I am so proud to present the first edition of Fairbee Magazine to you. It is a dream come true. Not surprisingly, the theme of this magazine is origin. All ventures have an origin, a starting word or event. Mine came seven years ago when I was on a hill in Sri Lanka, listening to a Buddhist monk talk about his purpose in life, which was very simple. Buddhism to him was not practiced as a religion or as a doctrine. It was a way of being. It was in his actions.
Right there and then I began to wonder what my purpose in life was.
Two weeks later I quit my job and decided to trust my gut feeling, which was telling me to start my own sustainable adventure. Since then, I have met so many founders of conscious brands who have inspired me with their dreams and their stories—stories about the challenges they’ve overcome, stories I can relate to. On top of all of that, learning about the innovative production processes that these brands have developed has been so exciting. The methods of recycling, upcycling, using alternative fabrics, preserving craftsmanship, keeping what is good!
Many people are unaware of the stories behind the origin of raw materials, how fabrics and products are made or who makes them. On a daily basis, we are confronted with so many examples of how not to produce that we forget that there are so many initiatives out there that are trying to change the status quo and shift the paradigm in a positive way. We have encountered so many local, national and international heroes who are truly in a league of their own. You need only to find the origin behind a brand in order to be inspired.
This issue is about the origin of Fairbee and the brands on Fairbee’s platform.
It is here to inspire, inform and entice you to think differently about the way you consume, and to encourage you to try something new that is of high quality and looks and feels good too. Why? Because all of the products we share stories about or offer on Fairbee are consciously produced by our partner brands with respect for the environment, people, animals. Because we truly believe that together, with you, we can change things. We know that there are a lot of people out there who want to contribute to a better environment, better working conditions, better animal welfare, but do not know where to start. Our answer to that is to start with one action. Every purchase has an impact and creates change. Once you get the hang of it, the next steps will follow easily. And know that our team is here to help you and listen to you as well.
Please share your suggestions, ideas or names of conscious brands you would like to see on our platform. We want to be there for you and assist you in contributing to a better world by giving you some insight into the positive impact that is generated when you do so.
It is a pleasure for us to do this for you and with you. Enjoy and be inspired!