Paris Ethical Shopping Guide: Bazar Ethic

I'm now back in the UK after my year in Paris (boo), but I've stockpiled lots of photos of cool ethical boutiques for my little shopping guide, in case any of you are visiting the city!

Today's post focuses on Bazar Ethic, a trendy kind of boutique right next to Canal Saint Martin. Stocking a mix of womenswear, menswear, homeware and even a section for children, the shop has everything covered, whether you are looking for gifts or shopping for yourself. There was also a wide selection of footwear, which included brands such as Toms, El Naturalista, La Charentaise-Tcha (slippers Made in France), and innovative flexible clogs by Bosabo. It's nice to have so many shoes in one place ready to try on!

In the clothing section, I was happy to find People Tree, Komodo, Ethos, Hemp Age, l'Herbe Rouge and Kuyichi, and there were plenty of accessories too, including bags made from recycled inner tubes by Cyclus and scarves by Soieries de Mekong. On the homewares side, I spotted the super popular brand Ferm Living, cool mirrors by Zen Ethic, eco-tableware by Ekobo and cute little plates for children by Smiling Planet.

There were so many cool brands at Bazar Ethic that it was impossible for me to note them all down, but I would definitely recommend visiting if you are in the area! Nearby is Veja's concept store Centre Commercial, as well as an Ekyog boutique. When you have finished shopping you could do some Amélie location-spotting along the canal, pop to the pretty boulangerie on the corner of rue de Marseille, and finish off with a smoothie at Bob's Juice Bar.

Address:
25, rue Beaurepaire
Paris 75010

Sadie xxx

Paris Ethical Shopping Guide: 9km

 

My quest for ethical shops in Paris recently took me to the 14th arrondissement, to visit the super trendy 9km shop on rue des Plantes. The shop caters for both men and women, featuring a range of ethical, minimalist clothing with an urban feel.

Brands included Stanley Stella (my favourite item being a rather cool 'Gone Fishing' t-shirt), organic t-shirts and underwear from Kolam Collection, and, to my delight, jeans and chinos from Monkee Genes. I was also happy to find a selection of organic canvas shoes in the store, from the brand Natural World.

The shop was quite small but great for wardrobe staples (including hoodies), and cool printed t-shirts. I visited during the bi-annual French 'soldes', but they do a rather cool offer which is kind of like a restaurant set menu: 1 pair of trousers, 1 plain t-shirt, and 1 pair of shoes for €100 - a really amazing offer for an all-organic outfit!

Address:
2, rue des Plantes
Paris 75014
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And if you're in the area, check out rue des Thermopyles, an incredibly beautiful little road that feels more like rural France than the heart of Paris - don't forget your camera!

Sadie xxx

Paris Ethical Shopping Guide: Sap's and Co

I've been meaning to post about this shop for a long time now, having first visited last summer. Sap's and Co, located in the trendy Batignolles area of Paris, is filled with ethical clothing delights. The stock has been carefully curated and includes some of the best fashion-forward ethical clothing labels, whether it is organic jeans by Kuyichi, ethical accessories by Deux Filles en fil, silly organic t-shirts by Monsieur Poulet or eco trainers by FYE, amongst many other brands. Oh, and they also stock People Tree, which made me really happy!

Rather excitingly, they also stock loads of menswear, so this is a boyfriend-friendly zone. There is also a quality second-hand section, featuring silk shirts and branded jeans.

Worth a special mention are their Keep Company trainers, which I am currently considering purchasing (can't decide between those, or Veja, hmm), as well as their Nat Mad clutches, purses and bags, which are some of the finest examples of recycled-material accessories that I have seen.

In short, you've definitely got to pop in if you're visiting Paris!

The service is brilliant - I spent a good 15 minutes having a chat before revealing that I'd quite like to take some photos!

Address:
37 rue la Condamine
75017 Paris

Like Sap's and Co on Facebook

Sadie xxx

Le Café des 2 Moulins (Amélie's Café!)

I visited Paris with my family a few years ago, and we spent an afternoon looking for 'The Amélie Café' using directions given to us by the man behind the desk at the hotel, which turned out to be completely wrong. Woops! We left without having found it, and everyone was rather disgruntled and achey after rambling around the steep hills of Montmartre for just a little bit too long.

So since moving here, it was an absolute priority to find the café, and indulge in a crème brûlée, à la Amélie Poulin herself (complete with gleeful cracking of the burnt sugar crust, obviously). It was my first ever crème brûlée, and was definitely not what I had expected. Who'd have thought it would be cold?! Anyway... I soon went back for my second, in the company of a friend who came to visit. 

Perfectly Parisian, with its mirrored walls, polished bar and wooden stools, I'd definitely recommend the café if you're visiting Paris. There are only a few hints of it being one of the main locations in the film: a couple of posters, an 'Amélie' menu option (crème brûlée plus a hot drink for around €8), and a little display of film memerobilia in the toilets. In fact, one of my colleagues said she used to hang out there on weekends - so it must be good, if the locals go there!

 

Contrary to what my family thought, the café is actually extremely easy to find. It's about half way up the road just to the right of the Moulin Rouge, right by the Blanche metro stop. There is another bar called Lux Bar just opposite, which is also well worth stopping at - cool art nouveau interiors, a shaped wooden bar and a lively playlist all day!

Address:
15 Rue Lepic, 75018 Paris

Sadie xxx

Paris (and online!) ethical shopping guide: Tudo Bom

It was when searching for 'sarouel molleton bio' on Google that I came across Tudo Bom, an ethical brand that has one foot planted in colourful Brazil and the other foot in chic Paris. Tudo Bom has masterfully fused these two rather different styles together to create one unusual and exciting brand, which can be found online and in its two boutiques right in the heart of Paris.

The clothes are produced in Brazil through a vertically-integrated supply chain, starting off with organic cotton and environmentally-friendly dyes. They are then sewn together in disadvantaged parts of Petropolis, by 35 skilled workers in small workshops, providing much needed employment with fair pay. Sounds good to me!

I paid a visit to the shop in Abbesses (home to the film 'Amélie'!) to have a look at the new Spring/Summer collection, as well as to try on the drop-crotch jogging bottoms that I found in my original Google search! The boutique was incredibly beautifully presented, and was a fantastic burst of colour (just what Paris needs).

I also have some good news for men - they have menswear too :D.

One of the coolest things I have ever seen is that the name of the person who made your exact garment is hand-written on the tag! It's a great way to connect with their supply chain, and is just about as transparent as you can get.

I wouldn't be a proper blogger unless I photographed their peter-pan collar dress, part of the Parisian side of the collection!

(mmmm geometric prints)

 

 

 

 

I was hugely impressed with the high level of customer service - the trousers were actually taken all the way to the store for me to try when I expressed an interest in them. And when I found myself pulling them all the way up to my waist, the shop manager Caroline was helpful in pointing out the error of my ways ;). After wearing high-waisted things for so long, I don't think harem pants are for me, haha. But there are several dresses I now have my eye on...

Addresses:

8, rue des Abbesses
75018 Paris

19, rue Pavée
75004 Paris

Sadie xxx


P.S. Why 'sarouel molleton bio?'... because it's a lot easier than 'drop-crotch-organic-sweatshirt-fabric-jogging-bottoms'. Sometimes French is just more precise.

And now for something completely different... VEJA trainers

My favourite pair, €170, by Domino Lattès

One thing I never thought I would EVER write about are trainers, which in my mind are reserved for that alien thing they call 'sport' and never something I'd ever consider actually wearing. Well, it has been rather hard to ignore the prevalence of trendy trainers in urban street style photographs, and given how comfy they look, I've rather strangely been left coveting a pair of my own.

'WHAT?!' I hear you ask. It is safe to say that trainers would not at all work with the majority of my carefully curated 60s-style wardrobe, but sometimes I just want to chuck on my jeans and a silky grey top with a hoodie and pretend I can 'do' casual.

Félicité, €119 / SPMA, €160 / The Grid, €110

My trainers of choice would come from VEJA, an ethical trainers company, distributing to the EU and worldwide. I have just had a read of their website to find out about their supply chain, which is genuinely fascinating. Knowing where every component comes from makes you feel really connected with the product, and completely justifies the prices charged. Here's a quick summary...


Canvas: Organic cotton is sourced from small-scale family farms in Ceará in Brazil. Their farming methods support the environment rather than damage it.

Leather: The leather is 'eco-tanned', meaning fewer chemicals polluting rivers.

Sole: Rubber is sourced from the Amazon, where rubber tappers use special technology to create rubber sheets from latex, meaning they are able to earn a higher income by adding value themselves.

Transport: To save C02, the shoes are transported by water rather than air (all the way into Paris!). The boxes have been made as small as possible.

Logistics: The Veja storage facility is run by people who are facing social exclusion. The employees prepare orders and are given help and opportunities to have a second chance.


What do you think of them? Do you sometimes branch out and wear something 'completely different'?

Sadie xxx

Paris Ethical Shopping Guide: Free'p'star

Free'p'star is one of many little vintage shops that are scattered around Paris, but judging by the fact that it is always swarming with shoppers, it's one of the better ones! The shop has a really odd layout, with two mezzanines on either side that you have to climb up a ladder to access. At the moment, one side is piled high with boots at €5 a pair. If I remember correctly, there was a rather cool pair of platforms up for grabs.

Like many shops in the city, there is a basement too, containing lots of sale items - adding a nice literal dimension to the term 'bargain basement'. Don't be put off by the narrow spiral stairs!

Before researching this post, I was unaware that this shop is actually one of three bearing the same name - which is great news, although I haven't yet visited the others! They are all in fairly close proximity, scattered around the bustling Marais area in the 4th Arrondissement. There is a little map on the Free'p'star website so you can go on a little vintage 'crawl' if you have a spare afternoon.

Addresses:

8 rue Sainte-croix de la Bretonnerie, 4th Arrondissement
61 rue de la Verrerie, 4th Arrondissement
20 rue de Rivoli, 4th Arrondissement

Sadie xxx

Paris Ethical Shopping Guide: Guerrisol

For the ultimate thrifting experience, vintage fans should head to one of Paris' many Guerrisol shops for a good old afternoon of rummaging. After picking up a shopping basket at the door, battle your way through the seasoned Parisian thrifters (people who simply want cheap clothing and hipsters alike) to grab a spot at the edge of one of these huge clothing 'bins', and delve to the bottom to see what treasures you can unearth.

For those are aren't big fans of the vulture-esque 'bun fight' method, there are plenty of shirts and jackets hanging up around the edges, and no shortage of that much-coveted peterpan collar or grungey denim jacket.

The quality and condition of the clothes varies wildly. Previously, I've been surprised to see paint-splattered shirts with giant holes in the armpits cosied up to cashmere jumpers and Comptoir des Cotonniers dresses.

Prices fluctuate throughout the week - sometimes everything is €5, other times it drops to €3, with shoes and frilly 80s wedding dresses (!) selling for a little more. Saturdays are mayhem, but if you pop in during the week you can browse at your leisure.

See this post for a little outfit sourced mostly at Guerrisol, as well as Lyzi's super cute pink skirt found when we met up for a day last summer for shopping with Ella!

Addresses:

19, avenue de Clichy, 17th Arrondissement
96, boulevard de Barbes, 18th Arrondissement
45, boulevard de la Chapelle, 18th Arrondissement
17, boulevard Rochechouart, 9th Arrondissement

For more information: Guerrisol Website

Sadie xxx