Artisans
The amazing artisans below make up the talented group behind Sheer Ethic products.
Auroville Handmade Stationery
The paper that makes up this handmade stationery is made from recycled and waste cotton so absolutely no trees are felled for the production. The handmade paper contains only natural fibres so is free from any toxic substances. Locally found flowers, petals, leaves, grasses, bark and pods are added to the paper to create designs, impressions and textures dictated by nature herself. As such, no piece of stationery is the same as each show the natural uniqueness and the infinite diversity of individual pieces of foliage.
Stunning in its simplicity, the handmade paper is stronger and more versatile than the industries mass produced counterparts. The stationery range offers an amazing array of variations in colour, textures and designs depending on the combination of fibres used. All sheets of paper are made with four deckle edges. From the process of collecting the materials to its final calendaring, it takes 3 days to produce a single sheet of paper.
Learn moreCraft Resource Centre (CRC)
CRC is a world fair trade organisation committed to keeping traditional handicraft skills alive by teaching and empowering artisan to be self sufficient in a sustainable manner.
Founded in 1989 in Kolkata, India, CRC developed centres to provide training in craftsmanship, sustainability, business skills, financial support and a network to global opportunities that these individuals would never otherwise have access to.
Learn moreGreen the Gap
Green the Gap is a fair trade organisation committed to the environment and helping disadvantaged people in India through training, employment and via citizenship programmes.
Green the Gap is incredibly passionate about encouraging consumers to actively think about their purchase choices and considering waste disposal as part of the purchase decision process.
Products are made by upcycling discarded waste materials such as old tyres, tetra packs, waste fabrics, waste leather and discarded rexine. Green the Gap employs skilled tailors from disadvantaged backgrounds, offering decent working conditions.
Learn moreIndian Handmade Papers
This handmade paper is made from recycled and waste cotton so absolutely no trees are felled for the production. The majority of the cotton is discarded by local fabric companies. Locally found flowers, petals, leaves and grasses are collected from garden trimmings so no plants are harmed for the natural embellishments.
Superior in quality, the handmade paper is stronger and more versatile than the industries mass produced counterparts. The range offers an amazing array of colours, prints, textures and designs depending on the combination of ingredients used. Whether you are after a classy, formal design or a natural, raw look, there will be a handmade paper here that suits your desire.
Learn moreJenny Barnes for Art for Animals
Jenny Barnes is the founder of Sheer Ethic. Since Sheer Ethic went live in January 2012, Jenny has been been focused on strategies to incorporate charity as part of the business. In November 2012 Sheer Ethic started donating a portion of sales to Animals Australia.
Jenny's three biggest passions are Sheer Ethic, animal welfare and painting so in an attempt to combine all three she created the art for Animals Project - original artwork in recycled timber frames where 30% of the purchase price is donated to Animals Australia.
Learn moreLatifi Silk
The end of run cast offs and silk waste from local sari manufacturing plants are collected and sorted for recycling in to silk yarns and ribbons.
People are employed throughout the local nearby villages to process these waste silk fibres and fabrics. The woven silk sari fabrics are cut and then stitched in to the recycled silk ribbons. The silk fibres are hand spun by villagers (local women) to produce the recycled silk yarns.
This work helps supplement their family income during periods they would otherwise be unemployed.
Learn morePatricia Moura
Patricia Moura is 100% committed to sustainable production methods and enlists the help of indigenous tribes in the Amazon to collect the locally found raw materials. Seeds are collected from the forest floor with no harm to the environment and are later dyed using natural colourings.
Currently a horrific percentage of the amazon is logged to make room for cattle farming but Patricia is determined to do her part to sustain the rainforest. Sales of her eco-jewellery helps to preserve the rainforest by encouraging the cultivation of the Acai berry and the other tree seeds Patricia uses as well as building sustainable communities by providing work for the local tribes.
Learn moreQuintessence Soaps
When we met Louise, the lovely lady behind Quintessence soaps, we instantly felt her passion and commitment to the environment and social responsibility. We very much hoped that her soap quality impressed us as much as she did and amazingly it did!.
We have sampled fair trade soaps from all over the globe and none impressed as much as Louise’s soaps did. She uses only natural ingredients and is wholeheartedly committed to the triple bottom line of Sustainability: financial, social and environmental responsibility. Most importantly, the soaps are divine and beautiful to use.
What we also loved about Louise was her dedication to her charity “Thrive Cambodia” a non-profit, non-government, education-focused organisation that provides support to the Song Rong Village community in the Siem Reap Province in Cambodia.
Learn moreThe Andean Collection
This precious line of jewellery are made by locals in Ecuador, South America out of rainforest seeds and nuts. The Andean Collection (AC) has helped these locals by opening a channel for the artisans jewellery to be made available to a global market. Prior to AC’s involvement many artisans had to forgo meals to feed their children. AC is committed to bringing sustainable change to impoverished communities in South America and we at Sheer Ethic are proud to support such efforts.
These products are registered Fair Trade Federation items and a portion of sales goes towards the non-profit arm, Andean Project (AP), which focuses on providing supplemental social services to the artisans and their families and ensures community change is productive and healthy and addresses other poverty related social issues.
Learn more