New Spring catalogue in the Oxfam Shop

One of the things I enjoyed learning about when we were down in Melbourne last month visiting Oxfam was the Oxfam Shop. Oxfam Shop is a passionate supporter of fair trade and work with 136 Fair Trade and ethical producer partners in 38 countries around the world, including Australia.  Through fair trade they are part of a global movement calling for an end to unfair trade practices. Fair trade empowers disadvantaged communities by paying them fair and stable prices for their work, helping them to gain the skills they need to develop their business, and giving them access to world markets.

It’s a great place for shopping for Christmas and birthday pressies with unique stuff that you know is doing good for communities all over the world. And they have a new range in their Spirng catalogue that came out yesterday that I wanted to share with you.

Here are my top picks for Spring with links to where you can buy them online as well as a little about the people that make them.

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1. Elephant grass basket shopper

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Multicoloured hand-woven Bolga basket from Ghana. For centuries the Fra-Fra people of the Bolgatanga region in Ghana have woven small containers from the abundant straw that grows in the northern savannah plains. These baskets are now internationally renowned for their quality, durability and utility. Only vegetable dyes are used in their colouring and with comfortable leather bound handles, each Bolga bag has its own unique pattern and colour. Small $39.95 Large $59.95 buy online here

2. In Her Kitchen cookbook

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This stunning book shares a collection of stories and recipes from grandmothers around the world. $59.95 you can buy it online here.

3. Hand painted spice drawers

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Hand painted spice drawers made with mango wood and ceramic. $59.95 you can buy it online here.

Noah’s Ark began as a single-room workshop in a family home in Moradabad, and has now grown into a successful fair-trade marketing organisation, working with approximately 40 artisan groups and over 300 artisans across India.  The organisation was created in 1986 by Samuel Masih, who was determined to help artisans become self-sustainable after he learnt about their exploitation by middlemen and exporters.

4. Lights of Amer queen sized quilt

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This beautiful design was inspired by the lights of the desert city of Amer in Rajasthan, India. Amer is situated on the mouth of a rocky mountain gorge and attracts the admiration of many travelers. The beautiful thick soft cotton is screen printed by hand and finished with lovely coconut wood buttons. Includes Queen size quilt cover and two matching standard pillow cases. (packed in a matching sling carry bag). $149.00 you can buy it online here.

5. Bright coloured remnants rug

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Using bright coloured remnants and a lot of flair, this rug is braided by hand to brighten up any room in the house. $69.95 you can buy it online here.

ASHA in Sanskrit means ‘hope’. The true significance of this meaning is that through fair trade, Asha Handicrafts has brought hope into what was largely a ‘hopeless’ situation for over 103 producer groups and 5,000 artisans throughout India.

6. Hope on a rope

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These beautiful soaps are gently exfoliating and full of beautiful coconut oil and stimulating essential oils. A perfect sample pack and lovely gift. $11.95 you can buy it online here.
Loofah: This lavender and coconut soap is wrapped in a woven hemp loofah, making it an exfoliating hand soap or a softening body scrub. $11.95 you can buy it online here.

Prokritee (meaning nature in Bangla) is a service based agency that provides managerial, product design and development and marketing assistance to organizations in Bangladesh. Prokritee manages 8 Handicraft Enterprises and helps other groups to sell their products in local and foreign markets upholding Fair Trade standards.

Prokritee and its 8 enterprises provide jobs for poor rural women. The women who work for the enterprises are widows, divorcees or head-of-households with little or no income. By providing jobs for women, Prokritee is able to improve the women’s standard of living and help them send their children to school. Now they are able to look at the future with hope and happiness, instead of poverty and despair.

7. Natural hide leather shoulder bag

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A timeless classic catch all shoulder bag fashioned from thick quality leather hide. Features include a long removable shoulder strap as well as a flexible handle to wear the bag under your arm, an internal generous zip compartment, open mobile and wallet pouches, key hook and a bespoke printed cotton lining. Eco leather is tanned using environmentally friendly processes and giving the hide a distinctive natural look and beautiful textural feel. This bag will surely become your treasured much loved and every day accessory item. Real leather may have visible markings which reassuringly distinguishes genuine leather from imitation. The beauty of natural leather is enhanced by uniquely varying grain patterns and the subtleties of colour and texture created by dyes and finishes. Use and time will mature the leather resulting in a rich patina. To care for your leather product apply quality leather creams or weather sprays for protection and rejuvenation. $199.00 you can buy it online here.

Madhya Kalikata Shilpangan (MKS) was founded in 1994 in the city of Kolkata, India. The company objective is to provide support for craftspeople and artisans by assisting with the marketing of their crafts so that better prices can be established. As well as this, MKS provides training to existing artisans and industry newcomers who want to further improve their income through the upgrading of skills.

8.Wok cooking set toy

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What’s for dinner? Something from the wok! Carefully made by Selyn. First the cotton is dyed in the Selyn dye house with AZO non toxic dyes, then it is woven by the master weavers on handlooms in the weaving workshop. Once the fabrics are ready they are cut into pieces and then assembled and stuffed by expert craftspeople in the toy factory. Supporting Sri Lankan producer Selyn helps the local Sri Lankan people, who have suffered multiple blows on their livelihoods in recent times, find self sufficiency. $59.95 you can buy it online here.

Located in Kurunegala in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka, Selyn is a fair trade hand loom company that manufactures and exports hand loom textiles and toys made from 100% natural cotton fabrics. Founded in 1991 by Sandra Wanduragala, Selyn started with 15 women in the village of Wanduragala in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka and has now grown to include nearly 1,000 members.

9. Ox crimes paperback

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OxCrimes – like its predecessors OxTales and OxTravels – is a very simple idea. This collection of 27 short compelling and very chilling stories was written by Britain’s best crime writers. All of the authors have donated their stories. $25.00 you can buy it online here.

Happy Shopping! And happy weekend friends! What have you got planned? We have a quiet one ahead (THANK GOODNESS) and I can’t wait to do little to nothing with a WHOLE lot of washing from the week of wet we have had down here. Hope you all have a good one too!

Comments

  1. What a wonderful post! Thanks so much from everyone at Oxfam Australia and from me x

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