Earth-Conscious Ltd
Earth-Conscious is a company dedicated to protecting the environment by promoting eco-friendly products for a sustainable future. We are a UK-based company manufacturing bio-degradable jute, cotton and canvas bags and a range of naturally organic jute gardening products.
Our jute and canvas bags are ethical alternatives to plastic and paper bags. Not only are our products a cost-effective promotional solution for eco-conscious companies but our wide range of fashionable hand bags available in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes are suitable for leisure and shopping.
High quality products, low minimum orders, excellent customer service and our firm commitment to ethical trading policy are only a few of the reasons why you should choose to work with us.
As firm believers in ecologically sustainable development, we source all our products from cottage industries based in Bangladesh.
We can print your logo or design on one of our wide range of standard styles. Or we can make a customised product to your specifications in just about any colour and shape that you want.
Our customers include retailers, libraries, local councils, event organisers, corporate offices and universities in Asia, UK and Europe.
Ethical Policy
Our Mission - Earth-Conscious was formed in 2005 with a vision to provide an alternative platform for environmentally friendly jute products made by indigenous craftsmen of Bangladesh. Through this service, we hoped to assist in improving entrepreneurial capacity of poor rural women in Bangladesh and uplifting the socio-economic condition of the distressed artisan families.
Our vision is to empower the marginalised producers (e.g. women, religious minority, and disabled producers) by creating job opportunities and international market access for their products which expectantly would lead to their financial independence and help them to overcome the extreme poverty in which they live.
By offering a selection of eco-friendly products we hope to provide an opportunity for craftsmen to protect and preserve traditional techniques that may become extinct without our support.
We are certain that the basic power of consumer choice is enough to ensure that high quality ecological products thrive within even the most competitive and well-established market place. Earth-Conscious is committed to the development of products and services that further the creation of an ecologically sustainable future.
Our Responsibilities – We adhere to strict international ethical trading regulations. We expect all of our suppliers to support and uphold those beliefs. Earth-Conscious requires its suppliers and manufacturers abroad and in the UK not only to adhere to the following principles, but to demand the same from their own suppliers and sub-contractors.
Conditions of employment
- All suppliers must conduct their business in an open, moral and equitable manner.
- They must remunerate their employees at a fair market rate in accordance with their responsibilities and abilities.
- The use of any child labour is unacceptable. All labour must be older than the statutory minimum for the country. If we were to become aware of child labour in connection with our merchandise then the issue would be dealt with by a considered programme centred on the best interests of the children involved.
- Safe working conditions must be provided for all employees and none will be subjected to dangerous working practices.
- Working hours must be reasonable and appropriate breaks given. Wages and benefits must be fully comparable with local norms, complying with all local laws and the general principle of fair dealing.
- Employees will be considered for promotion and advancement purely on their ability, and in no circumstances will the exploitation of any individual or group be allowed.
- Employees must be engaged on a voluntary basis, there must be no forced labour or any use of physical or mental abuse, or any form of corporal punishment.
Freedom of association
Employees must be free to choose whether or not to associate with any group that is legal in that country.
Intellectual property rights
We comply fully with all legal requirements in all countries with which we trade. We require our customers and suppliers to do likewise at all times.
Earth-Conscious requires its contractors, sub-contractors, principal suppliers and licensees to provide these conditions and observe these standards when producing or distributing products or components of products for Earth-Conscious.
Production process and environmental impact Our range of products is manufactured in Dhaka, Bangladesh the centre of the world's jute production. We promote labour-intensive production method to produce our range of jute and gardening products. The women making our products are marginalised for reasons more than poverty. We look to employ women experiencing discrimination in other ways too: some are former prostitutes; others have been affected by wasting diseases; some may have been divorced or abandoned - each situation scars women with a stigma that reduces their chance of decent employment.
All Earth-Conscious products are hand-made using sustainable resources and produced with minimum harm to the environment. We are prepared to pay a premium for local materials and encourage the complete processing of materials and the product in the community itself.
Earth-Conscious environmental policy
We wish to work sustainably and aim to examine, and limit, the ecological impact of Earth-Conscious at home and overseas. We are particularly concerned with the following issues:
The dangers of dyes to producers and consumers and their disposal - All dyes both natural and synthetic can be hazardous to the producer and environment. We are concerned that producers should use the safest dyes and dispose of dye waste in a responsible way with due respect to the environment and local community. Consequently, we are working with our producers towards finding out how to best manage our dye waste.
We prefer the use of natural dyes as this gives the producer more control over the dye materials and process, and are possibly safer. We have however had conflicting views on how this may affect small-scale producers; one organisation expressed the concern that 'safe' dyes are not manufactured to the needs of the small-scale producer.
The sustainable use of wood -We believe in buying wood from sustainable sources. However, because of the difficulty in determining sustainable sources of wood, we at Earth-Conscious avoid stocking wood products from producers who are unable to provide us with sufficient proof. We would prefer wood to be obtained from local forests managed by local communities but most forests in Bangladesh are government owned and not managed in the peoples’ interest. We believe that the sustainable use of forest resources is integral to forest conservation and that local communities should have the right to use forest resources to achieve local resource security, and in the creation of income generating schemes.
The use of post-consumer and industrial waste –Earth-Conscious is particularly keen to support the transformation of waste into useful goods, which might otherwise litter the environment. This also gives rise to creativity, and innovation, and also provides affordable and original articles.
The use of environmental pests -
Earth-Conscious is keen to support the use of materials in the production of goods that might otherwise pose an environmental hazard, (providing they are not intrinsically hazardous to work with). The use of water hyacinth in the making of handicrafts is one example. Water hyacinth, spread around the water courses of Asia, blocking the free passage of water and in some areas, promoting disease. The use of water hyacinth, therefore, not only provides local communities with an abundant biomass supply with which to work, its harvest and use is an act of environmental rehabilitation!
The use of natural materials – Earth-Conscious actively supports the use of natural materials such as grasses, rushes and sedge, which provide local communities with an abundant and inexpensive material with which to generate an income. Biomass-based resources tend to be used by poorer artisans.
Environmental policy: at home
Energy –Earth-Conscious aims to minimise energy use.
Energy efficiency Earth-Conscious believes that energy efficiency is critical. We use energy-efficient bulbs in all our lighting.
Transport - Directors regularly use public transport. In this way, we minimise the inefficient use of fuel a private vehicle represents.
Waste -We aim to reduce our waste in the following ways:
Recycling Earth-Conscious directors aim to recycle the following: glass, paper, cardboard, clothing.
Earth-Conscious directors compost domestic organic waste, for use in the garden. Rainwater is also collected and used in the garden.
Earth-Conscious supports local-level goods and services. Earth-Conscious directors shop locally. In this way, a local economy is sustained, which profits the local community and provides local employment.
Earth-Conscious Ltd is listed in the following categories
Business Services / SuppliersClothing & Fashion / Accessories
Gardening & Farming / Gardening Products
Marketing / Advertising
