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The Dharma Door

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May 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

TheDharmaDoorLogo

For those of you who are wondering, what exactly is fair trade? Fair trade is about helping to create quality work conditions, trading partnership, raising awareness, local sustainability and better prices for workers/farmers in the developing world.

The Dharma Door was founded by Shannon Sheedy, who sees fair trade as her personal dedication. The company is truly passionate about what they support and ensure that proper human rights, fair wages, safe and clean working conditions are used at all times. There is a range of rather beautiful, high-quality hand-made products, created by talented artisans based in Vietnam,Bangladesh and Cambodia. The range consists of a selection of bags and totes, book bags, bookmarks, cushions, table wear, stationary, and much more.

The Dharma Door company goal is to help people gain access to skills training, health care, education and community development for a better way of life.

the dharma door

My favourite item of the eco-friendly range would have to be the large selection of book bags which can be used to store books, magazines, A4 documents, ipads and journals. I’m the proud owner of the Mandalay Blue Book Bag which is made from sustainable jute and natural cotton fabric. You can expect when purchasing a book bag -

-          A selective range of quality designs and colours

-          Matching bookmarks and notebooks are also available

-          Hand-printed on azo-free dyes

-          All ethical information is printed on the inside flap of the bag, meaning no plastic packaging or printed labels

-          Fair trade + fair wages and better working conditions for the women who produce the book bags in Bangladesh.

By purchasing from the Dharma Door range you too are also helping support fair trade.

RRP – The Mandalay Blue Book Bag I own retails for $26

Stockists – Visit http://www.thedharmadoor.com.au for all stockist information

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Me and My Happy Cow

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July 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Remember those old bumbags? You thought you were cool with your synthetic fluoro bag clipped around your waist (I sure did) and just like scrunchie socks, bad perms and blue eye shadow we thought this accessory would stay where it belongs…right down the back of our closets.

But now, in 2010, I am a proudly slinging a belted bag around my hips and it is all because of Happy Cow. Their Leather Hip Bags aren’t your average bum bags, to begin with they are made from soft leather and come in neutral colours. The bag itself is attached to a leather belt so you can either thread it through the loops in your jeans, or you can fasten as required and let it sit on your hips.

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(Wear it as a belt)

It’s probably about now that you are shaking your head and wondering why I am reviewing a leather accessory in the natural girl category when livestock breeding contributes a chunk to global warming.

The answer is that Happy Cow have teamed up with furniture manufacturers to make use of their scrap leather that would otherwise be thrown away. You can have all the benefits of handcrafted leather bags without any extra damage to the planet, and that is also why the company is called Happy Cow and not Sad Cow.

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(A Happy Cow Model)

Now back to the Leather Hip Bag for a moment, unfortunately I don’t do a lot of jet-setting but this would be a great product for travellers as it allows you to keep all your essentials attached to you. There are also different zip compartments so you are less likely to be a target for bad, robber types.

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(The Leather Hip Bags)

I am enjoying using the  Hip Bag, it means not having to worry about a handbag, and as long as you don’t fill it up too much (it’s called downsizing girls) then it is a cute accessory that is slimline and doesn’t create any extra bulk around your hips.

Get Yours, you know you want to: www.happycow.com.au

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Lady Jayne Ecostyle Hair Accessories

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July 6, 2010 By 2 Comments

Lady Jayne have been making hair accessories for the last 80 years, and are now giving green shoppers a planet friendly alternative to the traditional brushes, headbands and hair elastics with their Ecostyle collection. Most of the products are created using bamboo wood and fibres and the reasons for this include:

* Bamboo Grows Quickly
* Requires No Pesticides
* Uses Less Water Than Cotton
* Absorbs More Greenhouse Gasses and Released More Oxygen Than Cotton
* 100% Biodegradable
* Anti-Bacterial

A few notable accessories include:

The Bamboo Pad Brushes, these are so much nicer than a normal plastic brush and they are quite firm so they get deep down into the roots of your hair and stimulate your scalp: $17.99

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The Bamboo Knot Headbands are super soft and comfortable to wear, and give you that pretty ballet style look that is so popular right now: $9.99

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The Bamboo Snagless Elastics give you the same strength as a normal hair tie but without the guilty conscience: $6.99

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The Bamboo Wide Tooth Comb is ideal for girls with thick or curly hair as it untangles your hair without breakage: $10.99

ladyjaynecomb

Bamboo is quickly becoming a popular replacement for cotton, and something we will be hearing more about in the future.

The Lady Jayne Ecostyle range is reasonably priced and come in lovely neutral colours that will suit all hair colours and styles. Even the package is recyclable and has been printed on 100% recycled card.

For stockists please phone: 1800 651 5411

Filed Under: Accessories, HAIR Tagged With: , , ,

Soul’s Massage Thongs

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December 22, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Soul’s Massage Thongs: $17.95

In 2008 and beyond, Beauty and Lace will be featuring a range of beauty, fashion and lifestyle products which are environmentally friendly.

Neco.com.au is an online store and one stop shop for all your home and eco giftware needs.

Thongs (also known as flip flops for our international readers) are an Australian icon and now there is a way to wear them and be kind to our planet.

neco thongs

Neco Stocks “Soul’s Massage Thongs” which are made with recycled, non toxic rubber materials.
With 25% recycled content the Souls massage thongs come in a range of colours (including pink – multi as pictured) making them suitable for both women and men.

souls massage thongs

They come with aerated bubbled which massage your feet as you walk. It is an unusual sensation but doesn’t take long to get used to.

The underneath is textured giving them a decent amount of grip and you are less likely to slip over, and they are don’t hurt your feet even after wearing for a day of shopping.

I found the Soul’s Massage Thongs to be comfortable and a great choice for casual weekend wear. They make a good alternative to traditional massage sandals as you are not limited to beige or black. They would also be a much appreciated gift for Mothers Day

These thongs are 100% recyclable!

Visit: www.neco.com.au

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