Power to the people
- Words by Peppermint
Back in the 80s, the notion that business could be a force for good was pretty revolutionary. Most companies were more obsessed with their bottom line than ensuring the people who made their product’s ingredients were well-paid, working in humane conditions and using methods that sustained rather than ruined their land.
So when The Body Shop founder Anita Roddick created Community Trade (then known as Trade Not Aid) in February 1987 as a way of empowering people with a hand-up rather than a handout, some thought her a little odd.
Three decades on, that same program now partners with more than 20,000 producers worldwide, ensuring fair working conditions while promising a cut of profits to communities in need. That’s helped pay for healthcare centres, wells, hygiene stations and 50 schools while assisting in the preservation of 8,000 hectares of rainforest. “Community Trade is part of the DNA of The Body Shop and … a prime example of how we can challenge industry norms,” Will Stephens, head of sustainable sourcing, says.
Community Trade is part of the DNA of The Body Shop and … a prime example of how we can challenge industry norms.
As The Body Shop (which was acquired by L’Oréal in 2006) celebrates the program’s 30 year anniversary, it’s added four new ingredients to the Community Trade roster – bringing the total to 23. That includes new almond oil from the Alicante region of Spain, banana puree from Ecuador, British rose essence sourced organically from Herefordshire in England and mango seed oil from India. The grand plan is to double the entire program by 2020 and, by sourcing 40 ingredients under Community Trade, The Body Shop will help up to 40,000 economically vulnerable people access work around the world. A force for good indeed!
—————————————
WORDS: KOREN HELBIG
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
Brighten up your inbox with our not-too-frequent emails featuring Peppermint-related news, events, competitions and more!
explore
More articles
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…. Which means we are officially entering party season. Work parties, friend-dos, family get-togethers and then we’re straight into New Year festivities. If you’re lucky enough, you might be staring down the barrel…
Look, I don’t want to make anyone panic but IT’S DECEMBER!!! If you’re planning to give homemade gifts, you’re going to have to act fast. …
Furred, feathered, fishy, scaled… The pets we choose are as diverse as our personalities. (And apparently, quite often we resemble each other.) But they all…
When you hang a painting on a wall, the story stays put. But when you wear a beautifully made garment that may as well be…
Hang out with us on Instagram
Any New Year’s resolutions on your list? We love this from @OtterBeeStitching - “be brave enough to suck at something new”.
There’s no points for perfection, but you’ll get a trophy for trying. If nothing else this year, take the leap and try something new.
#OtterBeeStitching #Embroidery #BeBrave #TrySomethingNew #EmbroideryArt
Sunday serving suggestion ☀️
Gorgeous photos from @JolieFemmeStore - who make sweet garments from vintage bedsheets.
#PeppermintMagazine #SlowSunday #SwitchOff #Unplug #ReadAMagazine
A toast to the old you 🥂
We wholeheartedly love this post from the brilliant @EmilyOnLife:
“2026: Reinvent, burn it down, let it go (whatever it is). Year of the Snake it up. Exercise your boundaries, exercise your body, take one teeny step every day towards a life that feels better to be in.
But don’t you dare shit on your old self while you do it.
Hold yourself with reverence and tenderness and respect, because you got you this far. You did your very best with the information and tools you had at the time. You scraped yourself together, you made it work, you survived what felt impossible to survive: again and again and again.
You are perpetually in the process of becoming, whether you can feel it or not, whether or not you add it to your 2026 to-do list.“
Some very wise words from @Damon.Gameau to take us into 2026 🙌🏼
⭐️ We made it!!! ⭐️
Happy New Year, friends. To those who smashed their goals and achieved their dreams, and to those who are crawling over the finish line hoping to never speak of this year again (and everyone else in between): we made it. However you got here is enough. Be proud.
It’s been a tough year for many of us in small business, so here’s to a better year in 2026. We’re forever grateful for all your support and are jumping for joy to still be here bringing you creativity, kindness and community.
We’re also excited to be leaping into the NY with our special release sewing pattern – the Waratah Wrap Dress!
How great are our fabulous models: @Melt.Stitches, @KatieMakesADress and @Tricky.Pockets - and also our incredible Sewing Manager @Laura_The_Maker! 🙌🏼
Ok 2026: let’s do this. 💪🏼
#PeppermintWaratahWrapDress #PeppermintPatterns #SewingPattern #MeMade #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
Putting together our annual Stitch Up brings on all the feels! We feel humbled that you’ve chosen to sew Peppermint patterns, we feel inspired by the versions you’ve created and we feel proud of you.
Where to begin?! As always, there has been a plethora of Peppermint patterns flooding our feeds this year, and we wish we could showcase more than just a handful of magnificent makes from you, our clever community. We encourage you to flip through the me-made items in your wardrobe or scroll through your grid and remind yourself of the beauty you’ve created with your own two hands (and maybe a seam ripper and some choice words). Congratulations to all of us for our creative achievements this year!
We’ve put together some (but absolutely not all) of our favourites from 2025 over on our website. We hope it inspires your next make!
🪡 Link in bio 🪡
Pictured: @FrocksAndFrouFrou @MazzlesMakes @KatieMakesADress @_Marueli_ @IUsedToBeACurtain @Nanalevine.Couture @PiperInFullColour @MadeByMeJessieB @SarahMalkawi @Made.By.Little.Mama
#PeppermintPatterns #SewingPatterns #MeMade #MeMadeEveryday
