We’re a tiny company and so we’re not going to change the world, but that shouldn’t stop us from trying.  We absolutely love what we do – but we’re also excited by what we call “social and environmental value added”, the things we can do over and above the designing and selling of lovely clothes.  So here are a few examples of what we’ve been up to:

Organic – We only use organic cotton.  We’re not hard line about this, organic farming is not the answer for all farmers – it depends on many factors – but when it works, it can have huge benefits for the environment, the farmers (particularly small farmers in developing countries) and their families.

Good factories – We only work with a handful of factories that we know and trust.  And as they are all certified in accordance with GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards) they are all audited annually for fair working conditions as well as responsible environmental practices.

A helping hand – According to WOMENSAID.ORG.UK “On average two women are killed by their partner or ex-partner every week in England and Wales.”  We are pleased to send some of our spare stock to refuges supporting vulnerable women and their children in Oxfordshire (our home county).

Supporting arts and crafts – When we have leftover fabric, we try to put it to good use – most recently we donated several rolls to schools and craft groups around the country to have creative fun with children.

Refugee support – We find it impossible to imagine being forced from our home, our town and possibly even our country.  According to the UN, by the end of 2017, 68.5 million individuals were forcibly displaced worldwide – the highest level ever seen. In what feels like a tiny gesture given the size of the problem, we recently sent two pallets of spare stock to be used in refugee camps in Greece, under the guidance of the charity Everyday Refugees (who kindly provided the image above). 

Green Energy – all of the electricity in our warehouse and office comes from renewable sources.

These actions are not even a drop in the ocean, but they make sense to us and we want to do more.