'Bling' - a blessing for charities?

Jessica Mindich, a former lawyer and mother of two, came up with one of a kind company ‘Jewelry for a Cause’ back in 2008. The company’s ethos surrounds the idea that purchasing jewellery can be guilt free, and can come complete with the added bonus of completing an act of kindness. To do this, Jessica designs eye-catching pieces including necklaces, bracelets and earrings, all of which can be purchased on line, and she made a commitment to donate 20% of the proceeds from many of the lines to charities of the customers’ choice. 

She has also designed fairly inexpensive and wearable pieces as part of ‘charity kits’ which can be purchased by schools and other charities, and used to sell and raise money for their own needs and causes – great for when you’re just so sick of baking, and inevitably scoffing, cake... 

The unique company has, to date, raised over $300,000 for around 300 schools and charities. And just think – that’s the result of people going shopping, but shopping wisely and therefore making informed choices. 

All of the pieces and DIY kits can be found here: http://www.jewelryforacause.net/ all of which make great and thoughtful gifts, for someone special or just for you because you’re THE BOMB too. One of my favourites is the blue Buddha talisman, which symbolises compassion and healing, and 20% of the profits go to www.dosomething.org

But Jessica didn’t stop there. Oh no. Realising that there was still more she could do with her talent and eye for style, she launched sister company ‘Glam for Good’, which offers diamonds and other precious stones as a fundraising tool for not-for-profit organisations. Since the launch last year – ‘Glam for Good’s 100-carat sapphire necklace was auctioned off the neck of Chyler Leigh at the Thirst Project gala in Beverly Hills, generating enough money to build a well in Swaziland where the clean water crisis is at its peak.’

A number of pieces can be seen and ordered on her website @ http://www.glamforgood.com/index.html the earrings in particular are absolutely stunning, very vibrant and unique, and will definitely be going on the ‘in my dreams’ birthday list. Well, a girl can dream can’t she? 

‘With Glam for Good, Jessica found a way to make “bling” a blessing for charities all around the world.’

Both of these great companies see luxury being redefined for present times; and open our eyes to the fact that we can have our cake and eat it too (sorry for all the references to cake, I think I must be missing it slightly). As Jessica succinctly puts it, ‘Doing good needs to be more a part of the fabric of daily life.’

Smart cookie.

The Love, Peace and Harmony Project

The Love, Peace and Harmony Project is a design company that has its roots in promoting and spreading two things that make the world go round: love and happiness. 

They make fashionable, yet classic, hand printed (therefore making each piece unique) t-shirts, sweaters and hoodies for men, women & little ones; available @ http://www.thelovepeaceandharmonyproject.co.uk/

The company also work strongly with ethical suppliers, and in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint, the majority of their garments are made in a wind-powered factory in India, and once complete they are transported here to the UK by BOAT, not air – thus classifying the garments as ‘carbon neutral’.  In addition, all clothes (where possible) are made from 100% organic cotton, and in ‘Fair Wear Foundation’ factories where it is ensured that the workers are paid well and are treated fairly in good conditions.

 

‘We want to be as ethical as we can, because to be honest, we wouldn't want to do business any other way’.

In addition, priding themselves on being a responsible and kind business, 20% of all profits are donated to their chosen environmental and social charities. 

When I hear about small scale companies such as this, donating a huge chunk of their profits to worthwhile causes, it makes me extremely happy and furious simultaneously. It sends my mind into over-drive, thinking about all the gigantic fashion labels that are making mind blowing amounts of profits each year, and yet remain unattractively greedy in their quest to make yet more money. And I have no idea why... When all is said and done, money is just that – money. It might equal power, and be some people’s measure of success, but it has no real value. Being wealthy won’t make people think of you as kind or dignified or compassionate; and I know I would rather be those things and have no change in my pockets, than be someone who is only out for myself, and always looking for what others can do for me rather than what I can do for them. 

It makes you think, doesn’t it? Screw you, mainstream fashion and everything you represent. We can no longer be friends. It’s not me, it’s most definitely YOU.

Fashion kids @ NTU join forces with Oxfam and Upcycle

Today I spent my morning in the awesome treasure-trove shop that is Oxfam (you know - the quirky Goose Gate one in Nottingham). It’s nothing like your typical bog-standard charity shop, that generally lacks inspiration or imagination - oh no – it’s an absolute pleasure to wander around its shop floor, never knowing what you might stumble upon. The building is beautiful, and the interior decor is really vibrant and inviting and just plain FUN. Items are sorted into different sections, including high street and retro, with an eye candy rainbow rail of colour coded items near the entrance. Numerous vintage accessories including scarves and jewellery; in addition to scrap pieces of fabric and do-it-yourself projects are scattered around in various wooden trunks and chests, patiently waiting to be discovered. I just love it there. 

Anyway, back to why I was there (no, I wasn’t shopping and frittering away my student loan, again) – the first year Fashion Design kids at Nottingham Trent Uni (where I am currently a final year student) are embarking on an upcycling project with Oxfam. Working in teams, they were each handed a mysterious green Oxfam sack filled with a random lucky-dip of donated clothes, which do not meet the required shop-floor standards. Their mission, should they choose to accept it or not, is to rip, shred, tear, dye, print, deconstruct, and upcycle these old items into brand spanking new, on- trend show stopping garments, which will then be sold in the Oxfam shop. So clothes that would normally have gone to waste are being given a new lease of life, a step in the right direction to save our planet is being taken, the fashion kids get to have a lot of fun with an interesting project, and Oxfam will get extra money to save lives. It’s a win win win win. 

I must say it was very interesting watching the students’ faces as they delved into their green bags, hoping for some fine diamonds, while mostly finding cheap cloudy fakes. But that is the whole point of the project – it’s not supposed to be easy, and will most definitely challenge these young designers and their skills, but will also be extremely rewarding upon seeing their final garments being strutted down the catwalk. Oh, their faces were a picture...

the store-room

The students began to reveal the contents of the ominous green sacks. Some were pleased...

Others, not so much.

various old trims and bits & bobs that the students could help themselves to

The lovely fashion accessories lecturer Lee in the background here

The funniest trousers I've seen in a long while... He seemed impressively enthusiastic though...

Emma (a lovely lecturer @ NTU) with Thomas the Oxfam manager

I was fortunate enough to speak to the manager of the shop – Thomas – who was telling me that Oxfam are currently struggling to get enough re-sellable donations through the door, which I feel could be due to the explosion of eBay which makes it very convenient to sell your unwanted clothes and pocket some good money in the process.  In addition, Thomas believes that fabric recycling companies, which pay for un-wanted clothes by the weight, are also affecting Oxfam. So Guys & Dolls: PLEASE DONATE SOME OF YOUR UNWANTED CLOTHES TO CHARITY! No, you won’t receive any dollars in exchange, but what you will get is a whole lotta good karma; and that’s a promise.

I’ll keep you updated on this project, and will show you the final upcycled pieces once they’re complete!

You can also check out the online Oxfam shop @ http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/ or pop in to your local high street branch!

I'm The Girl With The White Balloon

 Welcome to my blog :o)

I'm Shani, and I'm The Girl with The White Balloon
I study Fashion Design at Nottingham Trent, and am also on the RaG (Raising and Giving) Committee.
Both of these things are close to my heart...
And thus 'The White Balloon' was given life.

The White Balloon aims to raise awareness of how the fashion industry can have a huge positive impact on charity. A lot of campaigns, past & present, have raised huge amounts of money for great causes, but I feel that so much more can be done. After all, fashion is the second biggest industry in the world (second only to food & drink) and is therefore extremely powerful and influential.
In this blog I shall be posting anything and everything that is going on in the fashion world that is related to charity and raising money, and helping people in less fortunate positions than myself. I hope to encourage you all to get involved too, because, well... it's extremely rewarding knowing that you've made a difference to someone's life; and also - it's SO MUCH FUN!
The White Balloon campaign is part of my final fashion degree project, but also something I believe has longevity and the strength to continue long after graduation. The garments that I will be making as part of 'The White Balloon' brand will be sold with a percentage of the profits going directly to charity; something which I will continue to do with each new collection that I design. I think that one of the main problems in our world today is that people are greedy. And that's just not how I choose to live my life. I believe that what you give, you will get back, in the most unexpected ways!

The charities that I shall be supporting this year (as part of the Trent RaG committee) are:
When You Wish Upon A Star, Nottingham Hospitals, and World Child Cancer.
I will be putting on an event this year which will launch 'The White Balloon' and all the proceeds from this (along with any welcome donations!) and my collection will be donated to these three amazing charities.

I look forward to a world where fashion isn't viewed as unnecessary, a waste of time, or a fake dream land that some of us choose to live in due to the fact that we lack sufficient brain cells to do anything 'worthwhile' with our lives. If you have clothes on your back, then you are a part of it, so don't judge. Fashion makes you feel good, and it allows you to express yourself without the need of words. It's creative, and fulfilling, and it can also be used to raise A LOT of money for a lot of people. This is why I choose fashion.

I want to change the world someday.
And I believe someday is today.

What is your dream?

'Cos this is mine.

I hope you all enjoy reading...