Posts Tagged ‘people tree’

World Fair Trade Day in Japan – a paradigm shift?!

14^th May 2011

600 people gathered for our Fair Trade, sustainable economics and low energy event in Tokyo. I arrived that morning, had a shower and then went straight to the event at Eco Plaza – this amazing wooden cube event space in the absolute centre of town run by social entrepreneur and ex-adman Ikeda san.

After the earthquake we decided to work with other Fair Trade organisations, farmers groups and activists in Japan to get the message out there about what a low carbon and sustainable society looks like.

Not surprisingly awareness level of a non-nuclear based economy and society have increased massively. Earlier this year 40% of the Japanese public said they would buy environmentally friendly products and products that make a positive social contribution, today that figure has risen to a stunning 70%. This could well be the point of a paradigm shift for Japan – later I did an interview with the Japan Economics daily newspaper ’Nihon Keizan Shinbun’ about just that. The silver lining of a dark cloud!

People Tree Teepee – adventures on the Autumn Winter 2011 photoshoot

Jon, Jerome and Amrnad infront of the PT teepee!

Jon, Jerome and Armand in front of the People Tree teepee!

We’re in the South of France this week shooting our Autumn Winter 2011 catalogue – up and out of Carole’s wonderful gite by 6.50am to catch the best light – its so beautiful but absolutely freezing that early!

As usual the People Tree photography team are on fine form – Jonathon Rose assisting me on the photography, Gemma on styling, Gail on hair and make up and not forgetting Armand whose capturing the lot on video! And the gorgeous models Paulina, Hannah, Yuri and Jay of course. We had a slight crisis yesterday when my camera decided to give up, fortunately it was only a temporary glitch, easily solved by some new leads – phew!

Mustn’t forget to thank the People Tree Head Office team too who are working hard behind the scenes – Bryony, Jerome and Hiroe from our Japan team. It’s great fun but hard work as usual with lots of long days and not quite the three hour siesta-style lunch breaks that the team were hoping for!

Can’t wait to show you the pics!

Donation for Japan from Kumundini Welfare Trust, Bangladesh

Mr Rajib Prasad Shaha, Chairman and Managing Director of Kumudini Welfare Trust of Bengal (BD) Limited, Bangladesh handed a donation of $500.00 to Safia Minney, Founder and CEO of Fair Trade Company Ltd (People Tree Japan), with the kind words, “We would like to help the people of Japan in any way we can with our prayers and with our great respect for a great friend to Bangladesh. We hope that their suffering will lighten as the weeks go by and we hope that they can rebuild their country and their great nation in the same way that they did after the Second World War. We have collected some money here from Kumudini Welfare Trust and we know that People Tree Japan is the best way for us to get the money to the hands of the people who need it most. Japan, you have been a great friend to Bangladesh and we only hope we can be some help to you in this difficult time as your friend!”

Very many thanks to all at Kumudini and to all those who have sent kind messages of support.

Fair Trade Community

We had the pleasure to be involved in some great projects this past few months including Fairtrade Fortnight, Fashion Weeks across the world and the Best of Green Awards! All of which show a great community spirit of all things Fair Trade…

Spring out in ikat print…

SIENNA PRINT DRESS

Get a chic tribal look with this beautiful ikat print dress, in melange grey and pink or vintage blue, from the Emma Watson’s SoFT Spring Summer collaboration range…

History of People Tree

People Tree set out to prove that organically grown, hand-made, community-produced fashion could be successful. Read about the evolution of Fair Trade Fashion as told by founder Safia Minney…

Laura Ashley Prints

Safia Minney interviews the iconic print brand about the new People Tree-Laura Ashley collaboration.

International Womens’ Day

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Today we are celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future across the world.

People Tree is proud to work with so many women to bring you beautiful clothing and support their communities and families.

Swallows is a womens’ project, where even hand weaving,which is considered mens’ work, is done by women.

Fumi, People Tree's model visits Swallows, Bangladesh to see how her clothes are made

The natural yarns are hand woven into fabrics, then hand embellished with embroidery and tailored, providing work for over 200 women.

Swallows was set up to provide opportunities for women who suddenly found that they were the head of the household, after the village was devastated in 1971, when all the adult males were massacred during the war of independence.
People Tree Founder Safia Minney asks the women at Swallows how Fair Trade makes a difference to their lives.

“In other villages the women think that they are living for their husband – but here the women don’t think that they are dependent on him. They think they have equal participation in the family.”

“We get supported by law here against domestic violence.”

“We feel Swallows is a secure place for us to work. We feel it is even more secure than our home. It’s like our home.”

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London Fashion Week – February 2011

I’ve been running around at London Fashion Week. We loved the Bora Aksu show for AW11– gorgeous separates.

My favourite green blouse from Bora Aksu's show

My favourite green silk blouse from Bora Aksu's show

An impressive front row at Bora

Then off to see Orla Kiely’s AW11 presentation and film – really prim and 60s gorgeous.

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There were a great group of customers, friends and fashion bloggers.

Orla turned the place into a forest with dried out trees with stuffed birds – lots of dead birds in London Fashion Week this season Orla’s were in good taste but not sure about those dead crow hats!

Visit to Agrocel – Organic Fair Trade cotton farmers in Gujurat, India

There are a total of 1005 farmers (all of which are Fairtrade, 672 farmers are organic certified too). It’s an incredibly beautiful place, 20 miles from the salt marsh and close to the border with Pakistan.