Attire Accessories - Nov/Dec 2019 (Issue 79)

ETHICAL FEATURE 63 What are you hero products? Lolita earrings worn by Kate Middleton and made in Bali fair trade by my hero Putu! In your opinion how can the fashion industry do more? By educating people and ourselves about respect and ethics. KUNIKO MAEDO, KUNIKO-MAEDO.COM We are all custodians of the planet’s resources and I feel that I have a responsibility to conduct my business in an ethical way to ensure that future generations can enjoy the natural treasures that we often take for granted. The major challenge that I have faced is being able to source natural materials that are durable and flexible enough to use for commercial purposes. I believe that as we are increasingly surrounded by bland, mass- produced products, consumers could find value in items with individual attachment. In addition, I give attention to the potential of craft because I recognised the strong relationship between natural materials, sophisticated skills and sustainability. I believe that in the current mass-produced society, our lives are surrounded by a lot of disposable clothes that do not last long, where purchasers tend to place more emphasis on price rather than quality. This has resulted in severe price competition and throwaway consumption. There is a seemingly vicious circle whereby people are encouraged to consume fad items, which they replace when they tire of them. I assume one of the reasons why consumers throw away items or garments so easily is because they do not have any attachment or respect for them. In other words, if makers could create products that motivated consumers to cherish them, they might try to keep them longer. One could therefore argue that part of the solution is to add more value to products. In terms of people leading the way, Stella McCartney is a high-profile figure who consistently champions environmental issues and has incorporated these values into her sustainable clothing range. EARTH SQUARED, EARTHSQUARED.CO.UK Earth Squared is a fair trade brand that is passionate about combining great design and quality with benefits for the artisans who produce the products. The company has worked closely with fair trade accredited partners in Vietnam for the past 13 years to ensure fair trade criteria are embedded into everyday working life and to create a range of contemporary, stylish and affordable fashion accessories. The company is accredited by the British Association of Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers (BAFTS) and its partners in Vietnam are members of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO). LILY CHARMED, LILYCHARMED.CO.UK All Lily Charmed jewellery is made from recycled sterling silver and gold plated sterling silver, with all of the jewellery boxes made from recycled cardboard. In bid to eradicate as much plastic waste as possible, Lily Charmed also no longer use postage bags lined with any plastic. SEP JORDAN, SEPJORDAN.COM SEP Jordan works with 525 women refugees in Jordan with 87 per cent of artists saying “yes” to improved depression symptoms, 400 attending regular workshops and classes to learn new skills and 300 children and teenagers attending classes and workshops. According to a press release, “The stories of refugees, who are the artists creating our accessories, enrich the products they sell and give them meaning. SEP artists are inimitable: their skilled craftswomen are uniquely talented. Their skills are respected and appreciated by the world’s sophisticated consumer SEP artisans are the core of the SEP model. We work to ensure that the SEP artists are proud to be part of the SEP community. They are respected as individuals and each of them can express their personality in the creative process. Children are not involved in the production. SEP producers earn above-market rates with the best producers earning performance-related bonuses at the end of the year. Kit Heath