It’s been a while since we featured the Braintree family in our blog. So far we’ve heard about sensational Sarah our Garment Technologist, amazing Alberto our Warehouse Manager and remarkable Rachel our Merchandiser & Head of Customer Liaisons. Now, meet Marvellous Michael, Braintree’s Customer Service & Retail Manager…

Michael’s been part of the Braintree family for more than a decade already (gosh, doesn’t time fly!). Michael started his career in Sydney, Australia, after moving there from the outback… ish. He arrived with a hard earned degree in business communications and a desire to travel. 10 years later he’d worked his way up in the world of business communications and customer service, (including a post at Braintree Australia), then it was time to travel. Like many Aussies, Michael came to the UK on his 2 year visa and fell in love with Old Blighty. In the meantime, Braintree had set up in London, so when they were looking for a Customer Service & Retail Manager (who would also be required to travel to our wholesale stockist in the UK and abroad), Michael was the perfect candidate. He hasn’t looked back since.

If you’re looking to stock Braintree at your store, then Michael is your man. Drop him a line… michael@braintreehemp.co.uk

Our Autumn collection is out and proud, but you can get a preview of our Winter wares on facebook. Get involved…

Here’s something we recommend you get involved in – it’s the Organic Fortnight, set up by the Soil Association to celebrate all things organic, from food to fabrics to household stuff and even holidays. By getting involved you can discover why organic is good for your well-being and your planet, is kind to animals and wildlife and allows us make a big difference – simply through the way we shop.

Here’s some things we picked off of the Soil Associations website to explain why we reckon it’s best to buy organic…

It’s better for you – Hydrogenated fats and controversial additives including aspartame, tartrazine, MSG are banned under organic standards. That’s a good start.

It’s better for our environment – Organic farming releases less greenhouse gases than non-organic farming – choosing organic, local and seasonal food can significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

It’s better for domestic animals – Organic standards insist that animals are given plenty of space and fresh air to thrive and grow – guaranteeing a truly free-range life (which in turn is better for you because you eat the produce right!)

It’s better for wildlife – Organic farms are havens for wildlife and provide homes for bees, birds and butterflies. In fact, the UK Government’s own advisors found that plant, insect and bird life is up to 50% greater on organic farms!

It’s  GM-free – Genetically modified crops and ingredients are banned under organic standards. You may be surprised to know that over a million tonnes of GM crops are imported each year to feed non-organic livestock which produce pork, bacon, milk, cheese and other dairy products. Err-Yuck!

Well, all of that was enough to persuade us to get involved. The Organic Fortnight starts 3rd September and finishes on the 17th. Check it out on the Soil Association website…

Our Hip Zip Thro is a cute and quirky number that’ll be perfect to wrap up in this Autumn. It can be worn in many different ways – open, zipped, buttoned or tied, you can get so creative with it! This charming Thro  is made from Hemp and organic cotton in a soft, fine knit. It comes in Mocha, cranberry and Indigo. It’s one of those that can look very dressy, very casual or just wonderfully quirky – we just had to flag it! Watch out for more gems in our Autumn style watch posts…

Our autumn togs are out now! And here’s a re-cap of our favourites…

How we love this, the Katy Day dress – perfect for warmer autumn days as is and for perfect for layering in the brrrrr-months.

Our Cornish Barney shirt is extremely soft and comfortable. The detail in the fabric and finish makes this a top fave this Autumn.

Our famous multi-skirt is back in this pretty-pretty print for Autumn. Looks quaint with our Antoinette cardigan.

We’ve brought back this Lucky Stripe jumper because people loved it so much last Autumn – must be that winning blend of hemp and organic cotton that brings people back for more!

We’re chuffed to bits with our Lawless cowl neck – a must to snuggle in when it’s cold outside. Check out that luscious neck drama!

These Harry Canvas Jeans are tough yet comfortable. We’ve been doing these for years and their still a top seller.

BRAINTREE AUTUMN LAUNCH – OUT NOW!

You may have read our blog about paving slabs that create useable energy each time they are stepped on, well here’s another clever idea to make (eco)logical use from our pavements – slabs that clean the air! This technology has recently been developed in Germany and has already been tested out in cities with bad air quality such as Rome.

These paving slabs are coated with titanium dioxide, which converts harmful substances such as nitrogen oxides into nitrates. Titanium dioxide is a photocatalyst; it uses sunlight to accelerate a naturally occurring chemical reaction, the speed of which changes with exposure to light. The sunnier it is, the better they work, toxic levels can be reduced by up 70% (Blimey!)

It’s ideas like this that are getting more and more support and funding, becoming reality not just green pipe dreams. We like!

It’s coming… it’s coming very soon.. (but not soon enough)… it’s our 2010 Autumn collection! We’re really looking forward to showing it to you! We simply can’t wait! …er, seriously, we can’t wait – we’ve just got to show you right now! So here’s a sneak peak of those we think will be some of the new season’s absolute faves…yeah!

How we love this, the Katy Day dress – perfect for warmer autumn days as is and for perfect for layering in the brrrrr-months.

Our Cornish Barney shirt is extremely soft and comfortable. The detail in the fabric and finish makes this a top fave this Autumn.

Our famous multi-skirt is back in this pretty-pretty print for Autumn. Looks quaint with our Antoinette cardigan.

We’ve brought back this Lucky Stripe jumper because people loved it so much last Autumn – must be that winning blend of hemp and organic cotton that brings people back for more!

We’re chuffed to bits with our Lawless cowl neck – a must to snuggle in when it’s cold outside. Check out that luscious neck drama!

These Harry Canvas Jeans are tough yet comfortable. We’ve been doing these for years and their still a top seller.

BRAINTREE AUTUMN LAUNCH – COMING SOON!

This handy little gadget helps save water whilst you shower. The Waterpebble sits next to the plug hole and monitors how much water you’re using, once you’ve used your set amount (which it records the first time you use it) it lets you know, making you more aware of how much water you do actually use. The little pebble glows green, amber then red, so you know how long you have to finish up. Back in the old days it would have been dad banging on the door telling you to get out because 3 others are waiting outside the door, but this pebble is a much more civil way to ensure you don’t use more water than you need, saving you about £200 a year too, (now you’re paying your own bills!)

You can buy the waterpebble at Nigle’s Eco Store, one of our fave places to shop for all kinds of eco stuff…

There are some serious bargains to be had in our summer sale, so don’t miss out! Breathable, comfortable, stylish clothes… for less!

This pretty Braintree dress featured in the Grazia opening party at the Sustainable Luxury in Fashion and Design show in Berlin last month. Though it was all part of the Merc-Benz Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2011, you don’t need to wait that long for this frock because it’s actually from our Autumn/Winter collection. Bare legs with killer pink heels can wait – time to get the cosy boots and bamboo tights out. Oh, did I say bamboo tights? Something else to look forward to from our new collection and so much more! We’re super excited!