“For every beautiful garment People Tree makes, there’s an equally beautiful change happening somewhere in the world.”
- Safia Minney

In 1995 People Tree set out to prove that organically grown, hand-made, community-produced fashion could be successful. As a result ‘By Hand’ was created to tell the story behind Fair Trade fashion and to celebrate the artistry of those who make and design for People Tree.

It challenged the conventional business model of cheap, fast and exploitative fashion, dependent on migrant workers in sweatshops spewing out vast quantities of throw-away garments for the trend-led West.

In ‘By Hand’, Safia Minney, People Tree’s founder, sets out the case for organically grown, hand-woven cotton and Fair Trade fashion, through conversation with farming cooperatives, slum based-activists, garment workers and jewellery makers in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Safia chronicles how she has inspired top designers like Richard Nicoll, Thakoon and Bora Aksu to models such as Helena Christensen and worked with industry giants Topshop and asos.com to rethink what is possible in fashion today.

At 132 pages ‘By Hand’ is as beautiful in its design as its message. Extremely visual throughout the use of stunning photography is vast showing artisans, traditional hand-skills and Fair Trade fashion to illustrate key messages. Thought-provoking statistics are presented in innovative ways and three directional fashion spreads show the beautiful results of Fair Trade.

Written and presented to be accessible by all ‘By Hand’ is aimed at anyone interested in fashion and sustainability and lays the case for Fair Trade becoming a real alternative to conventional trade.
Purchase By Hand for £5