Offsetter Sarah: in Australia ...

Our Offsetter Sarah spent two months in Australia researching into everything green! She kept us updated with snippets of her exciting stories and findings while she was there.

The Forefront of Ethical Design: Australia

Desperate to get a grip on Australia’s bubbling Green Scene, I took a trip to the other side of the world. Taking in some of Australia’s finest cities,Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, devouring hip craft mags, and seeking my next interview catch. 

Hot, beautiful blue sky, exotic birds and trees and super friendly people, you couldn’t ask for better surroundings. It was in one of Melbourne’s gritty hip, graffiti stained alley cafés that I meet up with Designer and Personal Consultant, Kim Kneipp. It is here that I have the chance to find out about Kim’s company, Frockerphilliac, the craft movement sweeping across Australia, and surprisingly, the non-recession.

Skirt transformed by Kim into gorgeous neck scarf!

Transforming womens lives one loom at a time ...

Offset Warehouse has joined forces with an exciting new ethical company that supports a women weavers co-operative from Northern India, and we're so pleased to announce that their products will be available in both our Fabric and Haberdashery Shop and our Boutique.

Spinning and weaving lambs wool at the production centre.

MA Design For Textile Futures: Clementine

Last week Offset Warehouse visited the Central St Martin's graduate show, where we discovered (and snapped up) the talented textile designer, Clementine. She'll be featured on our Ethical Database as a freelance textile and print designer from September.

© Clementine (2010)

She talked to us a bit about the gorgeous woven textiles she had on display. The project was called "See Your Space", which is exactly what the textiles did: they were literally a snap shot of an interior space, creating a trompe l'oeil illusion of depth - a room within a room if you like. 

Offsetter Charlie : Day 5 in New Zealand & Meeting Zandra Rhodes.

Our Offsetter Charlie spent two months in New Zealand researching into ethical fibres and materials. She kept us updated with snippets of her exciting stories and findings while she was there.

Day 5: Meeting Zandra.

Zandra Rhodes

As part of New Zealand fashion week, the town where I'm staying is hosting a few events featuring influential designers. This morning I popped along to the see Zandra Rhodes giving a talk in the local Museum. From the buzz of the town, it soon became clear that it certainly isn't every day a fashion legend and style queen comes into town! And I'm pretty sure, she's the only person in New Zealand with bright pink hair, electric blue eye shadow and boldly coloured outfits... so at least she's easy to spot.

Introducing Our Parisa: Illustrator to the stars ...

We're very excited to introduce you to Parisa, a talented London-based illustrator, photographer and stylist. With some of today's top models hot on her tails, we were so pleased when she approached us to be on our Ethical Database.

© Parisa's Illustration for Antler

Drawn to the glossy, perfected pages of Vogue and inspired by her beautiful and stylish mum, Parisa began creating fashion illustrations from a young age. Over time, as her knowledge of the industry grew, her aesthetics sophisticated: "Now I am drawn to addressing my illustration work with a different fashion take as I see beyond the aesthetics and look at the issues around the world that fashion draws inspiration from."

Coming soon: Naturally dyed, chemical-free, hand-spun, hand-woven fabrics ..

Offset Warehouse are pleased to announce our range of "Khadi" hand-woven fabrics, coloured with natural dyes.

Hand spun, hand woven, felt and wool blend fabric. Naturally dyed and chemically free.

Introducing Our Lottie: Encouraging sustainability through her graphic design...

Lottie features on our Ethical Database as a freelance graphic designer.

"As a graphic designer, I am interested in developing ways of communicating messages that encourage people to adopt more environmentally sustainable behaviour."

Lottie's interest in sustainability and enthusiasm, has led her to develop several really exciting, ethical projects. One of these "The Lost Skills Depository", was a project that explored an easy way to encourage everyday sustainability - by mending our clothes!

© Lottie's The Lost Skills Depository, instructions on mending clothes.