Sustainably Spooky

I can't help but notice that my lovely northern hemisphere readers are gearing up for Halloween - so I decided to have a look around for some creepy cruelty-free and eerily eco items!

Ghost Laser Cut Brooch by Tall Rabbit - For when you want to be more cute than creepy!

Vintage Halloween Vogue Witch Tag by Dorothy Jane - For when you want to be scarily stylish

Skull Shot Vegan Halloween Soap by AJ Sweet Soap -  This would make for very cool guest soaps at a Halloween party!

Vegan Zombie Makeup Kit by Pink Quartz Minerals - For zombies with a conscience!

Organic Pumpkin Spice Coffee Candle from Lil Sprout Organics - An eco friendly way to have your home smelling all warm and pumpkiny - perfect for snuggling up with tales of terror ;o)

Handmade Vegan Skull + Bones Soap by My Bee Bars - These spine-tingling soaps are just the thing for bath time. Created using whipped soap they'll float about oozing pumpkin spice aromas!

Vegan Cauldron Perfume Oil from Little Batch - A concoction of cruelty-free fragrances for when you want to smell terrifyingly good

Three Witches Spell Vegan Soap from The Charming Frog - Shakespearean soap for spooky special occasions 

Vegan Black Halloween Lipstick from D & E Handmade Cosmetics - Ditch your glossy pink shades for one night and dip into this pitch black lippy

Black with Black Glitter (Halloween Collection) Eyeshadow by Carina Dolci Mineral Cosmetics - A vegan eyeshadow to keep you looking frighteningly fierce!

Vegan Glowing Freaky Finger Soaps from AJ Sweet Soap - Outstandingly off-putting!

Vegan Vampire Makeup Kit by Brazen Cosmetics - They even send it to you wrapped in a paper-mache skull :D

Newborn Pumpkin Hats (Vegan) by Housey Mousey - For when you need to dress up small children as pumpkins

Halloween Pumpkin Solar Lights from Lights 4 Fun - Add some atmosphere to your party without adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere 

I Heart Ethical Art

I decided it was time to dip my toe into the ocean of ethical art. Here are some of the treasures I found just beneath the surface waters - 

John Dahlsen:

"Blue River" - This piece was a finalist in the 2003 Wynne Prize for Australian Landscape at the Art Gallery of New South Wales and is made primarily from recycled plastic bags

"Blue Rope" - A moody piece of abstract art created from recycled plastics collected from Australian beaches

"Driftwood Sculpture Trio" - Shapely sculpture using found driftwood, steel and wood

Yuken Teruya:

"Corner Forest" - Something gorgeous sprouting from humble toilet rolls!

Aurora Robson:

"Kermit" - This ethereal artwork was constructed from plastic debris (PET), rivets, tinted polycrylic and mica powder

"Active Ingredient" - Something beautiful is born from one of life's little annoyances...junk mail!

Mary Engel:

Mary Engel uses discarded materials in an attempt to capture the essence of animal movement

Eco Wall Art Range @ Weylandts:

"Asanoha 3D" - This piece is part of an ecological initiative out of the Philippines combining eco-art with sustainable employment

Wim Delvoye:

"Tire Art" - This amazing art transformation is part of Belgian artist Wim Delvoye's  Pneu series. Learn more about art from everyday objects at Junkculture

Tom Deininger:

"Stroking Monet" - Tom Deininger's Landscape Junk Assemblages takes the flotsam and jetsam of the world and transforms it into amazing visual delights!

Monkeybiz:

Monkeybiz Beaded Art is an inspiring not-for-profit project helping to empower women in under-resourced areas of South Africa through economic development 

Do It Yourself:

Soy Crayon Rocks from EcoArtWorks - Non-toxic soy wax crayons - so pretty! :D

Eco Finger Paints from EcoArtWorks - Grab these and have some vibrant eco fun!

Hemp Sketch Book from EcoArtWorks -Fancy yourself a sketch artist? Pop this baby in your bag and whip it out whenever inspiration strikes! 

Exclusive: Olive & Reg team up with Fairtrade designer Jessica Poole

Kindness by Design is delighted to have this opportunity to be the first to reveal a new collection of Fairtrade and Fairmined gold rings designed by Jessica Poole exclusively for Olive & Reg! 

Jessica at work in her London studio

It's wonderful to see designers with a passion for producing gorgeous ethical pieces, combining beauty with heart. In her own words, Jessica strives "...for elegant simplicity in my jewellery that I hope will be ageless and endure the fickle nature of fashion". Her unique design aesthetic is influenced by sensuous forms and clean lines. 

A beautiful example of Jessica's strength in designing fluid & elegant forms - this Fairtrade & Fairmined eco white gold ring is my personal favourite!

Here's a breakdown of what makes these rings so eco-tastic:

• The gold used to create Jessica’s collection is from Oro Verde in the Chocó Bioregion of Columbia and is certified Ecological Fairtrade Fairmined;
• Eco Fairtrade gold is alluvial gold found in riverbeds and is extracted without the use of chemicals;
• No mercury or cyanide is used to process the gold;
• The communities employ a range of inherited ancestral mining techniques that ensure a sustainable use of natural resources;
• Care is taken to restore vegetation after mining to encourage full recovery of the tropical rainforest terrain;
• The diamonds and gemstones used in these rings have been sourced following strict social and environmental standards ensuring that both the environment and the people who mine, cut, and craft the stones have been treated with the respect they deserve.

Each gold ring is stamped with the Fairtrade Fairmined logo. Ecological Fairtrade gold also has the word ‘ECO’ next to the logo

Olive & Reg insist on supply chain traceability and believe in honesty, transparency and exceptional quality

Based in the British Isles, Olive & Reg offer an alternative to the big brands and mass-produced jewellery. 

We try to manage our business in a way that is culturally, environmentally and socially responsible and all of our jewellery is created from fairtrade, ethically sourced or recycled materials - Olive & Reg

In the very near future they will be launching their new website, which will feature the full collection. Kindness by Design will be there to bring you an in-depth look at this amazing new label!

Fairtrade Fairmined eco white gold sapphire & diamond ring with polished finish

Fairtrade Fairmined eco yellow gold diamond ring with brushed finish

Fairtrade Fairmined eco yellow gold fire citrine & diamond ring with brushed finish

Fairtrade Fairmined eco white gold diamond ring with brushed finish

You can find Olive & Reg on Twitter!

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