Winter Warmers

Brrr, it's so cold here in London, definitely time for those winter woolies! Here are a few of the best ethical knitwear pieces to keep you cosy this winter: 

This Fair Isle Dress by People Tree is so lovely and chunky whilst also being  really pretty. With short sleeves it's great combined with a black long sleeve jersey dress, tights and knee high boots.  

Add a splash of cable knit colour with the Hanro Pom Pom Scarf by Komodo. So long and soft to keep you really cosy. 

The beautiful Camu Coat by Komodo is fully lined with soft cotton jersey, adding an extra layer of warmth for wearing both, inside as a cardigan or out and about as a coat.

So soft and chunky, the Clara Cardigan by People Tree is another great one for the layered look. It's fantastic belted over a long sleeve dress or with jeans and a winter coat. The lovely chunky collar means there's no need for a scarf! 

    

And finally....don't forgot your feet. Keep them toasty in a pair of PoZu Slippers, the ultimate eco footwear.

The ethical Christmas gifts we'd love to get (and give!) this year

Behind the scenes at Equa we're getting ready for the Christmas season. We love creating our festive shop window, coming up with our instore treats (mulled wine, anyone?) and displaying our top ethical gift picks. Islington looks so magical at Christmas, especially Camden Passage where we're located.

We make a special effort to capture that Christmas magic online too, at both our online shop and on this blog, where we will be highlighting our best gift ideas and running a special Christmas competition (watch this space). We couldn't help ourselves this week, what with so many lovely new season pieces arriving on the shop floor. We just had to pick the ethical gifts we'd love to find under our eco trees!

Penny Dowling, founder & director

I love the Saffron Winds wash bag made from recycled rice and fish bags from Cambodia. I have an old wash bag that I think was a freebie from a magazine, so I think I deserve a new one! This one has been catching my eye ever since they arrived in store and I'm hoping that I've dropped enough hubbie hints!!

If I don't get that (or maybe even if I do), then my Eternal Creation slippers that I bought three years ago at one of the Fashion Made Fair sample sales are now so threadbare that I don't think they will last much longer. A great classic Christmas gift of a pair of slippers wouldn't go amiss and these Po-Zu Peasy slippers fit the bill for me.

Eva Phillips, sales assistant

Hmm, it's tricky to pick just one as I would love pretty much anything! But I guess if I'd been a very good girl I'd love to receive the Edun Morain sweater. But then again, I would also love any of the Ila candles as I adore scented candles, especially such pretty ones. I can never justify buying them for myself!

Christina Harnois, sales assistant
I would love to receive the Cecilia Hammarborg Mandarin coat because every girl should have a red coat to brighten up those crisp Winter days! This piece would be in my wardrobe for years to come, the quality and elegance of the fabric makes it timeless and the whimsical design would make me feel like a character in a fairytale. Now, who will I find to give it to me...?

Marta Krsteva, sales assistant

Top of my Christmas gift wish list is Kuyichi's Magic dress. I love everything about this dress: the colour, the fabric, the style, the length and the detailing. I'd wear it as a dress and as a top too, with skinny jeans or leggings. Electric blue is such a powerful colour and is my favourite!

Thalia Warren, sales and marketing assistant

Beyond Skin Hendrix vegan ankle boots: This is the kind of gift I would give because I really want them for myself! A vegan friend of mine says she missed leather far more than she misses any food items but I know she would love these gorgeous boots. They are super sexy and very chic. The flash of purple lining gives them a fun edge too. I think the fact they are hemp rather than all over plastic, as many vegan shoes often are, would be appreciated too.

An early Christmas gift from Equa to you - free postage on all orders

Are you bored by the postal strike? Us too. Waiting for goodies to arrive in the post is like waiting for Christmas to happen as a child; agonisingly painful, though worth the wait of course when those gorgeous parcels arrive.

To take a little pain out of shopping online we're offering free delivery worldwide on all items until the end of October. Now at least you're not footing the postage bill for those new on-season purple Monkey Genes sateen skinny trousers, best-selling Veja volley trainers or delectable Made Hayley Mardon Rhombus necklace. Or on any items that you just have to have right now, for that matter!

We know you love to save the pennies too, where you can, without skimping on the quality of what goes in your wardrobe or course. Free delivery on all orders is one perfect way to help you do that. Consider it an early Christmas gift from Equa to you!

In store right now, our stylists are going ga-ga for winter warmers. It must be the nip in the air this week. The conversation has turned to coats and knitwear (check out People Tree's snuggly cable cowl jumper), especially with the arrival this week of this glorious Mandarin coat in a striking red from young designer Cecilia Hammarborg's capsule Black River Falls collection, launched at London Fashion Week. Against a grey autumn day, it can't help to lift the spirits.

Made in London using Italian wool, this swing coat has a high collar and puff shoulders and is fully lined. With front seam pockets the coat fastens at the front with four covered buttons. But here's the most gorgeous touch; the tailored front is offset with wide pleats at the back, so beautifully made that we just had to show you in the picture here. The whole coat has a Sixties feel to it, don't you think? It's a great quality investment piece, at £245, that will last for many winter seasons to come.

Cecilia Hammarborg is a new talent to watch. Her signature style is the combination of sharp tailoring and immaculate cutting with slightly unexpected feminine fluidity, such as sharply waisted coats with full skirts for example. It's a blend of sharp and soft. Hammarborg's 'birdgun' logo is a case in point - cute little birdie with a revolver head. Need we say more!