Melody The Label Now on Fair&Good!
It can be so difficult knowing where to buy ethical and sustainable products these days. Our friends at Fair&Good run an incredible online ethical marketplace - to make ethical shopping so much easier for you.
We feel honoured to now be shown on their platform, along with many other amazing brands :)
They kindly answered some questions we had about their business. Keep reading to find out more!
1. Tell us a little about Fair&Good: What is your main purpose?
Fair&good was born out of a conviction that spending our money ethically is one of the most powerful tools we all have to make a difference and bring about change.
Many people want to shop ethically but have trouble knowing which brands or products are ethically made, or where to find them. So fair&good was created as a way to make ethical shopping easy.
Consumers can browse over fifty amazing ethical brands with a Kiwi connection, and link directly to their page to shop. It’s really an online ethical brand directory.
All the brands we showcase have a social justice element. We want to create a world where the products we all use are made by empowered hands – by people who are paid fairly, treated respectfully and have better opportunities to improve their lives.
2. What are the values of Fair&Good, and why are they so important for our current day?
All our brands must adhere to our first two values: Fair Labour and Transparency (of their supply chain). Then we have six more values and many of our brands specialise in several of these.
The eight values are:
Fair Labour - Workers along the supply chain receive fair wages, work in safe working conditions and their rights are upheld. No slave or forced labour.
Transparency - Supply chains are known, transparent and monitored for all to see.
Community - Local artisans and producers are actively involved and livelihoods are protected.
Gender Equality - Specific actions are taken to empower women and girls.
Inclusivity - Opportunities are offered to people who are often excluded.
Giving Back - Profits are re-invested back into the community.
Eco Consciousness - Practices are in place to support a healthy environment.
Consistency - Values are consistently applied across all aspects.
3. Who are the faces/names behind Fair&Good?
fair&good is a family-based not-for-profit founded by my daughter, Matai’a Sarah Richards, my daughter-in-law, Erin Balle, and me (Dr Susan Maiava). We also have the lovely Prasanna Nara, our Communications Manager who runs our social media. fair&good is funded by the Fairfield Trust, a registered charity. This allows us to be completely impartial. We do not take any commission or charge fees.
4. What are the main categories of products you showcase?
We want to cover the whole range of what anyone might want to shop for. That’s why it's so great to have Melody the Label on board fair&good as they add maternity and breastfeeding fashion to our range of ethical Fashion brands.
We have four main categories: Fashion and Accessories, Home and Living, Food and Drink, and Body and Beauty. Some of these are almost ready to be split into sub-categories, such as coffee and chocolate within Food because there are some many great ethical coffee and chocolate brands available now.
5. Do you offer much for Mums?
With Melody the Label now on our site we have great maternity and breast-feeding clothing. For Mums looking for ethically sourced toys and decor for young ones, you can’t go past Fairplay. Loyal also have some great products, and Above Rubies do adorable crochet toys. Of course, there’s also a whole lot of offerings for Mums to enjoy, such as alcohol-free spirits from Ecology & Co for Mums-to-be and a beautiful selection of homeware, clothing, food and drinks.
6. What main piece of advice would you give Mums who want to shop ethically?
fair&good is a great place to start for finding brands that meet your values. We’ve done a lot of the research for you but a little bit of googling can reveal heaps about a brand. Look for brands with certifications like GOTS cotton. Read the Tear Fund ethical fashion guide as well as our Journal. If you’re ever not sure about a company’s ethics, just flick them a message and ask.
7. What feedback have you had from Mums who have browsed your website?
We love it when people tell us they have found their new favourite brand through our site! And Mums have also been loving the Journal section for helpful information and advice, and to learn about the issues. Guest blogs and interviews mean we offer lots of interesting perspectives and experience.
8. Where can Mums find you?
On www.fairandgood.co.nz We’re also active on Instagram and Facebook – just search @fairandgood We often have giveaways so keep an eye out for those too.
9. What are your plans for Fair&Good for the next year?
We see our role as being facilitators so we are always looking for ways to support ethical businesses. Soon we will be adding a resources page with resources for both consumers and for businesses. We want to continue to grow the number of ethical Kiwi brands on our site (including more for Mums, bubs and children 😊).
Ultimately our long-term goal is to make ethical shopping mainstream. We like to say we are “changing demand to demand change”.
10. Will you be involved in any events in New Zealand over the next year?
We enjoyed being involved in Fashion Revolution Week this year, so I’m sure we will join again next year. We supported the campaign to introduce a Modern Slavery Act in NZ and encouraged the brands we showcase to support that as well, so we will be following that closely over the year.