The latest trends promise to be fair and fashionable at Castle Espie this September. The venue just outside Comber, will showcase the latest fairly traded clothes and accessories at the daily Fairtrade Fashion extravaganza at The LifestyleGreen Show on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September

Brands such as People Tree, Gossypium, Nomads Clothing, Bishopston Trading and Fairdealtrading will take to the ramp stylised with equally ethical accessories.

The Funky Fairtrade Fashion show is an important element of the overall event. The fashion industry is notoriously fraught with sweatshop labour and throwaway garments that quite frankly haven’t been designed to last the distance. Fairtrade is all about giving producers in third world countries, the chance to make a decent living rather than a minimum wage. It stands for clothing and accessories that have inherent quality. And importantly the supply chain is ethically governed to ensure that the growing and harvesting process doesn’t involve pesticides.

Nowadays, as the Fairtrade movement gains momentum, most people when surveyed really care about whether their clothing is made by workers who are paid fairly and treated with respect. Although there's no universal benchmark as to what ‘fair’ actually is, it's generally acknowledged that a wage enabling workers to live comfortably in their home region, provide adequate money, food, health care and education for their children is acceptable.

Only a few years ago the term Fairtrade required an explanation to most people. However, the advent of Fairtrade City and Town accreditation for regions that embrace ethical purchasing decisions has helped to change attitudes. Indeed Belfast’s Fairtrade City status has seen an increase in participating cafes and restaurants serving Fairtrade beverages. While the InSpires retail outlet in The Spires Centre, Belfast, boasts not only clothing and accessories but also unusual crafts from around the world.

Fashion show organisers, Kim Stevenson and Rebecca Bromley from InSpires, will coordinate the event.

Kim said:

“Fairtrade fashion and products are focused not just on the customer but also on the people making them. For some companies it’s all about cutting production costs, with the workforce just another dispensable commodity. But Fairtrade does exactly as it says on the label!”

Rebecca added:

“Although Fairtrade is gaining market share, many shoppers still don’t realise that this premium product doesn’t come with a premium price. They assume they will have to pay more because the producer is fairly paid. But the marketing of the brand is much different to the high-end packaging, advertising and promotion favoured by some of the other household names. Fairtrade relies on people power, word of mouth and to a greater degree, giving people the knowledge to make an informed choice.

The fashion shows will be held between 12.30 and 1.30 each day in the Fairtrade Marquee at the event in Castle Espie. Fairtrade InSpires will also present a range of goods available from their unique shop in the Spires Mall.

InSpires will also be part of the green treasure trail around the show, providing prizes for a few lucky winners.

More information on The LifestyleGreen Show in partnership with WWT Castle Espie and sponsored by NIE Your Energy is available at: www.lifestylegreenshow.com

Images: Courtesy Fairtrade: An ethical choice - the timeless appeal of classical, well-made Fairtrade clothing and accessories from the autumn 2008 collection.

For more info www.fairtrade-inspires.org.uk Or contact InSpires shop manager Wilma Hazlett on Belfast 028 9031 9122