The WearFair Blog

Fair Trade Scouts

2008-09-25T11:08:00.001+01:00

Last night I and two fellow members of the Fairtrade Association Birmingham (FAB) visited Sutton Coldfield Cub Scouts to talk to them about Fair Trade.We were pleasantly surprised by the level of awareness about Fairtrade. All of the Cubs recognised the FT logo, although they were not all able to confirm it’s meaning. Following a noisy discussion around the banana game, which involves assuming the position of a person or group in the banana supply chain, we talked about the life of Ashuwera, a female farmer in Ghana. The scouts had some good ideas around the hardships that Ashuwera faced, and seemed to grasp that agreeing a fair price for Ashuwera’s cacao beans was a very good idea. We didn’t stay until the end of the meeting, when the scouts were to be given Fair Trade chocolate bars (our ear-drums couldn’t take it), so we didn’t determine whether the scouts were as enthusiastic about the taste of the chocolate as they seemed to be about the topic. Hopefully they were!

WearFair In the News

2008-09-10T16:56:00.000+01:00

WearFair is featured in the Sep/Oct 2008 Edition of Ethical Living Magazine.
One of our most popular lines, our Blue-Green swirl ring is featured in the current edition of the ethical lifestyle magazine. The ring, made by Juan Pablo Borcoski, features as part of the magazine's showcase feature for products that allow readers to embrace personal ethical style in all areas of their lives.

BAFTS Wholesale Event

2008-05-06T11:45:00.001+01:00

For all interested parties, please take note of this event.

Fair Trade Fair, 6th & 7th June, Newport S.Wales Together with the Wales Cooperative centre, BAFTS is hosting a 2 day wholesale and retail Fair Trade Fair at the Caerleon Campus of University of Newport. For more details email info@bafts.org.uk

One World Fair

2007-11-22T14:51:00.000Z

Had another enjoyable day at the One World Fair in Oxford Town Hall - now in its 17th year.
Noticed that in the years in which I have been doing the event, the general quality of the products has risen, whilst the event remains as well planned and promoted as ever.
Thanks to the organisers again.

Christmas Event

2007-10-03T10:00:00.000+01:00

We will be selling once again at the One World Fair at Oxford Town Hall, on Saturday 17th November. This is one of our favourite events, it is definitely worth a visit.

New WearFair Website

2007-08-08T15:15:00.000+01:00

We have just launched our new look site. We're very happy with how things have gone. Developing the site was a truly international experience - lots of skype sessions with Eoin in Ireland, Sara the designer in Germany, and me in Oxford.

WearFair in The Independent

2007-07-25T13:54:00.003+01:00

One of our products was recently featured in the Independent's Top Ten Fair Trade Jewellery products feature. Alongside jewellery from big names such as Oxfam and PeopleTree, our chunky blue regal ring was listed as 'a striking alternative to cocktail jewellery'. A sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with!

WearFair in Bella Magazine

2007-07-09T10:30:00.000+01:00

We were also featured in a recent issue of Bella magazine.

WearFair in Social Enterprise Magazine

2007-07-09T10:24:00.000+01:00

We were featured in July's issue of Social Enterprise Magazine.

Goose Green Summer Fair

2007-06-19T09:47:00.000+01:00

We will be selling at the Goose Green Primary School Summer Fair, in East Dulwich on Saturday 14 July, 1-4pm.
Fingers crossed for sunshine.

WearFair Site Redesign

2007-06-05T14:38:00.000+01:00

We have just recruited a new web designer, and will be launching new, seasonal designs and product ranges over the coming year.

Dulwich Green Fair

2007-05-21T08:58:00.000+01:00

I had a fun day at the Dulwich Green Fair. I also learnt to pose like Tony Blair.

WearFair Selling Events

2007-05-18T07:49:00.000+01:00

We will be selling at two events over the next few weeks:
The Dulwich Green Fair on Sunday 20th May
The Jericho Street Fair in Oxford on Saturday 9th June

Drop by and see our latest matching bags and pencil cases from South Africa.

Chapter 1: Market Trading

2007-05-09T16:47:00.000+01:00

THIS IS THE BLOG STORY I PRESENTED FROM AT THE RECENT OXFORDSHIRE YOUNG ENTERPRISE FINALS AT THE SAID BUSINESS SCHOOL, OXFORD.

Stalls are great because
- They Are Cheap
- They Are Intimate
- They Are Mobile

Chapter 2: Becoming an E-Tailer

2007-05-09T16:39:00.000+01:00

To Build a Site I Needed a TEAM

To Build a Team I Needed to NETWORK

And Then I Needed to be PATIENT

Chapter 3: Ebay Partnership

2007-05-09T16:23:00.001+01:00

To succeed you need to make DEALS

With the Big Players in the Market

What Have I Learnt?

2007-05-09T12:31:00.001+01:00

WWW.WEARFAIR.CO.UK

Useful Links:

Oxford Entrepreneurs

Tie-Uk Mentoring Programme

Ebay Fair Trade Press Release

2007-05-04T11:55:00.000+01:00

Announcing Ebay's commitment to fair trade products

4 May, 2007

SUPPORT WORLD FAIR TRADE DAY ON EBAY.CO.UK
Fair Trade on eBay.co.uk launches on 12 May

A large selection of leading Fair Trade brands in the UK are partnering with eBay.co.uk to launch a special ‘Fair Trade on eBay’ hub on 12 May 2007. The launch comes on World Fair Trade Day and showcases Fair Trade products to an audience of millions, providing a one-stop shop for a variety of ethically sourced items.

The eBay Fair Trade site (www.eBay.co.uk/fairtrade) is designed to draw attention to the abundance of Fair Trade items available, their quality, style and diversity. It will feature listings for items ranging from embroidered hand bags, hand crafted earrings and exquisite necklaces, to leather purses, funky t-shirts and beautifully detailed bangles.

Richard Kanareck, spokesman for eBay.co.uk, said, “The Fair Trade on eBay hub features some of the UK’s pioneering Fair Trade brands alongside some of the newer players. Together they present an incredibly broad and enticing range of ethically sourced, Fair Trade products.”

The demand for Fair Trade products is ever increasing, and the range of Fair Trade companies selling on the site demonstrates the sheer appetite for these:

Ethical superstores boasts an impressive range of Fair Trade and eco-friendly gifts from over 50 countries around the world.

Making an impressive range of stylish and affordable clothes for men, women, children and babies, People Tree is a pioneer of Fair Trade fashion.

Bishopston Trading Company was set up in 1985 to create employment in the South Indian villages. They sell a unique range of clothing for adults and children made from Fair Trade certified organic cotton. Products include bags, bedding, toys, gifts and accessories.

Shared Earth started life as a small shop in Goodramgate, York in 1986. From such humble beginnings, Shared Earth has blossomed to become one of the largest retailers and wholesaler of Fair Trade handicraft in the UK.

Traidcraft began in 1979 with a hand drawn catalogue featuring jute products from Bangladesh. The original company is a far cry from what Traidcraft is today – a company selling a range of beverages and crafts with an annual turnover approaching £20 million.

Gossypium - which is Latin for ‘cotton’ - is committed to supporting local farmers who grow organic cotton and carry out all of their production in Kutch, Western India. They have created a strong collection of organic cotton clothes for both adults and children alike, along with a range of bed linen.

Cafedirect is the UK’s leading Fair Trade hot beverage company, producing 100% Fair Trade coffee, tea and chocolate drinks. With over 16 years of successful trading they have become a beacon in the Fair Trade market.

Working with the marginalised workers from a developing country, WearFair pride themselves in offering high quality jewellery at reasonable prices. WearFair work with those in need of more sustainable income and they insist on complete transparency in commercial dealings.

Hug is a fashion brand exclusively using premium and Fair Trade cotton for its diverse range. They are also the first company to have produced Fair Trade certified jeans for men and women.

The Fair Trade hub can be found at www.eBay.co.uk/fairtrade
-ends-

For further information please contact

The eBay press office team at Seventy Seven PR on 020 7492 0999 or email at ebay@77pr.com

About eBay: founded in 1995, eBay pioneers communities built on commerce, sustained by trust, and inspired by opportunity. eBay enables ecommerce on a local, national and international basis with an array of websites – including the eBay Marketplace, PayPal, Skype, Kijiji, Rent.com, DoorOne – that bring together millions of buyers and sellers every day.
eBay.co.uk hit the 15 million users milestone in May 2006
eBay.co.uk has achieved the ten million live listings landmark, meaning there are more than ten million items for sale on the site at any one time

The number of eBay.co.uk's unique visitors reached 14.2 million in December 2006*
eBay.co.uk's reach was 48.6% in December 2006* (reach is the % of all active internet users within that month that visited eBay.co.uk)

* Nielsen Net Ratings, December 2006

WearFair Ebay Partnership

2007-04-26T14:08:00.000+01:00

WearFair has partnered up with Ebay, who are about to launch a special fair trade section of their site.
Limited edition WearFair products will be available to purchase through Ebay from Fair Trade Day, on May 12th.

Picture Time - WearFair Artisans in South America

2007-04-11T09:37:00.000+01:00

Skoll World Forum 2007 Review

2007-04-01T11:19:00.000+01:00

This year's Skoll World Forum focussed upon Innovation in Social Enterprise. I attended a couple of academic presentations, but found that I learnt the most - as always - through informal chats with some of the remarkable people the Forum attracts every year.

Should social entrepreneurs stick around after their ventures have become institutionalized? An academic presentation illustrated how 'entrepreneurial energy' was only used in the start-up phrase of a venture. Four practising social entrepreneurs discussed exit strategies - Jeroo Billimoria tells her staff at the start of a venture that she will be leaving in three years time, and that seems to work well. Another panellist had more difficulties exiting his venture, perhaps because the people around him had not been prepared for the transition.

An academic from the University of Denver introduced me to the concept of 'benchstrength' as pioneered by Jack Welch at General Electric. Welch always promoted internally, and fostered competition between those managers immediately below him. I think social enterprise could learn much from his example.

The Forum is turning increasingly into a reunion event, and could do with some new blood in terms of speakers. I found the more informal, 'orange' session the most interesting. Martin Burt presented on how he had turned a school in Paraguay into a self-sustaining business college. Very cool.

As always, money was a big theme. Inevitably, many social enterprises are reliant upon outside funding, especially in the start-up phrase. Yet I feel more emphasis has to be placed upon accessing international markets, producing a product that can be sold, and creating organic revenue.

The best social enterprises are those which make their own money. As the ethical product market in the West is growing so quickly, I think social entrepreneurs need to try and access these markets as soon as possible.

Most of the people I spoke to preferred this year's Forum to the star-filled event last year. The theory was more practical, the presenters were doing things on the ground right now, and there was more collaboration in the sessions between audience and panellists (which makes the Forum unique, as it attracts so many qualified people that it is impossible to discriminate between teacher and student).

Fairtrade growing in schools

2007-03-08T12:00:00.000Z

Very interesting guardian article about the rising interest in fairtrade from British kids. Where the future of the movement lies.

African concert 23rd March

2007-03-02T13:21:00.000Z

WearFair is sponsoring an innovative educational project at a school in Bedfordshire.
Children at the Lower Hockliffe School in Bedfordshire are starting to learn traditional African instruments, with the help of local musicians originally from Zimbabwe.
To showcase the project, a concert is going to be held at the school on the 23rd of March, at 8pm.
If your in the area, then why not drop by.
If not, then follow the progress of the project here on the WearFair blog.

New WearFair Bags and Pencil Cases

2007-02-18T08:26:00.000Z

For the past five months we have been working with a co-operative in South Africa to produce a number of very cool matching bags and pencil cases. Here is an example of one of the pencil cases. All products are hand-embroidered, and will be available for purchase from the WearFair site from the end of March.

New Wholesale Site Launched

2007-02-05T11:09:00.000Z

We have just launched our new wholesale site for businesses. If you would like to be stocked with WearFair products, please email us at info@wearfair.co.uk, and we will get back to you with an account from which to access the site.

WearFair featured in New Consumer

2007-02-03T07:23:00.000Z

WearFair features in an article in New Consumer, for Valentines Day.

WearFair an Oxford Entrepreneurs Case Study

2007-01-12T14:09:00.000Z

WearFair has recently been featured as one of the companies that was established through the help of the Oxford Entrepreneurs society. Very cool.

WearFair featured on Global Links Initiative

2007-01-09T15:22:00.000Z

WearFair was recently featured on the website of the Global Links Initiative. Our fair trade policy was highlighted in the 'How We Do It' section.

WearFair at London event, 16th December

2006-12-09T11:03:00.000Z

We will be selling at the Canning House Ethical Christmas Fair, on the 16th of December, in London. We have just received a new order of great products, so drop by and see the latest ranges.
More information at http://www.canninghouse.com/culture/events/#events_142

WearFair at BBC event

2006-11-21T15:46:00.000Z

A range of WearFair products will be on display at a fair trade event, run by the BBC.
Venue: BBC Radio Lancashire, Darwen Street, Blackburn, BB2 2EA.
Opening times are 10am-6pm, Monday to Friday. And entry is free.

One World Fair Photos

2006-11-20T09:00:00.000Z

We had a great time at the One World Fair. Many thanks to Tina Fawcett for inviting us!

WearFair at One World Fair

2006-11-17T19:08:00.000Z

WearFair will be selling at the One World Fair, on Saturday 18th November. Come along for some xmas stocking fillers at discount prices.
Venue: Oxford Town Hall.
Times: 10am-4pm.

Some pictures from our artisans

2006-11-03T17:04:00.000Z

Here are some pictures from one of our artisan's in Chile, of her workshop and the production process.

WearFair features in BBC ethical fashion show

2006-10-30T12:09:00.000Z

WearFair products were recently included in an ethical fashion show, run by Slink at the BBC. Please click on the link to see the pictures.

ZOPA: Before you go to the bank, go here

2006-07-30T09:22:00.000+01:00

If your looking to set up a new venture, check out this site before going to see the bank manager. Short-term loans can be organised with a far lower interest rate - the most common lending being around 5K.
The site is also well designed.

Book Review: The Beermat Entrepreneur

2006-07-29T10:21:00.000+01:00

Just finished this very readable title, now in its second edition. Recommended to my by Andy, WearFair's ecommerce supremo. I see why he likes it - this is looking at enterprise from all angles, not just the point-of-view of the entrepreneur. Implicit is the assumption that while people matter, it is the company that comes first, always.

Mike Southon has been very successful, and he uses his experience at a venture called The Instruction Set to illustrate his valid and refreshingly honest points. Written in a confident, almost arrogant, tone, the book takes no prisoners, especially when discussing the figure of the entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs are both celebrated and critiqued (they are 'very special people', but also manipulative - 'entrepreneurs use people'), and when the time comes, the entrepreneur should be ousted from the company.

So is this, after all, a book for entrepreneurs, or is it rather more aimed at the four 'cornerstones' (the original finance, sales, techi, and delivery people)? The answer is all of them. Since the beauty of this book is the way in which it is actually about the whole enterprise. The second edition is tattooed with recommendations from successful entrepreneurs, who have responded to Southon's treatment of the entrepreneur figure very positively - many of whom report having laughed out loud at points in the book, in recognition of having been rumbled.

The emphasis upon the importance of the role of the cornerstones offers a much needed corrective to the glamorisation of the entrepreneur. Although I had the idea for WearFair, without Nicole, Andy and Eoin, I may as well have stayed in my bedroom with my head in the clouds, as there is no way we would be here right now without their input. I have learnt so much from working alongside them - from Nicole, to think more about stocktaking and the delivery of our products; from Andy, to think more about details and to discuss ideas with other people that know what they are talking about, and from Eoin, - well Eoin, let's me do what I want to do (someone has to!). More widely, by celebrating the input of 'cornerstones', our business environment will be far more stable - we will have less cases of bankrupt companies set up by out-of-control egotists surrounded by yes men.

I would recommend this book especially to a romantic entrepreneur about to take out a massive loan on a new project he or she had thought up the night before. It is a sobering read, and in some ways does take the adventure out of setting up a business - especially as it asserts a number of laws which govern business, such as the seedling-sapling-oak development of a company. But it is a fundamentally honest book, which is a rare thing.

One point of criticism, which I think should be corrected if the book goes into a third edition. Namely, this is a gendered book. It starts in the pub, drinking beer with your mates, and ends at the same pub, with the author and his mate, who has since bought the place. I think the authors should recognise the growing importance of female entrepreneurs and business people by offering a different scenario - and help also grow the franchise. Tom Peters' book 'Re-Imagine' would be a good place to start.

One World Uniforms Project

2006-07-27T15:47:00.000+01:00

Here's an exciting new project. One World Uniforms is a fair trade venture set up by my friends Kathryn and John, who have just returned from a sourcing trip to India. The company will supply school uniforms made by fair trade methods to English secondary schools.

Cool name, great idea. I think its a winner.

Consulting opportunity for U.K. social enterprises

2006-07-21T22:37:00.000+01:00

For any social entrepreneurs looking for high-level business consultancy, at reasonable rates, take note of the following event:

5 September 2006, 18:00-20:00,
University of Oxford,
Said Business School presents:
Consulting Entrepreneurial Organizations

C.E.O.'s mission is to bring together Social and Technology Enterprises with graduating MBAs for short-term consultancies.

The event will be hosted by global entrepreneur Jerry Sanders, and feature a panel of entrepreneurial organizations speaking about their specific projects in the Nelson Mandela Lecture Theater. Networking and drinks reception will follow, where organizations and MBAs can exchange further details.

C.E.O. is currently seeking UK enterprises with specific challenges and/or opportunities that call for an MBA level managerial skill set. Priority will be given to organizations who demonstrate potential for significant trajectory impact from a 2-6 month consultancy. This may include start-ups or non-profits at critical junctures with limited human and financial resources, or more established organizations with significant new opportunities for growth.

C.E.O. is running its first pilot with the Said Business School's graduating MBA class of 2005-2006. Oxford’s one-year programme results in a window between graduation and full-time careers for students. C.E.O. represents an opportunity for MBAs to act on social and entrepreneurial values, and make immediate contributions to the market.

Specific contract arrangements will be left to the individual parties. C.E.O. encourages paid consultancies that facilitate appropriate buy-in from both sides, i.e. Organizations and MBAs.
----

Questions? Please contact C.E.O. event Co-Chairs:

Dan Marmar dan.marmar@oba.co.uk
Jessica Shortall jessica.shortall@sbs.ox.ac.uk"

Alas, New Poetic Bookmarks

2006-07-13T22:37:00.000+01:00

We've just had some WearFair bookmarks designed. Featuring two poems, one by W.B. Yeats, "The Song of Wandering Aengus" and the other by Emily Dickinson, "Yesterday is History". Thanks to Zoe for picking the poems.

Are there any poems that you think would work for WearFair?

If your really talented, write your own poem, and send it in. Free jewellery awaits any inspired sonnets.

New Fair Trade Venture

2006-07-06T10:57:00.000+01:00

WearFair will soon be joined by a new fair trade venture, LearnFair, after I won a £4,000 grant from UnLtd, a charity that supports social entrepreneurs.

LearnFair will specialise in fair trade school stationary equipment - and aims to increase knowledge of fair trade within our schools. We are in the process of setting-up a womens's co-operative in China, which will produce a pilot product.

I'm very keen on involving China, as it is a country that desperately needs more fair trade co-operatives, given the poor record of human rights and working conditions. Many people see China as a threat - economically and environmentally. But its economic growth has not seen an increase in living conditions in all areas of society, as rapid urbanisation has resulted in desperate poverty in some of its major cities. Arguably the best way to improve China's environmental record is through education, which is at the heart of the fair trade mechanism.

I will keep you posted with the development of the project on the WearFair blog.

BAFTS Membership

2006-07-06T08:51:00.000+01:00

We've just been awarded membership of the British Association of Fair Trade Shops. http://www.bafts.org.uk/