In it Francesca covers the ethical issues in a wide range of everyday subjects including shopping, parenting, food, building and renovating, holidays and community life.

Each chapter includes interviews with well known Kiwis who are looking for greener options in life including: David Trubridge who talks about his approach to furniture design; Kay Baxter who shares her wisdom on gardening and self-sufficient living; and Starfish’s very own Laurie Foon who tells of her determination to make fashion more sustainable.

A great feature of this book is the inclusion of websites and details for recommended suppliers, enabling instant access to more information. There are also full-colour photographs throughout making this an attractive and inspirational guide.

Buying fairtrade products makes a real difference for the producers in the developing countries from which they originate. It means a better future for the workers, their families and communities by providing a fair income for a job well done.

To celebrate all thing fairtrade, come into Starfish during the fortnight for the following deals and events:

‘COTTON’ PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION: faces, lives & realities normally hidden or forgotten by the clothing industry – All proceeds go to the Wichi Art School for under-privileged children in Varanassi, India;
10% OFF KOWTOW – Fairtrade organic cotton clothing;
10% OFF DESCENDANT – Fairtrade organic denim (wgtn only);
OXFAM COFFEE BREAK (Fri 14 May) – Come in and enjoy a cup or PEOPLES COFFEE. All proceeds go to Oxfam;
OXFAM KEEPCUPS – Purchase your own barista friendly reusable coffee cup. All proceeds go to Oxfam;
VEJA FAIRTRADE TRAINERS – New season colours and styles.

Starfish is thrilled to bring a full range of sustainable fashion to Auckland for the month of May, opening a pop-up-store in Newmarket.

On the racks will be an extensive selection from the winter 2010 collection BRAVE NEW WORLD, as well as a range of other labels and footwear that offer both ladies & gents style with an ethical edge including:
Kowtow fairtrade garments, Descendant organic denim and Veja fairtrade trainers.

Last month creative design students from Massey University in Wellington spent three frantic days dreaming up ways to save the planet – with a new take on the humble glass milk bottle coming out on top.

The students’ projects were submitted to the “Eco-Innovations” design competition set up by Earth Hour to highlight the critical thinking and creative practices that can lead us down the path to a more sustainable future.

Yesterday a panel of expert judges including photographer Anne Noble, architect Ian Athfield, and fashion designer Laurie Foon decided the winners from nearly 20 entries.

The winning entry, titled “No Frills, Just Refills” is a social and product innovation that revisits the old fashioned refillable glass milk bottle. Karl Thiart, 4th year design student from the winning team said, “By changing the way we purchase milk at our local supermarket we could cut back the carbon emissions of plastic bottle production and transport miles. We designed a self-service milk station that brings glass bottles that are 100% reusable and recyclable back into supermarkets, and is fun to use.”

Laurie Foon, whose company Starfish focuses on sustainable products said, “This design solution brings the ideas of sustainable purchasing to the mainstream and revisits the nostalgia of the beloved milk bottle. A perfect, efficient solution for the inefficient daily cycle we have currently – our family would use it – when can we start?”

WWF’s Executive Director Chris Howe concluded: “Eco-innovations is a hugely exciting and important initiative because it calls on New Zealand’s young creative minds to offer solutions for a more sustainable future.  We really hope some of these designs one day see the light of day and that the exposure for these young designers helps set them on a path to successful careers in as sustainable business innovators.”

Visit www.wwf.org.nz/earth_hour/eco_design_competiton/ to view the winning designs and all shortlisted entries.

Switching off is a simple action that can make a difference and it sends a powerful message that the people of the world care about the future of the planet.

What Can You Do?
1. Sign up at http://www.wwf.org.nz/earth_hour/sign_up/ and find out other ways that you can participate..
2. Turn all your lights off and take appliances off standby.
3. Spread the word about Earth Hour.

At Starfish we’ll be participating by turning our lights off during Earth Hour as well as giving away free candles on the day to help you prepare. Starfish designer Laurie Foon is also an ambassador for Earth Hour, spreading the word and the vision.

The competition aims to demonstrate that creative solutions to climate change and sustainable living are possible through our bright young design talent.

Entries close on the 15th March and shortlisted solutions will be displayed on the WWF web site – www.wwf.org.nz from 19 March. The winners will be announced just before earth hour on Saturday 27th March.

The panel of expert judges includes Starfish’s own designer Laurie Foon as well as award winning Wellington architect Ian Athfield, innovative furniture designer David Trubridge and  2009 NZ Arts Foundation Laureate, photographer Anne Noble.

A great Christmas gift idea, the tees cost just $55 with all proceeds going towards Project Crimson’s efforts in replenishing NZ’s  pohutukawa and rata trees (of which over 90% have disappeared from our coastline).

Purchase your tee from our Starfish stores, online at www.projectcrimson.org.nz, or by calling 0800 pohutukawa.

Designed, made and printed in New Zealand

Meridian Energy suggested the location after they and fashion label Starfish formed a business partnership based on their common interest in sustainability. Meridian spokesperson Alan Seay said the pairing of the fashion label and the dam made perfect sense – “Inviting Starfish to shoot at the Waitaki Dam seemed like the most fitting way to showcase our joint efforts and pay a modern tribute to an icon of sustainability on its 75th anniversary.”

Returning from the shoot  Starfish founder Laurie Foon says that she couldn’t imagine a better experience or location. “It was a really great experience to be in such an awe inspiring place, the detail is splendid. We were wondering how it would work but now we’re dreaming of holding a fashion show in there. It was also humbling to think that the Waitaki Dam was hand made (literally by pick and shovel) by Kiwis back in the days of the Great Depression.

At the end of the day we hope this shoot will show that you don’t have to dress down to care for the environment and that eco-friendly fashion can be fabulous.”

THIS YEAR STARFISH HIT THE CATWALK WITH A FIRST AT ANZFW, PRESENTING A COMPLETE SHOW OF ECO-FRIENDLY GARMENTS.

This season the team at STARFISH were set the ambitious goal of presenting a show where every garment had to not only look wonderful but had to also incorporate eco fabrics, trims and/or manufacturing techniques.
Founder and head designer Laurie Foon says that “with recent shows we’ve been close, but this time we’ve finally managed to deliver the desired blend of progressive styling, wearability and eco-consciousness across every single garment. 
It really is an exciting milestone and we hope the show demonstrates that you can still be glam while considering the environment.”
Starfish’s Winter 2010 Collection: Brave New World is inspired by an era of adventure and discovery when spirited individuals pushed boundaries and opened up new possibilities.  
It is interpreted throughout the collections’ confident silhouette and uniform–esque features.  It also reflects the labels groundbreaking journey in the field of sustainable fashion and it’s innovative use of natural and recycled fabrics including New Zealand grown and knitted merinos, bamboo and silk blends, Tencel, organic cotton and a breakthrough recycled fibre mix, Koplon.
Foon says that ultimately Starfish’s aim is to create beautiful garments with as minimal impact upon the earth as possible. 
“This is the essence of Starfish, and what gets us out of bed in the morning.”

To all of our LAURIE FOON followers, it is with a tinge of sadness that we are saying farewell to our LAURIE FOON label, with the winter ’09 collection – Amazing Rare Thing – being the last collection that we will produce.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support over the past 7 years and hope that you’ve enjoyed wearing your LAURIE FOON garments as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing them to you. I also hope that each LAURIE FOON piece will continue to have a special place in your wardrobe over the years to come.

Saying goodbye wasn’t easy but the decision to discontinue LAURIE FOON comes from the stronger desire to focus on STARFISH and our commitment to using fabrics, trims and manufacturing techniques that have minimal environmental impact. It also comes from a desire to simplify things so that I, and everyone else involved with STARFISH, can spend a little more time with family and friends, and focus on other things in life that are important.

Just so you know, while we may be saying goodbye to the LAURIE FOON label we promise to embody part of the LAURIE FOON character within every STARFISH collection. So thank-you once again for your support over the years, and make sure that you pop into a Starfish store to see us as I’m sure we’ll be able to find something special for you.

All the best
Laurie