Archive for News

Love Is… Fair Trade

It’s Fair Trade Fortnight this month and, although synonymous with bananas and coffee, the fair trade quest goes deeper and wider than that and can provide real opportunity and improved standards of living for many communities in developing countries.

Two billion people – a third of humanity – have to survive on less than $2 a day. Unfair trade rules are keeping them in poverty whilst they face the global challenges of food shortages and climate change too.

This year’s Fair Trade campaign encourages us to get involved in a ‘Big Swap’, to make a conscious decision to choose the fair trade option, to swap usual stuff for Fair Trade stuff – regular tea for Fair Trade tea, cotton socks for Fair Trade cotton socks and so on – small steps that will make a big difference.

What better time than Valentine’s Day to show your commitment to Fair Trade and to share that with a loved one.

And to show you that Fair Trade really does goes wider than bananas and coffee and has come a long way since the hippy hemp days, Love Eco – ever supportive of Fair Trade and ethical consumerism – has put together a very stylish range of fairly traded alternatives for the home and family so now it’s even easier to make that swap.

For Valentine’s Day in particular, Love Eco is very excited about their range of Fair Trade lingerie from their friends at Life’s Not Fair But My Knickers Are. Choose from the already popular and very cute Fairly Dotty Chemise, Sweetheart Cropped Pyjamas and Cami Sets or Fair Game Vest and Knickers combo.

And, for the ultimate romantic gesture, why not send a Fair Trade flower to your loved one. Love Eco’s Felt Fuzzy Fleurs by Henry & Jayne are handmade from handmade felt by communities in India. They make a lovely alternative to real flowers and will last forever without the need for watering. So pop on over to Love Eco – http://www.love-eco.co.uk – this month and let us help you share some Fair Trade love.

Comments off

Traditional Craft

Winter time is here! The cold is on the ground, the festivities have ended, relatives have gone home and you’re left with more presents than you can shake a stick at. Now, where to put everything?

In the modern home, designed to be as efficient and compact as possible, space is at a premium. Just where are you going to store all those new presents? Thankfully, Love Eco’s jute baskets will solve all your storage problems and create a stylish place for cherished gifts, the ever-expanding games collection, your favourite linens and throws or that mountain of kid’s toys.

While these baskets are made in warmer climes, they have been designed with you in mind. In the cold Winter months, why keep braving the elements to get logs for the fire when a super stylish, extra large jute Log Basket means you can keep them to hand and spend the time snuggled up with a loved one instead, savouring those last few drops of your favourite Winter warmer tipple.

What’s more, the entire range is fairly traded and handmade by artisan co-operatives in Bangladesh so you’ll be helping to improve the living conditions of women and their families too.  Jute is a natural, indigenous material that they are putting to good use whilst keeping traditional crafts alive so that communities can grow and invest in health and education. Some of the makers like to put their signature on their own piece of work too so many will have this sewn in to the basket – a lovely unique touch that will bring you closer to the beginning of the story.

Shefali Odikari is just one of the women benefitting from the sale of her jute baskets and already she has bought some land of her own and is now able to send her three children to school all year round.

Fair trade Jute Baskets are available from http://www.love-eco.co.uk from just £30

Comments off

The Prince’s Rainforest Project

Leave a comment »

Now we’re posting stuff to you for FREE

Yep. You got it. Right now, we’re sending all orders out completely free of charge. What better time to do a little ethical shopping and get Father’s Day gifts sorted early. Enjoy. It’s for a limited time only.

FreeDelBanner

Leave a comment »

Nothing more eco than virtual gifts

Call us geeky, but in an effort to share the delights of Love Eco with as many people as possible, we’ve developed a lovely new Facebook application: Eco Gifts.

Now, you can send a virtual eco-friendly gift to all your Facebook pals without spending a penny . So, go have some fun, make someone’s day with an Eco Gift. Click here, sign in as usual and off you go.

facebook-logo
EcoGiftsScreenShot

Just some of the many Eco Gifts you can send to friends virtually via our new Facebook application.

Leave a comment »

Big Bangladesh

Big Bang Day

World Fair Trade Day

Today is World Fair Trade Day. Of course, we do fair trade at Love Eco and have a wonderful range but we thought it’d be nice to tell you a bit more about the products. In particular, our fairly traded baskets.

I met Sheenagh at the School for Social Entrepreneurs (she is a fellow fellow!). Sheenagh runs a fair trade company which works to improve the lives of marginalised communities by developing a sustainable market for their products. Sheenagh believes, as we do too, that fair trade can act as an important bridge between worlds, fostering a better understanding between both ends of the supply-chain, the customer and the producer.

The result of Sheenagh’s dedicated work is the range of handmade jute baskets which are available at Love Eco. Click here to view the range. Below are some wonderful pictures of some of the women making the baskets.

Maison Bengal

Artisans in Bangladesh

Sheenagh

Sheenagh with artisans in Bangladesh

Leave a comment »

Home to roost

LOVE ECO has joined the likes of Jamie Oliver, Jimmy Doherty and Amanda Holden in supporting the plight of battery hens in the UK.

We have pledged to donate £1 to the Battery Hen Welfare Trust for every one of our vintage fabric chicken doorstops sold during March and April 2009.

The Battery Hen Welfare Trust does an amazing job in giving battery hens a second chance, an enjoyable freerange retirement and in encouraging us all to buy freerange. But, if you’re not quite ready to adopt a real life battery hen, then Love Eco’s low maintenance chicken doorstops will make a good alternative and you’ll be
making an equally important contribution to the cause with every purchase made.

Of course, LOVE ECO ensures that all of its adorable chicken doorstops are freerange and they make great gift ideas for Mother’s Day and Easter too.

To find out more about the work of the Battery Hen Welfare Trust visit www.bhwt.org.uk
To find out more about Love Eco’s fabulous chicken doorstops visit www.love-eco.co.uk

meadowflargejpg

Leave a comment »

Twittering away

Love Eco has been busy twittering away for several months now. Find out what all the fuss is about and
join us at www.twitter.com/loveeco

69290979

Follow us on Twitter

Leave a comment »

Pretty stylish friends

Love Eco has some pretty stylish friends but none more so than Pretty Stylish London who have been raving about us, our skincare and funky green bamboo tees. Can’t say we blame them! Check out Eva’s fabulously stylish site which highlights the hottest products and places in London . . . www.prettystylishlondon.co.uk

Pretty Stylish London

Leave a comment »

Let’s blog

Love Eco is the place to be! We’re busy showcasing the best in ethical and eco design. So, whether you’re after a stylish earth-friendly gift or contemporary designs for your home come and see us at www.love-eco.co.uk

Alongside our online store we’ll be blogging here about what’s hip and happening in the world of ethical and eco design and keep you up to date about developments at Love Eco too. So, stay tuned!

pinkongrass_1500px

Leave a comment »