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Female Fashion

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Boss Boys

Harvey Broadbent on making the world a happier place with Positive Outlook Clothing

According to Harvey Broadbent, Founder & CEO of sustainable and truly inspirational fashion brand Positive Outlook Clothing, “you should always start with purpose and let your product follow.”

From a very young age, Harvey started with purpose, living a life surrounded by positive energy and encouragement which he now shares with others through Positive Outlook Clothing.

Purpose is everything for Harvey, and this rings true for his company which foregoes fast-fashion trends and instead inspires people to look inward, giving them the right clothes to live their best, most confident lives. Positive Outlook Clothing has people at heart and planet in mind and offers stylish, evergreen pieces that can go from day to night and are made to last.

“We create quality-crafted clothing that focuses on the wearer and helps them to shine and feel their best,” Harvey says. “Clothing that helps you feel and be the best version of yourself every day.”

“Each and every time a customer sees or wears an item of our clothing, it gives a small boost, a smile, a push in the right direction and acts as a symbol of like-minded, forward-thinking, positive people.”

It makes sense then, that for Harvey, profits aren’t the be all and end all for his company. Instead, he seeks something much more valuable – and that is to share his truly inspiring positive mindset with the world, one sustainably made garment at a time.

We sit down with Harvey to talk about his early forays into design, balancing profit and purpose and his goal to build a family of positive-minded people looking to change the world.

“Our motto is ‘people at heart, planet in mind’ and this rings true all the way through our company foundations… Success for me is measured by the impact you have, the love in your heart and the legacy you leave behind… not the numbers on your bank balance!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background, what inspired you to start Positive Outlook Clothing?

My name is Harvey Broadbent and I guess you could say I was born and raised in the midlands surrounded by creativity and positivity. With the family on my mum’s side all in motorsport engineering, and the family on my dad’s side was in fabrication, upholstery, and carpentry I was destined for a world in design.

My childhood was full of positive reassurance and the general push to ‘try anything’. Our family was not afraid of failure and instead praised it, as long as you gave it your all and regardless, learned from the outcome. Although my passion began in fine arts, I had the standard concerns of “you won’t make any money,” stressed to me by my teachers and friends alike.

To keep the creativity alive, I chose to explore the world of product design with a bachelor’s degree at Bournemouth University in 2008. This was where I gained an insight into each and every stage involved in taking a product from concept to life and my sense for sustainable design was born. Little did I know that this life of positive encouragement and desire to create would drive me to build a company with people at heart and planet in mind.

We love the mantra of “A positive outlook garment is a positive mindset.” From design to production and marketing – how does this ethos inspire your business?

We create quality-crafted clothing that focuses on the wearer and helps them to shine and feel their best. We don’t cater to high street fashion and exotic trends; we look a little further inward into one’s mindset and inner confidence. Clothing that helps you feel and be the best version of yourself every day.

Each chance encounter and shared moment creates a unique opportunity for a transference of positive energy, wisdom, and culture. Each time a customer sees or wears an item of our clothing, it gives a small boost, a smile, a push in the right direction and acts as a symbol of like-minded, forward-thinking, positive people. These are the foundations we stand upon in every aspect of our business and will continue to as we look to grow as a Positive Outlook family.

In your opinion, what sets Positive Outlook Clothing apart from other fashion brands in the market today?

Sustainability, transparency, and accessibility. We have been working in the world of sustainability for over eight years. We’ve made mistakes, tackled controversy, and sailed through the smoke and mirrors that exist within the fashion industry and business world.

We take nothing at face value and instead strive to see first-hand the people and processes involved at every stage of production. For example, over the past 4 years, we have worked with one family-run manufacturer for all our clothing, and we couldn’t be happier about it. We know every member of staff working there at every process, we know where our fibres come from and the energy it takes to turn those natural fibres into fabrics for you to wear and feel fantastic in. This approach allows us to share this information confidently and honestly with our customers.

With fashion being one of the biggest pollutants, sustainability in the fashion industry is more important than ever. In what ways does Positive Outlook Clothing promote conscious consumerism?

Coming from a product design background, for me sustainable design is not a gimmick, marketing ploy or USP, it’s just ‘the way it should be’ and a sign of good wholesome design. This follows through to the type and styling of the clothing we produce – quality everyday essentials.

As a company, we promote a minimal lifestyle, producing quality made items that fit and feel amazing, styled to look as good at the bar with friends or out on your morning run. We aren’t focused on launching elaborate ranges or hitting those high-street trends. A Positive Outlook item is an everyday item that will last. Our botanical fabrics and fibres work with your body, aiding movement, allowing your skin to breathe while being durable and stylish to suit any

surrounding.

As a business owner with such strong ethical foundations, how do you balance profit and purpose?

Our motto is ‘people at heart, planet in mind’ and this rings true all the way through our company foundations. I have no dreams of incredible riches but rather to succeed as a company, to reach our goals and build a family of like-minded ambitious people that are living the life they want to live and positively impacting as many people as they can while doing it. Success for me is measured by the impact you have, the love in your heart and the legacy you leave behind… not the numbers on your bank balance!

What’s next for you? Any new exciting projects in the pipeline?

Where do I start! I’d say out of everything we have going on now, I am most excited about the podcast concept we are currently creating as a company. The podcast we’re launching will ultimately be an extension of our heart, championing various youth organisations across the country, starting local to us.

We will be sharing the amazing work they do, breaking down the challenges/stereotypes they and their members face and chatting 1-2-1 with the inspiring young people these organisations work with.

We have 6-7 projects lined up so far at different stages and already each conversation we’ve had has been eye-opening and powerful to say the least! Keep your ears peeled and eyes open for this one…

What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own fashion brand?

Start with purpose and let your product follow.

www.positiveoutlookclothing.com

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Fashion

What Is Recycled Fashion And How Can You Incorporate It In Your Style?

Recycled fashion doesn’t mean that you choose an outfit and wear it over and over again. Although this is a form of recycling, you will need to wear it many times before it has finished its life. Let’s face it, you don’t want to wear the same outfit day after day!

Fortunately, there are other ways of including recycled fashion in your daily clothing.

Literal Recycling

Many people wear an item once and it sits in the wardrobe for months or even years. These items are then discarded as they are no longer fashionable. However, you can make a conscious decision to recycle the clothing sooner.

You can place the item into a clothes bank where it will be passed onto somewhere else. However, there is no guarantee that the item will be appreciated for what it is. In fact, it may even be turned into different clothing or rags.

Instead, it is better to donate it to a store or other establishment that sells it on. You may even find it interesting to shop in the same place. If you are embracing literal recycling then others will be. As this becomes more popular you will be able to find trendy items at a fraction of their normal cost

Renting Clothes

Potentially a better way of embracing the recycled clothing phenomenon is to look at renting clothes. After all, when you have stunning designer dresses you can’t just put them in the clothing bank. Instead, you’ll find companies specializing in trendy clothing rentals, specifically ball dresses hire and evening gowns. You can look fantastic, ready for any occasion, in a thousand-dollar dress for a fraction of the price.

Not only are you helping the environment by recycling clothing, but you can also adopt a different look each time and are likely to save yourself money in the process.

This option is becoming increasingly popular as people appreciate the ability to save money while looking fabulous. At the same time, it is better for the environment and helps the clothing manufacturers in their drive to reduce environmental impact.

Manufacturer Rebates

A more recent take on clothing recycling is that the manufacturers are encouraging customers to return clothing. There are rules regarding what can be returned and when. In return, you get loyalty discounts or some other reward system. The manufacturer benefits as they can reprocess the material into new items and you get a little of your purchase price back, even if it is in the form of a discount on your next order.

Recycled Fashion Trends

It can also be said that recycled fashion can refer to the fact that trends tend to go round in circles. A dress that has just gone out of fashion is likely to be in fashion again in the future. Of course, it is very difficult to say when it will be in fashion again. That is why it is generally better to look at renting your next outfit for a special occasion. It is the most practical solution.

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Female Fashion

8 Ways To Look 10 Times Better In Suits

There are a little too many suit shops in Brisbane and a little too many suit styles and designs that it may be overwhelming every time you think of getting a suit for that upcoming wedding or graduation party. Well, the truth is, it really isn’t where you got your suit. It is about how you dress them.

People wear suits all the time. So, they don’t really make a difference; they don’t look unique in any way. But if you want to make a difference and stand out from the crowd, here are 10 tips that will get you noticed;

  1. The Shirt

The shirt makes all the difference. Most people are used to a plain white or sky blue shirt. You don’t have to be ‘most people’. Don’t be scared to add print and pattern to your suit. Make sure you choose an interesting pattern. Also, colored shirts are always the best option. You also want to think about the weave and wear the shirt the right way (tuck in your shirt).

  1. Dress for the Occasion

You don’t want to look like you are in the office if you are in a party, or other less formal occasions. Formal events are more limited and you might be, for example, restricted to only solid-colored white shirts and minimal accessories. This might be different if you are dressing for a birthday party.

  1. Add Accessories

Accessories don’t always mean you go in with gold chains. A nice watch to compliment your suit is just great. This represents style and taste. You might think ‘that’s usual; everybody wears watches’, right? Well maybe. But there are other accessories that not everybody wears;

How about a bright and bold tie? This is the topmost noticeable accessory you can match with your suit. You can also go for cufflinks, a pocket square, a lapel pin, or even suspenders and a stylish pocket watch to match. Make sure to match your style and personality, as well as the occasion. Also, don’t go overboard. Just keep it cool.

  1. Your Shoes

Your shoes are also the most recognizable part of your dressing, whether you are in a suit or just casual. So it always pays off to put enough thoughts into what shoes you are going to wear with what suit. There is a reason why there are different styles of suits and different types of shoes. Match them accordingly.

  1. Wear the Right Size

It is easy for your tailor to miss some measurements, or for you to get slightly big or slightly tight suits. Well, it doesn’t matter how slight the difference is. It still would have an effect on your final look. And the effect is not at all positive. Make sure to always wear the right size.

  1. The Socks

Whether you look at your socks as an accessory or a requirement, it is always important to put enough thoughts into it as well. If your trousers are going to land on ankle level, or slightly above, your socks should play the role down there; because guess where the eyes land after the shoes, socks.

  1. Your Scent

If you never thought about it before, now you should. Scents are an important statement to any type of dressing. Even if you don’t look exceptional, if your scent does then you definitely will stand out. Invest in an interesting men’s perfume and wear it to match your suits.

  1. Be Well-Groomed

Grooming includes just about everything as far as hygiene and looking neat is concerned. Make sure to groom your hair. And this goes for every hair you have including nose, ears, eyebrows, and of course beards. Don’t get it wrong, you don’t need to shave everything clean. Just be aware of everything. A nice cut goes a long way in making your entire dressing appear stunning and completing the look.

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Female Fashion

5 Ways to Revamp Your Fashion Style

To say that you’re bored by your wardrobe is an understatement. And to say you’re not exactly overflowing with cash is also an understatement.

Here’s some great news, though: It’s quite feasible to revamp your fashion style and update your closet in a way that’s not only fun but is also budget-friendly. For example, consider the following ideas:

1. Get Rid of Stuff You Never Wear

The first step is to go through your closet and drawers and decide whether to donate or toss away clothes you haven’t worn in years, don’t fit you well, or no longer spark joy. This may mean donating those designer jeans you bought on sale that you truly don’t love, but keeping the comfortable sweatshirt featuring your college mascot — and that’s fine. If you can consign any of these pieces, all the better. This way, you can spend any money you make on new clothes.

2. Next, Give Some Pieces a Makeover

As you rifle through your clothes, be on the lookout for items you adore but which need a bit of a makeover. For instance, you may love that long, cotton sundress but wish it were shorter. If you’re handy with alterations, hem it into a shorter midi dress. You can also jazz up your existing wardrobe with appliques, fabric dye and/or some bling to your plain clothes to match your sparkly personality. This will help bring new life to some of your pieces and save you money in the process.

3. Invest in Some New Go-To Pieces

Once you’ve pared down your clothing and revamped what you have left, it’s time to go shopping for some new pieces that will help show off your unique personality in a fun way. As you search for what to buy, look for clothing that not only looks great on you and makes you feel happy but is also reasonably priced. For instance, if you’ve always wanted a little black dress to wear to parties, on dates and/or for a fun night on the town with your girlfriends, by all means, treat yourself to one.

4. Don’t Forget Accessories

Another effective and budget-friendly way to revamp your style is by purchasing some new accessories that can add a touch of pizazz to your existing wardrobe. For instance, to dress up that fuchsia cotton T-shirt paired with navy capris, you could add a colorful scarf either around your neck or as a casual hair tie. Other ways to rev up your wardrobe are with statement earrings, layered bracelets or rings and/or a new handbag in a gorgeous color. Search online for sales on designer handbags and you may be able to score a beautiful and durable bag at a reasonable price.

5. Find Inspiration in Others

While you definitely want to embrace your unique style and update your wardrobe with pieces that speak to you, there’s nothing wrong with combing through magazines and scouring social media for additional inspiration. Other ways to find inspiration for new outfits is by watching movies or TV shows. In fact, as you binge-watch your way through a show on Netflix, you might find yourself wanting to borrow some fashion elements from a favorite character or two.

Have Fun with Your New Look

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to revamp your wardrobe and upping its fun factor a bit. Fortunately, by giving some of your existing items a makeover, buying new clothes you can wear often, springing for some new accessories, and looking to others for inspiration, you’ll still be able to both revamp your wardrobe and pay your bills.

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Fashion

Carvela announces the opening of its first store outside London in Leeds’ premium Victoria Quarter

Here at House of Coco if we aren’t traveling then we are probably shopping, usually we’re doing both. So when we heard that one of our fave brands, Carvela, was landing in one of our fave cities, Leeds, you best believe we made our way through the look book faster than you can say ‘Generation Fearless.’

Adding to its existing stores in Brent Cross and Westfield White City in London, Carvela have opened a brand new store in Leeds’ elegant Victorian-style shopping arcade, Victoria Quarter – the first Carvela store outside London.

The store’s interiors feature a fresh architectural concept for the brand, combining art deco influences with Carvela’s new neutral colour palette.

Sarah Pugh, Head of Carvela – Buying & Design, says: “Carvela has always has a strong brand loyalty and customer base in the north of England, particularly in Leeds. This, combined with Leeds’s esteemed status as one of the UK’s best shopping destinations made it a very logical location for us to choose as Carvela’s first store opening outside London. We’re looking forward to welcoming our Carvela community in Leeds to this brand new store.”

The store’s opening aligns with Carvela’s launch of its first-ever bespoke online platform – Carvela.com – where customers are able to shop the entire Carvela range, access exclusive offers and a glimpse behind the scenes of the brand.

Carvela have also recently released a brand new tagline – For Generation Fearless. It aims to unite its community by a fierce and unstoppable shared attitude. The same goes for Carvela’s all-female design team. They push boundaries, putting thought and ingenuity into Carvela footwear and accessories, as well as investing in a new ground-breaking comfort technology featured in styles such as Second Skin Sandal.

Key styles for the current season include Jeo Sandal, a chunky flatform sandal; Scatter Bubble, a glamorous trainer featuring a crystal-embellished upper and air bubble sole; Sooty – a Carvela Comfort wedge; and bags including Jordan and studded Pixie.

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Accessories

Level up your Wellness Game with Fitbit’s latest health tracker

2020 was the year our lives were tipped upside down and, in some case, given a shake up. As a result, 2021 has been a catalyst of change for most of us and one of the biggest changes has been how we approach our overall wellbeing. Covid-19 has changed the way we eat, workout, our self-care, and the wellness products we have incorporated into our daily routine. Sales of wellness tech has boomed and as the world slowly reopens, we are now more than ever, looking for ways to proactively get on top of our wellness game.

The Fitbit Luxe is the newest addition to the brand, designed to help you take a more holistic approach to your health and wellness. Luxe offers both the support and motivation you need to stay healthy in today’s world with everything from stress management tools to automatic activity and sleep tracking – all in an effortlessly chic bracelet design.

Get an insight into your wellbeing through the Health Metrics dashboard in the Fitbit app to help you identify changes in your breathing rate and heart rate variability, which could be caused by increased stress or fatigue. With Luxe, you get six-months of Fitbit Premium which gives you access to a range of workouts and nearly 200 mindfulness sessions from popular brands to manage stress. This includes Deepak Chopra’s Mindful Method, an exclusive wellness collection with more than 30 sessions to make mindfulness more accessible.

If the thought of readjusting your everyday routine or retuning to office is leaving you feeling stressed or anxious you can proactively manage it through the Stress Management Score function. This provides a daily assessment of your body’s ability to handle stress based on your activity levels, sleep and heart rate.

Keeping physically fit is a key component of overall health, but for most people, COVID-19 has changed exercise routines. With 24/7 heart rate tracking that powers many of the watch’s health, wellness and fitness tools, you can track your daily heart rate in real-time to better measure your calorie burn. You can also choose from 20 different on-wrist exercise modes including golf, pilates, spinning or tennis and for those who prefer running, biking or hiking outside, you can use connected GPS from your phone to see real-time pace and distance. If you love a home training session you can try out more than 200 guided audio and video workouts from certified personal trainers and popular brands like Aaaptiv, barre3 and POPSUGAR to name a few.

If your sleep patterns are out of sync the Sleep Core function will help you better understand your sleep quality. It also has bedtime reminders so you can establish a more consistent routine. Both light and slim, Luxe is designed for maximum comfort, making it easy to wear nightly to manage your sleep.

Additional health tools include food, hydration and weight logging, and menstrual health tracking. There is 60 new pieces of nutrition content including curated healthy recipes from Fitbit and EatingWell. The new blood glucose logging feature in the app allows you to track your blood glucose levels to see how they change throughout the day.

This piece of arm candy ticks all the boxes when it comes to health and wellness solutions. Using smart tech like Fitbit will allow you to maintain your overall wellbeing and where necessary, make adjustments to feel more positive at home and work. Small changes to your daily wellness habits can often have the biggest impact as they are easy to maintain. Poor mental health can have a huge influence on your performance and overall happiness.

Fitbit Luxe is available to pre-order from fitbit.com/uk, from £129.99

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Boss Boys

SWAY London Founder Mark Winter on rising from the ashes of lockdown and taking the streetwear world by storm

From the ashes of lockdown, rises a new streetwear brand. So says SWAY London Founder Mark Winter as he recollects on how he turned the tables on 2020 to finally chase his dream of launching his own fashion brand.

SWAY London is wonderfully inclusive and offers achingly cool streetwear styles for both men and women. “SWAY London is for everyone,” Mark says and rightly so. Its debut collection is 100% sustainable and is characterised by bold colours and prints, tied together by the brand’s emblematic Phoenix symbol.

The Phoenix, according to Mark, is not just a logo – but represents SWAY London’s unique origins and spirit. He says, “What better symbol to have embedded into the SWAY London brand than the Phoenix, a creature that is born from its own ashes.”

We sit down with Mark who tells the story of how he turned idle time during lockdown into the opportunity of a lifetime. He also talks about SWAY London’s creative inspirations, his commitment to sustainability, his grand ambitions for the brand, and why everyone should follow their dreams.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background, what inspired you to start SWAY London?

I have been working as a commercial consultant for the last 10 years, working with a number of professional sports clubs and associations as well as directly with the brands, mainly around partnerships, marketing and activations. When the lockdown first happened, I spent the first few weeks taking apart all of the activations and events we had planned for the year. Afterwards, I found myself with something I never really had — time on my hands. I’ve never been one to just sit around, so from there I decided to look at something I have always wanted to do, a dream of mine really, which was to start a fashion brand.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an entrepreneur so far?

I’ve always had a huge passion for fashion and have always wanted to chase my dream. I just never had to time to do it. Lockdown gave me that time, so I went for it! Working with the clients I have over the years, I’ve been very lucky to have made the connections I have, some of which played a huge part in getting SWAY London off the ground, especially on the production side of things.

Why did you choose the Phoenix as your logo? What does this represent?

Finding the right logo and designs was always going to be key, and it took some time to come up with the SWAY London name. SWAY for me just fitted well, but I was keen to add London to the logo being an SW London guy myself.

The Phoenix is a different story, I wanted to find a design and not a second logo – I wanted to find a design that could withstand the test of time. Something that we can grow and develop into what I hope will become an iconic symbol of the SWAY London brand. It also needed to have a story behind it, as I feel that this brings more to the brand.

SWAY London is a story of a business that was born from the ashes of the Lockdown, and what better symbol to have embedded into the SWAY London brand than the Phoenix, a creature that is born from its own ashes.

SWAY London offers both men and women’s ranges including a swimwear line. In your opinion what sets SWAY London apart from other fashion brands in the market today?

I strongly believe that SWAY London offers a fresh feel to the streetwear side of fashion, especially with our high quality materials, uplifting bold colours and our high build finishes. Not to mention that even as a start-up, all of our apparel products are already 100% sustainable. We believe that with our wide range of products, that we have something for everyone.

We heard that the SS21 line is made with sustainable cotton. How important is sustainability to the SWAY London design ethos?

Being sustainable was non-negotiable for me. It’s so important that we all do what we can to make a difference and starting out on the right foot made perfect sense.

SWAY London has a decidedly streetwear aesthetic – who is your target audience and what kind of person do you envision wearing your pieces?

Most people these days do have some kind of streetwear clothing in their wardrobe. For me SWAY London is no different, it is for everyone. I have designed it so that we have something to suit all situations and occasions, whether that’s a night out, a holiday or simply going shopping.

What’s next for you? Any new exciting projects in the pipeline?

All my focus is currently on SWAY London, but I do have some very exciting things going on at SWAY. Not only am I in the middle of finishing touches for the AW21 range, but I am also currently in the middle of producing our footwear range samples for our Shoot in July. Footwear was a very big part of why I started this as I am a huge trainer fan, so it’s very exciting…

What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own fashion brand?

I’m always going to tell people to follow their dreams, so my advice to anyone who has a dream is to go for it – doing your homework is very important so that you can map it out, because having a clear roadmap to follow really does help at the start.

You can pre-order some of #TeamCoco’s Top 10 SWAY London picks below

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Brilliant Earth Review- What are ethically sourced diamonds?

Diamonds pass through many hands before they reach the consumer. However, the part of the diamond sourcing process that is most concerning to buyers is the way diamonds are mined. This is why conscientious shoppers invest in ethically sourced diamonds. Learn more in our Brilliant Earth review, where we delve into the diamond sourcing process and ethical considerations.

What are ethically sourced Diamonds?

The definition of an ethically sourced diamond has been mined according to fair humanitarian practices. In other words, the mine doesn’t engage in child labour, there is no forced labour, miners get paid fair wages, and they have a safe working environment. Additionally, diamond sales can’t fund civil wars.

Now that we’ve defined ethically sourced diamonds, let’s look at a provider of these types of diamonds, Brilliant Earth.

Who is Brilliant Earth?

Brilliant Earth is a provider of ethically sourced diamond jewellery, lab-grown diamond jewellery, and gemstone jewellery. The company was founded by Beth Gerstein and Eric Grossberg in 2005 with the mission to provide exceptionally beautiful jewellery.

Brilliant Earth states that they are “more than just another fine jewellery company.” They justify this statement by explaining that their goal was to be a company that reinvented the way jewellery was sourced, made, and sold.

“Beyond Conflict-Free” is the term Brilliant Earth uses to describe the sourcing of their diamonds. In this Brilliant Earth Review, we will look closely at what they mean by “Beyond Conflict-Free” to determine whether this term has the same meaning as ethically sourced diamonds.

What Does “Beyond Conflict-Free” Mean?

In Brilliant Earth parlance, “Beyond Conflict-Free” refers to diamonds whose sourcing meets the following criteria:

  • The diamonds have not been used to finance rebel movements.
  • The mine where the diamonds originate from protects its workers from human rights abuses. Additionally, the mine maintains safe and responsible labour practices.
  • The source mine works to minimize environmental degradation during the mining process and supports community development.

Brilliant Earth believes that jewellers who offer only “conflict-free” diamonds are restricting themselves to the Kimberley Process definition of conflict-free diamonds, which in their view does not require enough of its suppliers to be deemed ethical. The Kimberley Process only requires that diamonds not have been used to finance rebel movements, whereas Brilliant Earth requires that their suppliers adhere to a more robust set of criteria. Furthermore, let’s consider that the definition of ethical is refraining from engaging in activities that harm people or the environment. It’s safe to conclude that Brilliant Earth’s strictures make them more of a supplier of ethically sourced jewellery than companies that only adhere to the Kimberley Process. Therefore, based on its “Beyond Conflict-Free” mandate, Brilliant Earth can be deemed a provider of ethically sourced jewellery. However, we can’t help but ask how Brilliant Earth guarantees that their diamond suppliers meet their criteria.

How Does Brilliant Earth Certify that Their Diamonds are Ethical?

We’ve established that Brilliant Earth wants its diamonds to come from sources that adhere to a robust set of ethical criteria. However, we can’t just take their word for it. We need to know how Brilliant Earth can guarantee that their diamonds do come from ethical sources.

According to their website, Brilliant Earth requires that their suppliers be able to track and segregate the diamonds they provide by origin. In this way, Brilliant Earth can ensure that the diamonds come only from the specific mine operators who follow their “Beyond Conflict-Free” criteria. This means that they should provide the exact route a diamond travelled from the moment it was sourced to the second it came into Brilliant Earth’s possession.

In their commitment to only selling diamonds from suppliers that conform to the “Beyond Conflict-Free” criteria, Brilliant Earth only deals with specific mines in Canada, Russia, Botswana, Nambia, and South Africa.

Additionally, in some cases, they utilize the GIA Diamond Origin Report to trace diamonds from their source. The GIA gathers and examines the physical measurements, imaging of the diamond as a rough crystal and spectroscopic data. They then assign a unique identification number to the rough diamond, which can be used to scientifically match a polished diamond to the rough cut it came from.

Summary

Brilliant Earth is a provider of ethically sourced diamonds. Ethically sourced diamonds are mined in a way that ensures that both people and the environment come to no harm. However, Brilliant Earth wants its diamonds to conform to more than just the standard definition of ethical diamonds. They have a specific set of criteria, which they call “Beyond Conflict-Free.” This criterion enhances the standard definition of an ethically sourced diamond to ensure that, in addition to not harming people and the environment, the mines also make concerted efforts to develop the community. Brilliant Earth guarantees that their diamonds are ethically sourced by requiring that their suppliers track and segregate their diamonds by origin. In this way, they can trace the exact route every diamond took to get to them.

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Accessories

Girl Bosses of Great Britain: Full Moon Designs Founder Carole Mourier on crystals and creativity

“Creativity was always the road I wanted to take in terms of work and mixing this with a passion for crystals felt like the perfect medium to combine the two,” said Full Moon Designs Founder Carole Mourier as she looks back on the inspirations that led to her starting her own jewellery brand.

Full Moon Designs is a boutique jewellery shop that offers truly unique accessories. In fact, no two pieces are alike and according to Carole, each crystal has its own story to tell.”

“One of the things I love about making jewellery is that designs are endless, and a single stone can make a product different to the next, “ she says. “The beauty of having complete artistic freedom is the ability to start with a particular idea and end up with a completely different but equally attractive design.”

We sit down with Carole and talk about the biggest challenges and rewards of starting your own business, the beauty of pursuing your creative freedom, the healing power of crystals, how to support independent businesses and why now could be the best time to take the leap and start your own business too.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background – what inspired you to start Full Moon Designs?

After leaving France, I travelled for a few years and came to the UK only intending to stay for a short period of time. I started various art courses and then studied jewellery design for three years.

After studying various techniques and styles I wanted to be in control of my own creativity and designs, which inspired me to start my own business and launch my store in Brixton Village. I feel that I have complete freedom of expression in order for my designs to flow.

Creativity was always the road I wanted to take in terms of work and mixing this with a passion for crystals felt like the perfect medium to combine the two.

What made you fall in love with jewellery design – and why did you decide to work with natural stones?

Since a very young age, I was always interested in art and jewellery. When travelling, I was fascinated by the jewellery women were wearing, especially tribal jewellery as they hold a sense of history and ancient traditions. Working with natural stones which have a unique shape and texture, I centre my designs around the crystal itself paying a lot of attention to colours also as they play an important role in the composition of a piece.

One of the things I love about making jewellery is that designs are endless, and a single stone can make a product different to the next. I am also interested in the healing side of crystals which is an important part of my jewellery business. The beauty of having complete artistic freedom is the ability to start with a particular idea and end up with a completely different but equally attractive design.

What do you think sets Full Moon Designs apart from other jewellery brands today?

What sets Full Moon Designs apart, is the versatility of the designs from the small and delicate to the big and bold, different shapes, styles and each piece being unique.

One of the key differentiators of Full Moon Designs is that no two pieces are alike.

Could you tell us more about this and why you believe that “each piece has a story to tell?”

When making jewellery, I never think of doing two pieces alike as I feel each crystal deserves its own design. Each piece is a representation of a shape which often has a meaning.

For example, geometric shapes are fascinating as they have a connection with everything from natural occurring organisms to everyday man-made objects. Organic shapes are also interesting as they often represent nature and the unique flow of life. Crystals can combine these two factors with almost perfect geometry seen in certain crystals such as quartz or a raw uniqueness of a Lapis Lazuli. They can also enhance this as they bring meaning in a physical and spiritual way, so the result is always positive.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve overcome as a businesswoman?

As a businesswoman, one of the biggest challenges has been raising a family, not giving up designing and making jewellery. I’ve always felt that expectations from society as a mother were not always the ones, I had of myself.

It was difficult at times to even feel inspired but took a lot from these experiences and I now look back on these periods of time and feel proud that the business survived. The other thing is a lot of businesses I deal with in terms of supply, materials etc… often do not have enough women as owners.

What advice do you have for our readers who want to show their support for independent businesses like yours amid the COVID-19 crisis?

This last year has been extremely challenging for all businesses but especially small businesses like mine. I believe it is crucial that people support small independents like myself, not only to help us survive and create but also to make the world of retail more diverse, unique and interesting.

During the pandemic most small businesses have now gone online so there are opportunities to shop from independent retailers, but the experience of entering a small shop or boutique and having a face to face interaction with someone will never be replicated through a laptop or a phone. Especially for artists like myself where customers can come in, browse and see the jewellery, enquire about it, it brings a personal touch! We can all transcend this situation as long as people think that we bring them value and something different.

What advice do you have for our readers who want to become a Girl Boss like yourself?

I think it is a very good time for women who want to start their own business as a lot of people have had time to evaluate their life and maybe want to change and have a different experience with new values and new outcomes.

There is a huge reward to being your own boss with the benefits and the responsibilities that it incurs and brings infinite rewards to create something that brings value to others. A lot of women think it is too scary to start a new business now but if you have an idea then why not try? As we are in a time of change, it might actually be the perfect opportunity. I have found that since last year that there has been an awakening and a new awareness in the way a lot of customers want to shop, bringing hope to all small businesses.

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Fashion

Factors To Consider When Buying An Organic Cotton Clothing

You might be thinking, why do you need to choose organic cotton clothing and not the ordinary ones. Some would not like this option simply because they are more comfortable using the traditional options and that they have no idea of the benefits this type of clothing could offer them.

Just to convince you further, clothing made of organic cotton gives a lot of benefits, some of them are:

  • Durable
  • Lightweight and breathable
  • Environment friendly
  • Cheaper production cost

The many benefits this type of clothing could offer should make you realize that clothes made of organic cotton are without a doubt your best option. If you are fully convinced about trying it, then you must go for Canadian clothing stores as they provide super soft cotton fabric clothing for families of all shapes and sizes.

If you are fully convinced about trying it, there are actually factors you have to consider in making sure that you will not regret scrapping the old clothing way.

To help you get started, below are a few things you have to consider when buying clothing made of organic cotton:

  • Price

Price is a very important factor to consider when buying clothing, not limited to those made of organic cotton. Of course, price is important but that should not in any way affect its quality. You have to make sure that the price and the quality of the items are both working for your advantage.

But needless to say, do not assume that all expensive clothes are better than the cheaper ones. As there are instances when cheaper organic cotton clothes are better than the more expensive options.

Do not focus just on the tag price alone as there are a lot of other factors you have to consider. As much as you want to buy the cheapest ones in the market, you may not be sure whether they are the real thing or not.

  • Brand

The brand can make or break the overall satisfaction you will get from your clothes. Choose a brand that is highly reliable in the industry of organic cotton clothes. You would not want to trust too fast with a brand, as if you failed to choose the right brand, you might end up spending your hard earned money to trash. And also, if the brand you choose is not as reliable and trustworthy, you may not be able to wear the real organic cotton material.

It is easy to claim that their clothing is made of organic cotton even if it is not. So, your safest decision is to buy it from a trusted brand so you know that when they say it is organic clothing, it is really organic clothing.Numerous brands have recognized synthetic fabrics’ drawbacks and chosen to produce organic clothing instead. Many of these brands have firsthand experience with conditions that can aggravate synthetic materials, such as eczema, scabies, ringworm, and more. They understand the specific needs of individuals facing these challenges. One example is qforquinn.com, a clothing brand that manufactures cotton socks for women and toddlers.

  • Style

The good news is, there are many styles of clothing made of organic cotton. Those who want to be very stylish can choose from a wide variety of clothing styles in the market. Your options are not limited as there are just so many styles to choose from.

They come in different colors, styles and make. If you are worried that your styles and fashion taste may be limited if you turn to this kind of clothing, do not be, as the options you have from regular clothing are almost the same with those made of organic cotton.

  • Availability in the market

Go for clothing that is highly available in the market. Of course, if you can shop online, why would you opt to buy from a physical store. There are many clothes made of this fabric that are available online, and choosing them is actually a lot better option, as obviously, online shopping offers its shoppers with the highest kind of convenience.

Sure, you would not want to wait forever just to get a shirt, right?

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