Christmas with a vision

Merry Christmas! A time of goodwill and celebration, often accompanied by seasonal increases in eating, drinking and spending. If all goes well this combination should result in a lot of fun, but unfortunately it will also result in an estimated 3 million tonnes of waste. However, you can have the best of both worlds. With a bit of thought you can limit the impact you have on the environment this Christmas and still have a great time.

Why don't we have a green Christmas and recycle?  Here are some tips how we can save the earth:

Presents

* Buy gifts which are durable. Things which break easily will just end up in the bin and cannot be reused by anybody.

* Where possible, avoid buying (or requesting) presents which rely on disposable parts, including batteries. Always look for alternatives, eg a coffee maker that uses a washable filter rather than throwaway paper ones, or a wind-up/solar powered radio.

* Buy Recycled! Buying products that have a recycled content is just as important as actually recycling. It is essential that markets for recycled products are developed. Look out for unusual gifts made from recycled materials, such as glass tableware, stationery or photo frames.

* If you're not sure what to buy, why not give money or gift vouchers? You can also give vouchers for use in high street stores and book shops.

* How about buying a gift that will last for a whole year? Examples include: sponsorship of an animal, membership of an organization or subscription to a magazine.

* Consider buying presents that are environmentally friendly or produced in a sustainable way. Support your local charity shop, buy presents from charity catalogs and look for Fair Trade alternatives.

Wrapping and decorating

* Choose decorations which can be reused, rather than flimsy ones which will be used once and thrown away. You can also have fun making decorations from scrap materials.

* Cut down on what you buy. Gift tags can be made from old greetings cards. Any kind of unusual paper can be used to wrap gifts.

* Save envelopes and reuse them with reuse labels.

* Buy recycled wrapping paper and use string, ribbon or wool for wrapping gifts, rather than using sticky tape. The string and paper can then be reused. 

Recycling Christmas cards and trees

* Instead of sending a card, why not send a message or electronic Christmas card to friends and family on the internet . Alternatively, if you normally send cards to multiple recipients at the same address, such as in the workplace, why not place just one card in a communal area and pledge the money you have saved to charity?

* Buy a locally grown real tree with roots that can be planted in your garden or kept in a pot for next year. Artificial trees are a good alternative as they can be used many times, but as they are usually made of a number of different materials, including plastics, they are difficult to recycle once they are no longer required.

* Contact your local authority to check if it has a scheme for chipping and composting trees to produce mulch/soil improver.

General

* Set yourself a challenge - how empty can you keep your bin? Think about how you can reduce the amount of waste you produce at home and at work. Try to buy long lasting items rather than disposable ones and avoid over-packaged items.
* What can you do with the waste you do create? There are now many things that can be recycled such as shoes and clothes, cardboard, cards and foil and plastic, as well as the usual bottles, cans and paper. Work out where you can store recyclables until you can take them to a recycling point.
* Try to plan journeys to recycling facilities around essential trips such as shopping, this helps to minimize environmental impact and will save you time.
* Pass any unwanted presents on to your local charity shop rather than throwing them away - there is sure to be someone who will like them!

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Outlook of organic cotton clothing

Will organic clothing going to be the future fashion trend?

Clothes made from organic fabrics are easy to maintain and clean. Despite of the low market share in global clothing industry, on an average organic clothes demand is growing at an encouraging rate. Designers are working towards making these clothes more appealing, fashionable and economical. Down the line, after some years people would be spotted wearing trendy and stylish outfits made up of organic cotton and fabrics. 

The effect of chemicals on skin and the body is a concern for everyone nowadays.  No one has the desire to knowingly damage themselves and if you can be kind to your skin while adhering to the latest fashion trends, it is easily understandable why this trend is becoming more and more popular. With a variety of styles for both women, men and children, even including footwear and manufacturers mushrooming worldwide, it is clear that there is certainly a market for organic fashion clothing. Possibly one of the main reasons for this undeniable draw is the fact that organic clothing goes hand in hand with ethical clothing. Fair trade products are becoming more and more popular with consumers and this has been extended to the clothing lines. With frequent news stories of sweatshops slave trade situations throughout the fashion industry, even the everyday consumer has the ethical nature of the manufacturer in mind when shopping.

However, it is not only the ethical factors of the organic fashion clothing industry that makes it so popular. With many celebrities picking up on the clear benefits of this range of clothing, both to the consumer and the industry there are several of these celebrities who are opening up their own collection. Emma Watson, for example is opening her own collection of eco-friendly clothing for 16-24 year-old. With celebrities such as this drawing attention to the industry, especially to such a young and important age group, it is no wonder that it is doing so well. Although the clothing can sometimes be a little expensive the durability and health benefits of the products outweigh this factor.

Would you think the future of Organic Fashion Clothing Industry looks positive?

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Happy St Patrick' Day

Mastectomy bras and camisoles

Before you head to the hospital for any breast surgery, it's a good idea to purchase the right bra or camisole for recovery, and pack it in your overnight bag. You may even want to buy two bras, as you may need to wear a post-surgical bra continuously until you begin to heal. Wear one bra while the other is in the wash.

Features to shop for in a post-surgical bra

Let comfort be your guide when shopping for post-surgical bras. Look for wide bands across the shoulders and beneath the breasts. This assures you that the bra won’t cut into your skin and muscles and will stay in position. Check for adjustable straps and closures, so you can make your bra fit properly, no matter what your new shape may be. Steer clear of underwire bras until after treatment, and then check with your doctor or surgeon before you start using underwire bras again. Go with as few seams as possible, to avoid irritation to your tender skin and particularly your incisions. Choose seamless bras whenever you can – they are simply more comfortable. Stick to breathable fabrics or natural fibers for long-range comfort.

Front closing soft cup bra

After breast surgery, you can be secure and comfortable in front-closing bras with soft cups. Because breast surgery can sometimes affect your shoulder rotation, you may have trouble reaching hooks on a back-closing bra, or pulling a bra on overhead. Many sports bras have zippers, hooks, or slides that make dressing easy. Soft bra cups will stretch to fit over surgical dressings, and provide light compression on incisions.

Compression vest and bra

Your breast surgeon may tell you to get a compression bra or vest for wear after surgery. These offer greater coverage of your breasts, back, and underarm tissues. Compression on incisions can help prevent swelling from fluid buildup as you heal. The right compression vest or bra can hold your skin in place and prevent skin from shifting and stretching around your sutures. This helps reduce puckering around scar tissue, which saves you from additional surgery later.

Mastectomy Bras and Recovery

Whether you choose to have breast reconstruction or use prostheses, a mastectomy bra can offer you a lot of comfort right after breast surgery. Mastectomy bras have soft inner linings and special pockets to accommodate your prosthesis. A camisole style bra or a full cup mastectomy bra will give you comfort and security after breast surgery. A word of caution – use a lightweight prosthesis right after a mastectomy, so you won’t have extra weight on your incision. You can get a weighted prosthesis after you have healed.

Post surgical camisole and tops

A camisole is similar to a tank top or a sleeveless undershirt. Nowadays these are adorned with lace and ribbons and are made of stretchy, lightweight fabric. Post-surgical tops and camisoles come with pockets that can hold surgical drains securely in place. Some post-op camisoles are designed with bra cups and prostheses pockets built in, as well as room for surgical drains. Look around and you may find blouses, T-shirts, nightgowns, and pajama tops designed with bra cups and removable drain pockets – many of which may be used long after you have recovered from surgery.

Recycling facts and benefits

Everyone today has heard of how important it is to recycle and most cities offer a recycling program, but what exactly is recycling and how beneficial is it really to us and the environment?

What are the recycling facts and benefits?
Recycling is the process of turning one products useful parts into a new product; this is done to conserve on the consumption of resources, energy and space used in landfills.

By recycling 1 plastic bottle not only saves anywhere from 100 to 1000 years in the landfill but also saves the environment from the emissions in producing new bottles as well as the oil used to produce that bottle.

For every 1 ton of plastic that is recycled we save the equivalent of 2 people’s energy use for 1 year, the amount of water used by 1 person in 2 month’s time and almost 2000 pounds of oil.

Approximately 60% of our rubbish thrown away today could be recycled. A survey was done and 9 out of 10 people surveyed said they would recycle more if it was easier.

Odd as it seems there are many people who do not realize that plastic bottles our water comes in is made out of oil. This is the same oil that is used to make gasoline. It's the same oil that is in such high demand and is not an unlimited resource. Today the most common products in cities recycling programs are paper products, cardboard, plastic, glass and aluminum.

Taking Just A Moment
Taking just a moment to put your newspaper, soda can and glass spaghetti jar in the recycling bin will save everyone years in environmental harm from production of new materials, over crowded landfills and the depletion of our natural resources.

4000 Years
When we do not recycle at least our glass or aluminum we cost the earth in power usage, water and oil usage and landfill usage; glass takes up to 4000 years to decompose in a landfill yet can be recycled indefinitely.

Earn Money
Recycling can be done at home as well as in conjunction with city programs. Many scrap yards pay for scrap metal including the soda cans and soup cans we use every day.

Be Creative
Many useful items can be made from our everyday trash; the cardboard tubes left over from paper towel and toilet paper can make useful storage containers for our extra extension cords and prevents a tangled mess in the Christmas lights. If your going to throw these out don't just throw it in the rubbish bin, put it the recycling bin. Baby jars can become snow globes the kids can make and give as gifts, old Christmas cards can become new hand made cards and a glass or plastic bottle along with some clear oil and food coloring and a few other common household items can become a groovy lava lamp! The possibilities are endless and instructions can be found in books and on the internet.

Start Today
Recycling is a very environmentally green activity; however, there are ways that you can make it greener as well as building a strong beginning if you do not currently recycle.

Many people beginning a recycling program look around and wonder what they can put in the recycling bin; there is so much information available on this site, so don't panic.

By reusing your recycled storage containers you save on the environmental impact as well. Paper and plastic bags are good for recycling storage; however, a plastic reusable bin is even better.

Spread The Word
Share what you know. If you notice abundant trash in your neighborhood start spreading the word and your experience with recycling and if there isn’t already one in place strive to get a city recycling pick up program started.

The fact is many of our resources as well as our Earth is not renewable and we have to start taking control of our selves beginning with the world we live in. 

Quote:  Express yourself with fashionable freedom

Quick Quiz

1.  The term CFR requires who to pay the costs and freight necessary to bring the goods to the named port of destination?

a)  the buyer

b)  the seller

c)  the banker

d)  the forwarder

2.  Which of the following terms means the seller has the obligation to pay costs and freight necessary to bring the goods to the named port of destination, in addition he has to procure marine insurance against the buyer’s risk of loss or damage of the goods during the carriage. 

a) FOB 

b) CIF

c) CFR

d) DDP

3.  EXW requires who to arrange export clearance and loading at the seller's premises, bearing cost and risk as well?

a)  the buyer

b)  the seller

c)  the banker

d)  the forwarder

4.  Under FOB, FCA, CFR and CPT, who will be responsible for arranging insurance?

a)  the buyer

b)  the seller

c)  the shipper

d)  the forwarder

5.  Under Irrevocable LC term, can the LC be canceled or withdrawn after it has been opened and notified to the exporter?

a)  can

b)  cannot

6.  When there is no description on the time limit for negotiation of the bills of exchange on the LC, and if they are brought to the bank more than 21 days later than the date of issuance of the BL, can the bank refuse to purchase the documents?

a)  can 

b)  cannot

7.  If the LC terms demand that the bill of exchange drawn by the exporter is the type which requires the importer to pay when the bill is presented to him by the reimbursing bank, this LC is called:

a)  sight LC

b)  acceptance LC

c)  cash LC

d)  confirmed LC

8.  Which one of the following would cost more to the buyer?

a)  DES - delivered ex ship

b)  DEQ - delivered ex quay

c)  DDU - delivered duty unpaid

d)  DDP - delivered duty paid

9.  Which one of the following types of B/L best described this situation:  A document is issued for receipt of cargo in a first port of unloading at Myanmar for transfer into another vessel in Singapore serving the final destination in Hamburg.

a)  cargo receipt

b)  direct BL

c)  through BL

d)  air waybill

10.  A forwarder works for and is responsible to carry out the instructions received from whom in a CFR or CIF contract?

a)  buyer

b)  seller

c)  consignee

d)  shipping line

Write to us for answers.  A small token will be given for those with correct answers.

INCOTERMS

Incoterms is an abbreviation for International Commercial Terms.  This is an international rule for the interpretation of the most commonly used trade terms in international trade prepared by ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) which is based in Paris.  The purpose of the Incoterms is to avoid dispute between trading parties arising from different interpretation of such trade terms in different countries.

Today, most of the businesses of international trade in the world are conducted using Icoterms as a general business customs.  In order to avoid misunderstanding and confusion between a seller and a buyer, it is advisable for the exporter to add to the contract or correspondence, which constitutes the agreement between term, a clause to the effect that interpretation of trade terms are based on Incoterms.

Most commonly, they stipulate the wording in the general terms and conditions of the contract.  They put such phrases like "Trade terms such as FOB, CIF adn any other terms which may be used in this contract shall have the meanings defined and interpreted by Incoterms 2000, ICC, as amended, unless otherwise specifically provided in this contract".

There are 13 Incoterms as follows:

EXW :  ex works

FCA :   free carrier

FAS :   free alongside ship

FOB :  free on board

CFR :  cost and freight (Formerly C&F)

CIF:    cost, insurance and freight

CPT :  carriage paid to

CIP:    carriage and insurance paid

DAF:  delivered at frontier

DES:   delivered ex-ship

DEQ:  delivered ex quay (duty paid)

DDU:  delivered duty unpaid

DDP:  delivered duty paid

For a precise understanding of Incoterms, check out the website http://www.icc.org/incoterm

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Baby footwear

Shoes complete the outfit for kids, but wait until your child begins walking--- usually at 10 to 14 months--before buying her first official pair of shoes. That is when a child really needs them.  

We recommend picking a first shoe with flexibility, which helps the foot develop its arch.  Try to bend the shoe in half, if it bends easily, it is a good shoe.  The best shoes also have traction on the bottom so your baby won’t slip easily. A shoe doesn’t have to be expensive to be flexible. Pick a pair of shoes that is light weight as your kid will not be able to carry  a ton with their tiny feet.

Beside these, make sure you buy the right size. You will want some room at the toe, but not so much that your child will trip. Also, keep in mind that toddlers kick off anything and everything, so look for flexible shoes that lace. They are harder to take off than shoes with Velcro closures.

To keep your prewalker’s feet warm outside on cool days, look for soft, elasticized baby socks or booties that cling to the feet so your baby can’t kick them off. You don’t have to buy expensive leather baby shoes as baby will outgrow quickly. 

Quote: Fashion sets the trends but I dress for me

Recycle & save the earth

One easy way to help save the earth is to quit using plastic shopping bags from stores, as they end up in landfills and stay there for years. Make some simple tote bags instead, either from ripstop nylon (sturdy for groceries), or from your favorite fabrics.   Keep the bags in the car for your shopping adventures, and remember to take them in the store with you. It will soon become second nature for you as there will be more and more eco-minded people and businesses. Some even reward us for bringing our own bags, and some businesses now charge extra if you don’t.

Now is also a good time to investigate earth-friendly and sustainable fibers like bamboo, hemp and other options. Most fabric stores, and certainly many online sources, offer these alternative fibers and fabrics at increasingly economical prices. There’s nothing as comfy as a lightweight bamboo knit garment.

Don’t forget to clean out your sewing room and give things you no longer need to worthy causes. Check with a chapter in your area to see what you can repurpose, and give yourself more room, plus a good feeling from helping others. So, honor our precious Earth and plan a sewing-related activity!

Quote: Fashions fade but my style is eternal

Anti-theft underwear

Are you afraid of the family jewels being taken from the family safe?  Put them where no burglar has gone before, a pair of skid marked underpants. Now you see the genius of the Security Briefs, anti-theft protection masquerading as your dirty tighty whiteys. Not meant for wearing, but it's between a Small and Medium sized men's underwear. Security Briefs are disgustingly funny. Secretly concels your valuables stash. Has skid-mark technology to ensure no one will touch these things so your valuables are safe.

Alternatively, the below are also available for sale at night markets and Chinese department stores. The zipper front pocket is convenient for carrying cash or other items you wish to conceal. They come in an assortment of styles and colors and usually cost around 1 US dollar, a smart investment if you plan on travelling around China for some length of time.

I know this could have been an ugly design but one should pack a couple pairs for long trips in China and wear one on the day you embark on a train ride or long distance bus. 


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How to choose winter sports apparel for warmth & comfort

Layering is an effective and versatile way to dress for winter. The three layers are: wicking, insulating and weather protection.

1. Inside layer (or long underwear): This is the layer worn next to your skin. The inside layer, worn next to your skin, is usually long underwear. But, long underwear is no longer boring -–you'll see fun, slick and sexy styles for both men and women. There are definitely stand-alone pieces that can be worn as tops to show off. Choose a synthetic fiber that has "wicking" power so the material can wick (or move) moisture away from your skin and pass it through the fabric to evaporate. That way you stay warm, dry and comfortable. Silk is also a good, natural fabric that has wicking abilities.Even when it's cold, it’s possible to sweat — especially if you’re hiking uphill, snowshoeing or Nordic skiing.
2. Middle or insulating layer: Look for sweaters, pullovers, hoodies and vests designed to keep you heated by trapping air between the fibers. Popular insulation materials include fleece (and numerous variations), which dries quickly and keeps you warm even when wet and good old-fashioned wool which naturally wicks away moisture.
3. Outer/protection layer: Shells and pants serve as your guard against the elements of winter. They should keep out snow, sleet or rain and block the wind, while also letting perspiration evaporate.

Modern shells and pants are made waterproof and breathable by using tightly woven fabrics teamed with a coating or laminate. This keeps moisture on the outside but allows perspiration to escape — to keep you dry and comfortable. Look for jackets and pants using Gore-Tex, which is best for keeping out rain and wet snow.

Snowboard apparel is designed looser to give riders freedom of movement. Pants are reinforced in the seat and knees for extra protection when kneeling or sitting on the snow.

Don’t forget the details.Look for functional hoods, cuffs, pockets and zippers — details that work well in a snowstorm.

Tips for Winter Fashion & Apparel

Fashion Tips

1. The wicking layer should fit snugly (not tight) next to the skin in order to effectively wick moisture. Comfort is key for the insulating layer. It should be loose enough to trap air between layers, but not so bulky that it restricts movement. Whether you are a skier, snowshoer or snowboarder, your protection layer should fit comfortably, offering you maximum range of motion.
2. Don't wear jeans or street pants. Denim is not waterproof, so water will soak through and you'll end up cold, wet and miserable.
3. Cotton is not the best choice. Cotton is great for towels, because cotton soaks up and retains moisture. That's precisely why cotton is not great for on-slope apparel. It absorbs moisture (sweat and snow), and retains it. When the wind blows, you will get very, very cold. Don't wear cotton athletic socks, cotton jeans, cotton sweatshirts or cotton T-shirts unless it’s warm out!

Apparel Tips

1. Look for 100 percent UV protection in sunglasses. Make sure the glasses fit snugly behind your ears and rest gently on the bridge of your nose. You don’t want them falling off when you’re cruising through the powder!
2. Goggles should form an uninterrupted seal on your face, extending above your eyebrows and below your cheekbones. Watch for gaps, especially around your nose.
3. Don't buy gloves or mittens that are too tight. There should be a little air space at the tips of your fingers, which acts as additional insulation.

Quote: It's YOU, it's PERSONAL, it's FASHION