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Everybody's heard of Fairtrade coffee and chocolate, but what about furniture? Although there's no official Fairtrade standard for furniture yet, some makers have been doing their best to create items that can be bought with a clear conscience. The Fair Trade Furniture Company has recently launched some great products, using guidelines from the International Federation for Alternative Trade to ensure that everyone involved in manufacturing gets a fair deal.
Its Semarang chair (above) is made of mindi wood, with side panels woven in seagrass and cushions stuffed with feathers. You can choose from three fabrics for the upholstery; a hand-woven Indonesian cotton, or one of two sourced from the UK, which means reduced emissions from transport. The chairs cost £650, and you can also choose a matching footstool or table for £150 each. The range is all made with equally interesting materials -- the Tsantai, for example, is made of woven banana fibre layered over a wooden frame, and again costs £650.
You can order these items online, or request a brochure and order over the phone, but the company is also working on getting its products into retail shops and other locations where customers can try them out before buying. You can currently take them out for a test-relax at Caffe Gusto and Bocabar in Bristol, the FiFieFoFum Gallery in Northumberland and the company's own showroom in Salisbury.
Photo: Fair Trade Furniture Company
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Got a green product that you love or hate? Share the word by writing a review and telling the world.
