armedangels is a new fashion label out of Germany that’s illustrates how style and ethics can be combined to create the finest street fashion made with an uncompromising rejection of child labour, wage exploitation and environmental pollution. All armedangels styles are made from 100% organic cotton and manufactured to Fairtrade guidelines. And for each garment sold 3.33 Euros go to charities working to supply Bolivia with mobile healthcare, sexual education and funding for schools. Check out the full range of T-shirts, tank tops and hoodies on their UK site.

EcoStreet have got 2 super trendy armedangels tops to give away to lucky UK and European readers. The Goldstück Tank Top in black and the La Cosa Nostra T-shirt (shown above). For a chance to win one of these tops, simply fill in your details in the form below and tick your preference of tank top or T-shirt. The winners will be picked randomly and notified by email. Give-away ends 29th February 2008. Please note that these prizes can only be posted to addresses in the UK and Europe.

This competition is now closed

Share This

Grandmother and former nurse Linda Sones sells organic cotton baby and children’s clothing and accessories, and natural, organic baby toiletries online at SonesUK. Her suppliers are all committed to various environmental and Fairtrade initiatives.

In a survey conducted by MORI it was found that half of the British public recognized the Fairtrade mark, which is used across a wide range of foods and non food products. But what does it really mean? I felt it would be interesting to look into Fairtrade a little more closely and find out how it benefits third world countries.

For the purpose of this blog post I shall be considering Fairtrade in relation to the cotton industry. The Fairtrade Foundation considers that small scale farmers are at the receiving end of exploitation and injustice in international trade. Its aim is threefold. Firstly, to assist disadvantaged producers in the third world to improve their social and economic position by improved access to world markets, information and terms of trade. Additionally, to raise awareness among consumers so that they are enabled to make informed purchasing choices. Fairtrade certification of cotton brings a whole new product category to the consumer. Over the past ten years consumer interest and support for Fairtrade has been growing steadily around the world. Lastly, companies are influenced to develop better trading relationships with suppliers and increase the range and availability of products. The Fairtrade mark is an independent consumer label that appears on products to guarantee that these aims have been adhered to. Furthermore the Fairtrade system uniquely registers all traders along the supply chain to ensure transparency in the sourcing of products bearing the mark. Association with Fairtrade and the benefits this brings is already making a difference to the lives of certified cotton farmers. In Mali the local cooperative has used the Fairtrade premium to realise sustainable community projects including provision of wells, building a school and setting up a health centre and school nursery.

Fairtrade certification of cotton complements initiatives and campaigns that attempt to address the problems associated with garment and textile production and respect for the environment with the growing of organic cotton, which is why you will often see Organic and Fairtrade labels going hand in hand. Campaigners include: Labour Behind The Label, Oxfam, Ethical Trading Initiatives, Pesticides Action Network (PAN) and the International Trade Union movement. These and other pressure groups help to raise public and corporate awareness of the complicated issues related to workers rights and working conditions. In consequence there are various projects which have been developed around the world to try to facilitate fair supply chains.

Whilst super models and fashion executives enjoy salaries in excess of seven figures, garment workers across the world are caught in a poverty trap. Labour Behind The Label found that even allowing for the lower cost of living in developing countries most workers earn about half what they need to live on. Workers producing the clothes found on the British high-street can be earning as little as 22p per hour in Mauritius and £1.13 per day in India. Research has shown that major retailers in general have not made serious inroads into this problem. While many say that they are committed to a living wage it does not appear to be a matter of priority. Fairtrade certification focuses primarily on problems faced by producers of agricultural commodities in developing countries but as previously mentioned also acknowledges that there are many other vulnerable workers along the supply chain who could possibly benefit from Fairtrade. Currently Fairtrade Labelling Organisations(FLO) and its members are exploring the development of a standard which would continue the advantages of Fairtrade further along the chain to those involved in cotton garment and textile manufacturing.

Advertisement: Reduce your CO2 footprint by as much as 2 tonnes/year & save up to £150 on your energy bills.

Share This

Have you ever thought about how many cheap, flimsy umbrellas are discarded every time they blow inside out or come adrift just when you need them? How many times have you seen an abandoned umbrella lying in a wet and crumpled heap in the gutter? It’s something that Pamela Zonsius pondered and then she decided to apply her skills to the problem and developed the world’s first biodegradable umbrella.

Named the Brelli, Pamela’s stylish creation was inspired by the simplicity and Zen-like quality of oriental design. The Brelli has a sturdy handle and an intricate frame crafted from sustainably-harvested bamboo—a naturally renewable resource. A clear umbrella hood lets you ‘see’ and ‘be seen’, because who lets a little rain get in the way of showing off that fabulous (fair trade and organic) outfit? Fusing fashion with the latest in technology, the Brelli’s patented design features a certified biodegradable plastic canopy. This material has a unique chemical composition which allows it to completely biodegrade in landfill environments. Unlike conventional plastic, which takes hundreds of years to break down, the Brelli’s bio-plastic canopy is certified to fully biodegrade in one or two years. What’s more, the gases released during the degrading process can be harvested to generate electricity. So more than 90% of the energy used to create the Brelli could thereby be recycled.

For the environmentally conscious fashionista, the world’s first eco-chic umbrella is a must-have. The Brelli is currently only available in a few select shops in the US (see the Brelli website for details), but the good news is that it’ll be available online from January 2008, so shipping policy dependent, we can all have one.

Advertisement: Reduce your CO2 footprint by as much as 2 tonnes/year & save up to £150 on your energy bills.

Share This