To celebrate all things fair trade come into Starfish during the fortnight and check out these great fairtrade labels:

PANTS TO POVERTY KNICKERS – A new underwear brand that is not simply content to make some of the most comfortable and stylish pants on the planet, but to celebrate fashion as a beautiful tool to change the world. Employing up to 700 new women each year as part of the Women Empowered Project – these knickers are making a real difference from cotton to bottom.
KOWTOW – Certified fairtrade organic clothing that is ethically and sustainably made from seed to garment. Pssst, it’s also gorgeous so you’ll look good while you’re being a good human.
VEJA TRAINERS –  The world’s first fairtrade trainer made using organic cotton and wild rubber.

We’re also holding an OXFAM COFFEE BREAK (Fri 18 May) – Come in and enjoy a cup of L,Affare + Trade Aid coffee, Kokako drinking chocolate or a piece of delicious Whittaker’s chocolate with all proceeds going to Oxfam.

For one week only we’re bringing the Starfish experience to Lambton Quay, kicking off on Mon 7th at midday!

As well as a great range of PREVIOUS SEASON BARGAINS and ONE OFF SAMPLES there will be an extensive selection from our Lunatopia winter collection. We’ll also be stocking other fantastic labels including Kowtow, Standard Issue and Nancybird bags.

And adding to the buzz –
purchase 2 pieces of New Season (non-sale) and get $50 off,
purchase 3 pieces & get $100 off,
purchase 4 pieces & get $150 off.

This great offer also applies to our Willis St and Newmarket stores.

The fashion world’s relentless pursuit of a new look for every season doesn’t take into account the impacts of throwaway culture. Element meets a designer who makes things to last.

Perusing a Starfish store, you’ll come across the likes of jeans reborn as stonewash denim satchels and organic tee shirts being sold to fundraise for Amnesty International. You’ll find the world’s first Fair Trade sneakers and clothes that won’t fall apart when your daughter discovers them in your wardrobe in years to come.

The Starfish brand exists within a trade where the very nature of the beast is to create the next fly-off-the-rack design, yet somehow Starfish designer and founder Laurie Foon has managed to champion what could easily be considered an ironic concept –  sustainable fashion.

Foon has long been regarded an example within the industry for her commitment to sustainable practice and product and is a regular at the country’s biggest fashion events. “We were the first to present three eco collections at New Zealand Fashion Week, bringing awareness to the fact there are environmentally friendly clothes out there.”

Despite, and perhaps in spite of, what she sees as a “disturbing” climate of throwaway fashion, the Wellington based designer – head of the first fashion house to win a Sustainable Business Network award – is successfully forging ahead.

“Our mission is to prove we can look great while having a minimal impact on our environment. Fast or throwaway fashion is possibly the biggest problem we have and it’s escalating. It goes without saying that the resources used to manufacture something to last for a few wears will have direct effect on creating more waste for our landfills which are already over full, let alone the environmental impact.”

Foon’s pattern follows a concept of Eco Design, choosing fabrics for their longevity and considering the life cycle of the final product. “For us the materials are becoming one of the most important factors in ethical clothing as a good fabric choice will help the garment to last.” She believes by using good fabric the customer will love wearing the garment and be inclined to wear it more often.

While Foon can recall her grandmother buying one new coat to last five years, her efforts to create similarly long lasting pieces run against the trends of mass production and consumer’s mass consumption. “Because we want clothes cheaper, fabrics we are choosing are not biodegradable. The market these cheaper brands are talking to is not yet aware of all these issues. Having a new garment that is hot right now is more important than the long term environmental impact,” says Foon.

“We are still learning about environmentally better fabrics so we try to share this information with our clients so that they too can start to be aware of good fabrics that work for them and the environment.”

While Foon admits the role of a sustainable fashion designer is a tough one, it’s a duty she won’t give up on. “Trying to design in this sustainable space at times has had me on my knees.  Trying to decide what looks hot and what our customers would love over using environmental fabrics is no easy place to be.

“We work with the brief that there is no perfect, but there is better.  These attitudes free us up to achieve and slowly we are getting there by increasing our use of sustainable fabrics while still looking great.  Can we do it? We
are getting there and I know our Starfish followers really love that we are trying.”

How can you help?

For consumers who want to support sustainable fashion, Foon suggests committing
to an element that is important to you:

• Choose natural fabrics
• Buy one organic tee a season
• Buy based on the origin of the garment
• Choose Fair Trade
• Buy an item made locally

March 28, 2012 by rebeccablithe

Starfish designer Laurie Foon and then-designer Carleen Schollum were so inspired after seeing Higgs’ work at the Dowse Art Gallery that they rang her up, went to her house for tea and discussed a collaboration. The Wellington-based brand featured the textile designer’s Duck Pond print in a 2005 collection called Black Swan. “It [the print] was designed in 1949 and still gets such an incredible response if ever we wear it,” says Foon.

Since that career highlight, Foon and her team have continued to use and develop their own prints. “Prints and textile design have become one of the most essential elements of our collection as they are the signature of each range. Our prints embody the absolute essence of each collection by supporting the story behind each one,” she explains. “Another reason why creating our own prints become essential to us is that the inks we use are water-based, biodegradable and non-toxic. It’s important for our manufacturing processes to have that traceability.”

There are other reasons Foon likes to develop exclusive prints, although they aren’t necessarily the same as other designers. “If designers in New Zealand are being sought after for our originality it only seems fitting to use original prints, that tell unique stories and aren’t rip-offs from somewhere else.

“We are also grooming textile designers through our universities and it makes sense to harbour and develop this skill.”

This next generation approach is reflected in the label’s relationship with young textile designer Greta Menzies, who has worked with Foon and her team for the last five seasons. A recent Massey University Honours graduate, Menzies initially approached Foon, who asked her design a T-shirt for a collection in 2010 – and she has designed repeating and placement prints as well as embroidery design since. For winter Menzies designed a playful star print developed from star motifs drawn in different media, “flung across a surface to make an energetic ‘check’ effect. The visual noise is offset against a ‘neat’ background of mini stars. The layout of the print was directed by Laurie and her design assistant and I focused on creating motifs that captured the theme,” says Menzies, who has also produced prints for lingerie label Womama, and fashion labels Stitch Ministry and Kowtow.

For Foon, the work of textile designers is something to continue to celebrate, for several reasons. “Textile design is the course I would love to do if I had the opportunity,” she says. “Their work is so tactile and non-conformed.”

In the last 50 years Amnesty has freed thousands of prisoners of conscience and its very existence prevent the oppression and persecution of thousands more by governments and other in positions of power.

We think that this is pretty amazing and have collaborated with POWERSHOP to mark this milestone by designing this limited edition t-shirt that you can wear to show your support for the fight against the abuse of human rights.

And a big thanks to Raybon Kan and Lisa Chappell for offering to be ambassadors for the project.

Buy Online – $69

COLLECTIONS 1

We’re pretty excited to be hitting the catwalk at the New Zealand Fashion Festival this year. We’ll be showcasing our in-season Winter Collections with some great company including Blak Luxe, Salasai, NeverBlack, Storm, Esprit, Moochi, COOP and Skull and Bones.

It should be a fantastic night and a great chance to see the latest styles. Doors open from 5:00pm for you to enjoy pre-show drinks at the Fashion Festival bar. You can also have your hair styled by TRESemme, make-up touched by MAC, or nails done at the ORLY & Magic Tan Nail Bar. Plus be in to win some great goodies and hot prizes on the night. Ticket price of front two rows (Rows A & B) includes a goody bag valued at over $30.

BUY YOUR TICKET NOW!

There will be something for everyone. Choose from an extensive selection of fabrics and trims, samples and seconds, and a range of discounted past season’s stock. We’ll be open Late Night Friday and this year we even have eft-pos. See you all there.

Level 10,
173-175 Victoria St (next to Farmers),
Fri 18th Nov: 10am – 6.00pm,
Sat 19th Nov: 10am – 4.00pm,
eft-pos available.

#1
Use recycle coffee sacks in the vege garden, as biodegradable weedmats or dog beds. They are available from cafes, often for free, but there’s one on Ponsonby Road, Allpress Espresso, that wants a gold coin donation, that then goes on to help local schools – so it’s a double win.
Thanks Janice Adamson.

#2
Put a bowl of water in the microwave. Add a few slices of lemon. Run for a minute or two. The steam will loosen stains and splatters while the lemon will deodorize it. Wipe clean.
Thanks Kathleen Allison

#3
Choose sustainable or recycled material to wrap your presents in. Here are a few ideas:
– recycled gift wrapping paper from the children’s various parties
– adorable fabric remnants (including old woolies)
– gorgeous tea-towels – cheap as chips at discount stores and emporiums
– brown recycled paper from a big roll, just like Nana used to use.
Sustainability needn’t stop at the wrapping, the garnish can be an eco-delight to:
– bows can be string, wool, old ribbons
– old buttons
– plastic flowers rescued from the 10 cent bin at St Vincent de Paul.
Thanks Megan Smith

#4
Mini ‘trench composting’. Dig a 25cm hole in your garden, tip in your bowl of food scraps, cover with dirt and tramp down firmly. Dig the hole in a slightly different spot each time. Within a few months you will notice that the health of your soil is greatly improved and that there are lots of worms.  The soil will be great for any plants.
Thanks Anna.

#5
Use vinegar for almost all cleaning and various other tasks. Just a few of the things I use it for are:
Its a mild bleach, is antiseptic and antibacterial.
In the washing machine: I use it as a fabric softener in the final rinse, it also removes detergent residue, it whitens and brightens clothing, using it with sheets minimises fluffing, it removes deodorant stains and other stains when rubbed on them before washing.
I use it with water in a spray bottle to clean bathroom and kitchen surfaces, windows, mirrors and everything else … and the list goes on.
Thanks Jeanette and also Erin Krebs.

#6
Babywipes are a complete have! A damp cloth with water works just as well! You can even travel with them – just pop a few in separate little zip-loc plastic bags…but no need to buy them – re-use the ones you get from the stupidmarket bulk-bins. Actually, these bags can be used for heaps of purposes, rinse and use again and again. I take carrot sticks to work in them every day – don’t worry no one in my house in nappies anymore so no risk of mixing up carrot holding bags and babywipe bags…cos that would be gross.
Thanks Jo Gascoigne.

#7
Use facebook to shout out to friends and family for the items you need to use, but don’t necessarily need to own.  When my grandmother died I inherited a collection of crystal vases, plates, platters and a cake dome !! I’ve lent this collection to a number of friends for birthday and anniversary parties – the crystal makes a wonderful addition to a “high tea”. Thanks Ana Gilling

#8
My best eco tip is for Xmas card tags for presents. I hate all the wastage that goes along with paper and cards for Xmas so I keep all my cards and tags and then next Xmas cut out the nicest part of the card or tag, put a single hole punch through the corner and thread some coloured ribbon and then write my message on the back of it and cellotape to the present! People hardly look at tags but they look pretty and it saves money and helps the environment too.
Thanks Amy.

#9
The children in my class cut up the banana peels into small bite size pieces and we layer them up in a bin with our very own school made compost. We then use this banana fertilizer in the garden. It has done marvelous things in our school orchard and gardens!!
Thanks Keren Rego and all of the Year 1’s at Point Chevalier School.

#10
Lemon oil – it is the best most effective way of keeping spiders and their webs away, never to be seen again as long as you put it where it wont get rained on, useful all around inside and outside your home. simply use lemon oil from the shop or make your own,by getting the zest of the lemons and put in a bit of cloth and nuke it so the oil goes into the cloth, tie it onto your broom and start dabbing in the corners and along the ceiling, or verandah roof, under the carport etc its the best ever.
Thanks Amy Stephens

#11
For cleaning the grout around the shower – don’t use nasty chemical cleaners use a paste (made from white vinegar & baking soda) – brush on with toothbrush and leave. The mould dies. Then wash off with water.
Thanks Craig Balme.

The event represents a huge collaborative effort and practical demonstration of what a sustainable city will look and feel like, given the creative solutions already provided by New Zealanders today.

Visitors will follow a journey through various zones — from the home to the shop, the workplace to outside space. There’s over 120 exhibitors signed up o the event, so it’s going to be a biggie. And the exhibitors are diverse, showcasing everything from electric vehicles to eco-tourism, ethical fashion to natural burials.

November 9th kicks off with a Conscious Commuter Challenge on the Waterfront, featuring an array of sustainable and ethically minded breakfast foods and a chance to network with like-minded business people. A range of demonstrations highlighting sustainability – including composting, healthy living, sustainable food and cooking, green transport and more – will be happening throughout the day.

Rounding off the showcase will be a Green Drinks networking evening.

When: Free public open day on 9th November

Where: Shed 10, Queens Wharf, Auckland

At fashion week this year Louise Mills from The Body Shop created a wonderful dark and moody look to complement our theme Lunatopia – where glam rock meets the spectacle of the night sky. Louise provided this brief descriptor on how she created the look and how you can adapt it for a more ‘everyday’ application.

“The theme for Starfish’s collection required a dark look with a splash of drama. This was created with shades of black and gunmetal covering the eyes using the Shimmer Cubes Palette in Blue Moon. A shot of copper from the Baked-To-Last Eye Colour collection was added to create the illusion of depth. These were all softly blended to give a very subtle smoky effect.

The eyes were complemented with Extra Virgin Minerals™ Foundation, which gave the skin a velvety smooth appearance. This was accentuated with a pale shimmery highlight on top of the cheekbones as a way of referencing the sparkle of stars.

To finish the look a very soft nude lip with a hint of gloss was applied.

The look is easily converted from runway to everyday by skipping the Midnight Black used on the inner corners of the eyes, leaving a subtle smoky look.”

Thanks Louise ­ and it’s great to know that The Body Shop new Extra Virgin Minerals makeup is made with 100% mineral pigments and 100% community fair trade cold pressed virgin olive oil.