How can you afford fair trade and organic clothes on a budget? Make your own!

I wanted a long tunic style top with 3/4 length sleeves in thin cotton I could have bought a Billie Stripe Tunic in Navy Stripe from the People Tree made form 100% Organic Cotton costing £48.00. But last time I asked they posted their stuff out in plastic packaging. And it’s a bit expensive for me. Plus too short sleeves, too long length, knitted cotton takes ages to dry…. nah.

So I made one out of crinkly organic cotton that is “traded fairly”. It is similar to cheese cloth from the 70’s and is a nice sludgy airforce blue with an off- white stripe.  Doesn’t crumple, dries quickly and is great for backpacking.Total cost including delivery £27.00.

Fabric

I bought the organic and fair-trade fabric on line from the Organic Textile Company. They have a good range of materials and designs. In their own words “All our fabrics are good quality inexpensive organic, cotton fairly traded.” Though they don’t actually have a fair-trade certificate you can see that they are committed to the cause. There are some nice personal details about the people they work with. I actually know who made my fabric.

NB the packaging was NOT PLASTIC FREE

Sadly the packaging was plastic. The fabric was sent in a plastic bag. I did ask about that and I was told “Due to the nature of what we send through the post it is not suitable for us to use paper packaging. We do reuse packaging that is from parcels that have been sent to us and we would be able to send out fabric using recycled packaging if it was requested by a customer.”

Read my full review of this company here

Details

Apart from the packaging this top contains no plastic

• I sewed it using organic cotton on a wooden reel from Offset warehouse
• The pattern I bought from my local fabric store – all paper.
• Cut out with all metal scissors from the C. Booths Hardware Shop in Huddersfield.

 Plastic Free Fabric – You can buy completely plastic free fabric from Offset Warehouse

Other Fabric – You can find a range of fair trade organic fabrics here

More info

While being of plastic free interest, this is also part of my fair share fabric project.  You can read all bout it and see my other clothes – home made and otherwise, here.