Suppliers at Plum Ethical
E&KO
E&KO are great at design, and bag-making, as is pretty obvious when you see their bags. Moreover their bags are deeply focussed on re-use and re-cycling - they're always looking for new materials to be re-used in cool ways. They make labels from traffic control tickets; they use old coffee sacks and shiny, metal lined tea sacks; and of course they re-use fire hoses. Finally, they are good people, and really cool too - this text is in each of the bag descriptions, but here it is again:
"E&KO: One issue you may have with us is that on our current line of bags we have a 1cm x 2cm square of reclaimed leather - which was set to be landfilled by a local furniture maker - on which we have put our brand. This was the most environmental choice for us at the time because printing on fire hose requires a very seriously toxic ink and you can't emboss it or embroider it. Our next line will be branded like cattle are as we have now discovered a cattle brand that works but if leather is 100% out then we will be too. E&KO are primarily concerned with waste - except for the zippers and thread, our products are made with 100% reclaimed materials as are our linings, branding and packaging.
Plum Ethical: Bother. For something so little, and with such good intentions, I want to say "it's fine", but I know there will be customers who don't think it's fine, and we really want to be inclusive and safe for those people. However you go on to say...
E&KO: We could probably remove the brand on the tote and saddlebag? But this would not work on the washbag.
Plum Ethical: Since we're ordering just the tote and saddlebag this could work! I would really, REALLY appreciate it because I realise taking off your branding is no small thing. Maybe you could print and attach some branded tags for these bags (I mean something like those air traffic cards, attached by that string that you mention on your website)? "
and that's exactly what we've done. Construction and transport is from within the UK.
Neumatica
Neumatica are based in Argentina where they make all their bags.
When rubber inner-tubes from tyres of any kind are discarded they take more than 500 years to decompose - and if burned they are highly contaminating. Around 100,000 tons of this material is disposed every year, in Argentina alone. Recycling is a compromise with the planet, and fashion has to do its part, making recycling fun (yes, that's allowed).
Two years ago, Neumatica decided to save inner tubes and make them roll again, turning them into daily design objects, such as bags.
All new rubber inner-tubes are plain and have no texture when new, but after being used, the heat of the rolling tyres transfers the design to them, so you will find multiple, unique textures in Neumatica products. Each finished piece has the story of many miles driven.
The designs are gorgeous, with an urban feel; so much better than some other tyre-reuse companies out there. We think the quality is absolutely second-to-none. Obviously, the bags are vegan and they are also fair-trade (with the supply chain being very short to maximise the benefits to everyone). As with most fair-trade products, transport is an issue, but we make shipments as big and infrequent as possible.
PlanetSilverChilli
People love the design of these bags. The ideas are really simple, but they're so effective, and the get people talking, which is great for expanding the ethical cause. And they are extremely inexpensive, which makes them accessible to anyone.
PlanetSilverchilli work with fair trade producers in Mexico to bring us funky, chic bags and fashion accessories made from recycled crisp packets and can ring pulls! Unique, colourful and above all, fairy traded and environmentally friendly!
PlanetSilverchilli are registered with the British associate of fair-trade shops. The bags are shipped en masse from Mexico, then transport is from within the UK.
The Rubber Cow Co.
The Rubber Cow Co. make non-leather bags, and point out the wastefulness of breeding and feeding millions of animals just to kill them for their hides - especially when we can't even feed ourselves. What other species would do that? This is something that's happening more and more, despite the availability of hides as a by-product of the food industry.
Although bags are made of plastic, they are as wasteful like ordinary plastic bags because they are bags that will be used again and again, many, many times over. The Rubber Cow Co. decided that this was better than killing animals. It also means that their bags are cheap, and light, making them available to anyone who wants to embrace animal-free bags. Transport is from within the UK.
dA-LaTA
dA-LaTA' started in April '09 with a vision to offer a wide selection of unique ecologically recycled products for fashion and interiors.
Their products are handmade in Brazil with social responsibility, recycled and sustainable materials. All their designs are unique.
A lady called Pretinha coordinates a group of very disadvantaged women from cooperatives in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. She teaches these communities the traditional crochet techniques used in the products and they make these unique ecological handicrafts. They now proudly make a living through this work of art supporting their families and a day care centre for disadvantage kids in Rio de Janeiro.
'dA-LaTA' supports a culture that respects each individual in our team, encouraging him or her to apply his or her own values, strengths and creativity to what we do.
Hundreds of individuals from disadvantaged communities from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo make a living by being 'Catadores' or pickers. They collect thousands of beer and fizzy drinks cans around the beautiful beaches of Rio and São Paulo's coast every day thus preventing many millions of soda cans, juice packs and candy wrappers from being burnt, buried or simply littering the streets and waterways. Over 80% of all aluminium cans in Brazil are now recycled. This amazing handicraft is bringing much needed employment and economic independence to these communities in the heart of Rio de Janeiro.
Each ring-pull is selected, they cannot be stained, dirty or broken, and they are flattened with pliers to make it safe and comfortable to wear. They are linked to each other with traditional crochet techniques or metal links. The original ring-pulls are shiny; other special colours are painted speacially. Overall, each item takes between 2 to 5 days to be assembled.
"I am so so excited about the website and what you're doing" (Jess, Bristol)
"Fantastic, and well-timed too" (Alison, Oxfordshire)
