I'm Back!
Submitted by emmeline on Mon, 2007-12-17 15:37.
I'm back after another mad week on the fashion diary. Last week it was the Clothes Show Live at the NEC in Birmingham. As always it was a great opportunity to catch up with some of the other Eco companies and meet many more companies that I hadn't met before!
Unfortunately it was the first year that Eco comapnies had been asked to exhibit at the event, and i have to admit that there were a few teething problems! The audience at the event are mainly young people and individuals looking for Christmas bargains. I thought that the Eco product and ethos itself was well excepted within our nation, but this event highlighted how as a nation we are still looking for a bargain and are not always prepared to care where the item was made and the 'true' cost. This was a shame to see, and goes to show how enlightened conscience is still a minority!
I hope you got the chance to make it yourself, but if not I have a round up of some of the great people and Eco Brands I was alongside at the event.
Next to me was JoJo, who kept us all entertained throughout the event. She works in India, training women through VIA Designs to become self sufficient and trained in skills that will help them to do this.
Below is a picture of JoJo with some of the pieces that have been made in India.
You can just see in the background pictures some of the women that made the items on sale.
To the other side of me I had 'Turtle Bags' this company makes cotton bags ideal for shoppers that were inspired by the amount of turtles that are killed each year by eating plastic bags that end up in the sea. Check them out at www.turtlebags.co.uk
Along with these, there were many other well known Brands such as Junky, who are still producing fantastic clothing. Red Mutha, who inform me that they will be opening their shop in Brighton soon, so watch out for that! Pachacuti, who make beautiful hats, Green Knickers....exactly what you would expect, and Enamore to name a few.
I was also asked to present some of the ethical issues to an audience at the event, which thankfully went down well!
Hopefully a few more individuals have been inspired to think more ethically as a result of this, and will support some of these excellent and very Ethical Companies!
I would love to hear your views on how best to educate Ethical Issues to the wider audience, please email
Young people out for a bargain
I have 2 daughters (34 and 22) who like to dress smartly, and have no qualms about buying sweatshop products, although I have attempted to make them fully aware of the issues. The older daughter in particular buys lots of "cheap and cheerful" then chucks it out when it gets scruffy (very quickly!). The other buys more expensive items but still uninterested in ethical clothing. She comments that she doesn't find fairly traded clothing to her taste, just not fashionable enough.
My son (24) does the same, but has a bit more guilt about it, and is willing to accept most fairtrade clothing that I buy for him!
I rarely buy new as I love charity shops, and my daughter's friend buys loads of new stuff and passes on the old stuff, and also I'm prepared to pay a little bit more for the occasional new item if it's ethically sourced.
I'm just baffled by the attitude of my kids, and would be very grateful if you know any good suggestions to help influence their choices please!
How to influence....
That is a hard one, the fact that your children are now grown up they have developed their own style and will not thank someone for trying to change them. However I feel that a lot of people who are unaware about the ethical clothing market, and have the misconception that it is un-stylish and not 'fashionable'. I guess your daughters think this, as they are buying fast fashion.
The best thing to do is show them some of the great new fashion that is about. The best thing to do is to start with the accessories. It is easier to influence someone with a great bag or pair of shoes! Beyond Skin make some beautiful shoes that are very fashionable and my Terra Plana boots always get comments! (Good ones)! As for clothing, many of the high street stores are now making organic cotton clothing and Levis are making organic jeans... so your daughters really don't have to sacrifice their usual shopping habits, to become a little more environmentally friendly!
It really is a hard one though, and I'm still working out myself how we can educate the nation as a whole. Although ethical clothing is a growing market, this confirms how much still needs to be done!
Good luck!