Jeans

Jeans are a wardrobe stable. A good pair of jeans can last a long time, and can be paired with loads of different clothing items to be dressed up or down.

UK brand Hug Fair Trade organic denim jeans can be bought at www.micahclothing.co.nz. The styles are: Women’s Classic Bootcut in blue, Women’s Classic Straight Cut in black, Women’s Slim in dark grey (pictured above, I have a pair of these), and Men’s Traditional Straight in blue, all $99.

Untouched World has the Women’s Spring Indian blue stretch organic denim jeans, $235. It is a slightly flared style, and is made in New Zealand. For men, there is the Jackson Jean, $259, straight leg, in indigo, and the uw jean, now $160 (previously $229) relaxed straight leg, in blue. Both styles are made in New Zealand with organic denim. Buy them at one of the Untouched World stores (locations listed on the website), or at www.untouchedworld.com.

Another brand making jeans in New Zealand is Descendant Denim. They use Fair Trade organic cotton. There are a lot of different skinny and straight leg styles for men and women. I’m not sure of the exam prices, but I think they are all priced somewhere between $250 and $300. Stockists are listed at www.descendantdenim.com

Or you could go for The Good Jeans (for women), made by in New Zealand by Martinborough brand Thrive, from blue organic denim. They are $248, and are high-waisted and wide-legged. Buy them from www.thunderwear.co.nz, or see the website for stockists.

Starfish

Starfish is a New Zealand designer women’s fashion label, founded by Wellingtonian Laurie Foon in 1993. All Starfish clothes are made in New Zealand, often using sustainable fabrics such as merino, tencel (made from the natural cellulose that is found in wood pulp), recycled fibres, silk, hemp, bamboo, and organic cotton. Where they can, they also use recycled buttons and buckles. They use paper bags with vegetable-based dye and chlorine-free tissue, and they recycle all card, plastic, and paper products, as well as asking customers to return clothes hangers and garment bags. Starfish works to reduce their carbon emissions by using an energy-efficient power supplier.

In 2007, Starfish became the first fashion label to win a New Zealand Sustainable Business award, winning the Emerging Sustainable Business Leaders (SME) category. Starfish constantly looks for new opportunities to source sustainable services and products like fabrics, textile treatments, consumables, and printing.

Starfish stores are located in Wellington and Christchurch (see www.starfish.co.nz for stockists). As well as the Starfish label, the stores also stock clothes and accessories by several other ethical, sustainable brands. The website The Thread Loop, www.thethreadloop.com, sells a range of Starfish clothing.

Micah Clothing

Micah Clothing is a New Zealand company which sells Fair Trade organic cotton t-shirts. The company was founded by part-time Salvation Army youth worker Darren Frazer on the principals of Micah 6:8, to ‘act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly’. Micah Clothing is based in the South Island town of Winton. The t-shirts are made in India, and are available in a variety of colours and funky prints for men and women, at www.micahclothing.co.nz. I have four of their t-shirts, including the one pictured, and they are great. Some are $30, others are $35, and they also have plain t-shirts available for $25. There are some end of line t-shirts on sale for $15 and $20.

The Micah Clothing website sells Fair Trade men’s and women’s jeans, $99, and denim skirt $60, from a UK Fair Trade wholesaler. They also sell Fair Trade organic cotton women’s cardigans, $60, from a UK Fair Trade wholesaler, and Fair Trade organic cotton men’s and women’s clergy shirts, $75, made by a company called Butler & Butler.

Tights

If you’re after organic cotton tights, try Australian company Ambra's Eco-style Organic Cotton Tights $26.99, available in cable and ribbed, from Kirkaldies and Farmers.

For New Zealand made tights, Columbine has a wide range, available from Farmers and Kirkaldies. Or for something more decorative, check out Imprint. The NZ company makes tights and socks which are hand-printed with a number of gorgeous designs. Available at Kirkaldies, and a number of other places, listed on www.imprint.net.nz.

Socks

For toasty warm feet, try merino socks from The New Zealand Sock Company, priced from $15.99 to $19.99. They are made in New Zealand, come in a variety of different styles, colours and prints, and the company is committed to sustainability. I have the Women’s’ City Merino Flower Print socks, pictured. Available from Kirkaldies, Farmers, and a number of other stores (check out www.nzsock.co.nz for more stockists).
If you prefer cotton, Holeproof has a range of organic cotton socks, $14.99, available from Farmers. Organic cotton socks are also available from www.fernbirdecostore.co.nz, $18 for men’s socks (two different kinds), and $17.50 for unisex.

Bamboo socks are available from www.fernbirdecostore.co.nz, $15.50, and Jockey also makes them, $14.99, available in a variety of styles, prints and colours, from Farmers.