January NewsRound 2010

Well, January 2010 has been a busy month at the start of the new decade

Fairtrade has been high on the agenda and with Fairtrade Fortnight starting on 22nd February for two weeks trends on for increased sales and interest are set to continue despite the uncertainty of the state of the Team GB's recovery from the recession.

FAIRTRADE

Fairtrade Fortnight - What's Your Swap

This year the 2 week madness of Fairtrade campaign asks the public to make the swap in some of your shopping to a Fairtrade version. The Fairtrade Foundation's website is a terrific resource - lots of films, infos & campaigning packs. Also check out a video from George Alagiah talking about Fairtrade.

The new Fairtrade beauty category is set to do well as one of the winners in the recession is those little indulgances such as cosmetic ranges - Boots, Bubble & Balm & Visionary Soap have the biggest ranges.

Headline Fairtrade News

Green & Blacks have announced their big swap - their entire range will go Fairtrade Marked by the end of the year.  Green & Blacks are part of the Cadbury stable where there is set to be uncertainty but this announcement is a confident thumbs up to Fairtrade and takes Green & Blacks forward as the worlds leading Fairtrade & Organic chocolate manufacturer - Guardian's full article

Nestle re enters the Fairtrade market with a move to Fairtrade Marked 4 fingered Kat Kats. Big brand entries always ask big questions of the Fairtrade Movement, particulary with the long term boycott of Nestle in the Baby Milk campaign. With Cadbury Milk a success, Kit Kat is sure to continue this new trend for big business to tag on Fairtrade Marked lines. The bigger ask will be for a bigger and more thoughtful swap - for big multinationals to put Fairtrade in a much more central role in their every day business. read The Great Kit Kate debate: is it Fair? from The Independent. Also check out the new Nestle website re: Fairtrade - www.thecocoaplan.com

ETHICAL FASHION

Ethical Fashion seems a busy bee sector this year aswell - great to hear that new lines are coming on board, the sector is still getting plenty of media coverage and there seems to be a queue of celebrities backing this important sector.

London Fashion Week kicks off on 19th February and Esthetica is the regular showcase section for Ethical & Sustainable Fashion. Julia will be reporting back on all the exciting news from this event

Ethical brand Kuyichi Director talks in Berlin about how ethical fashion doesn't need to cost more - if your clothes look great they will sell side by side with other brands.  Dip behind the history and values of Kuyichi - one of our favourite brands on the market today.

Emma Watson, from the Harry Potter gang, launches her new joint venture with People Tree at the end of Feburary - a new line of ethical fashion aimed at a younger market - pictures from the new brand launch are difficult to find - check out  the Mail on Sunday You Magazine article with quotes from Emma on this new launch

Pants Man, AKA Philip Taylor from The Apprentice also steps into the Ethical Fashion Arena and announces plans to launch a range of organic underwear under the brand Happy Cottons. We like this story - its great to see that people are using their newly discovered public profile to support this growing market. Read more from Pants Man here

Supermodel Erin O'Connor is a spokesperson for TRAID (Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development). Lucy Siegle of The Observer went with Erin to visit a project called SEWA (the All India Federation of Self Employed Women's Associations) and visited an embroidery centre based in Delhi. Read Lucy Siegle's full article "Rags to Riches" from The Observer.

Colin Firth's wife Livia has set herself a "Green Carpet Challenge". As Colin is up for numerous film nominations in the Awards season this year, Livia has vowed to grace the red carpet with exclusively ethical and sustainable fashion. Livia is co owner of the eco shop Eco Age in Cheswick is putting her principles into action. She is blogging away with her progress through the awards season - read her blog "The Green Carpet Challenge" here

The Big Green Boob Survey is being run by DaisyGreenMagazine.co.uk. The plan is to campaign and challenge the industry to produce an ethical bra. Why not take a couple of mintues to fill in the survey & get your chance to win £50 of Fairtrade underwear from Lifes Not Fair But.... Also check out a blog from Ethical Heaven about the launch event last week - a big of swishing, a fashion show & a great inspiring talk from the founder of CRED ethical jewellery made for a great night out.

OTHER NEWS

Billy Bragg is starting a campaign against the big bank bonus & wants to withhold his tax payment - join him at speakers corner on Sunday 31st January

An interesting new recycling initiative - Part of the Olympic stadium will be made up of recycled Guns & Knives that have been confiscated by the London Metropolitan Police Department. In the past year they have collected 52 MT of scrap metal from keys, guns & metals & we are delighted that they are sending them on for a 2nd life that has a useful purpose! Full story here

Obviously Haiti must stay in our minds - the hard part is the rebuilding of this destroyed country - www.dec.org.uk