Formal winter outfit

Look glamourous despite the cold weather in this stylish, sustainable outfit.

Untouched World NZ made black 100% organic Mountainsilk™ merino wrap dress $195 (currently on sale, as are a number of other items on the Untouched World website) from www.untouchedworld.com





American Apparel USA made bamboo jersey black tights USD$22 from www.americanapparelstore.com






Minnie Cooper NZ made black leather Perin shoes
$319, see www.minniecooper.co.nz for store locations.



Trade Aid Fair Trade black alpaca wool alpacamina $69.95 from www.tradeaid.org.nz







Pele Accessories e’eli black clutch bag $79, handcrafted in Samoa from www.pelebags.com




Trade Aid Fair Trade recycled tin long spangle earrings $22.95 from www.tradeaid.org.nz







Pele Accessories paua necklace $31, handcrafted in
Samoa from www.pelebags.com

Casual winter outfit

Go for dark shades like black and charcoal, with sustainable fabrics such as merino and organic cotton in this cold-weather eco-friendly ensemble.

Hug Fair Trade organic women’s classic bootcut blue jeans $99 from www.micahclothing.co.nz

AS Colour women’s graphite short-sleeved WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) certified merino t-shirt $48 from www.ascolour.co.nz

The New Zealand Sock Company NZ made classic merino black dress city socks $15.99, see www.nzsock.co.nz for stockists.

Etiko Fair Trade sustainable latex and organic cotton black hightops $120 from www.choosecrueltyfree.org.nz

The Merino Story NZ made merino black long drape cardigan $71.20 from www.whatsonsale.co.nz

Freeset Fair Trade jute black squares courier bag $26 from www.marketplacers.co.nz

Pele Accessories wooden beaded earrings handcrafted in Samoa, $16 from www.pelebags.com

Kowtow Fair Trade organic cotton black cirque scarf $48.75 (currently on sale, as is everything on the Kowtow website) from www.kowtow.co.nz

NZ Nature NZ made black merino skull cap $24.95 from www.nznature.co.nz

Icebreaker black merino AC gloves 320, ethically made in China, $31.07 from www.outsidesports.co.nz

Freeset

Freeset does what the name says – sets free! The Fair Trade company was started up in Sonnagachi, Kolkata, India, by New Zealanders Kerry and Annie Hilton in 2001, in order to create alternative jobs for women who were working in the sex trade. In Sonnagachi, there are more than 10,000 prostitutes ‘standing in line’ (ie waiting for clients) within a few square miles. Many of these women have been trafficked from rural India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, and previously there was not any way other way for them to earn money.

Freeset began with twenty women who were taught to sew jute bags. Now there are more than 150 women who work for Freeset. Freeset provides a healthy working environment and higher than average wages to its employees. The bags are also eco-friendly; jute is a biodegradable material, and it doesn’t need much in the way of fertilizers or pesticides. Freeset make a wide variety of gorgeous, funky bags, which can be bought at www.marketplacers.co.nz. Prices start at $11 for wine bottle bags. I have a couple of the Freeset bags, including the Courier Squares Black bag, $26 (although I got it for $10 new on Trade Me – score!).

Freeset now also makes Fair Trade organic cotton t-shirts. A few styles are available for sale at the Addington Coffee Co-op online store (Addington is a Fair Trade coffee company). The t-shirts can be bought at http://store.liminal.org.nz, and are $35 each. There are three designs available in the classic cut – Alphabet in blue, or green, Fork in blue, green or white, and Jailbreaker in black or white. The same three designs are available in the fitted cut, but the Alphabet is only available in blue, and the Fork is only available in white.

SAFE’s Choose Cruelty Free store (in Auckland, and at www.choosecrueltyfree.org.nz) sells three designs on fitted Freeset tees – a blue one designed by Annah Stretton , pictured, a brown one with a picture of a duck (which I have), and the I am Veg t-shirt, which isn’t pictured on the website. They are $40 each. SAFE (Save Animals From Exploitation) is an organisation which campaigns for the safety of animals, and all profits from products bought at the store go to help their work. So by buying one of these t-shirts, you’re supporting two really good causes.

I really like my duck t-shirt! I found that the sizes tend to be a little smaller than usual – I have a medium, which is often the same as a 12, but I usually wear a 10, and it fits me perfectly. It’s great to know that by buying Freeset bags and t-shirts, that you are helping women to have better lives.

Other types of shoes

Eco-friendly, ethically made sneakers were a lot easier to find than I thought, but what about other types of shoes? When it comes to casual shoes, there is a quite a variety. American brand Keen Footwear has a range of ethically made, eco-friendly shoes. They use materials such as canvas, recycled polyurethane, reclaimed rice paper, recycled aluminium, rubber, latex, and leather. See www.keenfootwear.co.nz for stockists. I like the look of the Harvest Mary Jane shoe, pictured above.

Po-Zu, meaning ‘pause’ in Japanese, is a brand which makes a variety of shoes for men and women. They are ethically made in Portugal, using natural materials such as organic hemp, vegetable tanned leather, wooden buttons, cork, coconut husk, natural latex, vegetable tanned suede, and wool. They also make an edible shoe polish, although I’m not sure that’s available in New Zealand. A few styles of Po-Zu shoes can be bought from www.idiomboutique.co.nz and www.conch.co.nz. Prices start at $200.

El Naturalista is another eco-friendly, ethical brand that makes shoes. The Spanish company has a list of ten commandments which embodies their ethics, regarding human rights and respect for the environment. Check out www.elnaturalista.com for stockists. The website is Spanish, but there is an option to view it in English.

Ethically made, eco-friendly formal/corporate leather shoes are more difficult to find, but I came across Pikolinos, another Spanish company. They make sure all their employees are treated fairly, and the majority of shoes are made from vegetable-tanned leather, using water-based dyes, and solvent-free glues. Bank Shoes stores stock a couple of styles of Pikolinos shoes, for $269. Check out the Pikolinos website at www.pikolinos.com. Unless you speak Spanish, you’ll need to use Google Translate to turn it into English.