Only
Fair have a brand new blog (http://www.only-fair.blogspot.com),
a brand new look and we’re now looking for guest bloggers to take
part in our new weekly feature.

We’re
looking for information articles regarding ethical issues of 1,000
words maximum. Bloggers can have a maximum of 50 words about
themselves, their company (if appropriate) and interests, with a
company link and logo. All we ask is that there’s no blatant or
heavy advertising of products or services.

This
is a great way to connect and reach new readers so if you’re
interested in taking part email Kate James at sales@onlyfair.co.uk.

Shop in luxury on-line this Christmas

Beat the crowds without compromising quality with ethical gift store Boutiko.

Luxury ethical on-line gift store Boutiko offers a beautiful range of individually and sustainably sourced handmade, ethical gifts for family, friends and colleagues for the festive season and beyond.

handmade jewellery – recycled leather notebooks – winter scented soy candles – handcrafted Christmas decorations – clocks made from recycled coffee cups

Boutiko really is mad about the gift business – offering individual customer service and next day delivery wherever possible to ensure gift hunters a shopping experience as luxurious as their purchases! Not only that – but gift wrapping is free (and beautifully done) and gifts can be sent straight to the recipient.

Choose something unique from the personally selected range of unusual presents – here are a few of our new and most favourite:

Recycled Clocks/Clock & Thermometer
Perfect for indoors or out – gardeners and homebodies will adore these weather-proof sturdy clocks, intriguingly made from recycled coffee cups and which look and feel very much like slate. Various styles, from £24.95 to £26.95

One-off Handmade Jewellery & Cufflinks
Made with silver and recycled glass beads, Boutiko’s one-off jewellery designs are exquisitely made and come in a fair trade organza bag.  Includes earrings from £13, and bracelets from £35.  For men, there are stunning handcrafted silver & hardwood cufflinks for men at £50, which also come in a fair trade pouch and a handcrafted box.

The prettiest embroidered washbags you’ve ever seen – handmade by a family business in Vietnam, these exquisite bags are lined with water resistant fabric, £20.

Children will love tidying their toys away – and so will their parents! – with our Toy Pockets – handmade by the same family as the wash bags – which hang neatly on the back of a door or wardrobe, £30.

Winter and Christmas is a great time for candles – our handmade, soy wax candles from a family run business in Cornwall also come in bio degradeable, recycled packaging. The Country Range has three fragrances: Redcurrant & Thyme, Lavender & Rose, Raspberry & Vine Tomato – perfect for those long winter evenings, £12.

Recycled Leather Address Books, Journals & Mini London A-Zs – all handmade by Undercover – in a variety of cover colours (aqua, lipstick, mauve and petrol) – the perfect gift for just about anyone! From £10-£15.

Last but not least – handmade and fairly traded from India, beaded Christmas decorations including hearts, fairies and trees – guaranteed to make every tree sparkle! £3.50 each. Or a set of fine porcelain tealights spelling NOEL, handmade in Britain from recycled off-cuts of porcelain, £40, perfect for creating a magical glow this Christmas.

Oh – and if you do need to pop to the shops at the last minute – take along one of Boutiko’s ingenious One Less Plastic Bag – handmade from Indian saris with every single bag unique in its design! These bags fold away to a tiny pocket size but can carry up to 2kg – plus are machine washable, £10.

Please note prices quoted are from October 1st – there is currently a Boutiko sale on, with many reductions including most of these showcased items.

Design by the creative-coop 

The business model that has served us since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution is now defunct. That model only worked for as long as man had unlimited access to resources. To cope with our growing population and the impact of climate change we need to re-invent how we do business.

Becoming a Social Enterprise (SE) is no longer just a matter of choice; companies that do not embrace social and environmental issues will ultimately struggle to survive, especially as we are in the early stages of a recession that could potentially become one of the deepest in modern history.

Social enterprise start-ups abound, coming in all shapes and sizes. Though technically an SE may be defined as a CIC (Community Interested Company), Fair Trade, NGO or Non-Profit organization, the boundaries between traditional SEs and the commercial sector are becoming blurred. Indeed, arguably a number of commercial companies are equally, if not more effective, at equipping society to make a difference in relation to issues such as climate change, pollution, poverty and species extinction. Such companies tend to be fast-growth start-ups launched in the past decade by young entrepreneurs whose vision of success is based on how much impact they can have on the market place rather than how many zeros they can add to their profit margin.

To read the rest of this article visit the online version of Sustained magazine.

Societás is a member of Ethical Junction, to learn more about them, take a look at their Ethical Junction Profile

Panorama puts Primark’s claims that it can deliver cheap, fast fashion without breaking ethical guidelines to the test. Posing as industry buyers in India, the programme’s reporter Tom Heap and his team find some of India’s poorest people working long, gruelling hours on Primark clothes in slum workshops and refugee camps far away from the Primark approved and inspected factories; breaking promises on child labour, working hours and wages. When presented with the results of the investigation Primark sacked 3 suppliers and announced it was setting up a children’s foundation.
Primark said it was unaware of the actions of its suppliers. They say they represent a tiny proportion of their supply chain and that its reinforcing its stringent ethical standards in meetings with suppliers. Primark statement released June 16th 2008 below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/18_06_08_primark.pdf

Their direct response to the Panorama programme will be on the Panorama
website after the programme airs on BBC1: http://www.bbc.co.uk/panorama

Our Ethical Network has been set up by EJ member Ethical Weddings to give ethical businesses in the Brighton & Hove area (and a bit beyond!) the chance to get together for a chinwag, to spread ethical love and maybe stumble across some mutually beneficial business opportunities at the same time…

Ethical Junction have joined together with Our Ethical Network to create the most inspiring, useful, informative and active network for you that we possibly can.  The next event planned is at The Lord Nelson, 26 Trafalgar Street, Brighton on Wednesday 23 July and will be an informal get-together, a chance to meet some new and old faces, share ideas and advice, and generally support each other in developing a more ethical way of doing business.  

Come and join us for an evening of ethical business networking… and general mingling with some good local Harveys ales to wash it all down!  All you need to do is confirm that you can make the event and turn up on the night!  To register go to – www.ethicalnetwork.eventbrite.com  or email katie@ethicalweddings.com.