Blog Action Day...Pesticide Action

On Blog Action Day participants around the world unite to write about one issue...THE ENVIRONMENT. The Spiral Tree has chosen a topic relevant to all...

What is the real cost of clothing?

Pesticides used in conventional cotton production kill an estimated 20,000 farmers a year, and drive 100,000 others to suicide (*Figures from the World Health Organisation*).

This isn’t something happening on the other side of the world that has nothing to do with us. This is the cotton that is used to make the clothes we buy without thinking on the High Street. Making a few conscious consumer choices you can help reduce the real cost of clothing...

In 2001 Safia Minney launched the fair trade clothing company People Tree...and I have been accompanying its development with admiration ever since.

People Tree's aim is to use fashion as a tool to help the world's most marginalised people. They work closely with producers and designers to ensure that, not only are all their clothes beautifully crafted, but as many jobs are created as possible so people in developing countries can work their way out of poverty.

People Tree strive to protect the environment that its partners live in – doing everything as ecologically as possible, buying Fair Trade, organic cotton, using Fair Trade weavers, tailors, embroiderers...In fact every part of the process through the whole supply chain is under scrutiny to ensure it meets Fair Trade standards and is ecologically sound. That is why People Tree are recognised the pioneers of Fair Trade fashion.

For further information on People Tree and cotton farming click here.

Choice is a powerful weapon...use yours to make a difference.

Sarah