STF T-Shirt Launch & Benefit Concert

Partner Organization News, STF News — Emily on February 25, 2010 at 10:00 am

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At last we are announcing the details of our T-shirt Launch and Benefit Concert!  The event will happen on Friday, March 19th at Rohs Street Cafe in Clifton.  This will be the first time our four T-shirts are available to purchase.  If you don’t remember, they are fair trade, organic cotton T-shirts made by survivors of the sex trade in Kolkata, India. In addition to shopping from Stop Traffick Fashion there will be great music and art to entertain you.

Music will be provided by:

ARTISTS & AUTHORS
FLAREGUN
and LAURA HELLEBUSCH

Plus, there will be a live painting done by Arian & Daniel Armstrong! Arian is the artist who designed 2 of our fabulous T-shirts, in addition to the winning design submitted by Alicia Gee.

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There is a $5 suggested donation which will go to Hagar International.  Hagar is a leading provider of aftercare and rehabilitation for survivors of human trafficking and other human rights abuse in Cambodia, Vietnam and Afghanistan. Raffle tickets will also be for sale to benefit Hagar and a portion of proceeds from any merchandise sales will also be donated.

We hope you can join us to show your support for Hagar, survivors of human trafficking around the world, and Stop Traffick Fashion!

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Documentary Screening & STF Event

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On Thursday, March 11th the Freedom Center in Cincinnati is hosting a free screening of the documentary Playground.  The movie is an undercover look at the child sex trafficking industry.  Filmmaker Libby Spears initially started looking into trafficking in Cambodia and the Philippines, only to realize that the problem happens in America as well.  Co-produced by George Clooney, Steven Soderbergh and Grant Heslov, Playground has received enthusiastic acclaim for its unforgettable examination of a subject that most people would prefer not to even mention.  The screening starts at 6pm.  You can get the full details here.

Plus, on the night of the screening Stop Traffick Fashion will be at the museum with our products for sale!  Come and see us, along with the powerful documentary Playground.

Declare your love

Product Information, STF News, Uncategorized — Emily on February 8, 2010 at 10:41 pm

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Valentine’s Day is 1 week away and we have some great ideas for how you can declare your love!  The most obvious is to buy a gift from Stop Traffick Fashion, of course.  Our gifts will show the one you love how much you care and will also enable you to share a story of hope and spread love to survivors of trafficking around the world.  Check out our great selection of jewelry or bath and body products!

If you prefer to go the traditional route with chocolates, be sure to buy fair trade! There is a great selection of fair trade chocolate on Equal Exchange and TransFair USA also has some tips on where to find some goodies.

Finally, if you’re looking for a unique and strikingly personal way to reach out to survivors of human trafficking, we highly recommend the Love146 program to send a Valentine to survivors of child trafficking in the Philippines!  It only takes a few minutes so check it out!

Website changes and new items!

Product Information, STF News, Uncategorized — Emily on February 3, 2010 at 12:56 am

If you haven’t been to Stop Traffick Fashion lately you should stop by and check it out!  We’ve made a lot of changes in the past couple of weeks.  First, we’ve re-designed our home page.   We love the new product shots and there’s also a new link to all of our press.  Our blog also now has a widget displaying all of our latest tweets.  If you’re already on Twitter be sure to follow us to get the latest news about human trafficking.  If you aren’t into Twitter you can check out some of our latest tweets on our blog to see what all the fuss is about.  We post lots of great news stories from various NGOs and other anti-trafficking activists.

Finally, we’ve added a ton of new items!  Our collections page has been updated with several new collections including our all natural bath and body products, bags from Nomi Network and brand new jewelry from Wonderfully Made.  It’s almost impossible to pick our favorites but we’ll try!

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The Andrea Tote has already been very popular and our extra long multi-colored magazine necklace is finally online.  We’ve added a lot of new jewelry from Nightlight including the Vivacious Necklace and Bracelet, plus a new hobo bag in our London series.  We definitely want to mention the brand new collection of jewelry from Wonderfully Made.

Wonderfully Made’s model of social entrepreneurship hopes to provide an alternative income for girls and boys leaving trafficking situations. Sustainable jobs are created through producing high quality products desired by Western markets. The jewelry is made in Chiang Mai, Thailand and helps to provide hope and new life for survivors of human trafficking.  We especially love the Emily Necklace, Jasmine Necklace and Venezia Earrings.

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Buy Her Bag Not Her Body - Finally available online!

Product Information, STF News, Uncategorized — Emily on January 20, 2010 at 12:44 am

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We’ve finally added the fabulous Buy Her Bag Not Her Body totes from Nomi Network!  They are made from cotton and recycled rice bags by survivors in Cambodia.  They are available in multiple colors and with multiple strap types: single straps long enough to fit over your shoulder, or with a convertible strap that’s long enough to wear across your body.  Check them out and use them to start a conversation today!

Plus, stay tuned for a long list of new items to be added next week.

Announcing the STF T-Shirt Design Contest!

Press, Product Information, STF News, Uncategorized — Emily on January 6, 2010 at 2:26 am

It’s 2010 and we’re excited to add T-shirts to our collection of items made by survivors of human trafficking! As you may know, we currently sell awesome jute totes from Freeset in Kolkata, India.  We’ll be adding some great new tote bag designs to our website by the end of January but we are also thrilled that Freeset is now making fair trade, organic cotton t-shirts.  A Freeset tee sustainably pulls people out of poverty, children and pesticides out of fields, and women out of the sex trade - what a deal!

There’s just one catch - we need some designs!  And we’d like the designs to reflect our vision.  At Stop Traffick Fashion we have 3 goals:

  • Support the victims and survivors of human trafficking
  • Support the organizations who are rescuing and providing rehabilitation for victims
  • Raise awareness about human trafficking

Think hope. Think change. Think restoration.  Think about a design that will get people’s attention and allow you to tell them about Stop Traffick Fashion and the 27 million slaves around the world.  You can read more about our vision here.

The design should fit the following specifications:

  • 1-3 colors on front (and back if desired)
  • Black, White, Brown, Blue or Green T-shirt Background (see swatches below)
  • Female or Unisex design
  • PDF and PNG files

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We’ll be choosing 1-2 designs to be printed and sold on Stop Traffick Fashion.  The winner will receive 1 free T-shirt, a $25 gift certificate for Equal Exchange, plus the knowledge that you’re helping us spread the word about human trafficking and making a difference in the lives of survivors around the world! January is National Human Trafficking Awareness month (more on this later) so what a great way to contribute.

Final Details:

  • Designs are due by February 1, 2010
  • Email your submission to hello@stoptraffickfashion.com
  • Please provide your email address and phone number so we can contact you!
  • If your design is chosen the final version will be owned by Stop Traffick Fashion
  • If you have any questions you can also email us at hello@stoptraffickfashion.com

You Changed Lives This Year!

Thank you all so much for your support of Stop Traffick Fashion this year! Your purchases have allowed us to fulfill our mission: to be a boutique about restoration and change. From the start we promised that every item you buy will have a direct impact on the lives of exploited people around the world. Not only are our products made by survivors of human trafficking—giving them the means to gain confidence and support themselves. Additionally a portion of the STF’s revenue goes to organizations that work hands on rescuing and equipping victims of trafficking.

This year we’ve made donations to International Justice Mission and Hagar International.

International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local officials to ensure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators and to promote functioning public justice systems.

Hagar International is an international Christian organization committed to the recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration of women and children who have been victims of human rights abuse in Afghanistan, Cambodia and Vietnam. Hagar combines social programs and social businesses as an effective way of restoring women and children to wholeness. Hagar works with women and children from devastating backgrounds of violence, abuse and trafficking and enables them to be strong, resilient, and financially independent members of society once again.

Here’s what we were able to do this year—thanks to you. Following each item is a specific story of the impact IJM and Hagar have made this year.

  • Three months of training to prepare one woman for work through Hagar.

When Bhoupa was 17, she received an offer too good to be true. A promised waitress job turned out to be life in a brothel. She escaped once, only to be returned. Finally set free, she still had no way to support herself. With Hagar, she chose to learn cosmetology. Now, Bhoupa runs her own salon, has recently married and is expecting her first child.

  • Tuition for one child for one year through Hagar.

Taree came to Hagar after being systematically abused by a relative for a long time. She needed time to heal, and she also needed time to catch up in school, which she had rarely attended. After two years at Hagar’s “catch-up” school, she reached her age-appropriate grade level. Hagar helped her integrate into a Cambodian school. Now, Taree dreams of becoming a doctor.

  • State-of-the-art undercover equipment that enables IJM investigators to make life-saving rescues.

In Chennai, India IJM workers were able to free a family from rice mill slavery, based on the father’s courageous testimony. “The freed slaves gathered with IJM staff outside the government office. On the realization that he and his family were now free, a wide smile broke out across Kushan’s face, the weight of the past three years falling away. Touching his daughter’s leg gently, he turned to his wife and smiled.”

  • Fees to cover one IJM client’s case to trial.

This December, International Justice Mission helped convict seven traffickers in Mumbai, India. “Convictions like these are critical to change the “fear equation” in Mumbai—ensuring that perpetrators are rightly afraid of the just consequences of the law, so the vulnerable do not need to fear them.”

This global problem is overwhelming, but we can work together to take small steps toward big change.

Need Christmas Gift Ideas??

STF News — Emily on December 9, 2009 at 12:51 pm

Need gift idea? Here are some of our favorite gifts for ladies of all ages. Remember, no matter what gift you choose, your purchase helps promote the recovery of confidence, hope, and economic empowerment for women who’ve been abused and exploited—making it even more beautiful.

Little Girls

The Honeybee Purse is made by survivors of human trafficking in the Nepal. It looks sweet on any little girl and is a fun place to carry candy, trinkets, and allowance money. It’s made of wool felt and has a cotton lining.

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The Blue Butterfly Purse is also made by survivors of human trafficking in the Nepal. It’s wool felt has a butterfly appliqué and it features two zippered compartments for carrying everything a little girl on the go needs. The little girl’s purses are tough to resist!

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Teens

The Aaliya Tote is made by women who’ve escaped the sex trade in Kolkata. This jute tote features a tree silhouette graphic and has a messenger-bag shoulder strap, short handles, and a small inside pocket. It’s perfect for hauling books, overnight gear, and day-to-day supplies.

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The Aloki Tote is also made by women who’ve escaped the sex trade in Kolkata. This jute purse has a bright flower design and bamboo handles. It’s a perfect size for an everyday purse and a striking addition any outfit.

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The magazine bead collection is made in Uganda by women displaced and trafficked as a result of the civil war. The necklaces are fun, eco-chic, and made out of handmade magazine beads. The array of colors available makes it easy to complement to a variety of outfits and style.

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Women

The Sorella Necklace is made by women rescued from the sex trade in Thailand. This necklace has a long bronze chain with a blue disc bead, brown and blue Swarovski crystals, and a naturally-shaped, copper-colored bead. It adds a stunning touch to a classic outfit.

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The Riviera Necklace is made by women rescued from the sex trade in Thailand. A vibrant fuscia Agate stone is the focal point of the design highlighted with freshwater pearls, hematite and black seed beads.

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The Arianne Bag is made by survivors of human trafficking in Cambodia.  This stunning rectangular bag is made of raw silk with contrasting fine silk stripes.  It has a leather bottom and round wooden handles.

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The London Clutch is made by survivors of human trafficking in Cambodia. This large clutch is irresistible and unique. It’s made of rich upholstery brocade with suede trim and features two full size zippered compartments and a snap closure. It’s both classy and bold, and is sure to get noticed. There is also a coordinating Cosmetic Bag.   Why not add a set of our handsoap and lotion?

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Buy Fashion. Give Hope.

Product Information, STF News — Emily on November 25, 2009 at 6:53 pm

Happy Thanksgiving one day early!  What are you thankful for? I am thankful to be back home with my family and friends for my first Thanksgiving in America in 2 years.  I am looking forward to all the wonderful food, family and football tomorrow and I am also thinking ahead to shopping on Friday!  But this Black Friday I encourage you to stay home.  Well, at least long enough to do some online shopping.

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The best gifts always have a story.  Whether it’s where they came from or what they represent, they carry a meaning and a value beyond the gift itself.

Every item at Stop Traffick Fashion has a story.  Our handbags, jewelry, and bath and body products tell the story of the years of hardship, abuse and exploitation that trafficked people around the world face.  More than that, they tell the story of the freedom, healing and restoration that those rescued have experienced.  Everything you buy in our store is made by someone who has survived the unthinkable and is now making slow, steady strides toward confidence, security and joy.  Your purchase directly helps keep over 200 women around the world employed in safe, fair conditions and provides them with a sustainable income and hope for the future.  The women who make our products want to share their story of hope with you, and your purchase empowers them and the organizations that work with them to continue growing and spreading this hope.

You can find out more about their stories on our collections page and through the information on this blog.  You can dig even deeper on our resources page.

This Christmas you can be part of the change and tell a story of hope to your friends and family.  Buy Fashion.  Give Hope.

New Product Preview

Product Information, STF News — Emily on November 12, 2009 at 11:49 am

We are working on building our new collection for 2010 and I am very excited about it.  One in particular I have to tell you about now because I love it so much.  Just in time for the holidays we now have the fabulous Lulu evening bag!  It is available at all of our local Cincinnati shows and our Christmas Open House.  This silk handbag is made by Hagar Designs in Cambodia and comes in pewter and this season’s hottest color - purple.  I can’t get enough of it!

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