Making our patchwork leather bags to minimise our leather wastage!

Here is on of our producers, Bagarwati in the factory, placing our leather patchwork pieces together in our diamond pattern for our current range of leather bags. 

Some times it is hard to find uses for all the smaller pieces of leather after cutting out all pieces, so it is great to work with these on these patchwork designs!

ESTA Satchel - priced at £59

ALINA Tote with inside zip closure - priced at £69

SHANTI Clutch with detachable braided leather strap - priced at £39

MENKU Handbag with zip closure - priced at £59

Its like a puzzle getting the right colours in the right order for the pattern! We also used some leftover scraps of a lovely dark gold leather we found, to jazz up our black leather versions!

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Our sample maker Kumar wears our VELA Neck Scarf in Nepali winter!

Kumar, who helps me with all leather samples, pictured here in our geometric patterned VELA Neck scarf - keeping him warm from the Nepali winter, which is supposed to be even colder this year!

Our VELA Neckscarves are reduced from £29 to £22 for our SALE - check out our online boutique:

http://shop.auraque.com/products

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AURA QUE at FORMS Boutique in Camden, North London

For this season, AURA QUE is now stocked at Forms in Camden, North London. A lovely boutique in Camden Lock, our jacquard/leather handbags and accessories have been placed along side lots of other lovely gifts and products! See the pictures below in store....

Founded in 2011 December, FORMS is a North London based lifestyle/culture shop offering accessories, homeware and stationery from undiscovered, classic and contemporary labels. All products are sourced around the world - from UK to the unexplored corners of the Japan. We hope you can find something special in the shop.

Forms in open Mon 11-6pm, and Weds to Sun 11-6pm

FORMS, Camden Town, Unit 16 Camden Lock Place, NW1 8AS London

Go visit!

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Celebrating World Children's Day in Nepal at Kumbeshwar's School

World Children's Day is celebrated internationally in over 100 countries, established by the UN General Assembly in 1954 to celebrate children and promoting access to an education. It is meant to promote childhood, which can only be a good thing!

The Nepali primary school in Patan, supported by Kumbeshwar Technical School (our fantastic knit producer) celebrated Children's Day in September (some countries have different dates, but still a great reason to celebrate!).  All the children from nursery to Class 6 were involved in the festivities, with a program of poem competitions, quiz contest (on fair trade of course...) and all children were encouraged to perform!

Shell Roti snacks kept the kids happy, and even some of the youngest performers were rewarded for their efforts!

Kumbeshwar Technical School also awarded size recent graduates who were top of their class in their new secondary school, to encourage them!

Great stuff Kumbeshwar, and Happy World Children's Day!

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How to use a fire extinguisher in Nepal...

At Kumbeshwar Technical School, who produce all our handknitted banana yarn products, gave all their inhouse staff lessons in fire safety....

and how to use a fire extinguisher....

As well as fire escape routes and orientation, phew!

Lets hope they never have to use it though, but it looks like a fun exercise from the pics :)

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The world's largest Thangka painting displayed on the national football pitch in Kathmandu

I just found our about something really exciting, that I WISH I was in Kathmandu to go and see at the moment!! The world's largest Thangka painting, traditional silk painting on embroidry, is on display at the Dashrath Stadium in Kathmandu. Ten thousand volunteers worked on it over the period of 8 years to as part of an exhibition to promote world peace.

How fantastic does it look? I love the traditional Buddhist thangka's anyway - they are such beautiful and colourful works of art, painted with such precision by trained painters, depicting whole stories, characters and Buddhist philosophies.

"The world’s Largest Thangka (50meter × 70meter) depicting the Life Cycle of Lord Gautama Buddha has recently been exhibited in Dasharath Stadium, Nepal. Depicted in this art masterpiece is Lord Buddha’s life story, which is traditionally summarized in the twelve deeds that he performed from his coming to the world to his passing away.

It took 8 years to complete this Thangka for 10,000 volunteers from 16 different countries including Nepal and Japan. Different organizations from various countries have supported to complete this Thangka providing necessary materials.

This Thangka had been exhibited in Japan, United States of America, India and Mongolia before this spreading the teachings of Buddha as well as the message of world peace and unity. We humbly request all organizations and individuals to support whole heartedly to make this gala event a grand success."

http://www.echitwan.com.np/

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At the Fair Trade Supporters Conference in London - 6 October 12

I went to the Fair Trade Supporter Conference in Blackfriars London at the weekend - thought it would be good to see what was going on with Fair Trade around the UK!

I was lucky to briefly meet Harriet Lamb, who has been an inspiring Fair Trade pioneer for many years and currently the CEO of Fairtrade International (of course I gave her an AURA QUE catalogue!) and also hear stories from various Fair Trade support groups around the UK who are campaigning for their local fair trade shops, promoting fair trade produce and faily traded gifts (such as AURA QUE) and lobbying government and corporations for change in their policies.

There was also the Fair Trade Campaign Awards 2012, celebrating many local support groups with various awards for their energy and enthusiasm to promote fair trade in creative ways in their towns, such as Eastborne, who apparently processed a fair trade clothes washing line down the high street among other activities!!

Anyway, I found it really inspiring to meet so many enthusiastic people, who were passionate about making a difference to help people in developing countries, making fairtrade sugar, coffee, cotton and banana's amongst other products.

The Fair Trade Shops workshop was also insightful to hear advice and thoughts from various shop owners and volunteer staff from fair trade boutiques around the country. All really positive - good start to the weekend!

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Geometric Pattern Inspiration from Maya for our AW12 Banana Yarn Range

This is Maya, she works as the tealady and cleaner at the Nepal Leprosy Trust Office and Factory in Kathmandu.  Last winter, when I was at the factory, I loved this combination of her handknitted patterned cardy, with the bright red sari with gold trim- I think it looks great!

Since then, I used a similar geometric pattern for our handknitted banana yarn range, including the PARVA Knitted shopper (retailing at £49), the MANI Knit Purse (retailing at £10) and the VELA Neck Scarf (retailing at £29).

The PARVA Shopper and MANI Purses have full zip closure, with black lining to help protect your contents inside! Available in Grey Mono (above) and Purple/Green (below left) and Coral/Blue (below right) - hope you like the splash of colour for winter!

 

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Geometric Pattern Inspiration from Maya for our AW12 Banana Yarn Range

This is Maya, she works as the tealady and cleaner at the Nepal Leprosy Trust Office and Factory in Kathmandu.  Last winter, when I was at the factory, I loved this combination of her handknitted patterned cardy, with the bright red sari with gold trim- I think it looks great!

Since then, I used a similar geometric pattern for our handknitted banana yarn range, including the PARVA Knitted shopper (retailing at £49), the MANI Knit Purse (retailing at £10) and the VELA Neck Scarf (retailing at £29).

The PARVA Shopper and MANI Purses have full zip closure, with black lining to help protect your contents inside! Available in Grey Mono (above) and Purple/Green (below left) and Coral/Blue (below right) - hope you like the splash of colour for winter!

 

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AURA QUE Travel Dresses in the window display at Fair Trader in Holmfirth....

Our travel dresses have proved popular this summer, and I am really pleased to see a window display at the Fair Trader store in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire!

The Fair Trader promotes local products and fair trade products from abroad such as AURA QUE - I am pleased to work with them as it is in my local village Holmfirth where I grew up as a teenager!

Please check out the Fair Trader website below for more blog entries and their online boutique:

http://www.thefairtraderscooperative.co.uk/

http://fairtraderscooperative.wordpress.com/2011/04/01/event-review-moving-mo...

 

 

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