by Andrew Williams |
September 26, 2016
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We're delighted to reveal our new skincare collection from Fair Squared! The products use natural ingredients from fair trade projects around the world and we've already had a fantastic reaction to them in the shop.
Our first batch includes body lotion, shampoo, hand soap and lip balm. All of the products have multiple certification including Fairtrade, NATRUE (which ensures cosmetics are as natural as possible), Peta Cruelty Free and Vegan.
Projects which Fair Squared work with are based in all four corners of the globe, from Guatemala to Palestine, Chile to Sri Lanka, Burkina Faso to the Dominican Republic.If you're passing the shop, pop in for a free tester while stocks last - we'll also include samples with all online orders we receive.
Tagged:
cosmetics,
developing countries,
fair squared,
fairtrade,
hay on wye,
skincare
by Andrew Williams |
September 15, 2016
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We know many of our customers love the jewellery we stock from Just Trade. Their designs are perfect for our shop, and the projects they work with are a true inspiration, keeping traditional skills and crafts alive while offering opportunities to disadvantaged groups in India, Peru and Ecuador.
It really lifted my spirits to see this fantastic photo of Ali Cave, the Operations Director at Just Trade.
Ali is pictured loading a huge order which Just Trade received from Laura Ashley, one of the best-known names in terms of interior design on the British High Street. Laura Ashely have bought stock to go into all 200 of their stores in the UK, as well as it going to their Japanese franchise.
Ali told me, "They have ordered across all three projects we work with. So crochet from Peru, Tagua from Ecuador and Brass from India. The work really helped our producers get back on their feet after the earthquake in Ecuador."
You might think it's a bit odd that I'm getting so excited about seeing one of our core product ranges being distributed to another shop, which might be seen as a competitor of ours. But for us at Eighteen Rabbit, this is exactly what we're all about! We don't want to be pigeonholed simply as a "fair trade shop" to be treated in the same way as a charity shop. Our mission from the very beginning has been to take fair trade into the mainstream - to attract customers who simply love the products we sell. Ultimately, as we're fond of saying, we want to make "fair trade" obsolete - what we're doing should be the norm, rather than the virtuous exception.
Huge congratulations from all of us here at Eighteen Rabbit to Ali and the team for all their hard work. Look out for Just Trade products in Laura Ashley stores from October, and remember where you saw them first - you can be ahead of the curve by ordering your favourite from us today!
Tagged:
#fashrev,
eighteen rabbit,
fair trade,
fairtrade,
fashion revolution,
hay on wye,
just trade
by Andrew Williams |
July 22, 2016
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We had a lovely customer visiting us this week from Belgium. As well as stocking up on some of our fabulous fair trade treats, he was also keen to show us his preferred method of payment - a Fair Trade Credit Card!
The New B card is issued in Belgium and works on a co-operative model with any profits being reinvested into sustainable projects. Our friend explained that they had been unable (so far) to get the financial administration in place to run as a credit card as we would know it here in the UK, so at the moment the card works a bit like a pre-paid card - you load credit on to it and then spend it wherever you wish.
There is loads more information on the website, though I did have to use Google Translate - my Belgian is a little rusty :) It seems like a very innovative model and one that could be welcomed here in the UK given our recent history of banks acting in a less than transparent manner. Time and again "people power" has shown itself to be an effective tool for change - and projects like New B could be the start of something big. If you see an example of an unusual fair trade project in action, let us know and we'll feature it on the blog.
Tagged:
Belgium,
Credit Card,
eighteen rabbit,
fair trade,
fairtrade,
hay on wye
by Andrew Williams |
April 18, 2016
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Today sees the start of Fashion Revolution Week. The event kicked off with a special Fashion Question Time event at the houses of parliament and activities will continue through the week leading towards Fashion Revolution Day on Sunday 24th April - the anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh. We have blogged about this extensively in the past, but it's telling that at today's event when Livia Firth was asked what has changed in the industry since Rana Plaza, her reply was - "not much."
Fashion Revolution is an opportunity to make people think differently and it begins with a simple question - who made your clothes? The answers to that question will tell you a lot about how important it is to get this right. Fashion Revolution uses the power of social media to challenge brands directly to increase transparency within the industry. There are great resources and tips which you can download from the website, so it's well worth a look.
By joining forces we can make our voices heard more clearly. No-one should have to suffer, be maimed or even killed, just so we can save a few quid on a pair of jeans. It's up to us whether we face up to our responsibilities or look the other way.
Tagged:
#fashrev,
fair trade,
fairtrade,
fashion revolution
by Andrew Williams |
February 10, 2016
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The greatest waste of time since coals were first taken to Newcastle? Perhaps! But we think it could work. Let me explain more...
Hay is a treasure trove of second hand books. There are over two dozen second hand book sellers in our town of fewer than 1500 men, women and children, all selling a cornucopia of adventure, wisdom and excitement. The second hand books, along with the attendant Hay Festival, and the friendly people who have made their home here because of them, are the main reason we moved to Hay in the first place.
There are very few books you can't get in Hay. But one slice of the market which is paradoxically thin on the ground is a selection of new books - with the exception of the world-class Booth Books, most of the shops in town focus solely on the second-hand market. Great if you're looking for a lovely copy of "100 Years of Solitude" with an authentic 70's cover - not so good if you're after the latest Naomi Klein.
The other gap in the market in terms of "entertainment" is CDs and DVDs - again we have the awesome Tangled Parrot, and Haystacks in Backfold, but not many options if you need the new One Direction CD for your niece or nephew. And that, friends, is where Hive comes in.
Hive, for those of you unfamiliar, can basically be seen as an ethical alternative to Amazon for your home entertainment needs. They get brand new books, CDs, DVDs and the like to your door in the blink of an eye at competitive prices - all the while supporting high street shops in the UK. For every purchase, you can nominate a bookshop who'll then receive a percentage of the cost of your items (we hope you'll pick us!). You can either get the items delivered to you direct, or have them sent to us - we'll look after them until you can collect them (and no, we don't open them first to see what you've been buying).
All in all it's an amazing win-win. We would never want to take sales away from the incredible second hand book shops that have made Hay world famous, but if you're looking for something they don't stock, here's a way of doing it without resorting to the dreaded Big A. Let us know what you think!
Tagged:
books,
eighteen rabbit,
fair trade,
fairtrade,
hay on wye,
hive
