Wrap up warm, eco-style this winter
If you were hoping that a total wet lettuce of a summer would mean a dryer winter, the time has come to admit you were wrong. Probably. Who knows what meteorological madness lurks around the corner now the climate is in such a bad way?
All we do know is that the cold, wet weather is not showing any signs of moving on, and waterproof, warming wardrobe is a necessity. Here's a roundup of some of the best green and ethical gear I've seen this autumn to help you stay dry.
Brolly
The recycled umbrella uses the power of sweet-wrappers to keep the rain away. Those sweet wrappers would otherwise end up in landfill, where they would remain for centuries. It's made by the Monsoon Group and costs $65. If pink isn't your thing, the website says it comes in seven different colours. If you like the idea but not the price, there's a mini folding version here (in understated black) that's 100% recycled for £16.
Follow the jump for the best eco coats, scarves and socks...
Coat
There are so many gorgeous ethically made coats on offer this winter, it's hard to know where to start. Seeing as the main issue with garments in this category is cost, I'll start with the merely expensive and finish with the extortionate - but remember, you're paying for someone else's right to a decent wage for quality handiwork (and if you've been shopping in Primark lately, you may have forgotten that a decent coat lasts a long, long time...)
For her, People Tree have a fabulously theatrical frock-coat out at the moment at £95.
The Organic Coat company is a new-for-2007 outerwear range that gets the style spot on and isn't far off high street prices, with 100% organic coats from £120. The collection hits all the right notes for the AW07 trend of layering up woollens and chunky knits.
Each Izzy Lane coat is a true epic luxury wool, and also in cost, starting at £330. Perfect for the chic animal-lover, they're fashioned from the fleeces of rescued sheep (500 of which were saved from the slaughter in 2005 alone) giving every coat a unique history. The coats look exceptionally warm as well as being very stylishly cut and on trend. No coats for men here, but there are some very stylish, ethically-produced cashmere jumpers that would make wonderful presents.
For him: I just love the Roadie Ripstop Cargo Jacket from Howies. Covered with large, practical pockets, it's stylish yet durable and made from 100% organic cotton. Available at Adili, £115.
Woolens
The People Tree 'Cloud' scarf (£36) is extremely cute, at least partly because its soft wool comes from the adorable alpaca! Fairly-traded like all of People Tree's clothes, the scarf comes in black, grey and white, which should cover all bases. Hand-knitted in Peru and features traditional handpainted ceramic beads around tassled corners.
For green guys, Seasalt's Handy Zigzag scarf, available at the Natural Store, looks super smart and is a steal at just £16. Howies also has some great accessories for men this winter, including the intriguingly named '6am Scarf' (£25) with matching beanie hat, available at Adili. The more traditional man (Dad?) will love the Rupert-tastic brown check alpaca scarf from Traidcraft; £20 at Ethical Superstore.
Socks
Finally, no roundup of winter warmers would be complete without a mention of Sock Dreams, the best site in the world for all things sock-shaped. I've just discovered their range of organic socks, which is just peachy. Don a pair of these, and you may never need your central heating again!
