Summer is finally here — with sunny days, homemade lemonade, and lazy days in the sun. Along with the change in weather comes the chance to wear some beautiful organic, fair-trade dresses! Check out our top picks here at Faerie’s Dance for ethical dress brands that will have you enjoying summer, even if you’re staycationing this year.

The Black Fair-Trade Shoreline Dress

Effortless and elegant, this Shoreline Dress from Indigenous Designs is perfect for everything from lounging around the house to stunning at weddings. This sensual pick from among our fair-trade dresses is made from 100% organic cotton and has been expertly crafted at an artist cooperative in Peru.

Enjoy a casual look for picnics and walks along the beach by pairing this magnificent dress with a pair of sandals and a broad-brimmed hat — and don’t forget a pair of fair-trade earrings!

Lemon Love Sundress

For working at the office or enjoying summer picnics in the countryside, we’re crushing hard on this Lemon Love Sundress. Colorful and fruity, what could be better than lemons to make you smile all day long? Like many of our fair-trade dresses, this flowing number is an original from the ethical dress brand, Mata Traders — a Chicago-based brand that sells handmade clothing made by artisans in India and Nepal.

This bright and happy design features hidden pockets (who doesn’t love that?) and the perfect combination of fit-and-flare for a flattering silhouette that is delightfully twirly. It is made from organic cotton jersey with a touch of spandex for comfort and a fit that won’t lose its shape. Style in seconds with a long fair-trade necklace and sandals or transition this dress to evenings with a lightweight organic cotton cardigan.

Melissa Tie Dress

Pretty as a poem, the Melissa Tie Dress proves that every woman can look fabulous this summer, regardless of body type. This hot little number is perfect for plus sized women who want to look good, feel fabulous and support ethical trade. The tie on the side flatters the curves. This was is made by Synergy Organic another staple on our list of ethical dress brands.

The ideal addition to your collection of fair-trade dresses, we are loving this summer dress with some long, bold jewelry pieces and a nice pair of ballet flats. It’s a morning-to-night anywhere dress that will see you through the summer and beyond!

First Impressions Dress

For that job interview or all-important client meeting, put your best foot forward with this fitted First Impressions Dress. Bright and cheery with 95% organic cotton jersey and 5% spandex, this GOTS-certified, fair-trade dress is shaped and folded exactly where you need it for a sophisticated look that’s just right for summer.

No matter where you take this dress, you can’t go wrong with a pair of heels and a bold statement necklace. Evening a little chilly? Top off this dress with an office-ready fitted (and sustainable!) jacket — the perfect finish to a polished summer look.

Sunny Day Dress

On a beautiful sunny summer day, this Sunny Day Dress is everything you want — lightweight, breathable, and oh-so-soft. Featured in a bright blue the color of the summer sky, our fifth pick for the top fair-trade dresses is 100% organic cotton jersey and is made in Peru using Peruvian-grown organic cotton.

Perfect with flats, sandals, and your flashiest stilettos, we love this design from our ethical dress brand, Indigenous Designs, for everyday comfort throughout the warm season that you can easily transition into fall with organic cotton leggings and a pair of boots.

Reversible Tank Dress

One of our customer’s favorites, this Reversible Tank Dress takes the cake. Given a 5-star rating by our happy buyers, this is an ideal style from our list of fair-trade dresses for parties or stunning on the job. Wear with a luxury jacket on cooler evenings and finish the look with your best pair of heels. Summer sophistication is made easy with this flawless fair-trade reversible dress!

An original concept from Indigenous Designs, the reversible tank two-way dress can be worn with either the black side or the wine side on the outside and features small gathers at the hips for a flattering silhouette. As with all of this dress brand’s ethical pieces, this reversible tank dress has been made by artisans in Peru — providing dignified livelihoods and strengthening impoverished communities.

Bandeau Dress

For the final pick on our list of fair-trade dresses, we have this elegantly whimsical Bandeau Dress with a versatile handkerchief tie neck and raw asymmetrical hem. Perfect for parties, this flowy dress from the ethical dress brand, Jonäno, is the dancing companion that every girl dreams about — simply slip it on, tie the fabric bands behind your neck, and spin around to your heart’s content!

Jonäno specializes in creating cashmere-like garments from silky-soft bamboo and organic cotton that are friendly to animals and have a luxurious finish. The hint of spandex in this lightweight dress keeps the shape intact so you don’t have to worry about it stretching. For those who try to stick to a minimalist wardrobe, this dress provides a two-in-one solution: You can wear it as a skirt by simply tying the bands of fabric around your waist!

Indulge In a Little Eco-Love by Shopping Fair-trade Dresses This Summer

Whether you’re giving your wardrobe an eco-friendly makeover or trying out a new look, Faerie’s Dance is here for you. In addition to our featured styles, we have dozens of other fair-trade dresses and eco-friendly women’s clothing for sale from ethical dress brands that are doing amazing things in communities around the world!

Learn more about ethical fashion by reading our blog, and buy your new favorite summer dress today — yours with free U.S. ground shipping when you spend $99 or more.

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Halloween is my favorite holiday.  Confession.  It’s not just for the trick-or-treating, October 31st also happens to be my birthday.  So my childhood was filled with costumes and candy AND cake and presents.  Seriously, it was better than Christmas.  Like most things, though, Halloween has a dark side (pun intended).  With the majority of cocoa harvested by children and single-use costumes ending up in landfills, it’s time to Green your Halloween.  We can all still experience the unbridled excitement of my childhood Halloween while making just a few changes towards a much more sustainable holiday.

1. Buy Fair Trade Candy

Avoid the child labor and sweatshop conditions and buy Fair Trade candy.  Yes, it will cost more.  Honestly, that’s the point.  The candy we’re buying from companies like Nestle and Hershey is cheap specifically because the producers are not provided a living wage.  A luxury like chocolate shouldn’t be the driving cause of poverty in remote African villages.  By paying a little more for your chocolate, you can ensure that the cocoa growers earn a living wage and have the opportunity to send their children to school.  Here are some great companies making fair trade chocolates and candies.

Sjaak’s Chocolates – Not only does Sjaak’s make fair trade, organic chocolate bars, but they also have Halloween tubs and chocolate bars inexpensive enough to give to trick-or-treaters.  They also happen to be vegan and seriously delicious.

Endangered Species Chocolates – Another reasonably priced, fair trade, organic chocolate company.  The Bug Bites make perfect Halloween give-a-ways.

Equal Exchange – Try their minis for giving out to trick-or-treaters and be sure to stock some full-sized bars for yourself. 

Lärabar – For a sweet treat that’s a little healthier, but still well-priced, try Lärabar’s bites or kids versions.  All versions are fair-trade.

Alter-Eco – A bit pricier, but well worth it. They sell only full-sized bars rather than minis.  You can buy these organic, fair trade bars by the 12-pack to save a few bucks, and they’re having an autumn special.  Use code Autumn20 for 20% off with free shipping on orders over $65.

Ocho Candy – If you want more traditional “candy bars” rather than straight chocolate bars, Ocho makes fair trade, organic “fakes” of your favorite brands. They also have Halloween bulk minis for the trick-or-treaters.

Go Max Go – Another fair trade, non-GMO “candy bar” company.  They don’t do minis, but bonus, all of their “fakes” are vegan (and delicious – I’ve tried them all!).  You can purchase 12-bar boxes for 10% off.

Madécasse – If you really want to take the next step in sustainable chocolates, Madécasse is the way to go.  They don’t just source their cocoa from Africa under fair trade conditions, they make the entire chocolate there.  It creates jobs and provides better living for whole communities.  At $4.50 per bar, you may not want to give them to the trick-or-treaters, but definitely treat yourself.

Lagusta’s Luscious – If money isn’t a worry, check out this luxury chocolate brand.  Yes, their prices are high, but it’s oh so worth it for a little indulgence.  They use locally sourced ingredients from small businesses and only fair trade certified chocolate.  Unique truffle combinations really make this brand stand out.

Organic Fruit Snacks – Don’t want to give chocolate at all?  Give the kiddies organic fruit snacks.  There are numerous varieties that have no palm oil or high-fructose corn syrup out there.  Many companies also offer multi-pack sizes like Annie’s or Yum Earth.

2. Find a Creative Re-Use For Your Costume

You’ve probably read time and again that it is more sustainable to buy a used costume from Goodwill or ebay.  Both have huge Halloween sections, and that will also save you some money.  While that’s a great tip, I would also suggest that you consider ways to re-wear your custom after Halloween.  Turn your one-time outfit into something you can wear over and over again.

The Wedding Dress – The year after I got married, I couldn’t figure out what one is supposed to do with this expensive wedding dress, so I wore mine for Halloween!  (I won the award for “most authentic”.)  If you’re divorced or your wedding dress no longer fits properly and you’re not saving it for a child, cut out bits to make it fit, cut out some strips along the arms and bottom, dirty it up a bit and go as the Corpse Bride!

While this might be too extreme for most women (and maybe it’s better to donate it, anyway), how about trying one of these other tips?

Pirate Costume – Go as a pirate and make plans to visit your local pirate festival in spring or summer.  Pirate festivals invade both coasts every year.

Renaissance Costume – There are a surprising number of times a Renaissance costume comes in handy.  Get a good one and dazzle everyone at your local Renaissance Faire.  They happen all over the country.  (I was once invited to a Renaissance-themed wedding.)  Go as a wench, and you can wear the costume earlier in the month for Octoberfest, or get a traditional Irish Renaissance dress and wear it to your local Irish Festival.

Faery Costume – You and your children can dress up as matching Faeries and save the costumes for your local Faery Festival.  Faeries have also been spotted at Pirate and Renaissance Festivals as well as at the Oregon Country Fair.

Disney-inspired Costume – Be a Princess on your next trip to Disneyland.  If you’re a runner, join in on any of Disney’s character-themed runs where costumes are encouraged.

Comic Characters – My nephew got an anime costume for Halloween, and then wore it to his local Comic Con.  Yes, the San Diego one is the biggest, but they happen all over the country.  This is a great idea for super hero costumes as well.

Cross-over Holiday Costumes – Dress up as Santa or the Easter Bunny and then play that character for the kids on the holiday.  If you’re family likes a twist, dress up as the Christmas version of Jack Skellington.

Dressing up for Fairs and Festivals really enhances the enjoyment, and if you’re re-using an otherwise single-wear costume, all the better.

Of course, once you are done with a costume, be sure to donate it, sell it or trade it at a future Halloween Costume Swap.

3. Avoid the “Fast Fashion” Trap

Every year big box retailers break out the holiday-themed version of Fast Fashion.  Rows of Halloween-themed apparel line store shelves.  I admit that in my younger days, I had to have a new Halloween-themed shirt every year.  Of course, now, I’m much more environmentally aware and I avoid those types of cheap and unsustainable garments.  That’s why this year, I was so thrilled to find cute fashions that were wearable any time of year, but had just enough of a Halloween tie-in that I could get my holiday fashion fix on.

Faerie’s Dance has a new brand that makes 100% certified organic cotton womens printed tops and tunics along with matching accessories from recycled cotton scraps, all knit, cut and sewn in the USA.  The screen printing uses only water-based inks, and the fabric dyes are low-impact.  We’ve already placed multiple orders, but for right now, check out our Cat Moon series (below) along with the Witchy Night Top (left).

The handwarmers and scarves make equally fun gifts at Halloween, Christmas, Hanukkah or any Fall or Winter birthday, especially for cat lovers, full moon romantics, or astronomers. 😉  We have more designs and colors coming in November, too.

4. Donate Your Pumpkins and Compost Your Jack-o-Lanterns

Whole pumpkins and carved jack-o-lanterns shouldn’t wind up in landfill!  Jack-o-Lanterns can easily be composted or cut up and added to your yard waste bin.  Cut them up before they start “melting” on your porch.

If you like to decorate with whole pumpkins around the house and yard, consider donating them right after Halloween while they’re still in good condition.  Who wants whole pumpkins?  Why, big cats of course!  Check out this big guy having some fun with his first pumpkin.

In Oregon, Wildcat Ridge Sanctuary takes pumpkin donations.  Call them at (503) 625-0812 to set up a donation.

In California, contact the Wildlife Waystation at 818-899-5201.

In Florida, visit Big Cat Rescue or call them at 813.920.4130.

I’m sure there are many others around the country.  Do a local search to find out if there is a wild cat sanctuary near you that would love a post-Halloween treat.

There are so many ways to green Halloween and all your holidays.  Just take a moment to evaluate each purchase or decision.  Buy decorations from charity shops and reuse as much as possible year over year.  We can all still have fun while doing just a little better.  Wishing you all a glorious, frightfully fun Halloween.

Organic Cotton bras are the most popular selling item on FaeriesDance.com, and for good reason.  We carry the largest selection of organic cotton, natural fiber and eco-friendly bras in the USA!  We do it by sourcing most of our bras from Europe.  Amazing companies like Swegmark of Sweden, Peau-Ethique and Do You Green from France and our newest addition Comazo|Earth (maker of the Yvonne Bra shown left) in Germany are making natural, organic, fair trade bras far superior to anything we can get in the USA.  And even our best-selling USA-made brand, Blue Canoe, gets their GOTS-certified organic cotton fabric from overseas.  Like our in-house brand, Green Tree Organic, Blue Canoe designs, patterns, cuts and sews in the USA from imported fabric.

What that means, is that your modest organic cotton bra price is affected by global economics.  Unfortunately, while the stock market may be skyrocketing, the dollar is not.  The dollar just reached a 3-year low against the Euro.

As a rule, we try to price European goods at a 2-year running average so the price of the bras don’t change for our customers every single time we restock.  But the cost has just kept going up and up.  Since customs fees are paid on the converted price of goods, higher Euro prices also mean higher customs fees.

The bottom line is that many of our bra prices will be going up soon.  As a courtesy, we’re going to keep prices steady until Valentine’s Day since most styles and sizes will be restocked before then.  That means right now, you can get Blue Canoe bras at 15-20% off their website prices!  For example, the Blue Canoe Cami Bra (shown right) currently retails for $47.  It will be available for the bargain price of just $40 on FaeriesDance.com until February 14, 2018.  Come February 15th, the Cami Bra will be $42 and most other bras will be going up $1-4 per bra.  So definitely stock up now if you can.

Thank you for your continued support.  Wishing you a Safe, Health and very Happy New Year!

 

It’s true!  Win your favorite Fair Trade, Organic Cotton Bra from Swegmark of Sweden. Since we brought this collection in last year, these bras have become our customers favorites.  There are now 10 styles to choose from including 8 of Swegmark’s signature full-coverage, wire free, organic bras plus an organic cotton sports bra and now a lightly padded, underwire bra.

 

All of these organic bras have wide, adjustable comfort straps and 3-position hook-and-eye back closures for the perfect fit.  They are well-constructed with wide underbust bands for great support and coverage.  Sizes range from 34B – 46DDD.  Not all bras come in all sizes, but the winner will have the option of choosing any of our in-stock options.  We have Swegmark bras in white, nude, pink, blue, grey and black.

If you don’t get your perfect size on the first go, you can even send it back and we’ll do an exchange for you.  Once you’ve tried this brand of comfort, stylish, sustainable bras, we don’t think you’ll ever choose anything else.   So go ahead and enter below. The winner will be announced Monday, November 27.

 

One of the questions we get A LOT is about organic clothing manufacturing in China.  There is a belief that garment manufacturing in China automatically means low wages and lots of pollution.  Many of our customers avoid anything made in China at all.  However, some sustainably-minded companies are still manufacturing organic clothing lines in China and it’s time to take a closer look at why they are.  For one thing, garment industry wages in China are increasing rapidly.  “Cheaper” clothing lines are actually leaving China for Africa and East Asia, where wages remain ridiculously low.  Additionally, organic clothing manufacturers are working with third party certifiers such as the Global Organic Textile Standard, OEKO-TEX, and Fair Trade International to ensure their Chinese-made goods are meeting environmental, safety and ethical employment standards.  Many of our USA made goods actually carry fewer certifications.

We caught up with Jane Nemis, owner of Echo Verde clothing for an interview on why they still manufacture in China.

Faerie’s Dance: What influenced your company to manufacture in China?

Jane Nemis:  I had been working in China when it was the only producer of eco/organic fabrics (18 years ago) and formed relationships with factories that I still have to this day.

FD: How long have you worked with your current factory in China?

Jane:  We have several factories – depending on sweaters or cut/sew knits – some are new 2 years and several are 6 years – 2 are 15 years.

FD: How often do you travel to China directly to meet the people who make your clothing?

Jane:  Twice yearly.

FD: Can you tell us about your relationship with the folks who make your clothing?

Jane:  There is still wide-spread opinion that sourcing and manufacturing clothing in Asia-and more specifically in China is a desire for cheap labor and that the conditions under which people work is not good. The truth, though, is much more complicated and nuanced, or just plain not true!  Our Chinese manufacturers have become experts in working with organic and eco textiles and they produce some of the highest quality goods at competitive prices. All of our factories are reviewed for workers’ conditions and all must show proof of third party monitoring of social and environmental conditions. We have formed relationships with these factories from our years of visiting them in China and their owners and many of the ladies that work there are now our friends!

They have also listened to us over the years and instituted changes which have bettered the living and working conditions of their staff.

While the work ethic in China may not seem “perfect” to our standards, it is considered to be a skilled trade now to be a garment worker.  They bring home a middle-class income and many factories now have health care.  Many of the workers support their families and send their children to school based on the money they earn cutting/sewing and finishing our goods. The factories we work with are all family owned and smaller operations that employ workers from the surrounding areas. This means we are able to support families staying together. There are many sweatshops all over the world including specifically in New York and LA. It is important to us that we can personally monitor conditions and we have a partner that respects and listens to our requests for change.

Our workers are honest, hard-working, and family oriented and doing the best that they can to make a living. They depend on us for this. When we visit the factories, the ladies laugh and joke with us and teach us new words in mandarin. They are free to come and go to the bathrooms, they have tea and water available at all times and they are free to stop work and share a chat with their friends. The food they are served is the same as I eat when there (free lunch tokens are given out) and it is good and balanced and they have access to fresh fruit and vegetables. One of our factories has even built a small meditation garden where workers can walk during their breaks and get some fresh air and enjoy the greenery. Both our knit factories have adopted stray dogs from the local area and care for them like family pets.

These ladies make our clothes!

FD: Do your factories have any certifications (WRAP, GOTS, OEKO-TEX, etc.) and can you explain what that entails?

Jane:  Yes, one factory has WRAP the other has a European version of WRAP and the very small ones cannot afford the costs so I just make sure they are following the same standards.

All our factories are small – we paid for one factory to get WRAP certification but while many big businesses can list an impressive amount of certifications – the reality is this is out of reach for most small family owned operations.  Cost for WRAP was around $350 USD for a small factory of 23 employees.  So it is impossible to do this for all our little factories even though they use the same standards (or higher).  Bigger companies can afford to pay for WRAP and FLA (Fair Labour) is even higher $1200 USD which is to be paid as a yearly fee.

FD: Do the fabrics you work with have any certifications?

Jane:  Yes, bamboo is 100% certified organic, cotton is 100% certified organic, wool is produced using humane farming practices and non harmful chemicals to process it.

FD: Some of our clients are concerned with Chinese factories “faking” certifications or claiming certifications they don’t actually hold.  Is this a real concern? 

Jane:  Yes, I would say this is more related to large scale operations – they can afford to bribe the certifying body – I have heard about it but have never experienced it first hand.  I would say it is a real concern with anything that is produced on a large scale for low cost… organic is expensive – as are good working conditions.

FD: Can you tell us a little bit about what modern Chinese facilities are like?

Jane:  Here are some pictures – they are like any factory I walk into here in Canada or USA.  Some are much better kept actually.  Very  neat, all windows are open in summer and doors.  Well ventilated, lots of natural light and each worker has their own chair/light/table.

FD: What other information can you give us to assuage the negative connotation that is still often associated with garments that are Made in China?

Jane:  Another reason that we manufacture in Asia is because all of the eco textiles originate from Asia, and one of our goals is to have our production facilities as close as possible to where our fabric, hardware and fixtures originate, this has been proven to reduce the environmental impact of shipping.   Did you know that much of the cotton produced in the US is sent to either China or India for milling before coming back into the states?  So really, if you go to the root of the garment – it is possible almost every piece of clothing has come from China in some way.

I would add is that I find it frustrating that there is such a negative connotation with Chinese goods.  The US has spent the past few decades growing trade with China and helping to bring the work up to standard, pay etc.  This is primarily why all the cheap brands have moved to countries without any work conditions in place (Bangladesh, US Samoa, Cambodia, Areas of Africa) – I also think other big industry has not kept pace and there are still horror stories of people falling asleep making cell phones and getting little to no pay for extremely poor work conditions.  So unfortunately, I think this is the impression that is given in the media – these are the things that make the headlines – not the goods news.

FD: Is there anything you’d like to add or would you like to bring up any points we may have missed?

Jane:  Just to stress that we have worked a long time with our factories and they rely on us – that’s how they make a living.  So although we may do some production locally, we will continue to support them.   It is impossible to do the sweaters we make in US or Canada.  The machinery just does not exist anymore.