in.fashion

fairtrade fortnight. for a better world.

I’m so excited about the arrival of my fabric samples from organic cotton today! It coincides with the fairtrade fortnight so I thought I make sure to mention that, too. For two weeks you are asked to swap everything you can for a fairtrade product, so buy fairtrade bananas, nuts, pasta and wine or whatever else is available to swap. More and more supermarkets have a range of fairtrade products or if you want to go for the real thing check out ethical superstore and buy everything from groceries, beauty products and electricals in support of a fair trade situation.

Right, back to my fabric samples which I happily swapped for normal cotton – it’s far better for your skin not containing all the chemicals and it helps to make the world a little better helping cotton farmers and weavers to earn a living by achieveing fair prices for their hard work. The quality of the fabrics is amazing as far as you can tell from a small swatch and I absolutely love the colours which are all close to nature. Usually I think a long time about a project and make a concept down to the material;

Usually I think a long time about a project and make a concept down to the material; This time I ordered the samples to then start off a concept based on some of the cottons

This time I ordered the samples to then start off a concept based on some of the cottons. I’m hoping to dye some fabric myself using natural dyes with which my mum dyes wool for making yarn. You achieve colours unimaginable beautiful and I can’t wait seeing them in the first rays of spring sun..Since the snow seems to go at last my mind seems to be warming up a bit and I’m leaving slowly but surely the winter cocoon, getting my drive back and the urge to get going bursting of ideas I built up over the winter months.

There is some really good jersey in the samples which I could dye, maybe in a lovely grey shade..Then you have the checks which are so cute and might make a blouse? Oh and some canvas on which I could try some screen printing of patterns I have designed the other day.  I’ll keep you posted on what I’ll be doing with the fabrics!

Tags: fairtrade cotton, fairtrade fortnight, organic fabric, the big swap