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Fairtrade 100% cotton for Spring 2010

12 February 2010

The latest range of Fairtrade cotton clothing to be introduced this spring for Fairtrade Fortnight (22 February – 7 March) includes innovative use of fabric and  trend-lead design. 2010 is an important milestone as it marks the fifth year anniversary of the introduction of Fairtrade cotton into the UK market. This year will see an exciting number of partnerships with celebrities, designers and photographers to celebrate five years of Fairtrade cotton supported by a campaign to make fashion fairer.

The new directional collections made with Fairtrade cotton include casual essentials such as roll-up trousers, leggings and frill detail T’shirts vamped up with flirtatious peek-a-boo blouses and pretty button camisoles which give a feeling of romantic innocence.

The Fairtrade Foundation now works with over 100 cotton licencees – a mixture of brands, retailers and companies. This enables them  to use the FAIRTRADE Mark on cotton products, meaning that cotton farmers in the developing world are getting a better deal: receiving a fair and stable Fairtrade price for their cotton in addition to the Fairtrade premium. 

Ascension (formerly Adili) are launching a range of limited edition  Fairtrade cotton t-shirts with prints designed by celebrities: Jacquetta Wheeler, Ann-Louise Roswald, Natasha Law & Jo Wood.  Lisa Butcher is designing a Fairtrade cotton t-shirt for Long Tall Sally and the Beckhams have designed a Fairtrade cotton t-shirt range for Sports Relief in TK Maxx.

  • ASOS are launching a fashionable new jerseywear collection
  • Dorothy Perkins are launching a new fashionable  collection of Fairtrade cotton t-shirts and blouses
  • Marks and Spencer are launching Fairtrade cotton nightwear styles in Per Una
  • Monsoon are introducing Fairtrade cotton products in their fashionable Fusion range
  • People Tree are introducing  a new  collaboration with Emma Watson which features a range of younger fashion styles aimed at the teen/youth market
  • Sainsburys are restyling their TU Fairtrade cotton t-shirts
  • Sports Relief have launched Fairtrade cotton t-shirts designed by the Beckhams in Sainsburys and TK Maxx
  • Tesco are launching a full range of men’s and ladies Fairtrade cotton knitwear in a move to target younger more fashion conscious consumers
  • Trendy brand Spunky are launching Fairtrade cotton T-shirts with funky logo designs
  • Warehouse are introducing a fashionable collection including dresses, boleros, camis and trousers 


– ENDS –

Eileen Maybin
Head of Media Relations
020 7440 7686/07770 957 451
eileen.maybin@fairtrade.org.uk


Martine Julseth
Media and PR Manager
020 7440 7695/07825 827 791
martine.julseth@fairtrade.org.uk


Faith Mall
Media and PR Manager
020 7440 8597/07766 504 947
faith.mall@fairtrade.org.uk


Neil Martin
Assistant Press Officer
020 7440 7620
neil.martin@fairtrade.org.uk

Notes to Editors

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 72% 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 58 developing countries benefit from the international Fairtrade system.

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 and olive oil.

7 in 10 households purchase Fairtrade goods, including an extra 1.3 million more households in 2008, helping Fairtrade sales reach an estimated £700m in 2008, a 43% increase on the previous year. There are over 460 producer organisations selling to the UK and by the end of October 2008 872 certified producer groups were in the global Fairtrade system, representing more than 1.5 million farmers and workers.