Fair Trade Fashion: Layer Up with Textiles from Bolivia and Mexico
Aywira Hooded Striped Alpaca Sweater ($150)
Feeling chilly? Layer up with this super-soft striped Aywira hoodie, Fair Trade made in Bolivia with sustainably sourced native alpaca. We love how the neutral gray stripes are offset by a pop of purple at the hips—the perfect accent to a classic look.
Or keep warm with a scarf from Mexico’s la mano design house, which works directly with women’s cooperatives—especially in indigenous populations—to craft their hand-woven textiles. As seen on our home page, the tightly-woven Scarf Limon ($65) pops turquoise, pumpkin and yellow on a classic chocolate base and is the perfect accessory to take you all the way through the season.
Think October’s all about pink ribbons? Think again. October also happens to be Fair Trade month, which shines the light on the idea of manufacturing products from clothing to chocolate at a living wage in order to alleviate poverty, reduce inequality, and create opportunities for farmers and artisans, including women, who produce the majority of fair trade goods. We found ridiculously inexpensive jewelry from Morocco, Fair Trade made dresses from Africa, chic clutches from Madagascar and Cambodia and super-soft sweaters and scarves from Bolivia and Mexico, all available at one of our favorite sustainable online retailers, Ethical Ocean, where our readers get 10% off through October 31st with “EcoStiletto1” at check out (please note that prices may vary slightly due to currency market fluctuations).
