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Whether you're looking for organic cotton t-shirts, sportswear, evening wear, children's clothing, footwear or fashion accessories, you'll find it all here! Unlike many other clothing websites, we only list ethically-made clothing for shoppers with a conscience.
The Fair Trade Clothing Directory is free and easy to use, and you do not have to register with us.
Many of the clothes offered through our site are not available on the High Street. You'll find fresh, exciting and different ranges a world apart from the dull, mass produced clothing found in big department stores.
As we're totally independent, we are able to list clothing from a range of different suppliers and brand names. The result is a 'one-stop' shop for all your clothing needs without you having to visit lots of different sites!
Did you know? Two-thirds of all children denied school are girls, or that women earn only 10% of the world’s income, yet work two-thirds of the world’s working hours? (Source: Oxfam)
Fair trade clothing is becoming increasingly popular, and there now exists a vast choice of shops and suppliers.
“When you buy Fairtrade products you can guarantee that the farmers who have worked hard to grow them get a minimum price. Fairtrade is a way of giving regular support.” – Emma Thompson
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"The reality is that our economy now consists of driving 250 million vehicles around the suburbs and malls and eating fried chicken. We don’t manufacture much. We just burn up ever scarcer petroleum in the ever-expanding suburbs built with mortgage money lent to people who haven’t a clue." - Joe Bageant, Deer Hunting With Jesus, 2007
What is ethical fashion? There are varying definitions of ethical fashion. In simple terms, its an approach to the design, sourcing and manufacture of clothing which is both socially and environmentally conscious. More specifically, ethical fashion incorporates the following:
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Fair wages, working conditions and workers’ rights
Supports sustainable livelihoods
Avoids toxic pesticide and chemical use
Uses eco- friendly fabrics and components
Minimises water use
Recycling and energy efficiency
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| Did you know? According to Earth Pledge, a non-profit organization (NPO) committed to promoting and supporting sustainable development, "At least 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw materials into textiles and 25% of the world's pesticides are used to grow non-organic cotton. This causes irreversible damage to people and the environment, and still two thirds of a garment's carbon footprint will occur after it is purchased." |
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Join the celebrities! Eco-friendly fashion is becoming popular with some big names. An increasing number of Hollywood celebrities have been associated with sustainable fashion, including Natalie Portman, Cameron Diaz, Alicia Silverstone, Adrian Grenier, Jennifer Aniston and Salma Hayek. All have recently drawn attention to socially-conscious and environmentally friendly fashion. |
“Sustainable fashion, also called eco fashion, is a part of the growing design philosophy and trend of sustainability, the goal of which is to create a system which can be supported indefinitely in terms of environmentalism and social responsibility.” – Wikipedia
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The true cost of a cheap shirt Many mass-produced clothes are made in sweatshops where workers have few rights, working in squalid conditions for long hours and very low pay. Sadly, child labour is often used to cut production costs. Children who work in un-organic cotton fields are at serious risk of health problems due to their close proximity to pesticides, exposure to fertilizers and poor diet. |
We know the risks (to children’s health) but we are forced to give up the children for cotton each season otherwise we will starve”. – Unknown farmer, Uzbekistan
“A responsible company must have a policy regarding child labour and other labour rights for all its locations and operations as a matter of principle and as a matter of consistency with its own code of conduct or corporate responsibility policy”. - The Pesticide Action Network (PAN)
Did you know?
Many designers have begun experimenting with bamboo fibre, which absorbs greenhouse gases during its life cycle and grows quickly and plentifully without pesticides. Some believe hemp is one of the best choices for eco fabrics due to its ease of growth, though it remains illegal to grow in some countries.
Ethical fashion used to involve a donation of a percentage of sales to a charitable cause. Nowadays, a growing number of fashion designers recognise that eco-conscious sourcing methods are required, coupled with ethical production processes through to fair marketing and promotion of the end products.
“No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country. By living wages I mean more than a bare subsistence level - I mean the wages of decent living.” - Franklin Delano Roosevelt
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How Fairtrade helps women Of the world’s 1.2 billion people living on less than a dollar a day, 70% are women and girls. One of Fairtrade’s main goals is to promote women’s development opportunities and reward their work fairly. According to internationally agreed standards, women are given the same opportunities as men to train and to develop skills, and to apply for job vacancies. |
"Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not take as the aim of you life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure. Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need." - Thich Nhat Hanh
