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Inspired by Elisa’s blog yesterday about Loyale Clothing’s new organic Costilla Coat, I have been on a web based hunt for other ethical coats and jackets. I haven’t found stylish ones so easy to uncover in the past, but the tide has turned and there is now much more on offer. The three coats I have featured are from Adili.com, People Tree and BTC elements. The rather elegant belted mac from Adili is the creation of Brazilian designer, Maria Garcia and is brought to us courtesy of Mumo (an acronym for Muda Moda). Mumo works with established fashion designers from Brazil to develop fair and ethical trading principles along with a sense of responsibility down the supply chain, choosing to focus on this aim rather than promoting fair-trade clothing as high fashion. They believe the key to fair-trade fashion is ameliorating ethical practices within the current industry to reduce poverty in southern countries.
The empire ‘Iris’ waist coat available at BTC Elements, in the centre of the image below, is crafted from a 100% recycled cotton and acrylic blend with vintage fabric trim, by Rebe, a mother daughter team, who incorporate more sustainable fabrics into their collections each season. The coat is made in southern California.
The ‘garbo’ jacket on the far right, from People Tree, is a fair trade item hand-woven in Bangladesh. People Tree, who is constantly setting the ethical fashion scene, has been registered with the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT) since 1996 and is an active member of many fair trade, social justice and environmental networks.
1. Mumo Belted Mac – light khaki, £218, Adili.
2. Rebe Iris Coat - $196, BTC Elements.
3. Garbo Jacket – black or grey herringbone, People Tree.
Ethical clothing retailer Adili have a summer sale on with up to 50% off some of their stock. I have suggested some great buys below. Bag some bargains soon whilst stocks last!1) Kuyichi Jersey Cross Back Dress, fairly traded, £55, now £38. 2) Kuyichi Casual Summer Jean, fairly traded, £85, now £60. 3) Del Forte Denim Short, organic cotton, £85, now £55. 4) Alchem1st Sweetheart Top, ethically traded, fine jersey cotton, £70, now £45.5) Kuyichi Harpoon Print Top, fairly traded, 50% cotton, 50% polyester, £40, now £28. 
Today I have put together an ethical outfit for you that is a combination of organic high street and ethical brand items. It’s great to see the high street producing more ethical collections, in line with consumer demand. However, we have to be aware that they don’t always practice the ethics they preach. Many high street retailers are making efforts at improving their ethical policies but there is still a long way to go.
The high street brands I have sourced products from for the outfit below are Laura Ashley and Monsoon. Laura Ashley is a relative latecomer to the ethical fashion market, but they do have quite a few pieces, including the Archive Collection of vintage, organic retro, seventies garments. The organic cotton used in Laura Ashley’s small organic range is sourced from cotton farmers in Turkey who receive 1/3 more for their crop, plus their mills are organically certified. Laura Ashley could also do with paying a living wage.
Monsoon traditionally focused on clothes of ethnic origin and in 1994 established the Monsoon Trust, which aims to improve the lives of children, young people and women in South Asia, via projects that concentrate on education, health and activities to foster more income. Monsoon is also a founder member of The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), an alliance of companies non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and trade union organisations, established to improve corporate codes of practice covering supply chain working conditions.
Monsoon could do better by increasing their organic and Fairtrade products and making more solid environmental commitments, but they do have higher standards than many other retailers. In reality all high street retailers need to be making more concerted efforts to improve their track record for producer working conditions and increasing their organic and fairly traded ranges.
The other items below are from Fifi Bijoux who produce jewellery using ethically mind gold, Novacas (sold at Moo Shoes) who produce vegan, cruelty-free footwear and Bourgeois Boheme who sell vegan, cruelty-free bags and footwear.
1) Fifi Bijoux, Starfish Pendant, made from ethically mined gold, £130 – Adili.com.
2) Novacas, Angel Beige Shoe, $95 – Mooshoes.com.
3) Valencia Small Beige Tote Bag, £19 – Bboheme.com.
4) Jersey Grandad Top, made from 100% organic cotton, £7 – Lauraashley.com.
5) Abigail Organic Regular Length Jeans, made from an organic cotton mix, £45 – Monsoon.co.uk.
What do they do? Adili is an online ethical store selling a range of Fair Trade, fairly traded, recycled, organic and other ethical womenswear, menswear, accessories, footwear, babies and children's clothing, household items, skincare and gifts, produced by a range of ethical labels.
What are they about?
Adili is the Swahili word for 'ethical and just,' which is what Adili stand for, believing that fashionable clothing can be made without causing unnecessary harm to people or the planet. Adili showcases the pioneering brands who have demonstrated that trade can be conducted in a fairer manner, without exploiting people along the supply chain. With this in mind, Adili has created a framework for each brand to be evaluated against, before they can be adopted as a supplier. Each supplier must demonstrate against a set criteria how they are ensuring the ethical and just nature of their production processes.
Who is behind Adili?
Adam Smith is the CEO of Adili, with 14 years experience in the retail sector. He has undertaken various roles throughout his career, including Director of Operations for sit-up Ltd and eCommerce Development Director at Dixons. Adam has experience of setting up supply chains from the Far East and Indian sub-continent and a personal empathy with the values of Adili.com.
Quentin Griffiths is the Co-Founder and Non-Executive Director, a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of ASOS. His background is in marketing.
Christopher Powles in a Non-Executive Director, who combines his experience of financing small unquoted companies with a long standing interest in the environment and developing world. Christopher was born in Africa and has been involved in conservation and ethical projects for a number of years.
Claire Lissaman is a consultant on ethical and fair trade, having formerly been the UK director for RUGMARK, a certification, labelling and development initiative working to end exploited child labour in South Asia's rug industry.
What criteria do Adili use to ensure that items are ethical?
Adili has a set definition of fair trade, which includes, "a trading partnership based on trasparency, dialogue and respect that seeks greater equity in international trade," amongst other things. Some brands carry a certification label such as those issued by IFAT (International Fair Trade Association) and the Fairtrade Foundation. Adili uses the word fairly traded to denote brands that are working within their set definition, but do not yet have formal certification.
Adili recognises organic certifiers who are members of The International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM), including: The Soil Association, Skal, IMO and AGRECO. Adili uses the term organic to denote products that are crafted from organic fibres but are not currently certified.
Adili also sells locally sourced products (which supports local businesses, promotes traditional skills and helps to combat carbon emissions from shipping clothes all other the world) and sells products that use alternative and recycled fibres (which prevents wastage, as millions of textiles are binned each year and avoids the reliance on cotton, a crop which accounts for billions of dollars worth of pesticide use every year and consumes vast amounts of precious water).
For further information on Adili's ethical framework, check out Adili.com.
Hot picks?
I thought you'd never ask, the Ciel Sophia Dress, for £185, made from certified organic cotton, the fairly traded Kuyichi Harpoon Print Top, for £40, made from 50% cotton and 50% polyester, the fairly traded Kuyichi White Denim Jeans, for £78, the Fifi Bijoux Ardent Pendant, for £205, made from ethically mined gold and gemstones, without the use of cyanide, arsenic or mercury and all the Spiezia beauty products, because I think Spiezia are fantastic! 
Sparkly, shiny fashion is in. Metallic outfits can make you look like a Christmas turkey, waiting to be basted, or else you can end up looking like Bet Lynch or Marlene from Only Fools and Horses. I think it's better to stick to metallic accessories or perhaps a more tasteful, toned down metallic dress or top.
Ethical fashion is not behind the times and metallics have made their way into some ethical brands and accessories, so today I am going for gold! Below you will find a selection of gold fashion items and accessories to leave you looking stylish, tasteful and right on trend.
To start you off, on the left we have the Maxi handbag - Chardonnay by designer Sarah Donegan, handcrafted with vintage textiles and trims, sold by Green Apple for £140.
Amelia Shoe - made from distressed gold pleather with brogue detail - £45, Bourgeois Bohème.
Glam Gold Belt - with silver studs and large diamante detail - cut from £18 to £10, Bourgeois Bohème.Fifi Bijoux Angel Pendant - made in the UK by Master Goldsmiths, using only ethically mined 9 carat gold and gemstones, no use of cyanide, mercury or arsenic - £164, Adili.Velvet Scarf - Petrol/Chocolate/Sand - 40% Polyester, 50% Viscose and 10% Polyamide - £16.50, Bourgeois Bohème.
Kylie Gold - sequenced gold upper with cute bow detail - £38, Bourgeois Bohème.
From Somewhere Bell Shaped Skirt - made from reclaimed cotton, silk and linen - £150, Equa Clothing.
