Soul Economy

Don’t miss out on the inaugural Fair Trade Christmas Market event this weekend organised by the Queensland Fair Trade Collective. Check out the wide range of ethical and fair trade products including clothing, homewares, jewellery, handicrafts, accessories as well as coffee, tea and chocolate - and pick up your Christmas gifts.
Many of Queensland’s fair trade [...]

The second Manly Fair Trade Markets in 2008 will be held on Saturday, 6 December - just in time for your Christmas shopping! A relaxing ferry ride across the harbour landed me in Manly at the markets in August this year. They were really well attended, and in a perfect position to capture many people [...]

Soul Economy had the pleasure of meeting with soulful entrepreneur Emma, at the launch of Women for Empowerment, Freedom and Textiles (WEFT). I had the opportunity to find out a little more about this wonderful venture that supports refugee women from Burma - KWO (Karen Women’s Organisation) - to create beautifully handloomed scarves, table runners, [...]

Marina Cavalieri Textile Design & Decor create and design sustainable and unique hand printed fabrics, along with limited editions of soft furnishings, homewares, fashion bags and stationery. If you are in sunny Northern NSW, drop into the studio or visit the online store. Soul Economy had the pleasure of speaking to owner and soulful entrepreneur [...]

Heartweave design and manufacture surf to streetwear for women that is fairtrade and organic. The inspiration behind the company is Henrietta. Soul Economy spoke to this soulful entrepreneur recently about why she started the label and her long-term vision for Heartweave.
1. What inspired you to start Heartweave?
Wanting to make a difference in the way [...]

Soul Economy is pleased to announce that Women for Empowerment, Freedom and Textiles (WEFT) is holding an exhibition at the Fair Trade Coffee Company in Glebe next month. WEFT is a non-profit organisation that supports women refugees from different ethnic groups in Burma who produce some of the finest textiles in South East Asia.
Come along [...]

With increasing pressure on companies to prepare sustainability reports, Soul Economy asked  Ulrike Schuermann from Momentum International Partnerships about the benefits of reporting. Ulrike’s response is as follows.
The benefits of sustainability reporting as a management tool - not just an accountability tool - for businesses can be significant and benefits include:

Improved financial performance – [...]

Founder and designer of Slingfings and Bird Textiles, Rachel is a true inspiration and a great role model for those of you wanting to start a sustainable and ethical business. Regarded as a pioneer of sustainable practices in fashion and interior design, this soulful entrepreneur has challenged the fashion industry and achieved significant success in [...]

Soul Economy spoke to Melissa from the FairWear recently to find out a little more about FairWear. This great organisation was established to ensure that clothing workers are not exploited and that they are at least receiving the conditions and rates of pay set out in the Industry Award. So make sure you look out [...]

Visit the Fair Trade Market in Manly on Sunday, 24 August and join the celebration of Manly Council’s Accreditation as the first Fair Trade Community in NSW, and only the second in Australia.
There will be a range of fair trade companies showcasing a wide range of products from food and beverages to sports gear, clothing, [...]