Peppermint's Deputy Editor and Senior Writer since Issue 2, Tess Curran loves pretty photos, good coffee, vintage ceramics, art deco mirrors, old books, nice people and good punctuation.
Last week more than a thousand key fashion stakeholders from around the globe descended on Copenhagen to join a movement to transition the fashion industry to sustainability. Copenhagen Fashion Summit is the world’s largest and most important conference on sustainable fashion and CSR. Like most things in Denmark, it embodied professionalism, style and sophistication. The conference was held in the spectacular Danish Opera House and participants were welcomed by Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark wearing an H&M Conscious Collection dress. Key speakers were A-list quality, including supermodel Erin O’Connor, H&M, Gucci and the United Nations and European Commissioner for Climate Action. While these speakers were impressive, one presenter stood out most for his offbeat approach. Read the rest of this entry »
Long black or short black? Sugar or no sugar? There sure are a lot of choices in our daily routine, but there is one choice which makes a difference above all else: fair trade. For millions of farmers, producers and communities right around the world, that little fair trade label equals phenomenally changed lives. From our end of the consumption cycle, however, this difference is often hard to see. Indeed, as we browse the chocolate aisle at the supermarket, dizzy on the sweet reward of it all, the much more sour steps in the chain are all but invisible. With Fair Trade Fortnight well underway, we thought we’d share this eye opening documentary to remind us all about what really goes into many of our favourite cocoa products – and the difference our choices can make. If you’re inspired to learn more or get involved in Fair Trade Fortnight events, stop by their website here.
It’s nice when somebody creates something with thought; something that feels at once intimate and inviting. In terms of cookbooks, Julie Jansen’s independently produced Apricot & Apron Strings achieves just that: like a warm homemade muffin on your favourite chipped china plate, its charm is an irresistible one. Locally produced in Melbourne and printed on 100% recycled paper with vegie inks, you’ll find a homely mix of Julie’s favourite tried and true recipes from over 30 years in the kitchen, with plenty of her own foodie wisdom thrown in for good measure. Though we know a few mums might enjoy unwrapping this little treat on Sunday (or waking up to the smell of the Orange Almond Cake – shared below – wafting out from the kitchen), there’s no reason Dad should miss out on the chance to don his favourite apron too. Read the rest of this entry »
Loving Earth are our Willy Wonka. No, we haven’t seen their factory, but anyone who can create 100% raw, organic, fair trade and sugar-free chocolate goodies that taste this good have to be working some kind of technicolour magic. Connoisseurs of those two most blessed of words, healthy chocolate, Loving Earth deal only in the things that are good for us: raw organic cacao, agave and coconut butter, alongside a medley of other tasty wonders like Goji, Acai, Maca, mint and berries. The result is chocolate products that are not only guilt-free doses of deliciousness, but – making dreams come true all over the country and especially in our office during deadline – are actually nutritional super foods. Read the rest of this entry »
Last Thursday, AYCC chair and leading Aussie environmentalist Anna Rose faced off against former Senator and renowned climate sceptic Nick Minchin on the ABC1 special I Can Change Your Mind About Climate. The documentary (and Q&A panel afterward) heavily divided the public, much like the issue of climate change – and its associated ‘realness’ or ‘urgency’ – continues to. In the lead up to the release of her new book Madlands, we caught up with Anna to pick her brain about dealing with climate change sceptics and new ways forward for environmental action. Read the rest of this entry »
In a brave and highly controversial move, Lush cosmetics in the UK spent yesterday performing ‘Live Human Testing’ in the window of their busy Regent Street store. The idea was part of their extensive campaign against animal testing in the cosmetics industry, and the apologetically bold move to turn the tables and use humans as subjects of these gruelling and graphic procedures certainly attracted a lot of media attention and divided the public right around the world. So what do you think? Was this too much, or something we all needed to see and understand?
Oh Lydra, you’re making us weak at the knees! Whimsical Romance is the new collection from Melbournian design talent Linda Vydra: a vision of stunning bags and clutches all elegantly crafted from preloved fabrics and upholstery. Lose yourself in more images from the collection below, or view the nifty flip-book catalogue here – the perfect cure for any lurking Mondayitis! Read the rest of this entry »
Before you go kicking your current smartphone to the kerb as soon as there’s so much as a whisper about a new Apple release, consider this: your iPhone has had quite a life before it landed in your pretty little hands, and it will continue to have one the moment it leaves them. To give you an idea of what we’re talking about, developer Jen Rhee and her team have come up with a clever interactive graphic that shows you exactly what goes into – and comes out of – our mobile other halves. Read the rest of this entry »
Protect your eyes while restoring the eyesight of others? That’s genius in our books. SOLO Eyewear have just unleashed a new line of unique bamboo sunglasses, where every purchase of their stylish specs will help those in need to see again through either prescription eyeglasses or eye surgery. With 80% of the world’s blindness being preventable, this is a smart and easy way to be part of the solution. Read the rest of this entry »
We want to go to Marnie Skilling’s Garage Sale. If you live in Sydney, you can. The rest of us will just have to make do with the hundreds – potentially thousands – of other garage sales happening around the country as part of the second national Garage Sale Trail on May 5th. With just over three weeks until the event, there’s still plenty of time to register your details and join. Read the rest of this entry »
