Posts Tagged ‘fair trade christmas gifts’
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
The Fair Trade label is becoming increasingly common in the Western world. But while shoppers seem keen to pay a little over the odds for fair trade products, some observers question how effective it really is in helping developing third world farmers.
In my view, the more the Western market is flooded and the more Fair Trade sold, then over time, the third world will surely reap the benefits in the end?
Surely, the more fair trade clothes and jewellery we buy, the more the third world produce and sell, and then the more we buy, the more the third world earn and so on…..and this can only be a positive cyclic relationship perpetuating greater wealth over time for impoverished societies?
The craftsmanship on fair trade gifts and jewellery is truly outstanding. Quite clearly the skills of the indigenous communities who produce such gems are passed from generation to generation so skills like wood carving, hand painting, hand screen printing and jewellery crafting do not fade. We are lucky to have accessibility to the products of great artisans so we can appreciate their unique beauty in contrast to mass produced generic products that are not, in sharp contrast, skilfully handcrafted and have no soul or originality.
Hand embroidered fair trade bags
There is an organis ation in India called Touch of India who specialise in hand making fair trade bags all of which are hand embroidered. Touch of India carries out most of its work with Muslim minorities and aims to preserve old traditional embroidery techniques such as Kantha embroidery, Zardozi and Aari work. It uses a wide range of beads and fabrics in the most beautiful colours and are true works of art. All their products are exchanged for a fair wage.
Hand made fair trade candles
In Kolkata, India, the conglomerate E.M.A., carry on the tradition of candle making by hand. Paraffin was is melted in an oven and poured into a mould or ‘die’. Each candle is left to cool for six to seven hours before being taken out of the die and polished. It can be then hand painted or hand screen printed. Most of the scents used are from flowers, fruits and spices and come from Bangalore. Each candle is a work of art and has been exchanged using fair trade principles.
Hand screen printed jute shopping bags
Earth Bags in Kolkata, India, produce bags made from jute since it is a fast-growing vegetable fibre in their country. It is also 100% biodegradable and recyclable. Some of the bags are natural jute while others have been hand dyed in sumptuous pinks , greens and purples embellished with coloured sequins and hand printed with metallic gold or pink screen prints. Earth Bags gives employment to women and self-help groups in Kolkata and strives to help the environment by encouraging more people to use eco-friendly bags.
Fair trade jewellery
Produced in Delhi, India, each piece of jewellery is created from Indian solid silver. Each item is crafted and inlaid with semi precious gemstones ranging from the beautifully rich deep blue lapis lazuli, to the milky moonstone and the opulent malachite. The range of jewellery covers intricately crafted pendants inlaid with coral and turquoise to hand crafted earrings some with finely shaped spirals of silver.
All the products Indigo Ocean have to offer have been exchanged for a fair wage to help to improve the communities standard of living and quality of life - not only for them - but for their next generation….
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Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
I feel confident the majority of us are aware of fair trade tea, coffee and bananas since supermarkets have posters everywhere emblazoned with the striking green and blue logo with a picture of the food product.
We can then choose whether or not to buy this range depending on our understanding of what fair trade is all about. Though I wonder how many of us realise the fair trade range goes way beyond such consumables. For example, there is a magnificent range of fair trade gifts available spanning across accessories like bags, scarves and purses. There are colourful, educational childrens toys. High quality hand made fair trade jewellery.Also homeware like brightly weaved or natural rugs, throws, cushions, candles and wooden plates and bowls. The list really is endless!
Not only is there something special for everyone but also everything is hand made by artisans using traditional skills passed from generation to generation. Since fair trade is literally created and not manufactured on a production line, I truly believe every piece is unique. Furthermore, we have the satisfaction of knowing no-one has been exploited since fair trade means a fair wage has been exchanged under ethical working conditions.
So what fair trade treasures are there beyond bananas?
5. Tealight Holders. If you are after something really quirky for someone with a sense of humour there are brilliant tealights ranging from hedgehogs to chickens and frogs. The ones I have seen are made by a family in Indonesia from scrap tin. Each tealight is painted in detail giving it a unique charm that could never be found in high street stores.
4. Moneyboxes. There are some really fun wooden animal moneyboxes around from giraffes to zebras and cows which would bring a smile to any child. They are well worth keeping your eyes open for.
3. Bags. With the demise of plastic bags, eco-friendly and fair trade bags are becoming increasingly common. From jute bags to recycled newspaper bags, these are worth exploring with some embellished with sequinned flowers dyed the most amazing colours.
2. Stationery. Fair trade stationery has found its way onto the market shelves at last. I’m so glad because everything is so beautifully made. There is a high quality range of colourful handcrafted cards, notebooks, albums, diaries and cards reflecting the authentic skills of embroidery and papermaking of fair trade craftspeople.
1. Jewellery. I love jewellery, what female doesn’t? Fair trade jewellery has become very diverse catering for the western world. There are wooden beads, glass beads, shells and seed beads. Long, short, wide and narrow. There are earrings, bracelets, necklaces, chains and pendants made from solid silver inlaid with semi precious gemstones like malachite, moonstone, zircon, lapis lazuli and turquoise. It surprises me they are not more expensive when you study the skill and workmanship. Definitely worth a look.
So next time you see the striking logo in a supermarket or on a bunch of bananas, I truly hope it serves to remind us of all the other treasures fair trade brings us and the people we are helping.
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Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
The coffee giant Starbuck announced in the last month (Aug 09) its entire range of coffee will now carry the fair trade label. This move emphasises the increasing popularity of fair trade and a growing realisation that buying fair trade benefits everyone.
This is really great news if you are an avid fair trade support like myself. I believe the more publicity about fair trade, then the greater it serves people to fully understand that fair trade is entirely ethical and that the range actually extends way beyond coffee and other consumables.
So, apart from coffee, what are the best fair trade gifts currently on offer?
5. Childrens toys. There is such a broad range of good quality fair trade childrens toys available it is difficult to know where to start. For example, there are wooden puzzles in all kinds of shapes and sizes from parrots and elephants to money puzzles and trains. There are humming bird and parrot mobiles, wooden instruments for children and bookends painted with soldiers or fairies! Magnets in the shape of fish, butterflies and cats, pencils and lots of other interesting novelties.
4. Accessories. From my personal experience it can be difficult to choose accessories as gifts because it can be quite subjective. For example, because I love bluey green and pinky purple hues I always get drawn to fair trade bags, scarves and belts in these colours, though it just takes self discipline not to buy two of everything! Not ideal when someone you have in mind instead loves the earthy golden tones of autumn! Nevertheless, there are many shapes and sizes of bags made from jute or hemp, yards of silk scarves in all colours beautifully embroidered with rainbow colours and embellished with sequins.
3. Homeware. This is always quite a subjective area too if buying as a present, though if they love natural wood then fair trade homeware is by fair the best place to look. You can be sure of finding something since there is a diverse range of fair trade homeware from wooden salad servers, coconut bowls and bamboo plates to mussel shell or batik covered picture frames.
2. Jewellery. Again, the range of silver fair trade jewellery is quite amazing. It brings traditional Indian designs with semi precious gemstones such as malachite, moonstone, labradorite, lapis lazuli, chalcedony or garnet.
There is such diversity possibly as a result of growth created by a demand from the Western world for this high quality hand made silver jewellery.
1. Candles. Fair trade candles are hand made using traditional skills. The perfumes and colours tend to reflect the aromas one would associate with the East such as jasmine, vanilla, frankincense, magnolia and patchouli. There is a great variety of shapes and sizes from square, oblong, pyramid, cylinder and even tea lights inlaid with pressed flowers. Some really feminine gift ideas that would be very graciously received, I’m sure.
Fair trade gifts are easily accessible from various online shops and is modestly priced. At least when buying such gifts, we know it is what it says on the label, fabulous fair trade.
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Monday, July 20th, 2009
Fair trade bag made from jute : £4.99
Indigo Ocean Trading have a colourful selection of robust and durable fair trade bags.
Here are some examples of Jute fair trade bags hand printed by a corporation known as Earth Bags and are based in Kolkata, India. They produce bags made from jute since it is a fast-growing vegetable fibre in their country. It is also 100% biodegradable and recyclable.
- Fair trade bag in Jute : £4.99
Some of the bags are natural jute while others have been hand dyed in sumptuous pinks, greens and purples embellished with coloured sequins and hand printed with metallic gold or pink screen prints. Earth Bags gives employment to women and self-help groups in Kolkata and strives to help the environment by encouraging more people to use eco-friendly bags.
All the products shown here have been exchanged for a fair wage.
Tags: bags fair trade, ethical shopping bags, fair trade bags, fair trade christmas gifts, fair trade gift ideas, fairly traded bags, jute bags, shopping bags
Posted in Fair Trade accessories, New fair trade products, fair trade bags | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
- Zircon blue fair trade earrings - £8.55
PROPERTIES OF ZIRCON BLUE
The beautiful watery blue colour of Zircon is my favourite because I am a watersign and so adore all gemstones in blue and green regardless of shade or depth of colour! Although Zircon occurs in a wide range of colours such as green, dark red, yellow, brown and orange, for many years the most popular has been the clear and colourless variety - I would hazard a guess this is because it simulates a diamond ?
- Zircon blue fair trade earring - £7.49
The properties of Zircon’s colour diversity is caused by traces of certain elements, some of which are radioactive. The Zircons containing radioactive elements undergo a process called metamiction. This describes how the inner crystal structure becomes destroyed and then these radioactive forms of zircon must be heated to stabilize them for use as gems. In fact, almost all gem forms of zircon including those that are not radioactive are heat-treated to enhance their colour. Heating semi-transparent, greyish-brown or reddish-brown zircons from most localities in an oxygen-free environment gives them a blue colour. If these blue stones are then re-heated in air, their colour turns golden-brown. Heat-treatment of certain zircons also produces colourless gems. Interesting….
- Zircon blue fair trade earring - £13.95
Indigo Ocean has a very elegant and moderately priced range of fair trade jewellery hand made in India from solid silver. Our vast range of fair trade jewellery pieces are inlaid with various combinations of semi precious gemstones. We have fair trade silver stud earrings, fair trade hook earrings, silver pendants and silver bracelets. We have a great selection of fair trade silver jewellery with stones such as blue chalcedony, malachite, lapis lazuli, tiger’s eye, moonstone, moonstone rainbow and rose quartz. All of our fair trade silver jewellery is exchanged for a fair wage.
HISTORY
In modern day the most popular colour of all the Zircons is the shade of watery almost transparent delicate blue, which, incidentally, is considered an alternative birthstone for December. Most blue zircon is of a pastel blue, but some exceptional gems are actually a bright blue colour as explained above (see ‘PROPERTIES’).
The name is believed to come from the Persian word ‘zargun’, which means ‘gold-coloured’. Hindu poets tell of the Kalpa Tree, the ultimate gift to the gods, which was a glowing tree covered with gemstone fruit and leaves of Zircon. How fantastic! Imagine that, wow!
Zircon blue fair trade earrings - £5.99
ORIGIN
Zircon is mined in primarily in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Australia, France, Nigeria, Tanzania and Brazil though it can be found in other countries too.
- Zircon Blue fair trade necklace - £38.89
FOLKLORE
In the middle ages, Zircon was said to promote sleep as well as bring prosperity & promote honour and wisdom in its owner. According to folklore, Zircon was the stone of purity and innocence. Zircon is strongly believed to exude spiritual properties which help to balance emotions as well as enhance self esteem, ease tensions and clarify mental thoughts. Zircon was also thought to be used in amulets by travellers to protect against accident and injury on the journey, for example, protecting the wearer against being stuck by lightening.
Zircon has long had a supporting role to more well-known gemstones, often stepping in as an understudy when they were unavailable.
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Posted in Birth stone properties, Fair trade Jewellery update, Gemstones and their properties | No Comments »
Sunday, May 17th, 2009
Turquoise in solid silver
Indigo Ocean have a range of solid silver jewellery hand made in India inlaid with Turquoise. All our jewellery is sourced using fair trade principles where fair wages are exchanged.
Turquoise sunburst in solid silver £14.99
Please have a read and do feel free to add comments on any other information you may have about Turquoise either in terms of its historical background or superstitions or folklore.
The name of this gemstone is derived from French, with turquoise meaning ‘Turkish’ .
Turquoise hanging cube £7.49
The properties of Turquoise are based on Hydrated copper aluminium phosphate which range from a sky blue to bluey green colour.
Turquoise and lapis lazuli
The turquoise stone is porous and prone to cracking and facing – may be waxed to prevent this and care needed in the sun.
Turquoise and lapis £15.50
Turquoise was said to darken or lighten to indicate a change in a person’s health. This gemstone is greatly affected by alterations in temperature and humidity and also responds to skin secretions like sebum and perspiration.
Pendant set with turquoise and coral £17.99
When worn in jewellery or in one’s possession, Turquoise is said to give clarity of communications, encourages affinity with others, can increase a greater self awareness and ‘true purpose’. It is also thought to ease rheumatism and arthritis.
Tags: chrismas gifts, ethically traded jewellery, fair trade christmas gifts, fair trade earrings, fair trade silver, fair trade silver jewellery, fair trade turquoise hook earrings, silver earrings, silver earrings with turquoise, silver pendants turquoise, solid silver jewellery, turquoise, Turquoise jewellery, turquoise pendants
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Thursday, May 7th, 2009
Lapis silver sunburst hand made in India from solid silver
Here at Indigo Ocean we have a stunning selection of fair trade jewellery hand crafted in India, from earrings to pendants.
My first and foremost favourite gemstone is Lapis Lazuli because it has such a rich and very striking blue colour (I am a water sign so water colours make me happy though its the depth of colour I love in lapis).
Lapis Lazuli pendant with solid silver mount and finding
Interestingly, the name lapis lazuli is derived from both Latin where lapis means ‘stone’ and Arabic where azul means ‘blue.
The composite qualities of this distinctive blue stone are made from sodium calcium aluminium sulfate silicate which is characterised with beautiful flecks of gold or white. These flecks are naturally created by pyrite or calcite inclusions.
Lapis and Turquoise silver earrings handmade in India
Historically Lapis lazuli was been said to protect against the spirits of darkness as its colour was thought to symbolise the heavens. Because of this belief it was used widely in necklaces, bracelets and rings to protect the wearer from evil. Furthermore, the Ancient Egyptians used lapis lazuli in their amulets as they too believed it had very powerful protective forces.
Building upon the foundations of these ancient beliefs and uses, lapis lazuli has also been associated with other kinds of positive effects when these gemstones are worn either as an item of jewellery or if the stone is in personal possession.
For example, lapis is believed to enhance spiritual awakening and mental clarity. It is also believed to protect against depression, aid self-expression including artistic flair and is also thought to encourage a broader way of thinking.
Lapis and silver teardrop, handmade in India
Lapis Lazuli really is a beautiful gemstone and with its stunning depth of colour it looks fantastic with silver findings either as a pendant or in earrings.
I would be really interested to hear from anyone who can build on the information I have given here so that people who love this stone can read some more about it….
Belinda
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Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009
At long last, we have added a blogspot to our site to give visitors a chance to let us know what they think of our products and any other feedback they have. We believe its always good to get feedback, so please do let us know if you have any comments.
NEW PRODUCTS just in…………..
FAIR TRADE CANDLES: Im very pleased to introduce our new fair trade candle range to extend our existing shop category. The new fair trade candles are made from layered wax creating an amazing rainbow effect. They are available in square, cylinder or pyramid form so please take a look and let us know what you think.
FAIR TRADE BAGS: We have also sourced some new fair trade bags hand selected for their design, style and functionality.
We have a purple jute shopping bag with a gold screen printed design embellished with sequins as well as a natural jute screen printed with a leaf design.
Also, we have a beautiful new fair trade bag made from brown suede, hand embroidered - it really is a work of art.
We hope you take a moment to look at our new fair trade range as well as our existing fair trade jewellery, gifts and toys and look foward to hearing your comments!
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