Okay so what is everyone's experience of trying to buy fair trade and organic cotton? There are quite a lot of sites on the internet I love www.ptree.co.uk - for Brighton bods there is a stall based in the Old Post office (near tkmaxx) which sells a limited range of people tree clothes and jewellrey and also www.gossypium.co.uk who also have a shop in Lewes, East Sussex. In Brighton Oxfam on north street also sells some gossypium items.

My policy is now to try to buy only organic and where possible fair trade cotton. It is so scary how many litres of pesticides are used in cotton farming just to produce one t-shirt!

So far I have managed to buy a top (people tree) pants and vest top (gossypium) and nightwear and sports wear (natural collection).

My experience in stores hasn't been as positive. Marks and Spencers attempt was fairly rubbish - I couldn't find there organic t-shirts and the staff in Brighton store were no help. However the other day I found a new range of tops in Dorothy Perkins which are organic cotton and have a environmental theme. I am wearing one now - a scoop neck pink t-shirt with "save energy" slogan and a lightbulb on (cost £12). They also have a green t-shirt with a tree design with a slogan like "plant a tree" or something. And there are a couple of other vest tops in the range. I don't think the t-shirts are fair trade as well but at least stores are getting more clued up and realise they need to make an effort!

The other day i had to get a plain black skirt quickly (to avoid having to wear the uniform wool trousers that came with my new job!) So instead I got a second hand skirt from TRAID (a cool second hand clothing store which is Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development. It was fairly pricey for a second hand skirt at £10 but it was cotton and virtually brand new and I figured at least the proceeds go to charity.

What are other people's experiences?

Liz X