Browsing: Product news

The latest line of products to enter our ever-expanding warehouse here at EthicalSuperstore is the great new Spring ‘09 range from the outdoor clothing and technical apparel manufacturer, Patagonia.

We’re excited to bring you this new product range, including hiking boots, men’s and women’s walking and outdoor equipment, and some fashion pieces.

Patagonia started life as a one-man mission to make and sell affordable and reliable climbing gear to like-minded people. Now, after over 30 years in business the folk at Patagonia still hold the same values dear; simplicity, utility, respect for nature, and a minimalist approach to life and work.

The range is not only functional and stylish though, it also boasts top-notch environmental credentials; Patagonia use recycled polyester in many of its clothes and only use organic cotton. You’ll find more information on individual garments’ materials and make-up on their product page.

Read the rest of Patagonia Hits The Shelves Of EthicalSuperstore.com »

I question whether or not my lunches will ever be the same after last week’s cook-a-thon.  For five consecutive work days me and four of my ambitious colleagues set out to cook up a lunch storm.  Starting last Monday and ending Friday our goal was to cook soup for five on a budget using ‘ethical’ ingredients – the winner to be judged on taste, ethics, and value for money.  In a mouthful, it was a yummy success and although the winner has yet to be announced – I couldn’t care less.  The fact that I was served a lovely bowl of soup every day last week, saving me in the region of £15.00 which I normally spend buying food lacking in all things good and healthy, made me a very happy woman indeed.

However the real point of this blog is to highlight my soup, the only green and non-vegetarian soup of the week – Twanna’s Easy-peasy Pea and Smoked Bacon soup. A delicious, hearty soup/meal, ideal for lunch or dinner and it doesn’t break the bank. It’s perfect for those of us on a budget during these credit crunching times.

You could say my soup recipe is a little like that of Innocent Smoothies, nice and simple yet not nearly as expensive (sorry Innocent no harm intended just telling the truth – as I see it).

So here it goes – ideally all ingredients are organic and where possible local and/or Fairtrade:

Read the rest of After a ‘SOUPER’ week will lunchtimes ever be the same? »

The founder, designer and director of Fifi Bijoux, Vivien Johnston, is a leading light in the world of ethical jewellery production – she believes in setting a gold standard through her choice of Fairly Trading suppliers and the eco-friendly and sustainable manner of production. What’s all the more significant is that she’s been creating such a stir that in recent months she’s been invited to speak with and spread her wisdom to some of the biggest names in the gold and diamond mining industry. Fifi Bijoux is working on getting the word out on ethical jewellery production; how it should be done and the undeniably beneficial consequences. In this post Vivien writes about her  experiences during 2008 and what’s been happening in the world of ethical jewellery.

“This New Year, my resolution is to find those little spaces in the hectic pace of life. Those moments when you feel nothing but sheer delight and catch precious times with friends from afar or family you wish you could see more of.”

Technorati Profile

Read the rest of A New Year’s Resolution from Vivien Johnston of Fifi Bijoux »

Image of the Orla Kiely Wottle - from Brita

There were those amongst us who thought the Wottle would never happen, but today’s the day – Brita UK and the prominent contemporary designer Orla Kiely have brought it all together, and Ethicalsuperstore’s long awaited eco-friendly water bottle is on the shelves and raring to go.

Read the rest of The Wottle: let eco-friendly water bottle revolution commence »

Ecover is one of the true pioneers of the ethical products movement having recently hit its 25th birthday, famous for its green cleaning products and for building the world’s first “ecological factory” in Malle, Belgium, in 1992.  When I was invited by Ecover to visit in November, I couldn’t pass on the opportunity – it almost felt like receiving a golden ticket to see Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory (if only the Wonka Bar was Fairtrade!)

Read the rest of Inside the Ecover Eco-factory »

tie them anywhere, keep for longer than a single day

With so many ‘World Days’ littering the calendar it’s increasingly easy to lose focus on some of the really important ones.

Whilst you may be forgiven for not being in tune with World Television Day (21^st November), nodding off during World Sleep Day (March 21^st) or resisting the urge to confuse everyone you chat to on International Talk like a Pirate Day (September 19^th) let’s give some serious attention to World AIDS day.

The number of people living with HIV continues to rise in every part of our world – including in the UK. There are now an estimated 35 million people living with HIV worldwide and 80,000 people living with HIV in the UK. For the last 15 years the red ribbon has been the international symbol of HIV. Wearing a red ribbon is a great way to raise awareness about HIV as well as to break down stigma and prejudice, so make sure you wear one with pride this World AIDS Day.

There is more that we can do. As well as showing our support with the red ribbon today we can choose, as consumers, to place our spending behind products and organisations which make a difference too. Recently at Ethical Superstore we began to stock products from Global Ethics – the creators of two pioneering and innovative charity-funding ventures; One Water and One Condoms
They help communities in Africa who don’t have clean water supplies or are suffering due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

All profits from the One Condoms are used to fund HIV projects in Africa. The profits are used to fund Voluntary Counselling & Testing outreach clinics – teams of nurses and counsellors are taken out to rural communities to help educate and raise awareness of HIV and HIV-related issues as well as testing for HIV.

I’m sure there are many other ways to show practical support too. I’m not proposing that we start a campaign for a ‘World Day of thinking more carefully about the impact of what we buy’ but it is an idea we should try, often.

It’s getting towards that time of year…with only four weekends left until Christmas the shops are rammed, and everyone around me seems to be at least halfway through their Christmas shopping whereas I have hardly even begun.

A rising onset of panic has prompted my quest for the ultimate Christmas gift – something that will give rise to the appropriate ‘ooohs’ and ‘ahhhs’ upon being opened, but something that is more than a disposable knickknack or curiosity. I’m looking for something that with ethics and a story but which won’t break the bank, and of course has that extra bit of wow factor.

It was with these thoughts in mind that I came across The Leaky Collection, a fabulous little range of jewellery with an interesting story, making it much more than what meets the eye. The collection features some really lovely wooden bracelets and necklaces which won’t fail to be a hit, but the real winner come in the form of the Zulu Grass strands – colourful and versatile jewellery which is ethical and ecologically sound to boot.

Read the rest of The quest for the ultimate Christmas gift. »

The wetter the better?

I recently challenged myself to ‘Go One Better’  – to conduct an examination of my lifestyle and identify simple improvements which I could make, and more importantly stick to, which will make a difference.  I began with a commitment to eliminate at least one regular car journey and replace it by cycling.  Given the title of this post you could be forgiven for thinking that I’m going to attempt a cheerful defence of pedalling in the rain, not so.
With all going well with the cycling it was time to turn my attention to other things.  Once you start to think about ‘going one better ‘the problem is not so much what to tackle, but where to start.  I decided to start by examining my daily routine, working from morning onwards.
To say I’m not a morning person doesn’t even come close.  According to my family I don’t wake up – I defrost.  Putting myself in the microwave isn’t an option (though it’s a tempting proposition for family I suspect) so I tend to thaw out in the shower.  I’d always resented the hammering on the bathroom door and pleas for speed, evidence of their tendency toward exaggeration.  ‘You always take forever’ being conclusive proof of their impatience, as I was never in longer than a couple of minutes.
I’m probably not alone in the belief that showering is guilt free

Read the rest of Going One Wetter! »

Nvey Eco Selection Box

The party season is almost upon us and we all want to look our best; however as the cold weather draws in, memories of summer holidays and healthy looking sun-kissed skin are but a vague memory. We’ve all heard the clichés and deep down we know that beauty is only skin deep, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be looking after it – after all, your skin plays a crucially important role in protecting all that’s inside from all that’s on the outside.

According to the Green Beauty Bible, as many as 63% of us have sensitive skin. This is partially due to the chemicals in our environment, an enormous global issue to be addressed internationally. However the other significant contributing factor is the sheer number of chemicals that we consume voluntarily ourselves, rubbing, massaging and dusting them into our pores in the guise of moisturisers, concealers, lipsticks and eyeshadows to name but a few of the culprits.

The cruel irony is that a huge majority of the beauty and skin nourishing products on the market today sold to improve our skin are in fact packed full of chemicals and synthetic ingredients which just aren’t good for us. After much negative press coverage, the majority of more savvy cosmetic companies have realised that paraben-free products are the way forwards, however it shouldn’t stop there.

Read the rest of Natural beauty, healthy skin »

In this current climate of the credit crunch, with fears of a looming recession, and with bills on the increase, it’s easy to see why people have taken to monitoring the amount of energy they use with a view to reducing what they can.

There are various makes and models on the market at the minute, claiming that they can show you all those silent but deadly energy guzzlers, and suggesting that they will help you cut your energy use and electricity bills.

So here are my Armchair Activist Top 5 Energy Monitors – one for every budget!

Read the rest of Armchair Activist: #5 – Energy Monitors on a Budget . . . »