Nu magazine hits the shelves and showcases ethical fashion

Ethical fashionistas no longer need to spend hours combing the internet for fashionable and environmentally sound fashion purchases. Whip out your diaries, because on 24th September the very first issue of nu magazine will be lining the shelves of London's shops. Founded by social entrepreneurs Amisha Miller (22) and Lauren Maleh (24) nu is offering ‘fashion laid bare’ and flying in the face of the mainstream fashion industry, showcasing only the most stylish ethically produced clothes and accessories. It hasn’t come a moment too soon, launching at a time when the world is beginning to wake up to the ethical fashion world and realising that glamorous mainstream garments come at a cost to individuals and the environment.

Nu will be offering up only fair trade, organic, recycle and vintage, UK-produced and cruelty–free products, encouraging consumers to shop ethically whilst acknowledging that people have the right to remain supremely stylish.

Pearl Lowe, ex-Powder front woman turned fashion designer and cover star of the first issue, says:

“I've always been interested in ethical fashion, something that inspired me to create my own line of vintage dresses. It's great to see nu showcasing the very best of ethical fashion, making consumers aware they can be responsible shoppers without comprising on their style. I'll definitely be picking up a copy!”

Nu magazine is funded by UnLtd, a charitable organisation established by leading organisations that promote social entrepreneurship and Miller and Maleh have opted to invest 10% of profits to aid new ethical fashion designers in their bid to break into the UK market.

Hopefully nu magazine will demonstrate how effortlessly stylish and wearable sustainable fashion can be. Hurrah!

Under the Canopy Ecofashion®

Stylish and ethical fashion need not come with a hefty price tag. Organic and ethical fashion label Under the Canopy are having a summer sale and you can pick up some great buys for as little as $19. Under the Canopy was established in 1996 with the intention of making a positive impact on the planet and utilising sustainable materials. Their products are crafted from innovative organic fibres and fibre blends, such as: organic denim, organic cotton and soy. Last year in the U.S. alone, over 84 million pounds of toxic pesticides were sprayed on conventional cotton crops. The production of conventional cotton results in poisoned people, plants, soil, air, waterways and ultimately a poisoned planet, so I applaud UTC on their ecologically sound practices.

UTC's Ecofashion® line offers luxurious and high quality fashion, minus the pollutants and harsh chemicals that put producers and consumers at risk. Along with garments for men, women and children, UTC also produce organic household products, footwear and accessories. If you want to check out UTC's eco-credentials, just ask and they will forward you a certificate of authenticity for every garment labelled as organic. The brand use low impact dyes, which are less damaging to the environment and their dye factory is powered with rice husks instead of fossil fuels. What is more UTC's garments are produced under fair labour practices and their factories in India and Peru use fair trade certified cotton, with products produced in fair trade certified factories. This means that their producers are receiving a better wage, healthier working conditions and a percentage of profits to re-invest into community development.

Why choose ethical fashion?

The answer to this question might seem obvious to some, but many people are not aware of the impact mainstream fashion has on the environment and how exploitative it is to many people around the world. Here are some key facts.

Cotton is responsible for the release of US$2 billion of chemical pesticides every year and at least US$819 million of these are considered toxic enough to be classified as hazardous by the World Health Organisation.

Symptoms of pesticide poisoning can include: headaches, tremors, nausea, depression, seizures, loss of consciousness and even death.

Children are often the first victims of pesticide poisonings because their homes are very close to cotton fields or due to the re-use of empty pesticide containers.

Pesticides threaten freshwater resources, contaminating rivers around the world.

Deadly Chemicals in Cotton - A report by the Environmental Justice Foundation in collaboration with the Pesticide Action Network.

At least 3 million accidental poisonings occur every year, in developing countries, because of pesticides used on cotton crops.

World Health Organisation

Workers around the world face excessive hours, forced overtime, lack of job security, denial of trade union rights, poor health, extremely low wages, exhaustion, sexual harassment and mental stress. Factory managers typically force employees to work between 10 and 12 hours and often between 16 and 18 hours in one day. In many factories workers are not given clean water to drink or allowed to use the toilet when they need to.

In 2004 twenty-two union workers at a factory supplying Asda, who demanded their legal overtime pay, were allegedly beaten, sacked and imprisoned on false charges.

A garment in the process of being made, may have been shipped and flown to three or even more countries leaving behind a toxic trail of energy consumption and polluting waste.

Labour Behind the Label

These are a just a few facts there are many many more out there that are much more shocking than these. Buying ethical fashion avoids the use of harmful pesticides (if it is organic), by using more natural options. Fair Trade garments ensure a fair price for workers and promote traditional skills and rural development. Fair Trade also helps to tackle poverty and create opportunites for producers who are at an economic disadvantage. It also means a safe and healthy working environment for producers. Brands that use alternative fibres prevent the reliance on cotton and those brands that recycle old materials avoid causing more waste and adding to already overflowing landfill sites.

For more information on Fair Trade and Fair Trade labelling see http://www.fairtrade.net/.