If you want to send someone you love a card that’s really special, how about one made from paper infused with wildflower seeds that will grow into real flowers? It’s the latest green innovation from ecohip, the website for eco-friendly gifts, gadgets and beauty products.

The cards are made from 100% recycled paper, sourced from Botanical PaperWorks, a pioneer in eco-friendly stationery. Embedded within the paper are a selection of wildflower seeds. When your loved one has finished displaying the card, all they have to do is find a sunny spot, spread a thin layer of soil onto the paper and water well. In 6-8 weeks wildflower or spruce trees will bloom, creating a special gift to remember. The card range includes:

• Baby congratulations cards


• Congratulations cards – perfect for weddings


• Mother’s day cards


• Condolence cards


• Blank greetings cards for any occasion

As you would expect from ecohip, the boutique eco store, the modern, beautifully designed cards are totally eco-friendly. They are printed with vegetable-based inks and even the plastic overwrap is made from corn. Ordinary cards are often made from unsustained paper sourced, using toxic printer inks and fixing agents.

What’s more, when you plant your ecohip card, it is totally biodegradable. Each year, billions of conventional cards end up in landfills and contribute to deforestation – this Christmas alone, around 1 billion Christmas cards will be sent in the UK, which means that over 300,000 trees would have been felled [source: Defra].

“These cards are a wonderfully novel way to touch someone and give them an environmentally responsible gift,” says Steven Chasan, owner of ecohip. “When you send someone dear to you a letter or card made of our plantable paper, each time the flowers bloom, they’ll remember you.”

“More and more of us are recognizing the need for environmental responsibility in this day and age,” says Chasan. “We’re simply doing something we love that happens to also fulfill a need.”

Other items available in the plantable paper include calendars, journals, handbound books, writing paper and gift tags.

For more information visit http://www.ecohip.org/

Plumethical.co.uk, a new ethical bag shop for beautiful men’s and women’s bags, has been opened online.

Plum Ethical’s bags are made exclusively from reclaimed, recycled and non-animal materials, showcasing the cream of luxury ‘green’ bag brands; The Rubber Cow Company, PlanetSilverChilli, Neumatica and E&KO. 

Simon Garrett is the owner of Plum Ethical and says,” At Plum Ethical, we aim to show that ethical bags are also beautiful bags.  Our bags demonstrate a return to artistry and producing beautifully crafted goods but using only sustainable resources, and without causing a detrimental effect on the environment.”

The shop offers practical day bags; from handbags and messenger bags
for leisure time and work, through to sleek holdalls and weekend bags
for travel and sports.  Then, for a bit of dazzle in the evening, there
are a sumptuous range of delectable evening bags. Simon adds, “We
believe that fashion should play its part in recycling, and the bags we
sell are testimony that ethics and fashion can successfully mix.”
E&KO’s
striking red bags made from British decommissioned fire hoses offer the
durability required for daily use, but also make a stylish addition to
an outfit.  (left) E&KO Tote Bag – £179.      

For an
alternative to standard leather bags, the light trendy vegan bags from
The Rubber Cow Co., and Neumatica’s super-soft bags made from tough
reclaimed tyre tubes, make innovative and affordable substitutes.
 (Right)  Bolsocorto Bag from Neumatica –  £135.

PlanetSilverChilli
evening bags add a touch of glamour to an outfit for a night out, but
with the unusual twist that they are made of either re-used ring pulls
or recycled crisp bags.  Their bags are hand-made, and no two are
exactly the same.

PlanetSilverChilli, Shimmering Square Bag – £35,    PlanetSilverChilli, Funky Cocktail Bag (pink) – £30

For more information on Plum Ethical, and to view their full range of products, visit their shop:  www.plumethical.co.uk.

Our ranges of exceptional fair trade gifts are still growing at Fairwind. Here are the latest additions to arrive at the shop.

Stunning jewellery from South Africa and Zimbabwe

Funky chunky bracelets     

 from £9.50

Spiky shell rhodium jewellery  

from £22  

Freshwater pearl jewellery

£12                                                         

This
gorgeous jewellery is made by Yakanaka, a fair trade organisation
that seeks to support economically disadvantaged members of
marginalised communities in South Africa and Zimbabwe through the
provision of sustainable employment opportunities. Yakanaka has to deal
with some serious challenges, especially in Zimbabwe where the
inflation rate is in the millions, there are daily power and water
cuts, dirty municipal water and there is no diesel or fuel; the list is
endless!

Two of our best combinations we have created this week
     1. 100% cashmere Bra Dress for House of Cashmere. Burlington 
          Arcade, London
     2. A golden, sparkly sleeveless Bra Dress for T4 presenter

FURTHER NEWS:

• Our debut collection for online retailer ASOS will be launched at the end of this month

• Goodone will be exhibiting again at Estethica during London Fashion Week Spring Summer 2010

• Andwe are currently being followedby a Japanese film crew ‘NHK’ documenting our Goodlife!

• Lastly there will bea studio sample sale happening in the next couple
  of weeks! The perfect time to pick up a bargin, and the opportunity to
  pick out your own colour combination for whatever design you
  like…watch this space.

 www.goodone.co.uk