Fashion Revolution Day: 24th April 2014

Have you heard about Fashion Revolution Day?

No? Don't worry, I hadn't either until today! Luckily, it's not until April 24th, so we've all got time to find out a bit more and get involved. Phew! :)

Okay, so first things first: what is Fashion Revolution Day? 

The global fashion industry is coming together to highlight the challenges of the fashion supply chain, from exploitation to pollution, with the inaugural Fashion Revolution Day on the 24th April 2014, when a series of global events and initiatives will highlight the fashion industry's most pressing issues and engage local communities to demand greater transparency throughout.

In part, a response to the terrible tragedy in Bangladesh last year, where 1133 sweatshop workers lost their lives when the building they were working in collapsed. Fashion Revolution want you to ask

"Who made my clothes?"

Because chances are, if you shop on the high street, then the company is seeing far more of your money than the person who made it. Sadly, it's often pretty difficult to know which high street chains use sweat shops and which don't.

With one simple question: "Who Made Your Clothes?" Fashion Revolution are asking everyone who’s taking part in Fashion Revolution Day to be curious, to find out and do something about it - by wearing an item of clothing inside out, photographing it and then sharing it with the hashtag #insideout on all social networks.

That way, people all over the world – designers and icons, high street shops and high couture, cotton farmers and factory workers, campaigners, academics, the media and any individual who cares about what they wear – can come together to demand greater transparency.

Sounds like a plan, right? Of course, they can't do that on their own - which is where you lovely lot come in! So, what can you do? Fashion Revolution say:

We want hundreds of thousands of people to take part! Together we can use the power of fashion to catalyse change and reconnect the broken links in the supply chain. In order to raise awareness within the fashion industry and beyond, we want to encourage them to continue to try and make things better. 

• On Fashion Revolution Day 24 April, please Tweet: Today I’m wearing my (shirt/dress/T-shirt etc.) #InsideOut because I want to ask @(brand/retailer) Who Made Your Clothes? 

• Get in touch with your Country Coordinator about holding your own event for Fashion Revolution Day!  

• Tell your friends, family and colleagues about Fashion Revolution Day and get them to wear something inside out

"We hope that Fashion Revolution Day will initiate a process of discovery, raising awareness of the fact that buying is only the last step in a long journey involving hundreds of people: the invisible workforce behind the clothes we wear."

You can find out more at http://www.fashionrevolution.org, where there's also a pack available to download as a PDF :)

Don't forget to like Fashion Revolution on Facebook and follow @Fash_Rev on Twitter, too! :)

Love

Sarah

"Where Can I Buy Ethical Underwear?" - Our Favourite Choices

Hi gang!

It's Sarah, back again with another round up of awesome ethical products - huzzah! This time I'm talking everyone's favourite: underwear! Girls, I'm mostly talking to you this week (although boys, feel free to buy some of these for your girlfriends and wives if you have one...)

A delicate(s) subject (do you see what I did there?) underwear has traditionally been one of the hardest ethical items to source. Luckily there are a wealth of new companies producing beautiful, in budget garments so let's dive in and take a look at some of my favourites...

one: £32.35 | two: £10.95 | three: £49 | four: £8 | five: £10

First up, the comfortable choices! I work from home so I spend the vast majority of my day in my pyjamas (don't judge, you'd do it too) which means I like to have quite a few sets on hand. Plus, who doesn't love pjs and a comfortable bra, right?

Comfort is a must for me, so I was happy to find these cute pyjama bottoms for a ridiculously reasonably £10! (I've definitely paid more than that in Primark before and they certainly weren't likely to help the planet much...)

As for underwear, sometimes you just want something without any frills - it's good to know that I can buy basics in cute colours - I love that aubergine pair! :)

one: £13 | two: £29 | three: £18 | four: £8 | five: £67 (full set)

Next up - the underwear you wouldn't mind people seeing, the cute set! :) I'm all for functional underwear, but that doesn't mean it can't also be pretty at the same time, right?

I love this frilly polka dot pair (who doesn't love a polka dot?!) for a bit of fun, and this lace bra is so delicate, although perhaps only suited to ladies with a smaller, er, bust (of which I am sadly not one, *sob*)!

one: £22 | two: £21.50 | three: £44 | four: £18 | five: £10

Lastly we have my personal favourites - the sassy set. Oooh. Underwear to make you feel sexy, underwear you might not be wearing for very long... ? ;) Life is too short to wear ugly underwear and it never hurts to have a couple (or 12) matching sets to brighten up your mood, I say.

This stunning high waisted pair are so flattering, I might have popped them in my online basket (shh!). I also really love this aubergine lace bra - sexy but subtle and still comfortable, what more could a girl need?

Bonus alert: If you're more into vintage then take a look at this Etsy shop - they sell gorgeous vintage slips :)

Have you ever considered ethical underwear? The name (to me) conjures up less than appealing images of hemp in unmentionable places - thankfully I was proved wrong on that one! :)

Love Sarah

Give & Make Up

Pst. Sarah here. Come closer. I want to share a secret with you...are you ready?

I sometimes buy make up, toiletries and clothes that I never, ever use or wear. *shock face*

Please tell me I'm not the only one - we've all got them right? The bits and pieces of make-up that we bought but never used, the bubble bath you got in the Secret Santa at work that you don't really like the smell of...unwanted or unloved gifts, cluttering up your house that make you feel guilty whenever you see them.

"Use me!" is what I always hear in my head whenever I open my make-up case and skip over that bright red lip gloss that I have no use for. "Love me!" says the pomegranate shampoo that smelt great in the shop but makes actually me a bit sneezy when I use it. 

I've got to be honest, the guilt of being wasteful stops me from just chucking these things in the bin, because surely there must be a better way? I tried foisting them all on my friends but they weren't so keen, so it's lucky then that I stumbled onto Give & Make Up, via my friend Lou! 

Give & Make Up is a charity, set up by Caroline Hirons, designed to provide everyday essential items to women who have experienced domestic violence.

From their website:

"Each week two women in the United Kingdom are murdered by a partner or ex-partner. 

One woman in four experiences domestic violence in their lifetime. 

Refuge and Womens Aid protect the lives of thousands of women and children every day. 

Give and Makeup is a non-profit initiative whose sole purpose is to get everyday essentials into the hands of these women and children who need them the most."

They have a great list of what they accept, which is pretty all encompassing and I'm pretty sure everyone has at least one of these things in their cupboard! (I know I have...several. Oops).

Everyday Essentials

shampoo

conditioner

bath/shower gel

deodorant

toothbrushes

toothpaste

body lotion

feminine hygiene products

shaving products

at-home hair dye colouring kits

Skincare

cleanser

toner

moisturiser

MakeUp

foundation

concealer

powder

blusher

eyeshadow

eyeliner

mascara

Perfume

Nail Polish 

Tools

makeup brushes

makeup bags

hairdryers

curling tongs

straighteners

Clothing 

bras

underwear (clean and useable!)

pyjamas 

childrens clothing - anything

childrens pyjamas

Baby Products 

all of them!

They can only accept new items of anything with an applicator wand e.g. mascara/lip gloss/concealer. Gift with purchase sizes are fine, as are samples.

Anything that has been lightly used is also fine - if you would happily give it to a friend - they'll take it! 

-

If you're mentally making a list right now of things you could happily get rid of (imagine how much cupboard space you could reclaim!) but aren't sure where to drop it off, then take a look at the donation locations. 

We're very lucky in Cardiff, as Give and Make Up are working with Welsh Women's Aid (WWA) and Escentual, so you can drop stuff in straight to the store. Just send your items to Escentual by post (63-67 Wellfield Rd, Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF24 3PA) or you can drop them off at 'Central Pharmacy', Wellfield Road. 

Being ethical and eco friendly doesn't always mean buying items that have been ethically created - it's also about reducing the amount of waste you create and finding a good home for the things you no longer want, need or use :) 

I don't know what you guys are going to get up to this week, but I'm going to give my cupboards a good sort through and see what I can find to donate - freeing up space and doing something good in one fell swoop, hurrah! :)

Love

Sarah

Wedding Wednesday // Sustainable style - Invites and Decor

Evening lovelies, it's Wednesday again! Time for some Wedding style inspiration... We've been majorly busy pinning the last few days trying to find some fab ideas and style tips to keep your wedding eco friendly and sustainable!

With the 'Rustic Wedding' in such demand for this summer - there's no easier time than to keep your wedding sustainable. The rustic look is all about the recycling and the vintage quirkiness and of course some DIY (time to rope in those creative bridesmaids!)

With some good research - you can literally make EVERY part of your wedding ethical, from stationery to THE dress, decor to rings and all the lovely bits in between. Here's our favorite ethical Stationery and decor ideas for your day...

The Invitation...

These super cool plantable invites are available Forever Fiances and you can choose from a selection of plantable papers on which to have your invites printed. All are printed with natural soy inks onto 100% recycled paper embedded with wildflower seeds! Our favorite is this cute mason jar invite!

The Decor...

Burlap is a great fabric and fits in so nicely with the rustic wedding look. Burlap is woven from a mix of vegetable fibers, namely Jute. Jute only needs rainwater to grow and grows in a short period of time making it an easy renewable source. Jute can also be recycled and is 100% bio degradable!

You can use Burlap for a lot of things in your wedding, but we just LOVE these chair sashes!

We're also a bit of a sucker for odds and ends here at E&W. Bottles being our top favourite.

You can pick bottles up from a lot of places, charity shops, flea markets, car boots and once you have a collection - they look wonderful together (and are a lot cheaper than most decor items!)

Mix them up and plant with wild flowers to add some color to your day!

(Read more about this ethical styled shoot on Green Wedding Shoes)

For more Ethical Wedding inspiration visit our Pinterest board and we will post part 2 soon ♥

xoxo

Ethical Outfit Inspiration: Spring Edition

Howdy folks, Sarah here again! :)

Hands up if you're looking forward to spring? *waves hands wildly in the air* I know I'm probably not the only person who's ready to see the back of all this miserable weather we've been having - it's starting to get silly now, I'm half expecting to see an ark appear overnight...

With that in mind I've put together a couple of ethical spring fashion inspiration boards - as I stare out of the window at the relentless downpour - to try and bring a bit of sunshine back into our lives!

All of these items are ethically sourced, proving that you can be fashionable while still being kind to the environment :) Phew! First up, we've got the spring in the sun board...

watch | striped top | raincoat | mittens | floral trousers | shoes | bag | scarf 

How beautiful is that wooden watch, by the way? I'm totally in love. Spring to me means layers, comfortable (closed toe!) shoes and a bit of warmth that you can take off when the sun unexpectedly shows it face (plus a sturdy bag to carry everything in). I'm digging these floral trousers - enough to keep you warm without feeling too hot and sweaty (no jeans here, thank you).

But because I know the weather is very rarely perfect in the UK (and definitely hardly ever perfect in Wales!) I've also put together a spring in the rain board! :) Much as I'd like to believe it, I really don't think we've seen the last of the wet weather just yet...

dress | mittens | raincoat | bag | socks | wellies | tights | cardigan | bobble hat

Secretly this is my favourite of the two (you all know how I feel about yellow so that shouldn't be a surprise) - I mean, how adorable are those socks, right? 

If you're looking at this and thinking "a dress? In the rain?!" hear me out: what's worse to be wet and cold in - a pair of jeans that instantly adhere themselves to your legs or a pair of tights that you can whip off and replace quickly? (Just keep a spare pair in your bag and you're on you're way to instant cosiness should you get drenched).

Layers are great for the rain, too - so pull on your cardigan over the top and a nice waterproof raincoat to seal the deal. Now all you need is wellies and you can splash about in all the puddles with no fear of getting your sock wet - yay! :)

If you need more inspiration you can always check out the Hubbards Cupboard ethical fashion board on Pinterest! :)

Love

Sarah

Vegan Friendly Shoes: Our 5 Favourite Pairs!

Hello lovely people! It's Sarah here again, bringing you more ethical fashion ideas for you to mull over, hurrah! :)

Have you started trying to incorporate more ethically minded pieces into your wardrobe yet? I know I have - my Primark spending has gone way down and my Etsy spending has gone way up! :) I've been trying to shop smarter decisions when it comes to my purchases - better to spend a little more and get something great that will last, right? :)

There are, however, a few things that are harder to find ethical versions of, especially on the high street. I think some of the more difficult things to source are underwear, sportswear and shoes, so in honour of that I've put together a round up of my five favourite vegan friendly pairs of shoes - no more hunting! :)

First up we've got some wonderful shoes courtesy of Etsy. I love these gorgeous, black and white Oxford Creepers from the Goodbye Folk store. They're available in regular or vegan leather (obviously the vegan leather is the more ethical choice!). 

Etsy is a great place to hunt for ethical additions to your wardrobe so make sure you have a nosey over there if you're looking for something new! :)

The Melissa brand is probably most well known for their collaboration with Vivianne Westwood (everyone remembers those shiny hearts, right?). What you might not realise is that they're a vegan shoe brand in their own right. I particularly love these chunky, smooth look boots - perfect for stomping around in all the puddles we've got right now!

Did you know that Doc Martens had a whole range of vegan shoes? These hot pink lovelies are only £50 (a complete bargain for a pair of Doc Martens). According to the website the standard of construction is every bit as high for their vegan collection as their regular shoes, which is good to know! :)

There's something about these Beyond Skin block heels that makes me feel sassy just looking at them. I love the height, I love the print, I love the gold - I love it all! :) They might be a touch on the expensive side, so these might be more of an investment piece to go with the rest of your wardrobe, but totally worth it I think! :)

I am unashamedly in love with these cheery yellow vegan flats from Beyond Skin. Sigh. Look at them - how happy would your feet be walking around in those beauties all day long? One of my favourite colours is yellow so that's probably helping, but I still think these shoes are flat out gorgeous. Time to get saving! :)

Would you wear any of these? Are there any other places I should be checking out for pieces to add to my ever growing ethical wardrobe? :) Let me know in the comments!

Love

Sarah

Take The Seamless Pledge!

We've talked a lot about ethical clothing here on the Ears and Whiskers blog, and today Sarah is back with a new challenge for 2014...

I used to love to shop, but lately I've been feeling a pang of guilt every time I walk into Primark or window shop in Topshop. Ever thought that you'd love to spend less time in H&M and more time reworking vintage pieces or amazing finds from the charity shop but aren't sure where to start?

Perhaps you're starting to feel like if you can't guarantee the ethics of shop you'd rather not shop there? Or maybe you're just fed up with seeing people wearing the same clothes as you! (I know I am, always very embarrasing to spot someone else in the room wearing your favourite dress, right?)

If any of the above applies to you and you're looking for a change then why not try The Seamless Pledge!

The Seamless Pledge is all about encouraging people not to buy mass manufactured clothing, and to go out and either make your own or buy something second hand. Hubbard's Cupboard is all about vintage and one of a kind pieces, so I think it fits in with the pledge pretty well! :)

We spoke to Elena Cresci, the girl behind the Seamless Pledge to get an idea of why she started the project :)

How long have you been sewing?

I have been sewing since 2009 I think? I got started in my second year of university (I hand-sewed a wonky skirt), but it wasn't until the Summer I got started with proper patterns and the like. Then, I moved to Germany for a bit, got myself a second-hand sewing machine and tried to improve as much as I could.

What inspired you to create the Seamless Pledge? 

The blog itself actually started as a project for my postgraduate journalism course at university! I was already blogging about sewing at that point, but I kind of wanted to take it to the next level. When I first started sewing, there was a pledge called Wardrobe Refashion, but the woman who had started wasn't able to carry it on. I interviewed Zoe Edwards, another sewing blogger, and we were talking about how it was a shame there wasn't anything like that anymore... enter the Seamless Pledge!

After Zoe shared it, I got loads of people saying they were up for it, it was so surreal. I didn't quite expect it to hit the nerve it did. I think there are a lot of people thinking about the ethical and environmental implications of fashion these days.

How long have you been doing it now? 

I didn't buy any new clothes at all for at least a year, if not more, from October 2011. I'll hold my hands up, I have bought the odd thing since the "official" pledge came to an end in 2012, but I can honestly count on one hand the amount of new clothes I bought in 2013. And one was a Christmas jumper, which I figured was OK because I cannot knit so save my live AND it had a Home Alone reference... Whay!

What are the rules of the Seamless pledge?

The rules

• No buying new clothes for the duration of your pledge. New mean any new mass-manufactured clothes.
• You can buy second-hand manufactured clothes – so be prepared to get to know your local charity shops awfully well.
• Vintage clothing is a-ok!
• Anything you’ve made by hand is definitely allowed. Get your sewing machines and your knitting needles out, because handmade is definitely in!

What are you sewing goals for 2014? 

I had this whole 12-month challenge set out where I was going to pick one sewing project a month to concentrate on. Annoyingly, it's already come to pieces because a) I haven't had a sewing machine for about a month and b) my first challenge of sewing sequins turned out to be THE MOST TIME-CONSUMING THING EVERRR. Right now I'm drafting "the pain of sequins" post in my head - it's been traumatic. But I'm still going to squirrel away at that challenge because it's more about stretching my sewing abilities than meeting some arbitrary sewing target.

I have a 'Can't Jar' so I'm basically picking things out of that and going from there. I sewed my first pair of trousers recently, which was immense. Next on the list will be things like a bag, a coat... next month, I'd like to draft my own dress pattern. That'll be fun

What tips can you give to people who want to move away from mass market fashion? 

Charity shops are your friend. Seriously. They are the best places. And go to the ones in rich neighbourhoods - when I lived in Guildford, there were constantly designer clothes in the local charity shops. You'd be amazed what people chuck away. Also, you may think you can't sew, but it can be pretty easy to whip up a quick pencil skirt. It's having a big resurgence at the moment, so there are plenty of sewing classes around. That said, there is a plethora of material online from various sewing bloggers who are far better at this sewing lark than I am.

What has been the most helpful resource in learning how to sew new things? 

See above - definitely the sewing blogosphere. You'll be hard pressed to find a kinder and more open community of people online. They are a constant source of inspiration and motivation. Some of my faves are Gertie's New Blog For Better Sewing, Tilly and the Buttons and Zoe (interviewed above). Karen of Did You Make That also has a blog on the Guardian fashion network because she is brilliaaaant. 

What kind of sewing seemed daunting when you started that you now feel you've mastered?

TROUSERS! I definitely haven't mastered them, but I'm going to brag about having made a pair forever and ever. Buttons are also becoming less daunting. What I've found is I can fudge things quite a lot so long as I remember that no one has to see how messy my stuff is on the inside...

-

Thanks Elena! :) Do you think you could give up buying new clothes for a month? Six months? ...*gulp* a year?

If the answer is a big fat YES! then here's how to join in:

 

It’s super simple to join up. Just comment on the site with your name, your blog (if you have one) and how long you’re signing up for. Once you’ve done that, you can also add the button to your blog using this code:

[a href="http://seamlessblog.wordpress.com/the-pledge/" target="_blank">[img src="http://seamlessblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/button.png" alt="The Seamless Pledge" /][/a] (replace the [ ] with < >)

Replace brackets with < > and stick it in a textbox widget on your blog and/or post the following to your social network of choice:

"I (insert your name here) am taking the #seamlesspledge until (length of time here). http://bit.ly/tktV04"

& that's it! Do let us know if you sign up, and if you have a blog then leave the link in the comments, I love to read them! :)

Love

Sarah