Sustained Issue 003 - Fashion Special by Sustained Magazine

FREE! ISSUE THREE

FASHION SPECIAL

S M A L L

The Debate Can fur be fair?

What

wayne Knows

C H A N G E

B I G

D I F F E R E N C E

Vintage Charity

Recycled and re-used clothing

ethical fashion

Ultimate guide to online shopping

Dandelion Award Patagonia claim our prize

Dirty Laundry

Tips from Ecover Experts

small change - big difference

give-away

Prizes worth ÂŁ1000

inside - real ways to improve your lifestyle

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Any ENQUIRIES: Sustained Magazine Victoria Chambers, St. Runwald Street Colchester C01 1HF T. 01206 574147 E. info@sustainedmagazine.com

Your VIEWS:

www.sustainedmagazine.com

Our VISION: Sustained has been published to inspire and encourage the British public to consider the environmental and social impact of living out their everyday lives. While we are a free publication, there will be a limited number of complimentary copies available in each area. We rely wholly on the continuing support of subscribers, advertisers and sponsors. This has been brought to you by The Creative Coop, a diverse group of freelance individuals and specialist in eco design and print solutions. Visit www.creative-coop.com for more information.

The CONTRIBUTORS: Natalie Kelly Jack Woodcock Kristen Doneski James Usher Harry Watts Ecover Kate Evans Julia King Peta

What’s Inside?

Issue Three FASHION

Special

04 Vintage Charity

he clothes we wear say so much about us. We’ve been fascinated about the way we look since time began, with a competitive edge toward who can look the most attractive in their chosen attire. While forming an opinion on someone because of their clothes may be deemed rather shallow, it can, at the same time, be excellent fun. Clothes are an expression of individuality and a celebration of creativity. The items, the colours, the brands we choose, can paint a very descriptive picture about any given personality. Day by day our clothes become more elaborate as we struggle to separate ourselves from the next person with our unquenchable desire to look original – but at what expense? This issue we encourage you to wake up to the story woven into every item of clothing you purchase – the way your clothes are made. Suddenly, what we wear becomes so much more than how we look.

Charity, vintage and recycled fashion.

10 What Wayne Knows

Interview with Wayne Hemingway.

“Wake up to the story woven into every item of clothing you purchase.”

14 Fur: Mean Not Green? We ask you, can fur ever be fair?

16 Dirty Laundry

Eco tips for keeping your fashion fresh.

18 Funny Weather

An extract from Kate Evans’ new book.

22 Clean Clothes

How are our clothes actually made?

24 Thrifty Is The New Nifty Charity shop tips for unique fashion.

26 Natural Cotton

Let’s move on from chemical-free food.

Our REGUL ARS

WIN! £190

FREITAG Bag Turn to p.06 for information

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08 20 21 28 30

Ethical Shopping Guide Seasonal Recipe Competition Dandelion Award The Sustained Directory

A LT E R N AT I V E S

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MICHAELA WEARS: Megan beige and white vintage dress from Corolla Cream £70.00. Necklace beads £12.99 and vintage cream shoes £15.00 from Rokit London. Wooden bracelets £15.00 each from Speaking for Trees. Wicker bag £2.00 from PDSA charity shop. ALISDAIR WEARS: Arrow polo shirt £12.oo from Rokit London. Maroon chequered trousers £3.99 from Age Concern charity shop. Splaff flip flops £42.95 from Ethical Wares. CAZ WEARS: Nicole blouse £22.99 from Corolla Cream. Skinny-fit Wrangler jeans £12.00 from Ebay. Vintage red handbag £35.00 from Rokit London. Belt models own.

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Vintage CHARIT Y Photography: Harry Watts Styling: Marc Deâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ath Hair: Sally Callaby

Thanks to the vintage trend, the image of used clothing is fresher than ever. Given just one day searching second-hand and charity shops, we came up with an array of one-off statements that beat the high street designers pants down!

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I N D E TA I L

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Floral Nicole blouse – Corolla Cream www.corollacream.co.uk

Wrangler Jeans – Ebay www.ebay.co.uk Red vintage bag – Rokit www.rokit.co.uk

Recycled coat trainers, £65.00 – Worn Again www.wornagain.co.uk

Cream Arrow vintage polo shirt – Rokit www.rokit.co.uk

Natural finish Splaff flip flops – Ethical Wares www.ethicalwares.com

Maroon chequered charity shop trousers – Age Concern www.ageconcern.org.uk

Freitag reader

COMPETITION

Dress – Corolla Cream www.corollacream.co.uk Bracelets by commission only 01206 574147

Rectangular wicker handbag basket – PDSA charity shop www.pdsa.org.uk

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We have three Renegade F37 bags worth £190 up for grabs. Made from recycled lorry tarpaulin and old seat belts they’re a 2-bags-in-1 travel solution for all eco runaways. See sustainedmagazine.com for info on how to enter or visit www.freitag.ch and buy one for yourself today.

.................................................... THINGS WE LIKE

The ETHICAL Shopper We scoured the shops on your behalf for the best ethical and sustainble fashion buys of the moment. Everything you see is available to WIN! see page 21 for details. Organic Skomer Jeans | In our opinion quite simply the best jeans money can buy and worth every penny. Organic denim, hand-brushed and rinsed using nothing but water and eco balls. £80.00, from Howies. T. 01239 614122. www.howies.co.uk

Kids long sleeve t-shirt | This could be relevant for children, mums or dads (but only available for children and youths at the present!). £21.00, from Hug. T. 0845 130 1525. www.hug.co.uk

Global Warming knickers | Hand printed with thermochromic inks. As the knickers warm up the land overcomes the sea to show the effects of global warming. 100% organic cotton. £25.00, from Green Knickers. www.greenknickers.org

Orange Triangle bag | One-off vintage curtain fabric triangle bag with brown velvet ribbon. £45.00, at Sophie Abbott. T. 020 8748 2613. www.sophieabbott.com

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Useless t-shirt | Using less of the chemicals in cotton production that makes the land useless. 100% organic Fairtrade certified cotton. £24.00, from People Tree. T. 0845 450 4595. www.peopletree.co.uk

Kestrel lace-ups | These tough, boy-proof, lace-up ankle boots are soft, comfortable and colourful. They are also sturdy, practical and wear well. With a crepe sole as standard. £48.00, from Green Shoes. T. 01803 864997. www.greenshoes.co.uk

Mon Cherie bralette | This beautiful jet-black hemp and silk bralette trimmed with creamy lace and ribbon ties is made from natural organic textiles and recycled fabrics. Each piece is handmade to order in the UK. £42.00, from Enamore. T. 07833 326 147. www.enamore.co.uk

Infurno jacket | A wind and weather-resistant shell and moisture-wicking, warmth mongering insulation, all made with recycled polyester, keeping you cosily covered on powder days. £200.00, from Patagonia. T. 0800 026 0055. www.patagonia.com

Emmeline 4 Re shirt | All fabric recycled, even down to the buttons, each piece is unique as the individual wearing them. £65.00, from Emmeline 4 Re. T. 01604 779003. www.emmeline4re.co.uk

INTERVIEW TIME

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What WAYNE knows Feature: Marc De’ath Illustration: Johnny Livingstone

Former Big Breakfast fashion guru and founder of Red or Dead clothing speaks exclusively to Sustained about his feelings on sustainable fashion and the issues that surround it.

What do you know about sustainability? I’d say it means an awful lot of things to an awful lot of people. For me it’s about behaving better so we can all have a nicer life, and so future generations can hopefully feel a bit more secure than we do now. How do you encourage your children to live in a sustainable way? I was bought up before the word sustainability was being used, but funnily enough in what would now be seen as a very sustainable way. It was out of thrift that we were encouraged not to waste water, but to re-use plastic bags and clothes, and not throw things away. It was easy to turn that into sustainability and pass it down Our philosophy has always been about being active, getting on and doing things yourself. Our kids

are encouraged to cycle and walk, when ever possible. My family are bought up not to leave the light on, the same as I was. But, where I was told it was for money reasons, with my kids it’s for money and the environment. This issue we are promoting the benefits of charity and vintage shop clothing. Do you have any favourite places to shop, for those one-off second-hand items? The problem is there’s such a big list, it’s just knowing where they are! I’ve recently come back from Edinburgh, a fantastic city crammed with plenty of vintage shops. But generally it’s just getting out there and searching. Do you have any bad eco habits? The only bad eco habit we have is the luxury of flight. Every winter the family jumps on the plane to

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“Who can blame us for wanting to hibernate “I was through bought the chilly up before season?”

the word sustainability was even being used.”

sin laboramus, quis est, qui alienae modum statuat industriae? nam ut Terentianus Chremes non inhumanus, go to our house qui novum in Australia vicinum for a non vultMany month. ‘fodere people aut arare are against aut aliquidlong these ferrehaul denique’ flights,-- but nonwe enim illum do learn ab industria, a lot fromsed the ab Australians inliberali labore and bring deterret it back --, with sic isti us curiosi, to share. quos have They offendit a much noster more minime intimate nobis iniucundus labor. relationship with their natural environment. Latinas, quiPut se dicant simply,inthey Graecis live alegendis healthier, operam more malle active,consumere. more postremo aliquos eco-friendly lifestyle futuros and think suspicor, quia me in more ad community-led alias litteras vocent, manner. genus hoc scribendi, etsi sit elegans, personae Before launching tamen et Hemingway dignitatis esse negent. you design, [2] Contra had a quos successful omnis dicendumlabel, clothing breviter Redexistimo. or Dead. What’s Quamquam the fondest philosophiae memory quidem vituperatoribus of your time in fashion? satis responsum estwas It eo probably libro, quo selling a nobis up, philosallowing ophia me dodefensa so manyetother collaudata things.est, cum I’messet proud accusata that I was et vituperata able to ab Hortensio. launch the label, qui build liber cum its profile et tibi probatus and then videretur sell it at such et iis,a quos youngego posseIt iudicare age. felt goodarbitrarer, to pass on plura suscepi veritusso something newell movere thought hominum out – astudia business viderer, withretinere a conscience. non posse.

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Encouragingly, there’s a growing list of eco and ethical clothing brands. Have you got any favourites? Because of their attitude I’d say Traid, People Tree and more recently M&S. People Tree are not only eco-friendly but also fair trade. I’m really impressed by the way their suppliers are treated and money is put to the working communities through things like education. I think companies need to go further than just being ‘green’, they should be morally and ethically aware, and fair trade as well.

One of your favourites you mentioned was Traid, can you tell us about them? You drop your clothes and shoes into recycling banks, which are then sorted out into fabrics for re-use. They employ cool people, with a clever eye, who understand fashion to pick out items from these banks that will re-sell. It also takes one more level out of the recycling process; keeping clothes going without having to reprocess them. For me this is the most eco friendly way of treating the recycling of clothing.

“Designer labels are cheesy, they are usually for people who don’t have a clue about fashion.”

THE DAY JOB: Hemingway design comes up with ideas and designs things. The Hemingways started Red or Dead and now design all sorts of things from clothes and furniture to housing estates. hemingwaydesign.co.uk

As a parent you are well aware of the pressures on children to wear the latest fashion and brands, many of which are totally unaffordable. Do you have any advice for those experiencing similar problems? Yes, what my kids know. Designer labels are cheesy, they’re usually for people who don’t have a clue about fashion, it’s a fact! It brands you as a follower. Re-establishing the community is one of our top priorities. Why are communities important to you? If you have a strong community you don’t worry so much about crime, you have people to look after you, and your kids don’t get as bored or cause trouble. Where homes are loved and people stay put, they’re going to last longer. Taking care in the building and designing of developments mean less need for aggressive regeneration – which I strongly believe has been very destructive. What does the future hold for eco-friendly and ethical fashion? You don’t really notice the smaller extra cost on your organic broccoli or fairly traded chocolate, or at least you can accept it. After all, you can taste the difference, but you don’t eat a t-shirt do you? If the pricing can be comparable and not more expensive with good design – the future is promising!

D E B AT E S T I M U L U S

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Peta’s

Fur FACTS...

Fur:

MEAN NOT GREEN? Feature: James Usher

Is fashion fickle? Since the famous I’d Rather Go Naked campaign where models stated their anti-fur sentiments, particpant Naomi Campbell has been spotted promoting fur based clothing.

Fur is back in the headlines as Peta are fighting furriers who are now trying to convince consumers that pelts are ‘eco-friendly.’ We pose the question: Can fur ever be fair?

Poor living conditions

Inhumane traps

he debtate of the moment is whether fur can be humane. We’re asking if the claims are true – can it, infact, be ‘green’? With celebrities changing their stance on a daily basis and models wearing fur on the catwalk, is it time for a ban on animal skin or do we need to realise that wearing fur is a heritage that every human has the right to do? Peta says, “Fur could not be further from green, they are loaded with chemicals to keep them from decomposing in the buyer’s closet, plus fur production pollutes the environment and gobbles up precious resources.” It is true that more than 40 times as much energy is needed to produce fur coats from ranch-raised animals than to produce fake furs, but is it just plain extreme to say that fur should never be used? It can be argued that humans have used animal products to keep warm since the beginning

of civilisation and many ‘greenies’ may claim that skins and furs could become a rescourceful use of a whole animal which has been slaughtered for meat. However, it is hard to ignore the pain and misery an animal farmed for fur can encounter, and after researching we were shocked at the type of animals bread purely for the industry. Foxes, mink, dogs and even cats are bred in some places. Can it be right that animals naturally destined for the wild should lead a life of misery for a product that can easily be replaced with something else? It’s a difficult question to pose, and it’s hard to determine where to draw the line. With so many animal products incorporated into the clothes we buy every day – where do we actually stop? We want you to have your say and email us your own opinions to debate@sustainedmagazine.com Can fur be fair?

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Ranch-raised foxes are kept in cages only 2.5 feet square (minks in cages 1-foot-by-3-feet), with up to four animals per cage.

Animals can languish in traps for days. Up to one out of every four trapped animals escapes by chewing off it’s own feet, only to die later from blood loss, fever, gangrene, or predation.

Side effects

“More than 60 times as much energy is needed to produce fur coats.”

Every year, thousands of dogs, cats, raptors, and other so-called ‘trash’ animals (including endangered species like the bald eagle) are crippled or killed by traps.

How important is a silky coat? Animals on fur farms may be gassed, electrocuted, poisoned with strychnine, or have their necks snapped. These methods are not 100% effective and some animals wake up while being skinned.

Energy-saving you say? According to a study by Ford Motor Company, it takes almost three times as much energy to make a coat from trapped animals’ pelts—and 40 times as much from ranch-raised furs—than it does to make a fake fur coat.

CLEANING UP

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DIRTY Laundry Feature: Kate Forse - Ecover Photography: istock.com

With green issues high on the news agenda, many of us are considering what we can do to make a difference.

e may be re-evaluating where we buy our food, how we travel to work or the type of energy we use in our homes, but how many of us stop and think about the impact of our washing habits on the environment? Today, each of us uses 70% more water than 30 years ago – a massive 110 litres per day! Our cleaning obsessed society often forgets the impact we make. All laundry products use surfactants as the work-horse of the cleaning function. Conventional products use petrochemical surfactants which are derived from fossil fuels, are non-renewable and have poor biodegradability. These toxins not only damage the aquatic ecosystem but add cost and effort to the water cleaning processes. In addition, they contain an ‘optical brightener’. This is a chemical which makes clothes and linens look brighter than they are. They do not increase washing hygiene, just appearance.

Choosing laundry products based on plant and mineral ingredients is the obvious environmental choice. These biodegrade quicker and are usually free from optical brighteners. To neutralise one dose of Ecover takes only a third of the water needed for conventional washing powder. Manufacturers, such as Ecover, have been pioneering sustainable cleaning for over 20 years, priding themselves in producing products that are good for your home and the environment. Ecover’s new laundry range is up to three times less toxic to aquatic life than conventional brands whilst offering exceptional cleaning performance. With an increasing number of ecological laundry ranges on the market consumers now have the choice of a wide range of eco-friendly products: washing powders, liquids and tablets, plus fabric conditioners, bleaches and stain-removers, for example.

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USEFUL CONTACTS: www.ecover.com www.cat.org.uk www.sas.org.uk www.saveenergy.co.uk www.watersense.org.uk www.environment. agency.co.uk/savewater

Each one of us can each make a big difference simply by modifying our washing behaviour: • Wash at the lowest recommended temperature; 40oc rather than 60oc uses a third less electricity. A warm wash and cold rinse will work as well as a hot wash and a warm rinse – it shouldn’t shrink clothes as much either! • Opt for half-load function if washing only a few garments. Less water and energy will be consumed. Over 90% of the energy involved is used through heating the water. • Buy an energy-efficient washing machine which meets the European eco-label level ‘A’. These appliances offer a high level of performance and can reduce your water bill by 40%. As consumer awareness of green issues increases more of us are questioning our own choices. By following these simple tips we can all take small steps to reduce the damaging effects of our next laundry load on the environment.

S ESATSEOPN B AL Y R S ET CE IPP E

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Perfect PARSNIPS Photography: istock.com

The vegatable pantry at this time of year can be quite limited, however all you need is a little imagination.

arsnips are delicious eaten as baby vegetables in the summer, however leave them until the winter and their maturity means you'll reap the rewards. Currently in season, this hearty vegetable is tasty and versatile, with a variety of recipes for even the most inexperienced of cooks. Plus, they are great source of vitamin C, fibre, folate and potassium (increased potassium can be linked to lowering blood pressure). When looking to buy parsnips, go for firm and dry and those of a medium size to avoid getting home to find a woody core which can be common in larger varieties. To ensure your delights stay golden for as long as possible keep in a perforated, unsealed plastic bag in the bottom of the fridge. They can last for two or three weeks but use before they go soft. The parsnip is a great alternative to the potato and can be roasted, chipped, diced, fried, baked or even juiced, so we encourage you to embrace the parsnip, and, who knows, in the new year you may be inspired to grow some of your own.

rooted Crisps: Heat some oil and, using a vegetable peeler, cut the parsnip into long, thin strips. Fry these until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and serve.

Submit your own.... We want to hear your ideas, the best of which will be published on our new, soon to be launched website.

Creamy golden mash: Boil parsnips in water, adding some bouillon and lemon juice. Simmer until tender. Drain and mash, adding a little butter and cream. Season with salt, pepper and chives.

Email your growing tips and recipes to:

parsnip@

sustainedmagazine.com

COMPETITION ‘nip ‘n’ Bacon Soup: Heat some butter and oil, add onion, carrot and parsnip and cook gently for 5-6 mins. Mix in some gammon and stock, bring to the boil, purée and serve with chopped parsley.

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The best recipe we receive will win a copy of Allotment Gardening, an organic guide for beginners by Susan Berger. £9.95, from greenbooks.com

Honey roasted delightS: Chop the parsnips into segments, toss with some olive oil, honey, black pepper and a few sesame seeds, then roast in the oven until golden brown.

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COMPETITION

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Fashion

GIVE -AWAY We have one of every item featured on our products page to give away. To enter all you have to do is state which product youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to win and answer the simple questions below: Exactly what can you win? Skomer organic jeans - howies; recycled shirt - Emmeline 4 Re; Useless t-shirt - Peopletree; Global Warming knickers - Green Knickers; Orange Triangle bag - Sophie Abbott; Infurno jacket - Patagonia; Kestrel lace-ups - Green shoes; Kids long sleeve t-shirt - Hug; Mon Cherie bralette - Enamore. See page 08-09 for product information and contact details.

Sustained Magazine FASHION Products GIVE-AWAY Answer the question, fill out your details and send this coupon to: SUSTAINED MAGAZINE, Victoria Chambers, St Runwald Street, Colchester, Essex CO1 1HF Simply answer the following questions: Which ONE product would you like to win? .................................................... Name the fashion label which Wayne Hemingway founded?

All possible information must be provided for a valid entry: Mr Mrs Miss Other .................................................... First Name ................................... Surname ................................ Address ........................................................................................ .................................................................................................... ........................................... Postcode ........................................... DOB (dd/mm/yy) ......................................................................... Telephone Number ....................................................................... Email ........................................................................................ Tick here if you do not want information to be passed your prize provider

Terms and Conditions of Entry: The Competition is open to anyone over the age of 18, one entry per household only, No Entries accepted from anyone connected to any of the companies involved. Responsibility will not be accepted for any entries lost or delayed. No cash alternative. The winner will be the first correct entry drawn at random after the closing date of March 31st 2006 and will be notified shortly afterwards. Sustained or The Creative Coop cannot be held responsible in the event a company supplying any prize cannot honour its obligation, for whatever reason.

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C L I M AT E C H A N G E

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Book REVIEW

This is an extract from Funny Weather: Everything You Didn’t Want to Know About Climate Change but Probably Should Find Out by Kate Evans, published by Myriad Editions. £6.99. www.funnyweather.org

"Kate has told the story of a climate change in a way that’s accessible, funny and moving.” George Monbiot

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ETHICAL CHOICE

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Clean CLOTHES Feature: Julia King Photography: Alain Couillaud

Over the last few years our shopping lists have become a lot more diverse. It’s now not uncommon for things like fair trade tea and organic carrots to make it on every week.

upermarkets, once somewhere purely to stock up your larder, now even offer cheaper-than-chips clothes to bulk out your wardrobe. Draped over shopping trolleys are t-shirts (two for £3) and back-to-school uniforms. Who can blame the parents for looking so smug for avoiding the hectic Saturday morning trip into town and the extortionate prices from the official school shops? Ever worry how clothing can cost so very little? Quite simply, some other human being is paying the price so that we don’t have to. I’m talking sweatshops; that we, as a nation, are so proud to have left behind with our trade unions. Low pay, cramped, hazardous, unfair working conditions, and few rights or benefits for employees are still widely experienced by garment workers worldwide. Furthermore,

our demand for instant catwalk fashion at high street prices means reduced lead times on goods and more pressure on workers, with harsh penalties if they don’t perform. We are all aware of claims against companies such as Nike and Adidas regarding worker exploitation. We know about forced overtime, restricted access to water, appalling wages, yet we still buy their latest lines. However, in a bid to clean up their act, along with others such as H&M and Puma, they have joined the Fair Labour Association which conducts independent company audits designed to improve global standards. Many suggest that it is the huge retailers such as Matalan, Wal-Mart (Asda), and Arcadia (Dorothy Perkins, Topshop, Wallis) who are largely responsible for keeping prices low and consequently compounding poor working conditions.

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“Our demand for instant catwalk fashion at high street prices means reduced lead times and more pressure on workers.” There is hope out there. British fashion designers Katharine Hamnett and Ali Hewson (wife of Bono) have both recently produced ethical collections. Fair trade fashion label People Tree, which aims to provide style with a conscience, have persuaded Topshop to stock their sustainable clothing. Plus, earlier this year, Marks & Spencer launched a cotton range as part of a Look Behind The Label campaign, aimed at informing shoppers where products were sourced. This follows research showing that almost a third of consumers would decide not to buy an item of clothing if they had ethical concerns about its origins. Although world issues are extensively studied in schools, younger consumers are far less ethical shoppers than their parents. According to the research firm TNS Worldpanel Fashion, 58% of under-25s don’t care how their clothes were produced. To them fairly traded fashion means batik, tie-dye and, basically, frumpy. When it comes to the latest fashion, something stronger takes over their young minds. The girl’s just gotta have it.

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So, if fashion really is your thing, then you’ll have to accept that these mass-produced offerings rely on exploitation down the supply chain. Unless, you vote with your feet and ask your favourite retailers what impact this trend is having on workers’ rights. Labour Behind The Label, a campaign supporting garment workers’ efforts worldwide to improve their working conditions, produce postcards to complete and send to your chosen stores, challenging them on their practices. You have to rummage around and decide which ones really supply ‘clean’ clothes.

USEFUL CONTACTS There is so much information out there but here are a handful of informative sites to get you thinking and, hopefully, acting: g g g g g g

www.fairtrade.org.uk www.labourbehindthelabel.org www.ptree.co.uk www.traidcraft.co.uk www.cleanclothes.org www.ifat.org

CHARITY GUIDE

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Top TIPS....

Thrifty is

01. Be open-minded and you will find

THE NEW NIFT Y Feature: Kristen Doneski - kdoneski@hotmail.com

Unleash the charity shop chic in you and become a re-user making a difference and looking damn good doing so!

n the past when you have chosen to take those courageous steps over your nearby charity store’s threshold to add the elements of discovery, hope and individuality into your day, little did you know you could add on aiding the planet with your own selfish conquest at heart to the list. It is not too often that helping our environment and making a bold fashion statement cross paths, but maybe now they truly do! Take hold, get stuck in, and adopt a new fashion sense! As word from the website www.ethicalconsumer.org over half of the £25 billion worth of clothes sold in Great Britain each year are imported. Many of them from countries where labour laws are either non-existent or simply not enforced. Companies accounted for by the website include Arcadia (suppliers of Topshop and Topman), H&M, Marks & Spencer. These stock clothes from China, where core labour rights like collective bargaining are effectively illegal. So, what can you do about it? Think about spending hard

earned pounds in charity shops instead and extend your creativity to new heights. Most often charity shops are local businesses, staffed by volunteers and fruitful with donated items. The money you spend here will only be divided between rent/ overhead, staff salaries and national insurance. Yes, all the rest goes to the nominated charity. The best part is that any clothes that are not sold in charity shops are then recycled and it is estimated that the charity collective re-uses more than 100,000 tons of textiles each year. That is 30% of the total volume of textiles being recycled in the UK; saving them from the landfills. In the know... Now that you are informed about the advantages of becoming a Charity Shop Sophisticate here comes the good part; get shopping, have fun re-using and keep your pockets fat. For more information and where-tos about the local charity shops in your area take a look at www.charityshops.org.uk

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treasures! Avoid visiting your charity shops with a list of items, you will spend more time pouting and missing other gems. . 02. Patience is of the essence. Rummage till your delighted and give yourself the time. 03. Don’t believe the sizes you find in charity shops because often they can be prehistoric numbers. A jumper a bit swimmy can become your favorite new dress with the help of a chunky belt or a pair of skinny-fit jeans.

04.

“Don’t limit your sights to clothes alone, charity shops are a wonderland for so many delights.”

Kick-start your Imagination! If a collar is too tight around the neck but everything else is right, cut the seams and loosen it up.

05.

Change is good!: Change buttons, add zippers, or hem a pair of trousers you loved to find but are dragging on the floor. Dye to the color of your heart’s content (Use dyes that are fixed and better for us all!).

06.

Forget your Sex: Ties can be worn round necks or waists. Ladies: 80’s men business suits waistcoats are in if you can find one that fits. Gentlemen: if you are of the small hip variation you would be surprised how nice the ladies items will look on you, particularly the denim.

07. Denim the transfomer: Re-create old

jeans, be it into bags (think braided denim for the straps), duvet and cushion covers. THINK THRIFTY: Plan your charity shop spree with a mate and you will both feel like bountiful Planet Warriors for the day...

08. If you spot some beads on a necklace

that you love but it looks like it’s about to tear then grab it anyway. Rethread and add alternative beads for 20p, it will pay when you see a similar (and not so unique) £6 necklace hanging on everyone else’s neck.

For the first time in over 20 years, Japan has seized control of the International Whaling Commission. The ban on commercial whaling is now dangerously close to being overturned. But Japan has growing stockpiles of meat that it canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sell. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even fed to dogs. Whaling is cruel, uncontrollable and unwanted.

Will you sit back and watch the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s whales decimated again for no reason?

G U E S T F E AT U R E

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Natural COTTON Feature: Jack Woodcock Illistration: James Greene

Increasingly, we’re buying chemical-free food as a healthier, more sustainable option. We investigate whether you should extend this to what you wear.

otton is a very important material – not only does it meet more than half of our global fibre requirements, but it provides income for millions of small farmers throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America. Unless you’re reading this in the bath, the odds are that you’re wearing an item of cotton clothing right now. Although the amount of land dedicated to cotton production has changed little since the 1930’s, crop yield has more than tripled to around 19 million tonnes a year. Unsurprisingly, this unsustainable level of productivity comes at great environmental cost. In some countries every tonne of cotton produced requires half a tonne of chemicals, and it becomes clear that contrary to its ‘earthy’ image, cotton is far from a natural choice. The problems of the chemically dependent cotton industry have been most visibly demonstrated in Uzbekistan. Intensive pesticide use has led to such a high level of contamination that fields are

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now completely barren, supplies of drinking water have become polluted and cases of childhood blood diseases and birth defects have soared. Furthermore, due to changes in river flows for irrigation, the Aral Sea, once the fourth largest body of freshwater in the world, has shrunk by 60% in the last 30 years, devastating marine life. As with many of the ecological challenges before us there is an alternative: organic cotton. When we buy our clothes we accept that only a fraction of what we pay is for the materials they’re made from. In the conventional cotton trade the chain between us and the farmer is notoriously complex. Yarn and fabrics are moved around the globe, with those involved usually having no knowledge of the origins or final destinations of the goods they are handling. In the organic cotton industry the chain is usually much more open. This means that the cost of the finished product to us need not necessarily be much

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“Who can blame us for wanting to hibernate through the chilly “Cotton season?”

provides income for millions of small farmers throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America.”

sin laboramus, quis est, qui alienae modum statuat industriae? nam ut Terentianus Chremes non inhumanus, qui novum vicinum non vult ‘fodere aut arare aut aliquid ferre denique’ -- non enim illum ab industria, sed ab inliberali labore deterret --, sic isti curiosi, quos offendit noster minime nobis iniucundus labor. Latinas, qui se dicant in Graecis legendis operam malle consumere. postremo aliquos futuros suspicor, qui me ad alias litteras vocent, genus hoc scribendi, etsi sit elegans, personae tamen et dignitatis esse negent. [2] Contra quos omnis dicendum breviter existimo. Quamquam philosophiae quidem vituperatoribus satis responsum est eo libro, quo a nobis philosophia defensa et collaudata est, cum esset accusata et vituperata ab Hortensio. qui liber cum et tibi probatus videretur et iis, quos ego posse iudicare arbitrarer, plura suscepi veritus ne movere hominum studia viderer, retinere non posse.

........................................................................ higher. Go to www.ralper.co.uk and pick yourself up an organic, fairly traded t-shirt for under £10! This might not be as economical as the poor quality offerings available at the supermarket but is cheaper than designer alternatives. If we change what we buy, the shops will change what they sell. Between 1994 and 2004 we increased the amount we spent on organic food from a under £100 million to over £1.2 billion a year! Public pressure means that the days of ‘going super-size’ are over. If current trends persist, for good

or for bad, the days of ‘going Mc’organic’ could be just round the corner. Unlike organic food it’s difficult to ‘taste the difference’ between two seemingly identical t-shirts. But, do we really buy organic bread and eggs because they taste better? Isn’t it really a moral choice? About the way we feel tucking into our egg and soldiers, protected from the unknown side effects of GMO’s and pesticides, safe in the knowledge that Monsanto won’t profit from our breakfast? Whereas this experience lasts as long as it takes to read the first few pages of the Sunday paper, the clothes we buy

will stay with us for years.

“It goes without saying that if we change what we buy, the shops will change what they sell..”

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DID YOU KNOW ? The World Health Organisation estimates that 20,000 deaths occur in developing countries each year from poisoning by agricultural pesticides used on crops of cotton. g

Though only 1% of agricultural land in the U.S. is used for cotton, the industry is responsible for more than 10% of agricultural chemical usage. g

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DANDELION AWARD

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SKY ’S the LIMIT Feature: James Usher Photography: Jakub Cejpek

The clothes you wear say much about you, so why don’t we ask where they really came from ?

he fashion industry has it tough. We demand clothes that fit perfectly, perform brilliantly and look great all at low supermarket prices. And the list doesn’t end there; we now want our fashion to be guilt-free and crafted by fairly paid workers from organic or recycled materials decorated with non-chemical dyes. A clean conscience is crucial, a cherry on top of the well-groomed cake. While many clothing companies are struggling to catch up, there are some that have been working with these principles for years. Yvon Chouinard built his business on good ethics. Originally a maker of pitons (metal spikes for climbing), he realised the equipment he made was harming the environment he loved. His solution was ‘clean climbing’. He designed aluminium chocks to replace pitons which allowed climbers to do so without damaging the rock face. Later he discovered hard-wearing rugby shirts matched his durability needs perfectly and began selling them alongside his equipment. Patagonia was born.

Formed in 1973, Patagonia today has 39 stores worldwide and supplies over 700 dealers in Europe, proof that sound ethics can be a solid foundation for success. Most businesses have an environmental policy – but you need more than that to win our Dandelion Award. Most important is a healthy chunk of extraordinary effort, add to this a driving desire to keep environmental impact to a minimum and you’re on the way. Patagonia has taken it further with their Social Responsibility Programme. Patagonia employs over 1300 people and prides itself on the relationship it has with staff. Subsidised child-care is available on site along with an organic café and sports facilities, grants to help toward the purchase of a hybrid car and paid internships. Sound amazing? Well there’s more! At Patagonia Europe, bikes and showers are at employees’ disposal, as they are encouraged to use non-motorised travel, for which they receive financial support.

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Plus, they are members of the Fair Labour Association (FLA) who aim to improve conditions in factories across the world. 60% of the products they sell in Europe are made there, massively reducing their carbon footprint. 1993 saw the launch of post consumer recycled clothing, while in 2003 a PCR filament yarn, made from recycled soda bottles, was introduced and is now used in over 30 products – saving 92 million bottles from the bin. By embracing organic cotton, chlorine-free wool and a Common Threads Garments Recycling Programme, Patagonia’s customers can sleep easy. Recycling and re-using is only part of the story, The Conservation Alliance founded by Patagonia is getting the outdoor sports industry to become more involved in their work and the Grassroots Activists Conference is helping over 700 people with fundraising, media campaigns and community skills. Now that’s what we call dedication and determination.

USEFUL LISTINGS

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THE TOP b r a n d s g u i d e

A brief guide to which brands don’t need to hide in the closet.

Sustained

Unique and original bags made with truck tarpaulins, car seat belts, bicycle inner tubes and used air bags. Cut by hand. T. 0041 43210 3252. www.freitag.ch