ethical muse

Our Beach Bags Featured for Earth Day

ethicalmuse — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 05:38:57 +0000

Earth Day feature in Gulf News insert

Start-up Magazine/Arabian Business

ethicalmuse — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 07:15:56 +0000

Look who’s talking about us! We did the interview with Start-up Magazine in December when we were featured in the VIP Lounge of the Dubai Film Festival. This spread was featured in the January issue.

cathy and christina do radio

ethicalmuse — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:47:36 +0000

Ran into Lloyd and Lumbar from Dubai Eye in the VIP Lounge. After a little pre-recorded session with them we went to the Dubai Eye studios to go LIVE with Shioban! You can find our podcasts here. Scroll down to legal hour 2 & 3 to hear what we have to say!

Fall 2012 Newsletter

ethicalmuse — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 05:19:04 +0000

Last month we launched our first newsletter! If you aren’t yet on our mailing list but would like to be, please send an email to info@ethicalmuse. com and we’ll add you to our list. Don’t worry, it won’t clutter your in-box since we only plan to send it out quarterly.

For all the ongoing scoop, simply do what you’re doing now… click on the ethical news section of our website!

FALL 2012 Vol. 1

Email not displaying correctly?
View it in your browser.

We’re celebrating our first birthday! One year ago we officially launched our social venture, ethical muse. We have treated this last year as a pilot program, fine-tuning our product line, getting feedback from our customers, and searching the globe for the best artisans. We have learned so much!Thanks to valuable input from all of you, in 2013 we will be adding new items to some of your favoriteem collections as well as introducing new product lines. So hang on tight, the adventure is just beginning. We have some great plans and want you all along for the ride!Change, Not Charity
From the designers we support by working with them to create our products, to the children we encourage to stay in school with our meal donation program, we continue to help the planet and people through our sustainability model. Who are our inspirations? Check out our muses here.

Did you know…

based on our sales in the first 6 months of 2012 you helped us to donate over 5500 meals to the Masooli Community School
approximately 3,456 plastic bags were up-cycled into the ipad sleeves we’ve sold so far
over 94,650 cocoons went in to making the silk scarves you’ve purchased (one of our most popular products!)

No Junk In Our Trunk!
In the past six months we have held two very successful trunk shows. Not only did they give us the chance to meet our customers and share our story in person, but also to find out which items were fan favorites. We could not do all this without our fabulous support system– YOU! So, a big thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Together we can change so much…and look fabulous doing it!

If you were unable to attend our shows you can still purchase ethical muse products online. It’s so easy. We accept secure payments through 2CO and we offer world-wide shipping for a flat-fee of only $10 USD. Your items will usually arrive within 3 business days once your payment is approved. Itching to get started? Then click here to start shopping for good!

In Dubai you can also find some of our products in The ONE, Atlantis The Palm, One &Only, The Change Initiative and Boom & Mellow.

Holiday Gifts
Looking for unique gifts that also give back? We have some great choices for the conscious fashionista on your list. Whether she loves the beach, or she’s a city girl at heart, you can be sure to find what you’re looking for here, here, or here. Every purchase gives back so you can love what you buy and feel good about how you spent your money.

Remember, we ship for only a $10 USD flat rate to anywhere in the world so there is no reason not to save on gas and time this year while you let your fingers do the shopping at ethicalmuse.com. If you are in the UAE shipping is free.

What’s in a name?
We are often asked what the “ethical” in our name means. To us, it’s about the way we choose to conduct our business, and our support and treatment of people. It means supporting skill provision and economic development while paying attention to how the artisans are treated (basic human rights), how we source our materials, and choosing to share a portion of our profits donating to the meal program at the Masooli Community School in Uganda and other global causes. We strive to have an element of sustainability in every product we design and work to support the planet by using recycled and upcycled materials as much as possible.

Muse is a creative influence, inspiration or stimulus. Someone or something that spurs our passion to do things meaningful and good. To us, a muse fuels our desire to make a difference and drives us to impact someone else’s journey as well as our own in a positive and lasting way.

How we choose to donate our profits, which social causes to support, or whom we select to work with when creating our products are all examples of how the ethical is our muse.

Copyright © 2012 \|LIST:ethical muse\|, All rights reserved. \|LIST:DESCRIPTION\|

shout out from Cheap n Chic

ethicalmuse — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 04:46:03 +0000

As you know Cheapnchic.net takes a special interest in ethical fashion, upcycling and special labels who have special missions. I was invited to the VIP Gifting Lounge for a second time. The lounge furnishes visiting superstars like Cate Blanchett, Frieda Pinto and Richard Gere with local and international brands during film festivals and sporting events like the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

In the lounge I came across Ethical Muse. The line features beach bags handmade in Uganda to help “weave out poverty” with exquisite cow horn handles. The IPAD covers Cate Blanchett grabbed were created with 48 plastic bags from waste in the Philippines and the brand’s bracelets are made from 100% recycled beads hand crafted by women in Uganda to provide income for their families.

As a for profit venture, Ethical Muse’s mission is to design and source high quality, recycled and sustainable accessories and bring awareness of global social causes to consumers.

The lovely ladies (above), Cathy (a fellow Aussie Chinese) and Christina gifted me their amazing Koko bag. I wore it to the Dove Real Beauty by Real Women book launch the following day. The Koko bag is red because it supports World AIDS Day December 1st. It’s handmade in Ethiopia from local leather and lined with fairly traded fabrics.

This bag has also been worn by none other than Kris Jenner as seen below:

The girls from Ethical Muse were not the only cool ones in the lounge. Just take a look at the amazing brands below.

It was a dazzling night and I want to thank Storylines, T Junction, Ocoo Beauty Drink, Natura Bisse, Bastien, Malaak and Moet and Chandon for the generous gifts. Thanks also to Miss Selfridge for the dress I am wearing in this blog.

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

a mention from “Classic with Colour”!

admin — Sun, 06 May 2012 06:38:44 +0000

In the Press: Velvet Magazine

CLASSIC WITH COLOUR

by Rachel Duggan | on April 17th, 2012 | 2 comments

When I started Classicwithcolour.com, the original focus was on Irish designers and Dubai designers and celebrating the new, growing and emerging brands in the markets. Responsible Fashion came shortly after, taking inspiration from Imposter for Animals, a luxury faux fur line based in New York and seeing how brands can be responsible in their ethics, production and even down to their marketing.

We have featured brands both in Dublin and Dubai as well as on an international level. Whether they are giving back to a community, empowering entrepreneurs in 3rd world countries or using vegetable oil to print on recycled products like Hang On Media, these brands are giving us a sustainable future. Adapted more in the West and more educated countries, Dubai is slowly coming around to the idea with brands and businesses offering alternative options. No matter the business or product, we love to see people conducting their business in a Responsible Fashion.

Dubai magazine Velvet featured this very aspect for their latest issue focused on Positive Luxury with our picks including ethical muse, Palestyle and Nawa Project. For those in Dubai, this fabulous issue is out now and for those further afield, here it is.

www.velvet.ae

make a splash!

admin — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:58:11 +0000

Check out our beach bags featured in the May 2012 issue of Women’s Health & Fitness Magazine

Corporate support for Masooli Primary School

admin — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:58:03 +0000

At the end of January Cathy, ethical muse co-founder, hosted Arqaam Capital’s Finance team for their annual Corporate off-site. This team of 8 young men and ladies stepped out of their comfort zone and into the hearts of the children and staff by helping renovate the school by painting classrooms, blackboards, making interlocking stabilized bricks and recycling paper. Arqaam Capital have financed the building of a security fence, enabling a safe environment for children and protection of water harvesting tanks, new sanitation facilities and the health clinic.

We were also joined by Suzanne Al-Houby, the first Arab woman to climb and summit Mt. Everest, and Founder & CEO of Rahhalah Explorers. She was our source of encouragement during the final leg of our trip – trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to see some of the world’s last mountain gorillas.

ethical muse is pleased to be involved with these companies who make giving back part of their corporate mantra.

Classic with Colour’s “a moment with…”

admin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:01:55 +0000

A moment with…ethical muse

A MOMENT WITH…

by classicwithcolour | on December 31st, 2011 | 0 comments

ethical muse is one of the newest brands to hit Dubai promoting conscious consumerism and ethical awareness in a fashionable way. From the New Year it will be stocked in The One concept store in Dubai. We had the pleasure of “A moment with…” Christina Decker from ethical muse.

What was your inspiration for ethical muse?

Our inspiration for ethical muse evolved in late Spring 2011 from a conversation we had regarding Cathy’s existing philanthropic work in Ethiopia and Uganda and how we could tie that into our mutual interest for fashion and style. We both aspired to bring something more to the style-focused world, but when considering sourcing and designing products from emerging areas of the world, we wanted to offer more than just another “sympathy product”. With our similar goals of making a difference, we decided to create a social venture that would combine promoting conscious consumerism, supporting skill provision and encouraging sustainability of people in emerging countries. At the same time we also wanted to create a two-way “pay if forward”. To be able to give back in a way that would improve humanitarian efforts–basic things we take for granted such as sanitation, clean water, education and nutritious meals.

Ethical fashion is considered a contradiction by some, how important do you feel it is for someone to be responsible in their purchasing decisions whether it is in fashion or general consumerism?

Ethical fashion has so many facets. An ethical ethos in fashion is something that we are aspiring to foster and bring to the mainstream and high-end consumer. To us, it is more about the way in which the artisans are treated and supported (basic human rights) and how we source our materials. We believe the trend is more and more becoming one of socially responsible consumer choices. That means being informed and knowing who is making the product and consciously choosing to support them with your purchase. With ethical muse, the added bonus is a product with a high aesthetic appeal, one that the customer actually wants to buy and show off, and also the give-back on the other end to global social causes. Our goal is to be on the ground in the countries we source from a few times a year, making sure that what we are selling meets our standards of sustainability for the artisan and also to making sure the money we are donating from profits to various social causes is being channeled and utilized to meet our expectations and goals.

A city full of Ferrari’s and Fendi, do you think Dubai is a city ready to embrace conscious consumerism?

It is true that Dubai is very label conscious. And, it is a market full of consumers that want to purchase the hot new item that everyone they know as bought. In Western cultures there is more of a trend to covet unique items that will set you apart from everyone else and showcase your individuality. Since we aspire to become a global brand, our products and our “shop for good” mantra will be instantly well received in some countries, while in others it will prove more of a challenge initially since we not only have to educate those consumers on being responsible shoppers, but also convince them that having a unique product that gives back and supports the artisan that made it is actually more desirable and can hold just as much cache. It will be a process, but we feel Dubai is ready to embrace our way of thinking. We are thrilled to announce that our scarves, iPad sleeves and the Koko clutch will be available at THE One stores after the first of the year so we will be more easily able to reach Dubai consumers.

Kim Kardashian’s visit to the United Arab Emirates got enormous global press. From all the celebrities and personalities that were visiting the UAE during 2011, what made Kim Kardashian be the chosen celebrity to present the beautiful KoKo clutch to?

Kim Kardashian’s visit happened to coincide with the arrival of our first shipment of bags. We had the opportunity to meet her through connections at the hotel she was staying at. Since we knew how much she loves handbags we brought one along for her and her mother as gifts to welcome them to Dubai. It wasn’t a calculated choice for her to be among the first to receive a bag, it was just our excitement to share our first bags with someone who appreciates great statement pieces, and hoping that the story of our bag could influence how she views products coming out of a country like Ethiopia.

Given that ethical muse has some wonderful fashionable products amongst it’s range, what are your ethical fashion do’s and don’ts?

When it comes to ethical fashion do’s and don’ts, Cathy and I are evolving just like our consumers. It’s a matter of becoming conscious of what you are buying. We all have a choice in how we spend our money. The last thing we want to do is judge anyone for their choices. Instead, we ask that they simply become conscious and open to the idea that emerging countries have much to offer in terms of quality, handmade stylish products. Choosing to spend money on those products can show your commitment to supporting the artisans in forgotten areas of the world. Our biggest Dois to simply become aware of how the artisans that give life to the products you are purchasing are treated. When given the option, choose products that contribute directly to the sustainability of an artisan. Our top Don’t would be to not sacrifice quality for price. With the global shake-up, consumers today are very price focused, however they need to keep in mind how a retailer or fashion label is able to offer such a low price. Chances are they are compromising on the quality of the material they are using, or in how the workers that are making the products are provided for. The reason ethical fashion can be higher priced is not only due to the give back factor inherent in many of the products, but also because of the time and labor that goes into a handmade product or material. Our advice would be to buy better and buy less. Instead of purchasing a number of inexpensive items, choose one higher quality item that you not only love on the outside, but also makes you feel good on the inside because of what your purchase has helped contribute to.

What are your favourite ethical brands?

There are more and more ethical fashion labels coming on the market every day which is fantastic. Cathy and I are both fans of Lauren Bush Lauren’s FEED bags because of how she has been able to draw attention to the issue of world hunger with such a simple concept. Edun is another brand that has been around for a while but is just now starting to make more of an impact. While our business model is different from theirs, we admire how the label offers style along with substance and quality while supporting sustainability in Africa and striving to make a conscious consumer out of the higher end customer.

ethical muse supports some great projects, how do you choose who will benefit from the efforts of ethical muse?

Our list for social causes we want to support is long. Since we are a for profit business, we realized early on that we would have to earn cash flow before we could give back as much, and to as many causes as we aspired to. The more we make, the more we can give back to the causes that are closest to both of our hearts. With the exception of the Koko clutch (with a portion of the profits going to highlight World AIDS day and support Global Fund), our other initial launch product’s profits will go to support the Masooli Community School Project. This is a 5-year project that Cathy has been intimately involved with for the last 2 years. You can read more about it on our website, but initially each scarf and iPad sleeve sold will go to providing 20 nutritious school meals for the children at the school. As we grow as a company and earn more, that amount will be able to increase substantially. Initially, we have chosen to tackle the issue of proper nutrition in under-developed schools. It is proven that children not only learn easier when they have a meal in their stomach, but it will also encourage them to attend school if they know that may be the only meal they will be provided that day. The longer we can keep them coming to school the better the chance they will break the cycle and be able to provide for themselves, and one day sustain families of their own.

And finally,what are the goals of ethical muse?

Our list of goals is also extensive. We would like ethical muse to be recognized as a global leader, as a sustainable social enterprise and a respected style brand known for changing the way customers view products coming out of third world countries. We want to be able to channel the give back portion of our profits so that our customers can clearly see the tangible difference that they are making in the lives of others by not only knowing they are supporting the artisan when purchasing the product, but by seeing a trackable measure of where their money is going. We aspire to increase the amount we are able to donate back to our select social causes over the course of the next 18 months, and to align ourselves with other like-minded entities in an effort to form global partnerships.

www.ethicalmuse.com

ethical muse in ok magazine

admin — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:52:27 +0000

ethical muse was recently featured in ok magazine!