Let’s take a look at what Sommerset House had to offer…

Nicola from Beautiful Soul brings vintage kimonos into the limelight for A/W 2010 – luxury fabrics the are durable teamed with a design that can be worn in a multitude of ways. Recycled jeans turned our heads – who would’ve guessed that a beautiful and elegant top could be produced from your old pair of jeans? If LFW is all about innovation, Nicola has it in abundance.

Beautiful: Vintage kimonos

Lu Flux took us by surprise. Upbeat, full of energy and raring to go with their eco credentials, there’s something in this range for everyone who wants to unleash their inner child. From hand knit mittens to eccentric dresses you’ll want to touch and play with something in the range this year.

Fun: Florals are on trend

Possibly our pick of the show, Kayu Design showcased a range of bamboo sunglasses – handcrafted. As a resource that grows twice as fast as a tree and restores itself in just 5 years, we’re loving bamboo. They look hot and by buying a pair, Kayu funds one sight restoring surgery in the developing world (best not ask for a complimentary press sample then!)

Inspiring: bamboo glasses

All eco friends will know that public transport, walking or cycling is the greenest way to globe trot, however for those routes and tracks that the buses and train do not cover, or you want to get somewhere a bit faster, Lucy Wright has rounded up the best eco motors—for all sizes and needs.

Best small car

Smart for two micro hybrid drive.

Automatically switches the engine off when stationary and starts up again upon motion meaning that even when you’re sitting at the traffic lights you’re protecting the planet. This reduces CO2 and fuel consumption so not only is it planet friendly but also purse friendly.

Best family car

Volkswagen Golf TDI BlueMotion

Powerful, spacious and easy on the eye the Golf TDI is at the forefront of green technology. With a clever sensor which links gear changes to the engine reduces revs and CO2 emissions. Also boasting the start/stop feature which is useful for city cruising, the new Golf also has an aerodynamic body and low rolling resistance tyres which saves on the fuel consumption. And the best bit…only £35 road tax.

Best people carrier

Peugeot 5008

For larger families and those who transport friends, look no further than Peugeot’s latest offering. The gear shift indicator reduces the number of revs and helps drivers to be more eco friendly. A bespoke particle filter processes gases from diesel engines Spacious, versatile and environmentally conscious, this is a clear winner for those needing a multi purpose vehicle.

Best Van

Ford Transit Connect Electric

The first fuel free van, the 2011 Ford Transit Connect is powered entirely by electricity. The hybrid vehicle can travel up to 80 miles on full charge and emits a planet perfect zero emissions.

The mileage range is perfect for companies which travel around central locations or have structured routes planned. The van is also paving the way for the eagerly anticipated 2012 Ford Focus electric.

Conscious food: considerate and tasty

I consider myself a pretty healthy person. I work out 5-6 times a week and have a pretty balanced diet, my problem however is that I just love snacks. I have to have a chocolate bar or potato chips in the evening…and sometimes at night (oops!) Not only is this bad for my health, but my teeth as well. I’ve tried different types of snacks that they offer both at the gym and different health food shops, but they all taste the same; artificial.

¨Conscious Food UK¨ offer a wide range of healthy Indian powersnacks that is just AMAZING. All their snacks are wheat, dairy and gluten free.

Made from millet, rice, nuts and seeds the snacks feature ingredients sourced from small organic farms and communities through India. The snacks are specially handcrafted using traditional family recipes adapted to make them healthier. Just pure, natural ingredients handmade in small batches filled with love. I just have to say it again, it is just AMAZING! Hallelujah!

Owner of Conscious Food UK, Kristina Locke worked in PR for many years and while on yoga holiday in India she discovered some delicious millet biscuits in a health food shop in Mumbai. Conscious Food is originally an Indian company that has pioneered organic farming and food in India since 1992.  It was set up by Kavita Mukhi because her son had a number of allergies and healthy unrefined ingredients were hard to come by. Kristina met with Conscious Food in India and has since then imported the magic of millet to the UK. She is now working closely with Conscious Food in India to develop new recipes for the UK and Europe.

Conscious Food UKs bestsellers are: Soya sesame sticks, sorghum millet crackers, pearl millet crackers, sesame chews, coconut nuggets, cashew nuggets and finger millet biscuits with cinnamon. Personally I prefer the sesame chews -yummy!

You can find a list of all of the places you can get these healthy, cute bags filled with love on their website and you can learn more about the company too!

I must warn you; you will get addicted…

Celebrate organic food

Carrots

Wild carrot is likely to have been a native of Afghanistan and through selective breading over thousands of years, has become sweeter and less woody. Requires very fine and deep soil to guarantee full size produce – strictly no manure, as with most root vegetables they will divide, carrot fly is the major pest. Rich in antioxidants, carrots also contain B-carotene which converts to vitamin A – however, digestion only releases a small amount of this, so pulping or cooking is a better way to get this great nutrient to absorb. Carrot cake, stews, Sunday lunch, juiced or simply eaten raw are all great ways to enjoy the carrot!

Onions

The tear jerker of the bunch. Used by ancient Egyptians 2000 years before Christ, it was worshiped as a symbol of eternal life. Such an important food source that in the middle ages the Onion could be used to pay rent. It initially came from India. Arguably the most used and versatile of Vegetables, can be stored for a few months by hanging up. Easiest grown from sets, allow plenty of space between them for big bulbs although you’ll get more yield from the area if they are closer together.

Spinach

While Popeye never seemed to enjoy its taste it seems the iron in it was the source of his legendary strength. A very nutritious food source full of vitamins, it is better steamed than boiled. “A la Florentine” is anything served on a bed of Spinach as a result of famous 16^th century figure Catherine Medici who moved to France to marry the King and took both Spinach, and Spinach cooks with her, such was her love of this leafy crop. Probably originating from Nepal and historically popular in the Muslim world, yet fairly unknown to the Ancients, it is a good early crop that grows fast. Leaves are best eaten young as can get bitter – more important than other crops to only plant a few seeds every few weeks to ensure you’re not getting all of the crops at once. Can be dug back into the ground to improve soil quality.

Chilli Plants

From south and Central America, used as a domesticated food since as far back as 7500 BC, it was until Christopher Columbus took it to Spain. It then went to Portugal; Vindaloo the famous hot Indian dish is actually thought to be a derivative of a Portuguese meal, as it was the folk from Portugal who took it East. One plant should provide enough chillies for the year, the ultimate money saver, grow on kitchen window sill, re pot every 6 months, and water regularly. Grow a few varieties for more interesting cooking, can be dried or eaten fresh and has many health benefits when eaten in moderation. Capsaicin is the heat substance that gets you sweating and releases endorphins which make you feel great! Measured in SHU’s, the hottest in the world is the bhut jolokia at around 1 million units, the standard Mexican chilli is only around 1,500 SHU, while Jalapeno comes in at 2,500– 8000 SHU and the Scotch bonnet at around 200,000 SHU.

Black Currants

A real super fruit. In the UK, during the second world war, Oranges and other sources of Vitamin C were hard to come by and so blackcurrants were grown, made into syrup and given to children for free and is still a very popular cordial. Very low maintenance once established, though can get white pine blister rust, will need a little pruning. Currents are fairly bitter and tart when eaten raw, however they are great to make jam with, milkshakes, pies and pancakes! They contain a massive helping of Vitamin C; 100grams contains 300% of recommended daily value, as well as many other essential nutrients. Possibly beneficial at preventing the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, and are also thought to reduce dark circles under eyes by increasing blood flow to capillaries. Currents juice is often added to Cider, Champagne and Guinness to increase flavour.

For the past three years the Fairtrade Foundation have held an annual campaign called Fairtrade Fortnight, a two week long celebration of everything Fairtrade where they encourage the nation via a series of events, activities and other resources to choose Fairtrade products.

This year I was fortunate enough to attend the launch event for Fairtrade Fortnight 2010 (22 February – 7 March), held at The Royal Institute of British Architects, Portland Place, in London.

On arriving at the venue, which was right in the heart of London, I was taken aback by the luxurious pinkly lit entrance.  Once I’d collected my name badge and visited the cloakroom, I was led up a marble staircase to be greeted by a host of drinks – wine, beer, orange juice, apple juice and water – all of which were Fairtrade and donated by various companies such as Calypso and Fairhills.  In the main hall impeccably dressed waiters waltzed about offering various Fairtrade canapés, which again were donated.

According to the invitation, this reception would be “a unique opportunity to meet and hear from people from across the movement”, and indeed it was.  The first half hour of the evening was spent networking, and on my rounds I met a number of interesting people, one of whom was the Media and PR Manager for the Fairtrade Foundation, Martine Julseph.  When asked what made her decide to get involved with Fairtrade, she replied:

To be honest, even before I knew much about Fairtrade I have always preferred Fairtrade products because of what they stand for.  I think it is important that producers get a fair deal and by buying Fairtrade it makes you feel connected to the producers

Among the many other Fairtrade supporters, retailers, manufacturers, producers and consumers in the room, I also met Claire Hamer and Janine Passley who run a company called ei8ht.  Collectively they have spent 15 years buying for the UK’s leading fashion retailers including Topshop, ASOS.com and River Island.  During this time they implemented sustainable strategies at Topshop, introducing Fairtrade Cotton and collaborating with small communities in Africa on projects such as Global Mamas.  More recently they have been instrumental in launching The Green Room and ASOS Africa on ASOS.com.

Supermodel and TV presenter Lisa Butcher who is spearheading the Fairtrade Foundation’s cotton campaign for Fairtrade Fortnight was also at the launch, having returned from India after visiting the Agrocel Pure & Fair Cotton Growers’ Association.  Commenting on her visit Lisa said: “Now that I have seen for myself the difference Fairtrade can make, I believe that the fashion world should consider using more Fairtrade cotton. I was really struck how people here often forget about the people behind their clothes. Anything new is never easy, and we need to work a little harder to achieve the unknown. But it’s not impossible to change the way we view cotton and the challenge is back to the industry”.

Each year Fairtrade Fortnight has some kind of theme, last year’s being “Go bananas for Fairtrade”, which saw people organising banana eating events (Fairtrade ones of course) and a record was set for simultaneous Fairtrade banana eating over a 24 hour period.

For this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight people in the UK and Ireland are being encouraged to swap everyday shopping basket items such as tea, coffee, chocolate, cotton tee-shirts, pineapples, bananas, cakes, sugar and a host of other products for Fairtrade ones during Fairtrade Fortnight 2010. During the two weeks, the Fairtrade Foundation will be totting up product swaps on a special online swap-o-meter, which can be accessed by going to their website.

The aim is to get people in Britain to make one million and one swaps over the two-week period and change the lives of millions of farmers around the world.

Prior to the launch event we were told to bring our favourite Fairtrade item along with us to swap with someone else at the event.  I took a big bar of Cadbury’s Diary Milk chocolate and swapped with a lady called Kerry Fuller who is from Dorset Cereals.  In exchange for my chocolate bar I received a couple of boxes of Dorset Cereals’ Fairtrade chocolate granola cereal and a box of Fairtrade Clippers teabags.  My breakfasts are sorted for the next month now!  If you would like more information and want to get involved, visit the Fairtrade website above and get swapping!

The Lancaster: Luxuriously going green

I personally prefer a bit more luxury, but a hotel that still maintains eco credentials, which is why I was led to the Lancaster, London.

Hopping off the tube at Lancaster Gate, the hotel was less than 1 min walk away – bonus points for a proximity to sustainable transport.  The welcome was more than warm and the check in took minutes – efficiency superb.

On arrival at the thirteenth floor, we opened the room door to be greeted with a magnificent view of Hyde Park. Being in ‘the big smoke’ it was positively refreshing to have a view over one of the City’s greenest public spaces, and to take a walk in among runners, inline skaters and even horse riders.

This hotel doesn’t ‘scream’ green by any means, but if you look closely out of the window you will see 4 neatly places bee hives on the lower roof, slowly making some scrumptious honey for use in the hotel’s very own restaurants. (You can keep up to date with the life of the bees by reading the hotel’s very own ‘bee blog’.

The toiletries are natural and a bar of neatly placed vegetable soap on the side of the bath made for a pleasant change.

On offer is a selection of walking and cycling maps for seeing London the ‘sustainable way’ and I hear that they’re working with taxi companies who use hybrid vehicles in an effort to reduce emissions.

The Lancaster is working closely with all of its staff to ensure that everyone is working towards making those next green steps that we all need to make.

Given that this hotel is a 4* luxury haven in the heart of the City, it’s doing a pretty good job of making the right steps towards being green while not being ‘pushy’ to guests. It hits a balance that manages to maintain solid eco credentials while blending in top end luxury. With a ‘silver’ awards from Green Tourism for London, it’s a place I’d like to see again once it gets to ‘gold’.

To book your eco trip, you can call 0207 7262 6737 or visit www.lancasterlondon.com.

The highlight of the show was a collection by Leafric Designs, founded by sisters Sashana and Melissa Miller. The bold and striking designs were presented by models strutting down the runway in a bizarre ostrich style walk (which made us chuckle). This edgy fairtrade couture stood out from the rest of the Fairwear show where the majority of the collections did little to break down the ethical clothing stereotypes of dowdy cotton garments.

Cotton Candy brought some fun to the night with their bright and breezy range. They used head turning coloured tights to set off the old faithful little black dress and bows and beads to sweeten up basic t’s and shirts.

People Tree showed off their new pieces created with the help of Emma Watson. The best word to describe this range is prepy, the Jack Will’s of the Fair Trade fashion world.

Fairtrade fashion is definitely going places and with the face of Burberry turning green, who knows who we’ll welcome to the fair-trade fashion arena next year?

Ethical fashion hits Bristol

 The fashion show, taking place on 25^th February, aims to promote Fairtrade to improve the lives of producers in developing countries.

So how is it going to out do itself this year? Well since the Fairwear brand has become established the ‘Fairwear Fashion Show’ has become an important date in everyone’s fashion calendar – displaying the changes that should be happening in fashion all over the world.

This year sees Harry Potter’s very own Emma Watson showcasing her fair-trade range in association with leading fair-trade designer brand, People Tree. Emma’s collections brings a little bit if edginess to the show:

I wanted to help People Tree produce a younger range because I was excited by the idea of using fashion as a tool to alleviate poverty and knew it was something I could help make a difference with.

As more and more people become aware of the positive message being promoted with the use of fair-trade fashion it’s not just the great British public becoming involved – many designers, actors and musicians are showing an interest in the constantly changing world of fashion; and luckily it’s changing for the better.

So what will you lucky people be seeing? Well fantastic collection from of course Emma Watson; Debenhams 5G range which involves Sir Steve Redgrave’s stunning designs who simply uses Fairtrade cotton from Mall; I think we love him already.

Bishopston trading fashion company are unveiling their collection. Along with ‘Life’s not fair but my knickers are’, Bristol based company; ‘Spunky’. Not to mention the spectacular Laura Ashley, Warehouse fairtrade range which include Bibico, Leafric, Wombat and Ethics Girls.

But guess what? It doesn’t stop there, musicians from Sarodplayer, contemporary dancers from the Invisible circus known as ‘Movement Collective’ will be amazing us with their fabulous piece also. And if that’s not enough for you then get ready to say hello to a whole host of celebrities. Actor James Redmond is acting as compare at the show. As well as BBC3’s very own Tara Starlet from ‘Blood Sweat and T-shirts’ will be talking about some of her experiences.

Fairwear Fashion Show is hosting some pretty big names but also it’s letting some fresh new talent on to its runways; the fashion students from Filton College are creating a collection for the show as well as the their media students creating a 2 minute advert on fair-trade fashion which will be shown at the event then judged by a celebrity panel. So big stakes for the new talent!

The Fairtrade fashion show is endorsed by the Fairtrade Foundation and the Ethical FashionForum. All Fairwear fashion houses use certified Fairtrade cotton or are members of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO).

So all in all this is an event you don’t want to miss. Show your support for fair-trade fashion and get on down there; what’s the worse that can happen you save the world one piece of clothing at a time.

Get your tickets now: 25^th February 2010, 4pm & 7pm at Century Bristol Cathedral.

The lovely people at Green & Blacks and the Soil Association are giving away 5,000 dark and milk chocolate eggs these Easter hols.

About 50 farms from Devon to Fife are hosting farm visits throughout April, complete with fun activities like tractor trailer rides, egg painting, meeting the animals, farm walks and even the chance to see newborn lambs. Most will take place around the school holidays.

Soil Association eggmeister, Rupert Aker, said:

Farm visits are great fun. We’ve been hosting them for over a decade and kids love them. Farmers get a lot out of them too, which is great. Organic farms are lovely places to visit. They are often more traditional than conventional ones, with more wildlife to see and a better mix of crops and animals.

To check out what’s happening in your area, to book a place or download a free Easter egg hunt activity book just click here.

The set consists of a Creamy Coconut Cleanser, Organic Rose Petal Tonic, Organic Rose Moisturiser and Organic Avocado Replenishing Cream. All products are hand made in Suffolk with organic ingredients. I have meticulously tried each product and here is my verdict:

 Creamy Coconut Cleanser

Promises to be biodegradable and made form 88% organically grown ingredients. Packed with coconut, extra virgin olive oils, sage and eucalyptus it should lift away impurities and leave my skin smooth, clean and supple. The cleanser was light and smooth and really easy to apply. I left it on for about 10 minutes (although it doesn’t state how long to leave it on for) but this was perhaps too long as it did start to dry on my skin. For anyone expecting a full on manufactured coconut smell, don’t fret, it actually smells just a touch herby which I assume to be the sage. Essential Care suggest you take the cleanser off with a damp cotton pad but I found this a bit messy so opted to wash it off instead. It left my skin feeling clean, fresh and soft and if I didn’t have quite dry skin I doubt I would have needed to use a moisturiser. A lovely easy to use product.

Organic Rose Petal Tonic

A rehydrating and soothing tonic for dry, sensitive or mature skin, containing rose petal water and it’s essential oil. This was my least favourite product of the set and not one I would go on to buy myself. You’re meant to spray the tonic onto your face and use as either a refreshing spray or after cleansing to tone. Although not adverse to using sprays such as this, all I’ll say is waterproof mascara is a must, as I found out at work. I also found the smell quite overpowering for a facial product. It definitely smelled of roses, but the kind you used to make as a child by stuffing a load of rose petals into a bucket of water, stirring then stewing. That however is a personal view and if you do like that smell then this will be a product that does as it says.

Organic Rose Moisturiser

For all skin types, a regenerative, toning and rehydrating moisturiser containing organic roses and aloe juice. This moisturiser was absolutely amazing. Light and creamy, it absorbed into my skin so easily. It has a fresh and clean smell with just a hint of rose which I really liked. As I’ve mentioned I have quite dry skin but found this moisturiser made my skin feel soft and supple and I didn’t have to use a lot of product to achieve this. A little definitely goes a long way. A gorgeous product and one I would buy in future.

Organic Avocado Replenishing Cream

Antioxidant and deep nourishing for dry or mature skin. Full of avocado and olive oils, shea butter and lavender to promote skin renewal. Again, at the risk of repeating myself, this cream was just amazing. My elbows are a particularly dry area and often crack and are sore. This cream is certainly deep nourishing and extremely moisturising. I applied it solely to my elbows and found that within a couple of days the area was smoother and softer. I loved the smell, which definitely has a hint of the lavender and again a little goes a long way but makes a big difference. A must for those of you with dry skin. Light and easily absorbed it’s a cream I will buy again.

This is a great little gift set and I would be pleased to receive it as a birthday, Christmas or valentine’s gift. Also, as well as being organic, all of the products in the set are suitable for vegans. Although I wasn’t a fan of the Rose Petal Tonic, I loved the cleanser and creams. They’re great for dry or sensitive skins and another plus is the fact that a little goes a long way, making it good value for money. Essential Care have a range of products and is definitely a brand I will revisit in future.