Reviews by Saffia Farr, Vanessa Hennigan, Terry James, Vicky Smith and Alex Turner
- Long-sleeve T-shirt
The ethos of Beeboobuzz is to offer a range of bright, bold, gender-neutral clothes for children. This T-shirt comes in a choice of seven colours – we tried the purple one, which is fantastic! My daughter loves the little bee label on the seam. The shirt is made from super-soft organic UK-dyed cotton and is ideal for wearing on its own or for layering. It’s available in four generous sizes for up to 5 years, and the smallest (1–2 years) has two poppers on the neck to make it easier to get on and off. All Beeboobuzz products are manufactured in the UK. VH
£10.50
- Aspen Lounge Pants
These are extremely comfortable trousers, and I love wearing them when I want to feel relaxed around the house. The sustainably sourced cotton fabric is soft, thick and warm, the drawcord waist gives maximum comfort, and the wide cuffs help keep ankles warm and stop the legs rolling up if they are worn as pyjamas. I like the nice deep pockets, as I always find them useful. Fferal focus on slow fashion to help reduce the environmental impact of textile waste. They do not use labels or plastic bags and are a vegan company that never knowingly uses animal derivatives. The clothes are made ethically in Portugal and are designed to last – I can see myself enjoying wearing these for many years to come. SF
£30
- Ant Shirt
From a distance, the pattern on this shirt looks like spots, but close up it is a more quirky talking point… It arrived beautifully boxed – simple, environmentally friendly, and certainly with no plastic. It’s made from 100% organic, heavy cotton called khadi and finished with lovely wooden buttons, and it is totally plastic-free. The hand-dyeing process uses a fifth of the water normally required, and the hand-spinning and hand-weaving are virtually carbon-free. The clothes are made by ethically run fabric cooperatives in India. As with all Where Does It Come From clothes, you can find out exactly how your shirt was made and who was involved – each garment has a code on the label that unlocks its story. I bought the long-sleeved version – there is also a short-sleeved one – and I’ve worn it from autumn through spring. It’s great to wear, wash and iron. I couldn’t ask more of it! VS
From £65
- Fleecy Gilet
This reversible gilet has a wonderful wintery feel that makes us want to snuggle up! It arrived beautifully wrapped and all the packaging was reusable. One side is super-soft jersey, and the other is soft fleece. The concealed zip is a lovely detail. The cotton is 100% organic, and all Pigeon Organics clothes are made in a small number of factories that adhere to fair labour practices. Almost all are certified by the Soil Association in accordance with GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard). This gilet is part of the Inuit-style print range, and for every product in this range that is sold the company is donating 50p to True North Aid, a Canadian charity that works with Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people to improve mutual understanding and reconciliation. AT
£39.90
- Wavy Rainbow Bra
I love this bra! It’s designed for wearing at night, for breastfeeding, or for those who like a more relaxed fit. The crossover design gives easy access for breastfeeding. The fabric (95% cotton jersey, 5% elastane) is really soft and comfortable to wear, and I find that the band gives excellent support without digging into my skin like so many bra straps can. There is a size calculator on the website. Molke sell a range of funky designs and I love the vibrant colours in this style. I have been wearing it with tops that allow it to be visible, as it can be a stylish part of an outfit, and I even wore it on the beach as a bikini top. This goes to show that Molke’s ethos works, their aim being to design confidence-boosting bras for all shapes and sizes so that women feel empowered, strong and free from the constraints that come with stereotypical and limiting underwear. There’s even some humour on the label! Made in the UK. SF
From £35
- Get Rich… Hemp T-shirt
THTC sell funky T-shirts with a message and a heart. ‘Get Rich or Try Sharing’ is a tongue-in-cheek rewording of the infamous phrase ‘Get rich or die trying’. THTC’s message is one of compassion changing hearts, and 10% of sales from this design go to Refugee Community Kitchen, supporting compassion in action. The T-shirt is made from 180gsm preshrunk fabric consisting of 55% GOTS certified hemp and 45% GOTS certified organic cotton, and the fabric improves with age. It is soft but thick and is very comfortable to wear. Printed in the UK using water-based inks. TJ
£27
- Pure Organic Cotton Romper
The experience from Cotton Boulevard begins with the packaging. The envelope had lovely detailing that made it a joy to receive. The romper is beautifully soft and I love the colours. The matching dribble bib is nicely coordinated while not being the same. With a nice long zip on the romper, dressing and redressing a wriggly baby is straightforward, and the footless design makes crawling and roaming easy for my active little one. Made from 95% organic cotton and 5% elastane. Cotton Boulevard clothes are designed in England and made in India in a family-run factory that operates to GOTS. AT
£20
- Organic Cotton Art Deco Print Tunic Dress
This is a wonderfully practical dress. Available in two colours, it’s smart enough to wear to work or for going out, but comfortable enough to relax in at home. It’s also versatile in that you can wear it on its own, with leggings or with tights, making it great for the autumn, when you never quite know what the weather might do! There’s room for a thin layer underneath, and it works well with a cardigan on top. I love the deep pockets, and it’s extremely comfortable to wear. Nomads was started 30 years ago by Duncan and Vicky, who met in Rajasthan and decided to put together the last of their travel money to invest in a selection of fairly traded handicrafts from Nepal to bring back to the UK. Today they stock a huge range of clothing that celebrates natural fibres and traditional artisan techniques. SF
£55
- THTC Hemp Socks
These socks are fantastic! They are soft to wear, but thick, and there is enough Lycra so that they stay up, which is very much appreciated! They are made from 51% certified organic hemp, 38% certified organic cotton and 11% Lycra and are available in three different colourways. You can choose from either The Tribe’s THTC Logo, or Low Class’s ‘The Hemp Trading Co’ embroidery – and take advantage of a ’bulk buy’ discount to mix and match colours and designs. TJ
£12 (£10 for 5 or more pairs)
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