extensive media coverage that brought over 850 people to seminars and workshops on Fair Trade. Presentations were made by two of People Trees key partners Joshi Kailash from Tara Projects and Mr Gomarthi from Reaching the Unreached. Both have had long careers in Fair Trade and are key activists in protecting children from exploitation.

Highlights included a Fair Trade fashion show featuring pieces from our regular collection, the Vogue designer collaboration and the People Tree for Topshop range. Take a look at some of the photos from my scrap book. There’s more information on www.wftday.org

Braiding hair back stage

Aveda collaborated by volunteering their talented team to do hair for the fashion show.

Opening the show with the Vogue designer collaboration pieces from left to right: Foundation Addict, Thakoon, Richard Nicholl and Bora Aksu's designs

Hikaru wears Foundation Addict made in organic cotton by hand weavers in Bangladesh

Kio wears Thakoon dress in hand woven cotton

A piece from the People Tree for Topshop range

'Cause there's only one'

Organic cotton tees - beautiful canopy print - People Tree's best seller in both the UK and Japan

Fair Trade family

End of the show!

'The future of Fair Trade in Japan', Altertrade Japan, Mr Kondo and Safia of People Tree discuss a recent report on how the Fair Trade market and awareness levels are growing

Joshi Kailash of Tara Project talks about the difference that buying Fair Trade accessories makes in Northern India.

Posted by Safia at 07:43 PM | Permalink

Fellowship at the RSA

Safia Minney, not too small to go unnoticed by the Royal Society of Arts, she asks her favourite man in London, Michael Radomir, to join her there for lunch to celebrate her fellowship.

I’ve been lucky to have the support of a few really special people, fellow ecologists, media and business people that want to see Change.

Michael was one of the first and it must have taken a great step of faith four years ago when People Tree was starting out. Michael introduced us to friends who helped raise the profile of Fair Trade fashion, like Sienna Miller. He’d also send me sweet text messages of encouragement at key moments that I’d ‘save’ and read when I felt a bit tired out – they’d spur me on.

Today, we talked over lunch about a new project in organic cotton I’m starting in Bangladesh and his project to support Romanian farmers. Michael is working to strengthen farmer groups there, develop an infrastructure and is looking at the policy that undermines agriculture and the culture of rural Romania. As we chatted I realised how close our areas of work and our approaches are.

But Social Entrepreneurs have to have fun too! Michael and his brother, Leo, joined us in Japan two summers ago. I took them to my favourite hang-out the ‘Blue Moon’ beach house, near Kamakura, where they were an immediate hit with the Japanese beach babes. Dangerous stuff!

Whether it is fine Japanese ceramics, organic food or walks in the country, values transcend to bridge work and pleasure.

Anyway, it’s great to have a new place to meet kindred spirits, whether it’s by the beach or the more elegant surroundings of the RSA.

Posted by Safia at 10:38 AM | Permalink