COTTON ON TO FAIRTRADE!
Fashionistas will see just how good Fairtrade cotton can look this Fairtrade Fortnight (23 Feb – 8 March), as a number of new high street brands including Laura Ashley, TK Maxx, Dorothy Perkins, Muji and Asda George, launch their first Fairtrade ranges and join the ranks of committed Fairtrade brands Top Shop, People Tree and Debenhams.
The Fairtrade cotton market more than doubled in 2008, with more than 20 million units sold and the estimated retail value of Fairtrade cotton products well exceeded £100 million.
Victoria Morton, Head of Business Development at the Fairtrade Foundation said: ‘Today’s shopper is savvy and increasingly mindful of the repercussions of their choices. Steady Fairtrade sales show British shoppers are choosing the FAIRTRADE Mark as a promise of values for value.’
‘Most exciting is the British Fairtrade pioneering vision. We have seen some very innovative products launch in 2008, from Fairtrade clerical shirts to Fairtrade handwoven hammocks to new textile development such as Fairtrade cotton velvet and corduroy,’ says Ms Morton.
Fairtrade certified cotton launched in late 2005 and fuelled by an unforeseen appetite for ethical fashion, sales grew by 700% in the first year from 2006 to 2007. A range of Fairtrade products are available from babywear to lingerie to beauty products*.
Fairtrade ensures vulnerable small scale cotton farmers, who are at the bottom of clothing supply chains get a better deal from trade, can play their part in achieving sustainability through the clothing industry.
Label lovers can snap up an exclusive Red Nose Day t-shirt made from 100% organic Fairtrade certified cotton at TK Maxx or the Comic Relief website. They are all Stella McCartney designs, with a style for everyone in the family, including the little ones. Sourced from cotton co-operatives in Senegal and Burkina Faso they feature fantastic designs with Morecambe and Wise, the Beatles and Madonna sporting red noses.
Perfect for spring, Laura Ashley is launching a range of simply styled, lightweight tops in a wide range of colours made from 100% Fairtrade certified cotton and feature a flattering scoop neck with gentle gathering below and cap sleeves gently gathered at the shoulders.
Dorothy Perkins are introducing a ladies cotton t-shirt made from Fairtrade certified cotton.
Debenhams are continuing to promote Five G – Sir Steve Redgrave’s brand made from Fairtrade cotton, with windows and in-store videos planned for Fairtrade Fortnight.
Shoppers will look and feel good in George Green at Asda – a range of men’s and women’s styles in Fairtrade cotton, available in major stores.
Tesco are showing continued support for Fairtrade cotton with Fairtrade cotton products across their Stone Bay, Florence and Fred and Cherokee ranges.
John Lewis are showcasing products from different suppliers across key stores during Fortnight
Muji now have a range of bedlinen made from Fairtrade certified cotton.
Marks & Spencer continue their support and commitment to Fairtrade cotton launching organic Fairtrade cotton versions of their famous faces shopper to all stores. Along with new ranges of babywear and childrenswear and new styles and colourways within lines that have been converted to Fairtrade cotton in menswear, womenswear and homewear.
Accessorize will have dedicated windows during Fairtrade Fortnight and have introduced eight new styles of bags using Fairtrade certified cotton.
A first for Fairtade cotton - Handmade Hammocks have produced a new range of beautiful hammocks using organic Fairtrade cotton. Each hammock is woven on a hand loom, then finished using traditional skills.
The first range of Fairtrade cotton clerical shirts available in the world has recently been launched.
And for bookish types, check out Waterstones’ bags made from Fairtrade cotton.
Don’t forget your beauty routine this Fairtrade Fortnight - go to Boots (Botanics and Baby) and the Co-operative for the latest Fairtrade cotton wool ranges.
Linking up with schools and backed by the Government the Shine and Talent2Trade Enterprise Challenge is an exciting opportunity for all primary, secondary and post 16 students to use their skills to research, design and develop an environmentally friendly Fairtrade cotton product. The winning design will be sold in the stores of a major retail outlet.
The British Fairtrade market leads the world with the highest retail sales value and the largest range of products available. The overall value of UK Fairtrade sales has grown more than tenfold since 2001, reaching £500 million in 2007 and helping more than 7.5 million people – farmers, workers and their families in the developing world.
- ENDS -
Notes to Editors
1. The FAIRTRADE Mark is a certification mark and a registered trademark of Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) of which the Fairtrade Foundation is the UK member. The Fairtrade Foundation is an independent certification body which licenses the use of the FAIRTRADE Mark on products which meet international Fairtrade standards. This independent consumer label is now recognised by 70% of UK consumers and appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged producers are getting a better deal. Today, more than 7.5 million people – farmers, workers and their families – across 59 developing countries benefit from the international Fairtrade system.
2. Over 4,500 products have been licensed to carry the FAIRTRADE Mark including coffee, tea, herbal teas, chocolate, cocoa, sugar, bananas, grapes, pineapples, mangoes, avocados, apples, pears, plums, grapefruit, lemons, oranges, satsumas, clementines, mandarins, lychees, coconuts, dried fruit, juices, smoothies, biscuits, cakes & snacks, honey, jams & preserves, chutney & sauces, rice, quinoa, herbs & spices, seeds, nuts & nut oil, wines, beers, rum, confectionary, muesli, cereal bars, yoghurt, ice-cream, flowers, sports balls, sugar body scrub and cotton products including clothing, homeware, cloth toys & cotton wool.
3. 7 in 10 households purchase Fairtrade goods, including an extra 2.3 million more households in the last year alone, helping Fairtrade sales reach an estimated half a billion pounds (approx £493m) in 2007, a 72% increase on the previous year. By the end of 2007 there were over 430 producer organisations selling to the UK and 632 certified producer groups globally, representing more than 1.5 million farmers and workers.
4. The dates for Fairtrade Fortnight 2009 are 23 February to 8 March.
*Estimated retail sales of Fairtrade certified cotton:
2006 - £6.6 million
2007 - £52.1 million
2008 - £100 million