Cebra Fair Trade Blog

Twittering...

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:47:45 PDT

Have you heard of Twitter? It’s a fantastic tool that let’s you follow other people on the web (if you subscribe to them). Join me now on www.twitter.com/cebraonline
and see what news, tips and ideas I am posting on a daily basis.

If you add a quirky little tool called “Twhirl” to your browser then you can send messages and images directly from your desktop to anybody who follows you. You can of course also receive real time messages and image. And you can install this on your mobile phone…

It’s fun and you have nothing to loose - if you don’t want to follow me any longer then just click on the unsubscribe button and I am gone….

Baby - It's You...

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:52:09 PDT

You want your baby to have only the gentlest of skin care products? You want to put a smile on your baby's face?
You want to be sure that you don't use anything harsh, laden with chemicals and unpleasant smells?
Look no further! I found THE ultimate baby care products for you and your little one.

Made by Avalon, these baby skin care products are certified organic, smell gorgeous and are bio degradable. The baby wipes for example come in a handy dispenser box that is refillable. We stock the refills as well....

Now you don't have to feel guilty any more. Wipe your baby's bottom - and just throw the wipes into your bin or onto your compost (if you dare).

We have a fantastic range of Baby Sleep Lotion, Toddler Sleep Lotion, Baby Tummy Balm, Baby Wipes and Baby Sun Lotion SPF 22 available now. Plus our renowned, absolutely fabulous whipped shea butter which you can use as a nappy cream - totally natural, organic, fair trade. Just unrefined shea butter, whipped to a soft, easily applicable cream. That's it. What more do you need?

New postal charges

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Sun, 04 May 2008 10:02:18 PDT

We have decided to update our postal charges to reflect the type of order we are getting. Many of our customers order from overseas and the charges are now cheaper if you want only 1 or 2 items.

The new delivery charges are now based on weight rather than just offering a general fixed charge. We feel this is fairer to all customers who order light weight items (such as our extremely popular wooden toothbrushes for example).

We still offer free UK delivery (2nd class Royal Mail) on all orders and special delivery via Royal Mail or courier (for heavier items) is also available.

Trend spotting: fair trade rhassoul clay and herbal tonics

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 15:27:31 PDT

Exciting news are that I have found some excellent new suppliers of organic and fair trade skin care products that are made with shea butter, cocoa butter and jojoba oils and that are extremely suitable for sensitive and problem skin. Negotiations and product trials are still in progress but I am so excited about this I thought I’d let you know. These products are made by women for women - and men and children. From the fair trade shea butter to the hand made production with lots of attention to detail and the utmost care taken when making the creams, lotions and potions, the new skin care range will be quite exquisite and unique.

Also we shall be stocking fair trade rhassoul clay as of Wednesday 23rd April. Rhassoul clay is just fantastic: it is an extremely versatile cleanser for face, body and hair and has been used in Morocco for centuries. It may help eczema and psoriasis sufferers as well as support acne prone skin in its healing process if used accordingly. I am glad I found a supplier that supports a local Moroccan women’s co-operative where the clay is mined under fair trade conditions and sustainability is guaranteed.

Soon we shall stock Fushi tonics. These herbal elixirs come in a range of concoctions that for example support the immune system, lessen PM symptoms, are a great help during menopause and are great detoxifiers and stress relievers as well as energisers. Fushi sources the herbs for these holistic remedies in the countries of their origin and in accordance with Fair Trade Standards. Go to www.cebraonline.com from Wednesday 23rd April 2008 to order the rhassoul clay. You can order a trial size (80 grams) or the full size (500 grams).

The Secret of African Black Soap

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:13:49 PDT

Firstly - there is no secret. Authentic African black soap is made in different African countries according to local recipes. Whatever the ingredients are, they should be pure, if possible organic and the soap itself should be hand made in small batches preferably by small local women's co-operatives. Some black soaps contain essential oils or lemon juice (popular in Ghana) others are unscented.

Personally I prefer the black soap from Togo as it contains high levels of unrefined shea butter and unrefined palm kernel oil. Both are fair trade and sustainably harvested meaning no rainforests were chopped down (unlike palm oil that comes from Malaysia for example).

You can melt down the individual bar together with unrefined shea butter and add your preferred essential oil. Or just add distilled water plus your favourite essential oil to your soap flakes to make liquid black soap that can be stored in a pump dispenser. If you don't want to do this then just buy a bottle of ready-made liquid black soap and add your essential oils to this.

African black soap is extremely versatile. It can be used to wash your hands of course. It's great as a shampoo or add some liquid soap to your hot bath. For me the benefits are multi fold: it helps my skin stay spot free, doesn't dry my skin out, the bar is ideal when travelling (none of this plastic bag business at the airport that is now in place for liquids) and it is really multi functional as it is an all round beauty product.

I like the fact that our African black soap is made with organic principles in mind: no chemicals, parabens, steroids, animal by products are added and of course it is not tested on animals either. It is suitable for vegans and I have countless emails from people telling me about how the soap helped better their skin's condition.

More fantastic shea butter soaps, creams and lotions as well as shampoo and conditioner made with shea butter can be found here.

You just call out my name...

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:26:19 PDT

News, tips, ideas and opinions about trends and events in the world of fair trade and eco friendliness bundled with snippets about emerging markets, business happenings, pointers to interesting news articles, advice on marketing and promoting your products and much more. Be part of a growing group of aware business people who care.

read more | digg story

How to make your own shea butter cream

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:47:50 PDT

An easy home made recipe for novices, using fair trade unrefined organic shea butter, olive oil and essential oils. Whipped shea butter cream - the ultimate in heavenly skin care. Recipe available at www.cebraonline.com/tips-trends-16-w.asp

read more | digg story

Chic fair trade & eco accessories that make a difference

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 05:09:42 PDT

Cebra is a fair trade and eco accessories internet shop with a difference. The aim is to bring together artisans from Africa, South America, Asia and India and conscientious consumers who are looking for unique products that make a difference to their lives and that of the producers. Cebra also strives to preserve ancient craftmanship.

read more | digg story

New Look Cebra Fair Trade Website

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:54:40 PDT

My web designer Jamie Lovell and I have worked very hard over the last few weeks to bring you our new look Cebra fair trade website. And here it is - fresh, contemporary, informative and easy to navigate.

My aim is to bring you stylish, modern, well made eco chic. Accessories that you can be proud of and that stay in fashion for some time. And when you tire of your purchase you can either pass it on to someone who appreciates eco chic or compost most items (or dismantle them and make them into new accessories - the jewellery for example!).

All our fair trade and eco accessories have been made by small co-ops and individual artisans from either Africa, Asia, South America or Europe. Buy purchasing fair trade accessories you can really make a difference to their lives. I believe that fair trade not only supports the people but also the environment they live in (and therefore ultimately our environment - our planet is here to enjoy for everyone, not just a chosen few). Fair trade enables people to get a better education and send their children to school. It empowers people and gives them a meaning in life. Fair trade to me also means products that have been made using traditional skills and craftsmanship as well as sustainable and/or recycled base materials.

It is important to support ancient skills as hand made items have an aura of luxury and instill a sense of pride and self worth not only in the maker but also in the buyer of these accessories. And they don't have to break your bank balance. However, most hand made fair trade items don't come cheap if you want a fresh, modern, contemporary design as a lot of input goes into research and producing pilot products before the end result is released.

I think it is worth buying fair trade eco chic - you want accessories that last and that are not polluting our planet. At the same time you want stylish and contemporary items that you can be proud of.

Buying fair trade and eco accessories makes sense. Buy them with a clear conscience at Cebra.

Cebra's new website was mentioned on springfair.com marketplace

Packaging - my pet subject!

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 04:22:56 PDT

I am a bit of a plastic bag nutter, meaning I hate the things. I can't understand why anybody would want to stuff their shopping into these. They pull your arms out, lengthening them in the process, the handles dig into your fingers and they have a tendency to split when you don't need it. And they are such a killer of wildlife and a general drain on our oil resources.......
Why can't the supermarkets at least give away biodegradable and compostable plastic bags? I did some research and they are not that much more expensive than the oil based ones. They are sturdy and carry your goods home. They take around 6 weeks to fall apart when you put them into your compost or in a landfill site.

Is it laziness, ignorance, stupidity....? Personally I use a trolley and a rather chic one at that. I don't think I look silly and even if I did, I don't care as my posture and health are more important to me than looks. Plus they are environmentally friendlier than plastic bags...

Anyway, I am now looking for compostable bubble wrap and biodegradable jars. Do you think I can find any? Nope! Scrolled through page after page on the web, read loads about what could be done and how easy it is to produce the things (especially the jars) but I can't find a supplier that sell small quantities. And there is not one producer here in the UK, they're based in USA.

What's wrong with the British? Why don't we care about our environment and our future? Is it because we live on a small island? Can't we get the bigger picture? Are we so self absorbed that we just don't care?

There will be a time when our landfill sites are full and we HAVE to think about alternatives. Better start now as in 2 years it will be too late....

Anyway, enough ranting and raving. Does anybody know where I can buy my jars? 1/2 oz or 1 oz. size...

Cebra scoops Marie Claire best fair trade product award

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 11:42:42 PST

In celebration of Fairtrade Fortnight, Marie Claire has voted our Alaffia shea butter hand & body balm the best fair trade product.

You can read their verdict by clicking here.

Naturally I am thrilled as I kept telling everybody over the last few months how brilliant shea butter is and how it can really give you a great skin if you keep using it.

In fact, I just had a phone call from a lady telling me how grateful she was for having found our website and the best thing she did was order our handmade African black soap and the rooibos & shea butter antioxidant cream - she will come back and order for her friends and relatives as well as she wants all of them to experience the healing qualities of our skin care products.

We shall soon be introducing unrefined shea butter as a refill for your glass jars. The shea butter can then be ordered as 100 g or 500 g unit. You may either refill your exisitng Alaffia jars or store the shea butter in one of our herb baskets (very decorative in the bathroom) or any clean jam jar (for example).

I am also trying to get my hands on shea butter oil. This is great for cooking but also a fantastic carrier oil for essential oils which can be mixed together and used as an aroma roll-on, bathing essence, massage oil or to use all over the body as a moisturiser.

Other new items on our website:

Handbags and stylish rucksacks (with and without leather straps) from Costa Rica.

The fabric for these is hand loomed by Borucan Indians. They are a small tribe living in the rainforest of Costa Rica and fabric weaving is a thousand year old tradition and skill that has been passed down the generations. It needs to be preserved as it is one of the few sources of outside income for these people who are now threatened by civilisation and tree logging. All the yarns for this fabric are dyed with natural colours. Read more about the Borucan Indians and our handbags on our website.

Glass beaded tea light holders from South Africa.

These are made by hand from tiny glass beads by a small group of Xhosa women. The lady who runs the group has received award by the United Nations in 2005 and she goes to extreme lengths to ensure that the Xhosa people have a regular income by creating new designs and coming up with fresh ideas every 6 months or so. I am quite fond of their products and I shall be stocking more items in the near future. The tea light holders come in two colour schemes and as a pack of three each colour. Also available are tea light holders made from porcupine quills that were collected in the bush.

Decorative Kilim floor cushion covers.

A kilim is a flat woven textile, traditionally hand woven by tribal women in Central Asia since the eleventh century A.D. The techniques and designs of the kilim weaving tradition are believed to be a legacy of Turkoman tribes of Iran, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan. These cushions are available in four colour schemes with the main colours being: grey, indigo, red and brown. Size: 69 x 69 cm and they come in set of two cushion covers.

More unusual cushion covers will be added to the site in a couple of weeks. Watch out for our pure silk tusser cushion covers with a stunning kalamkari border. Hand made and printed in India. I love them!

As always - more stunning and new fair trade and eco accessories can be found on my website under "What's New". I am sure that here you will find a nice Easter present for someone special - or for yourself.

Take care for now. And thank you for supporting fair trade and our artisans.

News from Judy

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:22:12 PST

Those of you who have been reading here first about my border collie Judy, will be interested to know that I have researched a new supplement and tested it on her. It is called Nexrutine and it is a completely natural Cox 2 inhibitor. What does that mean - Cox 2? Apparently that is what causes arthritis and rheumatism and an inhibitor reduces inflammation and pain. To be honest, Judy is also on Metacam, the most popular chemical Cox 2 inhibitor but - I use Metacam in the evening at half the recommended dose and 1 capsule of Nexrutine in the morning. It seems to work a treat. She doesn't limp anymore and is quite happily accompanying me on two walks a day. And if she wants to - she can run! Especially when she sees her doggy friends and cats or squirrels.

Judy is still on her daily dose of glucosamine with chondroitin and I use the human form in tablet form (1 per day). Please, please, please - if you are using glucosamine make sure it is not sourced from shark cartilage. Around 78 million sharks are killed every year just for their fins - most fins are exported to China from the EU (can you believe it??) and the EU fishing industry in my opinion will be responsible for the demise of sharks very soon if something isn't done about this. Apparently the Spanish are extremely aggressive in their fishing methods, going well outside their fishing territories and using appalling methods like long lines with hooks on them to catch sharks (up to 200 sharks have been found dead on some of these lines). No surprise there, I hear you say - they rip of people who want to buy property in Spain so why should they care about sharks? I agree, but I must say that during my time spent in Spain I only met extremely nice and caring Spaniards, people who are interested in protecting their wildlife, their National Parks and who want to abolish hunting.

I am going to take my other dog, Bess, off her prescribed steroids as I feel they are doing her a lot of harm at the moment. I have researched other natural products that can help with eczema and I came across neem - it can be taken as capsules internally or applied externally in the form of neem oil. apparently it boosts the immune system which is a major factor in treating eczema. Bess is also on two capsules of evening primrose oil and two tablets of garlic with fenugreek. A few people have commented on her feet which are far less inflamed theses days. They used to be rather red as she kept gnawing them and ripping off hairs.

All my dogs are on a diet of cooked chicken and white rice with boiled vegetables, garlic and herbs plus a smidgens of dried dog food (I prefer Burns) and their coats look fantastic. I started this diet after friends of mine brought back their pooch from the brink of death by feeding her chicken etc.
It is not as laborious as you may think. Just buy a good free range chicken (no battery chickens for me) and boil it in a large pot together with the veggies and herbs for approx. 1 hour and 15 minutes, let it cool down and remove the meat from the bones. Then steam a large pot of white rice (I use Basmati) and once that has cooled down you are ready to go. A little will go a long way - I feed my dogs twice a day smaller portions and 2 chickens last me 10 days. I put the meat in a container as well as the rice and it keeps well in the fridge. If I have to travel then the dogs have to make do with the dried dog food.......

Finally one of the perks of speaking German is that I can watch German television. I had a satellite installed 9 months ago and am now watching science and nature programs as I find them far more informative and not so insular (sorry Britain!) unlike the television here. And hey presto - today I watched a program about an orthopaedic technician who makes bandages for dogs with arthritis. They filmed a three year old labrador that developed arthritis and started to go lame to the point where it used only three legs to get around. The technician measured the dog's leg and handmade a bandage which the dog had to get used to, but after only 4 days it was able to jump over low hurdles and now it seems to have forgotten about the bandage completely and is running around freely and without any signs of lameness. There are apparently only 5 orthopaedic technicians in Germany that specialize in animals. I don't know of any in the UK but it means that if Judy one day is unable to use her hind leg there is an alternative to the usual (having to put her to sleep).

Well, apart from animals I care about people as you know. Which is the whole purpose of running an internet catalogue offering fairtrade, organic and eco friendly products. I believe that if one gives people a purpose in life and an alternative to poaching then wildlife and nature can be saved. Most indigenous people that I have come across treat their environment with respect. It only gets out of hand if they have no other choice because they have no food, no clean water, no clothes and no hope whatsoever, that they start plundering their natural resources. And most people in developing countries want only one thing - give their children a good education so that they can prosper and help their countries. And education doesn't just mean learning English, maths, physics etc. It involves teaching about the symbiosis in nature and the relationship between humans and nature - that we have to look after fauna and flora in order to be able to survive. It also means teaching about ancient traditions, respect and good manners - something that sadly a lot of people in the so-called developed countries don't put any emphasis on anymore.

Next time I'll tell you about my forays into the world of chocolate......Can't wait and in the meantime I'll keep on testing various chocolate bars for you ;-

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 08:34:36 PST

I am not a member of BAFTS or the British Fair Trade Organisation, simply because BAFTS wants me to sell only products from IFAT certified and FLO certified "suppliers" (i.e. producers AND middlemen) and I don't sell coffees and teas or bananas and chocolate.

Whilst I agree that certification is a super idea I object to the notion that I MUST sell only from such suppliers or at least 75% of my products must come from such producers and suppliers. Firstly it is expensive for small producers to get the IFAT and FLO certification (they have to pay a yearly fee based on their turnover, just as I would as a member) and secondly most IFAT and FLO certified producers and suppliers in my experience either don't supply small retailers such as myself or they don't supply what I want to sell!

Now, I could go and form a company in Kenya, Nepal, India, Brazil and then apply for the certification. But - I don't have the money to do this and I don't want to limit myself to just one product. I want to give a retail outlet to as many small producers, artisans and co-operatives as possible. Which is why I decided not to apply to any of the aforementioned bodies for a certificate. Until they change their policies that is - and I believe BAFTS is in the process of reviewing their application process. Hopefully so that people and small businesses such as myself have the chance to become members and support the fair trade movement with their enthusiasm and expertise as well as their knowledge and strong belief that what we do is the right thing. We should not be restricted and bogged down by administration and rules that sometimes don't make any sense and sometimes are simply downright silly (plus that cost money that goes into the administration of said regulatory bodies i.e. the salaries of chairmen and women rather than the actual cause i.e. helping small producers).

In the meantime I am an enthusiastic supporter of Transfair and the American Fair Trade Federation (which laughably is boycotted by BAFTS for reasons that nobody explained to me). Both are far more transparent and open minded than their European counterparts, alas as to whether the hostility between the European and US bodies is reciprocal remains to be seen...... I just hope they find a way to work together rather than against each other as this would make them the strongest network for fair trade that there can be.

In the meantime I am posting a video, financed by TransFair and produced by Mobius. It is the best video clip on fair trade and what it means, but also shows how each of us consumers can help change trade for the better if we all stick together and vote with our money. Enjoy. (c) of the video is eq.tv

25% discount on Special Fair Trade Accessories

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 02:03:19 PST

We are offering a discount of 25% on some of our fair trade and eco accessories over short period of time. The offer ends on 31st January 2008 - please feel free and browse our Special Fair Trade Catalogue section.

On top of this fantastic offer I am also giving you a free pair of exclusive Kente bangles PLUS a free sample from our vegan organic skin or hair care range if you order anything from the above catalogue.

10% of all sales from this campaign go to three of my favourite charities. I have chosen these because they don't waste money on Aid projects but give useful tools to the people who need them in order to help them establish a small business. Or - as in the case of PAWS - they accommodate old circus animals that would otherwise be destroyed. Or they look after orphaned wild cats with the aim to reintroduce them into the wild.

Go on, have a look and see if there isn't anything for yourself or someone close to you. Remember - every little helps!

Eco friendly and fair trade - sisal handbags from Kenya

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:21:41 PDT

You may be aware that Kenya is suffering quite badly from the effects of

global warming. In various parts of the country crops are failing because

it either hasn't rained for years or because there were devastating floods

that occurred unexpectedly and destroyed entire villages making people

homeless and leaving them without much hope for their future.

We have just taken delivery of a small number of sisal purses and handbags and

I would like to introduce them to you herewith:

Rosemary - a hand woven small handbag / purse

featuring leather details such as adjustable shoulder

straps. The bag is lined and has a sturdy zip closure.

Price: £20 incl. free UK delivery

Comes in many natural colours.

Buy it now - click on the image or here for more details

Beaded handle purse. This is our best seller at fairs and exhibitions. A great little handbag featuring handles beaded

from tiny glass pearls and in the Masai style. The bags come

in a variety of colours and have a sturdy zip closure.

Price: £16 incl. free UK delivery.

Buy it now - more details: click on the picture or here

Hand woven small handbag / purse with real leather straps.

The straps are adjustable and the purse features a sturdy zip closure. Comes in a variety of colours. Simple yet effective

little handbag.

Price: £11 incl. free UK delivery.

Buy it now - click on the picture or here for more details

And finally - Lulu. Our best selling larger shoulder handbag,

made from natural hand woven sisal and featuring real leather,

a comfortable shoulder strap, inner silk lining and an inner

zip pocket for all your precious belongings. The shoulder bag

itself has a very secure and sturdy zip closure. Comes in a

beige/ grey colour only.

Price: £40 incl. free UK delivery.

Buy it now - click on the picture or here for more details

All our sisal handbags come in limited edition and no two handbags are exactly the same

(colour variations are to be expected).

How to become an Eco Celebrity

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:20:33 PDT

By Lona who strutted down the catwalks in New York.....

Once upon a time there was a discarded lorry canvas that was saved from an

overflowing landfill site by a clever Brazilian designer who saw the potential

of this robust material.

The designer took it home, washed it, dried it and carefully cut undamaged sections

from the canvas. Soon a beautifully styled handbag emerged, complemented by

carefully selected leather straps, secret pockets with delicate lining and

sporting a secure zip.

And so the Lona lorry canvas handbag was born.......

100% eco friendly, sustainable, handmade, fair trade -

for a clear conscience, showing your commitment to recycling.

A signature fashion item for autumn/winter 07.

Then there was the drinking can that became a desirable fashion bag,

but that is a fairy tale that I shall recount another time........

5 Top Tips for a Happy Life

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 10:16:37 PDT

Apart from the obvious like eating freshly prepared food, being nice to your neighbours, giving up smoking and drinking (but not necessarily the odd glass of wine every now and then) and being generous, ethical shopping can have a big impact on your outlook on life.

Looking your best really is a big mood enhancer. Physical appeal aside, beauty is about your aura, how you feel about yourself and therefore how others perceive you. It has been proven time and again that chemically loaded facial creams don’t do very much for your appearance, especially if you suffer from allergies as some chemicals can cause your skin to come out in a rash.

Recycling is another great mood enhancer. Yes, sorting your plastics from your papers is a good start, but why not go and buy more recycled products and even extend this to buying recycled gifts for friends or décor for your home and garden?

Buy more fair trade – it gives you a clear conscience and that lets you sleep better. Sleep in turn is great for your skin…….fair trade makes sure that small producers receive a fair share from selling their products. And real fair trade makes sure that only sustainable or recycled ingredients are used in the making of products. You can make a difference when buying fair trade.

Creating a green corner in your home, if you don’t have a big garden, gives you a positive mindset. Sowing seeds to see them grow into flowers, herbs or your own salad leaves is a real thrill – for you and your children. It is also great for teaching and learning about responsibility.

And finally, buying only good quality and well designed products, whether for yourself or a friend, is kinder to your purse in the long run. Which makes you happier. That handbag you bought for £9.50 the other day, fell apart the next day and you lost your keys, your money, your driver’s licence and now you have a hellish time replacing everything. Which will cost you – what? 5 times as much as that handbag? Better save up and then buy a handbag for £75 that will last, is stylish and can be recycled by passing it on to your daughter. For example.

That's it. In my experience anyway.

RSPB condemns outrageous Catalan bird-hunting plan

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 03:35:13 PDT

An outrageous proposal by the Catalan government could see British nesting birds being illegally hunted as they pass through north-east Spain during their spring and autumn migrations.

The RSPB, working with SEO - its Spanish BirdLife International partner - is fighting the regional government proposal that would permit Catalonian hunters to use the so-called traditional practice of luring songbirds, by playing their songs, to branches covered in glue.

Please show your support for the SEO and the RSPB by signing their petition against this illegal practice.

Further details can be found on the RSPB website.

Something that really stunned me

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:54:07 PDT

This has nothing to do with fair trade or recycling but I thought I must tell you about it anyway. It has to do with health. I own three dogs, one of them is a border collie called Judy.

Judy is now 13 years old and whilst she is still very playful and brainy, she started suffering from arthritis 1 year ago. Most border collies are afflicted by this as they like being outside and Judy had a penchant of sleeping on cold slabs even during the winter. Collies get heated up very quickly as they have a very thick skin. Believe me - nothing (other than her chewies) could move her and I spent up to an hour sometimes luring her indoors. Now, of course, she's lapping up the sunshine and doesn't mind a bit of warmth and more comfort.

Anyway, being a health conscious person and believing strongly in the power of natural supplements like herbs and minerals, I put her on glucosamine with chondroitin approx. 9 months ago. It seemed to help but I knew she was in pain when every walk took longer and longer. 4 months ago I added devil's claw to her supplements which is a herbal anti inflammatory.

And now comes the stunning bit: last Sunday I read in the Sunday Times Magazine about bromelain and turmeric being excellent anti inflammatories. Of course I went to my health food store, spent £20 and bought both. I started Judy on one bromelain and one turmeric tablet in the morning and one turmeric pill in the evening. Today is Thursday - and Judy has made a remarkable recovery! At first she started to walk much better - noticeably so, because even Gary made a comment and he is super critical. Then she wanted to join me for more than one walk a day. Yesterday she ran around in the park with another large dog, something she hasn't done in the last 8 months or so.

Altogether she is perkier, doesn't just lie around all day long and has become more like the dog I knew. He arthritis will not go away and her one back leg is still stiff, but she seems to be more pain free and that can only be a good thing. And I think what works for her must work for humans as well. I shall go and tell my mother who has rheumatoid arthritis, but I suspect she will pooha me and stick to her genetical time bomb injections......

I am going to Norfolk next week for a holiday - I think I should really discover England better and anyway, I want to do my bit to reduce the carbon output and brave the English weather which is not so bad right now, isn't it? When I am back I tell you about my other dog, Bess and how I treat her eczema. I have found out what works and what not for her and maybe that helps one of you or someone or some animal you know.

I have just published a bit of a bio, in case you are interested. About who I am and my background. Go to my website and click on "something about Sabine".

Take care now.

Sabine

Alaffia skincare range

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 03:47:44 PDT

Our supplier returns 10% of their sales to West Africa to fund community enhancement projects. These projects are designed to help lift their communities out of poverty and become self-sustaining. Their projects focus on the future, emphasizing the environment, gender equality, education and empowering communities.

Women are the backbone of African societies. It is time to honour their contributions by working towards gender equality. One way to do this is to place fair monetary value on the unique skills of African women, such as handcrafting shea butter, and compensate them with fair values for their products and knowledge. This economic and moral boost encourages gender equality in the family institution. Over the past four years our Fair Trade cooperative members in central Togo have seen a shift in family equality. Their regular salaries help them to support their families and give them more voice in their communities.

Alaffia and Cebra believe that the future of Africa lies in the hands of the young and that if young Africans are helped with the dilemmas they face - such as harsh poverty and lack of infrastructure - they will in turn help Africa in the future. Alaffia have several ongoing projects, including donating school supplies, roofs and furniture and their bicycles for education project in which they collect used bicycles in the United States to distribute to students in rural Togo.

Protection of sub-Saharan Africa's complex and diverse environment is essential to the quality of life of present and future generations, especially as our climates change due to global warming. Alaffia are currently focusing on one major problem, deforestation, through their Reforestation and Shea Tree Protection programs. To date, they have distributed trees to more than 150 households in central Togo. They hope to plant more than 500 trees next year, as well as expand the project throughout other regions of Togo and West Africa.

Cebra finds Alaffia's skincare range the to be one of the best vegan, organic creams, lotions and soaps on the market and we endeavour to support their projects on an ongoing basis by steadily increasing sales of their products in the UK and Europe.

Gnome-be-gones

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 08:48:03 PDT

Soon to come - the gnome-be-gones. A must have for every gardener who hates gnomes! These funny creatures are made from scrap metal. They come in two sizes and various actions (i.e. holding a flower, skiing, surfing, caped crusader). I expect them to arrive 2nd week of August and I can predict that they sell out fast.

Also new in our program: Raw Gaia and Beyond totally organic skincare.

Plus: home and garden decor from the Edge Company. In stock from 4th August 2007.

See you at the Taunton Flower Show?

Focus on Thailand

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:15:01 PDT

I am pleased to announce the arrival of our Thai handmade pearl necklaces and earrings. We have chosen to work with Novica, a company associated with National Geographic, who in turn support local artisans from around the world. Their workmanship is outstanding and the jewellery they produce is of the highest quality.

NEWS: We have decided to support the BBC Wildlife Fund because we believe that we must do more to prevent endangered species from vanishing from our planet. I got very angry recently with the publication of Jeremy Clarkson's article in the Sunday Times about how he could not care less whether the tiger is completely eliminated and that humans are more important than any animal. He seems to forget that if we go on like this - wasting resources, killing everything, whether plant or animal, for profit - there will be nothing left for our children and their children and that we will be guilty of having destroyed our wonderful planet.
If you would like further information about the BBC Wildlife Fund then go to our website www.cebraonline.com and click on the link displayed on our homepage.

Designer leather handbags from Peru

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 07:38:18 PDT

This month we are proud to add 4 different designer handbags, fairly traded with 2 very talented woman designers in Peru. Three of the designs are made by Rosario Pazel using brown suede leather and soft black or brown leather for the handles. The other bag is made by Giannini from soft black leather and features hand embroidery. We think these bags are a bargain given that we only have a limited quantity available!
Soon to come:
a limited quantity of designer pearl necklaces and earrings from Thailand.
If you want something truly beautiful and awe inspiring then we are sure that these jewellery items are for you.
Watch this space!

New products in May and June

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Thu, 31 May 2007 03:35:26 PDT

We have had a whole raft of new and exciting handbags and jewellery arrive during this month. Firstly there are our Nepalese felt bags and hand crafted jewellery. These are made by a women's co-operative in Nepal (some of the women are disabled and the necklaces for example are their only source of income).
Then our Escama handbags from Brasil arrived and caused lots of envy and "I want one of those".......... these bags are made from recycled drinking can tabs which are crocheted together with cotton yarn. The basic colour is silver, the cotton comes in black, teal, orange, red, grey and many other colours. These bags are the ultimate in eco chic: fair trade, ethical, green. And they look fabulous too!

Next we sourced a range of high quality handmade sisal bags from a

women's co-operative in Kenya. The bags offer excellent value for money (prices start at £10) and are of the highest quality. There are mini purse with long leather straps, small handbags with glass beaded Masaai style handles and large shoulder bags with inner lining and zip closure featuring leather straps and leather tops.

We are currently looking into sourcing handbags and thong sandals made from recycled trucks' canvasses. Yes, that's right! And no, they aren't dirty or disgusting...these accessories are made in Brasil and the canvasses are collected from lorry yards, washed thoroughly and then made into the most beautiful bags and sandals combining the canvas with real leather and recycled tyres (the soles for the sandals!). Once again - an ingenious Brasilian idea, using existing materials that would otherwise pollute the environment and fill up landfill sites.

Miglio 2006 jewellery sale now on

noreply@blogger.com (Cebra) — Tue, 01 May 2007 12:40:23 PDT

The Miglio 2006 jewellery sale is now on with prices reduced by 25%. To order you must have a Miglio catalogue which is available to buy from our website. We charge £1 for the copy to cover for postage & packaging (within UK). Sale is subject to stock availability and all handbags plus many watches have already sold out.

I know it sounds crazy, but now is the time to order some fab necklaces, earrings or bracelets - Christmas is closer than you think! And this jewellery is simply stunning.

Surprise your friend, girlfriend, sister, cousin by buying her something truly beautiful and unique. And you have our 14 day return guarantee in case you don't like what you ordered! How much more fantastic can it get?