Monthly Archives: September 2011

English National Opera choose our Corporate Clothing Range

Brook Taverner, Corporate Clothing

Well this was exciting.  Garments from our Brook Taverner range were selected by the English National Opera for performers to wear as part of   for Idomeneo.  Not the usual use of our corporate blouses, shirts and suits but perfect for the part.

To see a trailer of the English National Opera wearing the range – and of course wonderful singing click on the video above.

It is always lovely to work with people for unusual projects such as this and exciting to see the end product.  The Brook Taverner Range of corporate clothing has a variety of “collections”.  We have been really pleased with the feedback from our customers and the range has been one of our best sellers this year.

Business Suit – Corporate Uniform

Africa’s Fairtrade Cotton Farmers

Susan's Musings, Uncategorized

I read this article today.  It is a little old, written by Elizabeth day in November 2010  for The Observer.  However it is still very much up to date.

It explains the subsudies given to USA, European and the Chinese cotton farmers – and then the impact this has on the cotton farmers in the very poor nations.  The subsidies really manipulate the price of cotton and has such a negative impact on the farmers in such places as Mali, West Africa.

Liz outlines the way in which Fairtrade has a positive impact.  The “Premium” resulting in access to health care, clean water and some education.

There is also an interesting video.

I have recently had an update from the Fairtrade Foundation regarding the fair trade cotton production for the garments we have made for us in India.  The organisation at the start of our Fairtrade chain is an organisation called Delight.  What a great name. 

The premium has partly financed water tanks for the groups livestock, as well as a communal stage for meetings and entertainment. They have also spent their premium on helping to finance and construct an English medium school called Swayam Academy through the Mahima Education and Welfare Society trust. The children of the tribal farmers (approx. 110) receive free education, transport, stationary and books at this school.  I have visited this school and some of the cotton farmers.  Once again I am reminded that when I read articles like the one Liz has written and think back to my visit then the inspiration it gives me results in our range of Fairtrade t shirts, aprons, school uniform and and polo shirts.

The real idea is to share.  Although the recession is having an impact on us here in the UK.  Our wealth is beyond the experience of the cotton farmers  I met.  If we at Cotton Roots together with our customers share just a little, the effects are magnified in such a important way to those growing the cotton in India and Africa.

Organic polo shirts chosen by Sauce Consultancy

Organic stuff

Sauce Consultancy are environmental communications experts.  They help their clients get their environmental message across.  Whenever we supply garments to them they always give us great designs to work with which reflects their expertise.

They chose organic polo shirts for their staff which we supplied printed with their design.  Each bottle in the design matches one on their website, and each relates to an area of expertise.

Organic Aprons with our Customers Printed Logos

Organic stuff, Our customer's news

Today we have been working on organic aprons for the Body Shop. We won the order through their agent (Karen Higgins Projects), organic aprons printed with some beautiful designs.  There is an almond on some, passion fruit on another and hemp in another.  We think the result is beautiful.  Our organic  fabric (twill) is made in India and is also certified by Oeko-Tex. The actual organic aprons are made here in the UK especially for us.  It took us quite a while to find a supplier, research, trial and error (some shrunk) until we found the perfect fabric for the organic apron range we now have.

Organic aprons showing the printed Body Shop design

We have just introduced organic children’s aprons. It will be interesting to see how much interest they generate.  With so many of our competitors deciding to reduce the range of Fairtrade and organic they supply we are doing the opposite.  I could think of this as adventurous, foolish, wise swimming against the tide.  However I still believe that there are people who want these products.  Products that look toward our future, trying not to damage the land and giving a fair wage to the cotton farmers.

We are in a recession and it it hitting us hard.  But when I remember the villagers I met in India who grow our cotton…………I think we are so lucky and it makes me determined to keep going.  They had so very  little but gave us such a warm, excited welcome.  proud of their organic cotton.  I hope the Body Shop are as excited with their delivery of organic aprons from us.

Jackets with Recycled Fibres for The Salvation Army

Recycled

We had an interesting order recently.  The Salvation were back ordering from us.  Last year they ordered a large number of Fairtrade T shirts which we printed with the salvation Army crest.

This year we have supplied their Youth Band with jackets containing at least 25% recycled fibres.  We have quite a range of different jackets –  jackets made with recycled fibres and you really can’t tell the difference.  I’m not sure if this is a good thing or not!

We have also supplied recycled fleece jackets to the Chalvington and Northampton Recycling Teams for quite a few years,  and a number of Wildlife Trusts order recycled caps embroidered with the wildlife logo.

Jackets Made with Recycled Fibres for The Salvation Army Youth Band

Corporate Clothing Range

Susan's Musings

Many of our customers require corporate clothing from us. As we specialise in supplying company clothing with the best possible sustainable and ethical provenance this can be quite a challenge.  Our flagship range of Fairtrade certified and organic garments are part of the range of corporate clothing.  In addition we do have the ethical policies for our more formal range and can advise, and point people in the right direction.  For example we have a range of corporate clothing which includes ethically sourced shirts and blouses, suits, trousers, skirts and workwear.  This is manufactured for us by the Co-op who are founder members of the ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative).  This range of corporate clothing is excellent quality and we supply one of our larger clients, Canon,  trousers from this range for their technical support staff throughout the UK and Ireland.

One way to increase the sustainable provenance of corporate clothing is to manufacture bespoke clothing for our clients. Here at Cotton Roots we  have the facility to manufacture shirts and blouses using organic cotton or even made with recycled fibres.  Although we have manufactured bespoke items using our Gold rated WRAP certified manufacture we have the no orders yet for the organic or recycled fibre options.  As it is relatively new I am sure this will change soon.  I will definitely celebrate our first order for these on the blog 🙂

Our full range of sustainable and ethical corporate clothing is being put on our website  over the next few weeks as at the moment only a tater is online.  So much to do and the time just keeps ticking by.

Fairtrade & Organic Aprons Supplied to Dorset Cereals

Fairtrade Clothing, Food Industry, Organic stuff, Organisations Wearing Fairtrade, Uncategorized

I recently looked at the Dorset cereals website. We supplied them with aprons which they need for prizes for a competition a while ago.  The aprons were a lovely chocolate brown and were both organic and Fairtrade certified aprons.

Well Dorset Cereals have a lovely website and a great competition to win a camper van which is fun and a little/very addictive 🙂  Have a go at http://www.dorsetcereals.co.uk/