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Natural Rubber - a fantastic product, with great versatility!   Here at Plastic Free Gardening, we’re proud members of the Fair Rubber Association and often get asked why we use rubber as our principal material for our products. We thought we’d compile this blog post as a kind of Rubber FAQ to help answer all of your questions.   What is rubber? So, what is rubber? Rubber is a natural product produced by plants and is present in many goods used in our daily lives. Rubber has had an essential role in human history throughout the development of human civilizations....

Here at Plastic Free Gardening (PFG), we source rubber from natural FSC certified small suppliers whose rubber plantations have not replaced natural forests. As the Fair Rubber Association members, PFG also pay a premium Fair Trade price – currently 40% over world market prices. Thus ensuring the continued improvement of the producers' working and living conditions and keeping the production as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible. But what is Fairly Traded rubber? Fairly Traded rubber is the responsibility of the Fair Rubber Association. They aim to expand and apply the concept of Fair Trade for products made from natural...

Organic Cotton Producers: Down to Earth Cow dust hour – if you ever wondered where that expression comes from visit the village of Mevesa at dusk: cows, calves, oxen and water buffaloes are slowly making their way along the dirt roads, stirring up the dust as they walk.. Some animals come with their herders, others just follow a lead animal. After a long, hot day on what goes for pasture in this extremely dry part of western India they are on their way to the large water trough right at the centre of the village. There is a strict rank...

Baldev Singh – Our livelihood depends on sheep Baldev Singh wears the traditional grey woollen felt cap with a green velvet border which is typical for the Sangla Valley, his trousers and jacket too are made from wool. His wife has spun the yarn, a weaver in his village has woven the cloths and naturally the wool comes from his own sheep. The family needs 50 kg of wool per year, it's the wool of about 30 sheep. From the yarn clothes are made for Baldev Singh, his wife and the four children, and they need shawls and blankets. Mr...