Green Squirrel

Competition

2010-01-27T15:25:00.000-08:00

We are running a romantic competiton in the shop just now to win a fair-trade chocolate hamper and help raise funds for Haitti through ActionAid - all you have to do is pick one of the romatic names to call your lover and hope your name is picked - it costs just £2!

AMAZING SALE

2010-01-27T15:17:00.000-08:00

We have gone sale crazy in the shop and on-line...... jackets that were £99 now £10 - only 2 left so hurry up and check them out before we sell out!

Lots more bargains as well on fair-trade and ethical clothing, jewellery, toys, handbags, organic babywear, the list goes on.... fabrics made from soya beans, hemp, wool (to keep you warm in this cold spell)

take a look now http://www.green-squirrel.co.uk/ plus a FREE Doy Bags keyring/ bag charm for all on-line sales whilst stocks last

Antonia

Shop Back Open

2010-01-04T12:57:00.000-08:00

Perth shop re-opens tomorrow at 10am after the festive period with still lots and lots of snow on the ground......... but sale bargains to be snapped up, so try to hurry down and see us soon. New collections arriving in less than six weeks for Spring/ Summer - fabulous new designs and a few new designers - this amazing dress from Miksani is made from bananas!...........!!

New Shop

2009-12-03T14:49:00.001-08:00

It has been a very busy time for us squirrels getting the new Dundee shop up and running in time for Christmas and sourcing lots of new products to treat your loved ones with.

check out these fantastic Joey-D handbags made from recycled tetiles including Harris Tweed, jacket linings, leather -all individual as made from recycled products in Edinburgh.

Competition

2009-10-29T03:00:00.000-07:00

Win a fantastic fair-trade jewellery set from Yakanaka made in Zimbabwe. The set includes a charm necklace and bracelet and is worth £45.00 Green Squirrel is giving away 5 sets through Scottish Field Magazine, so log onto their website to enter the competition and good luck!

http://www.scottishfield.co.uk/competition/88-Green_Squirrel,_Perth,_Fair_trade_charms_give_away

Bee So Funky

2009-10-19T04:50:00.000-07:00

Support 14 year old school girl Aimee Morris with her eco bags designed to help increase the bee population - you can now buy them on-line at our ethical boutique http://www.green-squirrel.co.uk/

Each bag comes with a packet of bee friendly flower seeds and a badge.

2009-10-03T06:25:00.000-07:00

Halloween is on it's way, make sure you have a party dress, toys for the children and dressing up outfits. These fantastic bat torches are just in with no baterries required! Just £5.99 - a real crowd pleaser....

http://www.green-squirrel.co.uk/toys-books/488-bat-torch/flypage.tpl.html

Also try these fabulous witch and spider craft kits, keep them busy paiting, glueing and creating a fantastic puppet for a halloween show.

http://www.green-squirrel.co.uk/toys-books/333-dragon-craft-kit/flypage.tpl.html

2009-09-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

September Newsletter is now on-line at www.green-squirrel.co.uk, see our picture from the Fashion Show and check out Jo Wood Organics, People Tree, Komodo, Frank & Faith and all the other new lines we have in stock.....

Komodo

2009-09-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

We are delighted that Komodo has now arrived in the shop and as it is our first season with them, really happy with the response. This Lysa Coat has already become a fashion talking point.

People Tree

2009-09-08T08:21:00.000-07:00

The new People Tree stock has arrived and is looking gorgeous. Come and meet Aurelie from People Tree at the Fashion on Thursday evening in Perth.

This beautiful Tribal Dress is £70 - I am definately having one of those.....

Jo Wood Organics

2009-08-21T03:32:00.001-07:00

These fantastic gift sets are now available at Green Squirrel - choose from the luxurious AMKA and USIKU organic gift sets of EDT and candle of the everyday organic collection of TULA or LANGA featuring the body cream and body mousse, either way you will be delighted and hooked for life on these fabulous products. I love the AMKA....!

Frugi Autumn/ Winter Now On-Line

2009-08-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

I have just input the new Autumn Winter range from Frugi on-line to go with the Little Shrimp childrens range recently received, check it out on Green Squirrel's website http://www.green-squirrel.co.uk/

Autumn/ Winter Ranges start to arrive.....

2009-08-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

I have just stated to upload the NEW Autumn/ Winter ranges that have arrived in the shop this week from People Tree and the new Nancy Dee, check out the web http://www.green-squirrel.co.uk/ for more details...... more fantastic ranges arriving over the next few weeks from Nomads, Komodo, Frank & Faith, Braintree Hemp and many more.......

SALE NOW ON

2009-07-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

We have aunched our sale in the Perth shop and on-line this weekend, so don't miss out on the bargains of ethical, organic cotton and bamboo fair-trade clothing. www.green-squirrel.co.uk

Back on track with new lines

2009-07-13T12:27:00.001-07:00

Mudd & Water are a new supplier to Green Squirrel based in Hertfordshire, they sell organic ethical clothing in fabulous designs, we have four new designs arriving on Monday including this fantastic Off the Hook cardigan, linen shorts, linen trousers and a fantastic tee with floral graphic.

Crafty Kits

- these amazing kits are made from recycled card and can therefore be recycled again. Hours of fun for little ones aged 4+ I know they will be a hit with my two sons who helped me to pick the range for the shop.

2009-07-03T15:56:00.000-07:00

Melody Lau has joined the Green Squirrel team behind the scenes to help with all our web updates, so hopefully we will be able to send more information to you about what we are trying to acheive in the coming weeks. Here is a bit about ethical fabrics from Melody - enjoy!

FAIR-TRADE
Fair-trade means that not only are the farmers and people who produce the fabric guaranteed a fair wage but their health and welfare is looked after. Fair-trade helps work towards ending exploitation and defeating poverty through trade.

ORGANIC CLOTHING

Organic means no chemicals were used in the growing or production of the fabric. Organic clothing uses natural fertilisers and crop rotation to keep the soil fertile. This means that the agriculture uses methods that are natural and ecological whilst being socially and ecologically sustainable: weeding is done by hand and pests are controlled biologically by using other insects who are their natural enemies. On the other hand, conventional cotton accounts for approximately 25% of the world's insecticides and 10% of the world's pesticides. These chemicals are harmful to both the farmers as well as contaminating the environment.

Organic cotton
Organic cotton is much more environmentally friendly than the traditional variety found in the High Street shops as it uses no pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides during the growing cycle. There are many growers of this crop, and the number is steadily increasing. Usually manufacturers using this plant to make textiles follow up the process by using natural dyes to further reduce the amount of chemicals discarded into our ecosystem.
The unique qualities of organic cotton make it a great resource for the production of high quality and comfortable organic women's clothing.
The inherent qualities of organic cotton clothing is that it’s very soft, breathable and comfortable next to the skin.

SUSTAINABLE FIBRES
Soy
Soy fabric is actually an eco-friendly fabric, surprisingly made from a by-product of soybean oil production. This means that it’s a sustainable textile fibre made from renewable and biodegradable resources: the waste soy protein is liquefied and extruded into continuous fibres which can then be spun into cloth. It’s part of an effort to move consumers away from petrochemical textile products and turn waste into useful products.
Soy fabric has many desirable qualities. Compared to silk, this resists wrinkles. It dries quicker than linen or cotton. Soy fabric is extremely soft and even feels silky to the touch with excellent drape qualities. This fabric allows perspiration to evaporate, which isn’t always true for synthetics as it is cool and comfortable during hot weather.

Lyocell
Lyocell is made of cellulose (vegetable matter) which is extracted from wood pulp. The wood is taken from managed forests and renewable plantations, , typically a mix of hardwood trees like oak and birch. This makes it a natural fabric, and it is noted for its durability and strength, in addition to its eco-friendly manufacturing techniques. Only one chemical is used to dissolve the wood pulp which can be recovered and reused again and again in the production process. Garments made of Lyocell are fairly expensive, not only because of manufacturing, but because only one company distributes the fabric: the only current manufacturer in the United States is Lenzing Inc, who market it under the trademarked brand name Tencel.
The main characteristics of Lyocell fibres used in clothing are that it is soft, absorbent, and very strong when wet or dry, and resistant to wrinkles. The garments can be machine- or hand-washed or dry-cleaned, it drapes well, and it can be dyed many colours, as well as simulating a variety of textures like suede, leather, or silk. Currently Lyocell is more expensive to produce than cotton, but is included in many everyday items. Filament fibres are used in items that have a silkier appearance such as women’s clothing. Lyocell can be blended with a variety of other fibres such as silk, cotton, polyester, linen, nylon, and wool.

Hemp
By far, the crop with the most potential for eco-friendly textile use is hemp. The ecological footprint of hemp is considerably smaller than that of most other plants considered for their fibres. Hemp plants grow very quickly and densely which makes it difficult for weeds to take hold, eliminating the need for herbicides and artificial fertilisers. It thrives on the amount of water in the average rainfall, and it is highly pest-resistant. Hemp has naturally long fibres which makes it suitable for spinning with a minimum of processing.
Hemp fabrics come in a variety of weights and textures. One great advantage of hemp is that it is biodegradable. It is also very strong, durable and, due to the fibres porous nature, good at absorbing water. In addition to trapping water it can trap air making garments warm in winter but allowing them to be breathable and cool in summer. Hemp also stretches less than other natural fibres so garments will hold their shape. The more hemp is used the softer it gets - it doesn't wear out.

Linen
Linen is made from the flax plant where the seeds are taken out, the fibres are loosened from the stalk and the woody parts of the stalk are removed. Most of the process is done mechanically making it an environmentally-friendly fibre. Linen is highly absorbent and will quickly remove perspiration from the skin. At the same time, Linen is a stiff fabric and is less likely to cling to the skin, e.g. perspiration, it tends to dry out and become cool so that the skin is being continually touched by a cool surface. It is a very durable, strong fabric, and one of the few that are stronger wet than dry. The fibres do not stretch and are resistant to damage from abrasion.

Modal
Modal is a bio-based fibre made by spinning re-constituted cellulose from beech trees. It is about 50% more water-absorbent per unit volume than cotton is. It is designed to dye just like cotton, and is colour-fast when washed in warm water and so resistant to shrinkage and fading. They are smooth and soft, more so than even mercerised cotton, to the point where mineral deposits such as lime, do not stick to the fabric surface.

INGEO corn fibre
Ingeo is a new environmental-protection fibre is the world's first commercially viable synthetic fibre derived entirely from renewable resources. It is created by extracting the starch and then sugars from corn, and processing them to make a fibre, which can be spun into a yarn or woven into fabric.
Ingeo fibres combine the comfortable wear and feel of natural fibres such as cotton, wool and silk with the ease of care and specialty performance of synthetics.
The corn fibre yarn has a good property of drape-ability, moisture absorption and air permeability.

RECYCLED FIBRES

Statistics shows that In the UK, more than a million tonnes of textiles are thrown away every single year (DEFRA). We can all put an end to the throw-away culture by being less care-free and recycling more. We can help to slow the use of resources and reduce carbon emissions and pollution, simply by using the word ‘RE’. Re-cycle,
re-claim, re-make, re-fashion and re-consider.

- Post consumer waste includes anything that is discarded after it has been used for its intended purpose. Sometimes individual pieces are re-worked, other times the whole product is pulped and turned back into useful fibre.
- Pre consumer waste is products that were thrown away before its manufacture. This includes, excess fabric, scraps left over from cutting out etc.
- Recyclable is anything that can be recycled.
- Compostable: clothing made from natural materials can be composted.

2009-07-02T02:37:00.000-07:00

Green Squirrel is supporting Katia Kvinge for the Miss Earth UK competition as she has made it through to the finals. Please Vote for her!

Katia explained: “This contest is about a very important cause, to help save the environment. Miss Earth UK aims to find four UK country winners who will proudly represent their nation in fulfilling the ideals of the competition – that beauty queens can be strong and effective advocates for Mother Earth. The four overall UK country winners of the competition will then travel to the Miss Earth international competition, where they will compete with winners from over 90 countries. Katia’s stepfather is well known in the environmental field. My stepdad Martin Price is one of the shared Nobel Peace Prize winners with Al Gore, so my family have already made an impact on the environment and I really hope to follow in their footsteps. I have been influenced by the way we should treat the environment. From a very young age I have always learned that the small things each person can do can make a huge difference on the world so it has become a habit to me to always switch off lights when they are not needed or to not waste paper and to make sure my rubbish is recycled.
The pageant aims to bring new meaning to beauty pageants by focusing on and promoting environmental awareness. During their participation in the pageant the Miss Earth delegates are required to plant trees, attend various environmental seminars and educate people on the three Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle).
To vote call 0901 656 1590 32 (when message requests a personal number please press 32, and hang up) or text Katia Kvinge to 84205.
Lines are opened now until Sunday, July 5, at 6pm. Votes made before or after this contest opens and closes will not be counted but you may still be charged. Votes cost 60p plus standard network charge.
Katia lives in Perth and will be performing at the Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre in “Anything Goes” from 18th July.

2009-06-30T07:53:00.000-07:00

New Hunky Dory bags have been added to our website http://www.green-squirrel.co.uk/ check them out.... this "Bird Line" bag is made from Taffeta silk in Vietnam and is although it is fair-trade it is only £34.95, see the matching purse for £11.50

Green Squirrel

2009-06-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

We are now on facebook, twitter and have our own blog!