If you’ve ever sat transfixed in front of the TV while Mary Portas transforms a boutique from failing to fabulous, you will be familiar with Pure London. 

For the unfamiliar, Pure is the trade show for fashion in the UK.  Held twice a year at London Olympia, trends are revealed, brands are launched and shops come to buy. What will you be wearing next season? Perhaps the selection you’re going to be presented with has already been made, here…six months in advance at Pure. 

And if you’re an ethical shop, what then…do you come to Pure too? 

Well, probably. 

Many an ethical buy is made at this event and the good news for us shoppers is that the choice is growing every season. 

In 2010, eco fashionistas at Pure are spoilt for choice. Ethical exhibitors, ethical seminars and an ethical selection on the main catwalk. 

Comfy flats at the ready and coffee on board, I hit the turf at Pure’s latest edition to uncover some of the delights in store for shoppers later in the year. 

And what delights there were! 

Bold, sophisticated and beautiful pieces in gorgeous, soft bamboo jersey from talented duo Tamsin and Seraphina Davis at Nancy Dee.  Their collection has a real air of forties glamour. 

Katie Weightman at Miksani has been around for a couple of seasons now and her collection improves with every season.  Lovely, versatile pieces that you know will find a home in your wardrobe for years to come.  Each one made in a Fair Trade certified factory and now starting to carbon offset too! 

Linen Lawn was a new comer last season and received attention both from trade press Drapers and on the catwalk.  Margaret Appleby’s exquisite collection is handmade in England and includes beautiful Tana Lawn and Liberty prints.  Beautifully British, heirloom pieces. 

Another strong collection from Jackpot also caught my eye.  Jackpot have been working with Made By for the last few years to make their supply chain more traceable.  Already a notable fashion brand (stocked in numerous boutiques across the UK) before they started to transform their ethics, Jackpot are a fabulously successful example to existing labels aspiring to be a clean and transparent supply chain. 

Despite the fact that Pure had developed an ethical trail around the show to help buyers locate ethical brands, I actually found that there were too many ethical additions to the show  for me to find them all. What a sweet dilemma! 

I compared notes with ethical stylist Veronica Crespi, from Rewardrobe. 

Her high points also included Miksani and Nancy Dee; along with Julia Smith, Komodo and Itsus Eco (new to the UK). 

Veronica commented 

I attended a very interesting discussion about trends for Autumn/Winter 2010. Apparently puffer jackets are in! I wasn’t sure at first, until I spotted Julia Smith’s collection; which included a very feminine puffer jacket and a beautiful corseted quilted dress! All made of a polyester made from recycled plastic. 

For knitwear as outerwear (another trend prediction) I would pick from Komodo’s oversize cardi’s or Lowie’s totally handknit pretty capes. 

A new line of T-Shirts also caught my eye.  Itsus Eco are launching in the UK this year.  Their pieces are fully certified from growing to production, and sport some interesting prints too. 

Check out our Pure gallery. These little beauties should be winging their way to an online stockist or a retailer near you soon. 

Alternatively, if you want to sample the ambience at Olympia for yourself.  Olympia 2 will play host to a daisygreen magazine fashion exhibition as part of UK Aware on 16-17 April 2010.  Lupe Castro will be styling the hottest ethical catwalk in town. There will be a massive clothes swap and you’ll be able to see and buy fabulous fashion from favourites such as Izzy Lane, ekosense and Bam! A limited number of tickets costing £6 are available in advance (£13 on the door) from daisygreen events. 

What are you waiting for?…