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Thought’s AW20 Inspiration

Thought’s mission is to ‘live more thoughtfully’. They are committed to offering more considered choices and exist to show that there are more sustainable ways to live, dress and be. Thought continue to be leaders in slow fashion by producing classic, timeless pieces that have been designed to last.

Their AW20 collection is made up of timeless pieces that are modern, high quality and seasonless. Thought want their collections to form the foundations of any person’s wardrobe in a beautiful, yet functional way.

For this collection, they have delved into the hidden corners of women’s history for inspiration and shaped their collection around women who celebrated nature and created a legacy that can be viewed and admired today.

Brand Story: Zao

Zao create premium certified organic, 100% natural, vegan, cruelty free, sustainable and refillable makeup.

Zao makeup is owned by Cosm’Eika France and was co-founded in 2012 by four friends, David Reccole, Phillipe Donnat, Yvan Rouvier and Salima Macozzi Reccole. All four friends love nature and are passionate and conscious of the impact of consumption on the environment.

This is where the idea of Zao came from. The brand was created to align with the strong values of its owners where there was a passion for creating the first rechargeable makeup brand. It was important that the products were 100% natural and because of this they were also certified organic by Ecocert.

Brand Story: Olive Branch

Olive Branch is a Greek company that produce a range of products using classic Greek ingredients with a unique touch. Their olive oil is made on their family farm located in South East Crete. Not only that, they also make chunky olive tapenade, Greek mezze dips and a big range of marinated olives and antipasti.

Olive Branch was founded by Maria Koinaki. Born and raised in Crete, Maria’s family owned olive trees and as a child Maria would help with the annual olive harvest which involved hand picking fresh olives and helping her father take them to the local olive mill.

Growing up surrounded by olives, Maria decided to turn her father’s olive oil into a brand. She knew that everyone used olive oil out of the knowledge that it is good for you, but no one knows why; Maria wanted to change that.

How Mineral Sun Cream Protects your Skin

We all know that it’s important to get out in the sun as much as possible to get your recommended dose of Vitamin D and increase seratonin levels. It’s equally important to use sun protection every day to stop your skin absorbing harmful rays and to protect against burning whilst reducing the risk of skin disease or cancer.

You can protect your skin by covering up as much as possible while outside and seeking the shade. It’s also important to use sunscreen every day to limit the damage done by the sun. It’s a common myth that people with darker skin don’t need to use as much or any sun cream – this is absolutely not the case as sun cream is the only thing that can protect your skin against harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Mineral sun cream is a great way to protect your skin if you prefer products with fewer ingredients. Regular sun cream is made with ingredients that protect your skin by absorbing the suns rays, whereas mineral sun cream reflects them. Mineral sun creams are made with zinc oxide and titanium oxide, and offer protection from both UVA and UVB rays – which is something you definitely want from your sun protection.

Traditionally people didn’t like using mineral sun cream because it left white residue on their skin. This isn’t the case anymore, advances in technology have meant the mineral particles can be just as effective at a smaller size and are no longer visible.

If you want to give mineral sun cream a try, have a look at our ranges from natural beauty brand Green People, Alba Botanica, We Love the Planet and Shade for some zero waste options too.

Brand Story: Bambu

Bambu was founded by Jeff Delkin and Rachel Speth. For nearly 20 years Bambu’s mission has been to reduce the use and reliance on plastic by providing people with beautiful, non-toxic products made from nature. Bambu produce a range of affordable and earth-friendly products for the kitchen and home such as utensils, bowls, straws, trays, cutting boards and many more. All their products are both distinctive and contemporary and made from renewable materials.

Bambu’s products are made in China where all materials are sourced locally. They also work with local woodworkers, weavers and stitchers to hand make their products. Bambu’s products are handcrafted so that they are safe and durable that will last and can withstand even the toughest use.

How to Build an Organic Summer Night Skin Care Regime – Green People

Charlotte Vøhtz was a pioneer for the organic skin care industry when she launched her beauty brand Green People back in 1997, but it was on turning 50 that she started to formulate her signature Age Defy+ by Cha Vohtz range, to address the needs of mature skin.

Here she guides us through the most effective organic ingredients for building a natural, anti-ageing summer night skin care routine.

Brand Story: GoodWeave

GoodWeave’s vision is a world that is free of child labour. Established 25 years ago, GoodWeave consists of an award-winning team of business-minded experts and advocates for social change dedicated to ending child labour, forced labour and bonded labour in global supply chains.

GoodWeave primarily operate within the rug industry but have now expanded to home textiles, apparel and fashion jewellery.

They work to lead an overall reduction in child labour as well as the freedom and education of these children. The holistic approach that they have aims to heal and educate children who have been exploited, whilst also underlying the root causes.

Brand Story: Nomads

Nomads is a contemporary Fairtrade clothing brand in which everything produced is made with natural and organic fibres. Along with this, Nomads celebrates great design and traditional artisan techniques.

Nomads’ mission is to prove that it is possible to live a stylish, sustainable life by creating high quality and long-lasting clothing. They also wish to increase the awareness of the need to shop responsibly.

Nomads has been creating ethical and Fairtrade clothing for over 30 years. Its founders Duncan and Vicky met in India where they fell in love with the culture and decided to invest in their first selection of Fairtrade handicrafts. This was the starting point for their now lifelong relationships they have with the artisan producers and Fairtrade factories in India. They now design and create contemporary clothing that is 100% ethically produced and celebrates artisan skills. Nomads strives to use the best quality natural fibres and environmentally friendly processes with their clothes designed to last.

The Fashion Industry’s Response to COVID-19

The world is currently facing a pandemic, and this is having a huge effect on the people who make our clothes.

Retailers have had to close their doors and encourage their customer base to order online. None the less, the desire to buy new clothes appears to have decreased due to the Coronavirus making us focus on other aspects in our lives.

It is worth noting that there is potentially a positive amidst this crisis that we are learning to care for the clothes we already own better, more and more people are opting to mend and make clothes and also adopt a mindset of longevity when it comes to our wardrobes; suggesting an encouraging step to end overconsumption.

However, the halt in manufacturing has meant that the most vulnerable, lowest paid people in the fashion supply chain are feeling the worst effects. IndustriALL, the global trade union has reported that millions of garment workers have lost their jobs as a result of the virus and have no access to social or financial safety nets.

Fashion Revolution Week 2020 – Our Brand Spotlight

2020 marks the seven-year anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster. The Rana Plaza factory was a five-story building that housed garment factories for big global brands. In 2013, the factory collapsed killing 1,138 people and injured 2,500 more people; many of the victims were mostly young women.

From this the Fashion Revolution movement was born. The people behind the Fashion Revolution movement have called for an overhaul of the fashion industry and strive to make sure exploitation of people comes to an end and ensure that production methods respect our environment.

Taking place from the 20th – 26th April, this year’s Fashion Revolution Week will once again encourage millions of people to come together to campaign for systemic change within the fashion industry.