In 2020, Moroccan strawberry pickers who travelled to Spain for harvest were trapped there by Covid-19 border closures and found to be living in squalid conditions and working extreme hours.

A better system is needed to protect the people who makes our products. A system that exists to capture the voices of all workers and isn’t open to influence.

This article was previously published in the NZ Herald, 26 October 2021. It is reproduced here with permission.

When a large company chooses to be ethical, the impact they can have is huge. We hear a lot of about unethical practices from big companies, but there is good news to celebrate too!

Heather from Just Kai shares her research about some name brands that are making a difference.

How much of the clothes we buy from big fashion retailers are truly ethical? What do we really know about the people behind our clothes? Tearfund NZ invites us to find out with their Ethical Fashion Guide and Report.

We’ve all heard of greenwashing: companies making great-sounding environmental claims with very little behind them. Sadly, the same happens with ethical claims, too. How can we know which products are slave free?

Once again, our friends from Just Kai are here to the rescue with a quick guide to reputable slave-free logos for your cocoa, sugar and fish.

Human trafficking is form of modern day slavery which uses force, fraud, or coercion to control victims for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or forced labour. It is one of the most pressing human rights issues of our time.

According to Walk Free Foundation’s Global Slavery Index 2016, 25 million victims are from East Asia and the Pacific.

To honour World Day Against Trafficking In Persons on July 30th, we spoke with Erica Oliver Poole from Pag-asa Collective and Myint Aung from Reca about how they are helping survivors from Southeast Asia gain independence and hope through meaningful employment. 

It can be pretty impossible to find toys that aren’t made of toxic plastic materials, made ethically and can stand the test of being flung across the hall by your two-year-old. 

So when Mandy Abel was faced with this exact problem, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She created Fairplay, an ethical toy brand to provide Kiwis with an alternative to the mass-produced, sweatshop toys that dominate the toy industry.

Fairplay not only cultivates meaningful play for your child, but is kind to people and planet too!

Rich, smooth, fruity, nutty or milky, chocolate is the sweet treat that many of us find irresistible. But behind the attractive packaging, catchy name brands and marketing campaigns that trigger moments of happiness, chocolate has an extremely dark history.

We’re outlining the details of child labour in the cocoa industry and what we as consumers can do to take action against it.

Ethical seafood: is there such a thing?

It’s no secret that the fishing industry is notorious for exploiting their workers, making it difficult for us to identify which brands are slave-free. You can’t really tell from the packaging either - while there are dolphin-free labels, there are no human-friendly ones.

But you don’t have to swear off fish just yet!

Our friends at Just Kai have done the hard work to investigate and provide plenty of slave-free seafood options just for you.

When Emily and her co-founder Ashleigh discovered the shocking truth about period poverty in Bangladesh, they felt compelled to take action and be part of the conversation. They launched Reemi, a social enterprise that develops self-sterilizing period underwear for every menstruator. 

100% of their profits go towards their groundbreaking research on menstrual health management in garment factories and support their product innovation for garment workers in Bangladesh. Their current solutions include a high-tech period underwear with smart technology and wash and dry bags that ensure hygiene and are culturally appropriate. 

To celebrate Fashion Revolution Week 2021, we spoke to Emily about Reemi’s research, what she’s learned from running a social enterprise and why slow and steady is better for people and planet.

When she first set foot in Cambodia, Erica Gadsby felt an immediate connection with the country and its people. A social entrepreneur who had been working with non-profit organisations her whole adult life, Erica knew she wanted to use her business expertise for social good.

In 2013, she founded ReCreate Clothing, an ethical fashion brand that produces sustainably-crafted clothing made in Cambodia. To celebrate Fashion Revolution Week 2021, we sat down with Erica to talk about how ReCreate is growing their impact on marginalised communities in Cambodia and how running a social enterprise has shaped who she is today.

After visiting India in 2006, Ana Wilkinson-Gee was filled with a deep conviction to use her skills in fashion design to empower rural women.

She started hosting sewing classes in the village Bhalupali to give local women the opportunity to make a living for themselves. Little did she know that her classes would blossom into Holi Boli, an ethical clothing brand that is lifting women in India out of poverty with their eco-friendly garments.

To mark Fashion Revolution Week 2021, we caught up with Ana to chat about how it all began, what ethical fashion means to her and where her journey will take her next. 

Shopping at the supermarket is such a mundane and ordinary experience, it’s hard to imagine the dark secrets hidden behind some of the products we buy.

At Just Kai, we try to bring those secrets to light while showing you heaps of good, ethical options available in every New Zealand supermarket!

What if we told you that you could reduce your fashion waste and earn money doing it at the same time?

As of today, Duffle&Co are the first in New Zealand to partner with AirRobe, merging new circular economy tech with e-commerce.

We sat down with partners Danny (CEO) and Emily (COO) to chat about the launch of My Circular Wardrobe, their new Autumn release, and what they like to do when they are not working hard.

Fairtrade vs Fair Trade vs fairly traded - YES, there’s a difference!

So what exactly is the distinction and does it truly make an impact?

To help navigate these questions and wrap your head around the tricky definitions, we’re breaking down the basics of Fair Trade for you!

This year, skip the mall trip for yet another boring, plastic-wrapped Valentine’s Day gift and celebrate your loved ones in a way that’s both unique and meaningful!

Here’s a list of our favourite Valentine’s Day gifts that are conscious, purposeful, and kind to the people who produced them.

A beautiful hand-woven rug adds so much to a home. However, it shouldn’t be at the expense and suffering of those who make it.

Our first guest blog by Weave explores the ethical issues in the carpet weaving industry and what we can do to help.

At fair&good we believe that the Christmas season should be a time to love our neighbours, give from the heart, and practice kindness and empathy. 

Here are some tips to help make your Christmas a little more ethical.

It’s nearly Christmas, and that means another year of trying to sort out the perfect gifts for your loved ones. Lucky for you, we’ve put together this list of ideas for everyone in your life.

And as an added bonus, everything on this list has been ethically-sourced so you know the people who made these items are having a good Christmas too!