Out of a crisis this Christmas, there is the chance for real change to emerge*. And it’s seeing more signs of that, that has filled me with hope this Christmas, despite the economic downturn. Jobs are critical to the health of society, whether they are in the developed world or the so-called developing world.
Well, if I’m going to fly back and forth it had better be a busy week. I worked it out to off set my CO2 flying London to Tokyo and back I have to sell over1000 organic cotton t-shirts! (Growing organically sequesters 1.5 CO2 emission per acre, that’s 800 t-shirts per acre, at 2.5 tons of CO2 for a London – Tokyo return flight) So that’s why I have no choice but to work hard whenever I go overseas.
Kathryn Sygrove and other friends and family have long campaigned to make Durham a vibrant Fair Trade city and spread the word about People Tree locally. So can you imagine how excited I was when I found out that things had moved to a new level. The new Oxfam Boutique run by Michael Ridsdale is now stocking People Tree’s Autumn/Winter collection – and the store Is fabulous.
Why are London Underground staff not cheering through the Tannoy? Black and white, do we feel like we are walking taller? (I certainly feel 5cm taller, and it’s not my heeled winter boots). Why is there not a sense of Christmas and spontaneous, happy chatter amongst passengers on the commute into work? It is because we realize that, however good a leader, change has to come from us too? A sobering thought on a grey morning in London.
It’s an unusually warm evening for mid-October and even though everyone in Tokyo is layered and booted, I’m bare armed in my Bora Aksu organic cotton drape top when I arrive at Mihara Yasuhiro’s office / studio / exhibition (oh, how I wish People Tree had such a lovely, big space in Tokyo!)
‘By Hand’ – the Fair Trade Fashion Agenda – you can buy it for for £5!
Phew! Last week was a busy one. To start with it was London Fashion Week and People Tree were there showcasing our Spring/Summer 2009 collection. Sorry, I can’t show you the clothes just yet but believe me it will be worth the wait! Just have a read what two fashion journalists thought about the collection…
The British Fashion Council have long taken a stand on size 0 models, but without other key fashion capitals falling in line London can’t do more to regulate against this unhealthy trend.
Here’s an interview from Bombolulu Workshops on my recent visit to Kenya where they had just finished the Sam Ubhi for People Tree collection for AW08. Life is hard in Kenya and just before I arrived the Bombolulu van had been hijacked. Since the down turn of events in January things are holding up but with tourists few and far between life is tough and unemployment is at it’s highest in Mombassa and tourist resorts.
Liz Jones, Fashion Editor at Large of the Daily Mail, joined me in Bangladesh to see some of our amazing clothes being produced and witness the organic cotton harvest. You can read Liz’s account from YOU magazine at the Mail online
Autumn Winter 2011 Kick off meeting
I’m working with the People Tree design team on the Autumn/Winter 2011 collectio
Executive Travel – being the CEO, on a Fair Trade shoe string budget
I was talking to another CEO about a trip I was doing…
People Tree launches ‘Humanity in Fashion’ campaign
Last week I worked on a story about garment factory workers…
