Tag Archives: Fairtrade

May 26 2012

It’s all pants….

I was at an Invest in Nottingham Club event in the week (more on that next week!) and there was an unashamed plug during dispatches for the audience to part with their cash in exchange for a pair of pants. This may be an over-share, but I’m prepared to show you my new pants. The choice was pink or the blue you see here.

The project is ‘pants to poverty‘ and it’s 5 years old they sell in over 20 countries around the world and support over 5000 farmers in India. It’s an ethical brand prepared to take on the major fashion houses. You can buy them on the website here.

From their website, in view of the global reach, I smiled at the explanation of the name,

“We’ve got a very English name. In England, in case you didn’t know, Pants are not trousers, but they are underwear. However, more than that, if something is pants, then that means it’s terrible! So, “Pants to Poverty” means Poverty is terrible, as well as saying that they are fairtrade and organic underpants! We all need pants and so we aim to provide pants for all people, in a way that supports, rather than destroys, all of the wonderful people that make them”.

I am not really about reviewing pants on my blog, but felt the need to share a great product idea….

Over-share ends here.

Jun 13 2010

Fairtrade – no longer a fad?

I am not sure that the Fairtrade movement was ever a fad – and if it was perceived as such the principles behind it are certainly not!

Their website proclaims:

Our vision is of a world in which justice and sustainable development are at the heart of trade structures and practices so that everyone, through their work, can maintain a decent and dignified livelihood and develop their full potential.

I had not realsied that the organisation had been around for quite so long. You can read the history on their website here. I have a couple of clients who are completely wedded to the principles – one a retailer in the North-West and the other a University. Green & Blacks chocolate was the first branded goods in the UK – and it still tastes good.

I heard Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Foundation, on Radio 4 at the weekend – and her aim plan was to remind people that behind our cup of coffee are people who have picked the beans. She also suggested that the Fairtrade brand has been quite resilient to the recession – once you know about something you can’t un-know it! People haven’t gone back to the cheap food in general terms.

Mark Price, Head of Waitrose has suggested that Fairtrade will one day be as common as expecting a clean supermarket.

It was good to hear of the success of some villages in Rwanda where they now have a Bank! And hairdressers – I smiled, but it is serious, these are things we take for granted.

I do my bit for Fairtrade – Starbucks coffee is all Fairtrade! And I contribute a lot – I am guessing I have bought that Bank… and well on my way to another!