6 Fairtrade ways to jazz up your home – Moroccan style!

5 March 2020

It’s Fairtrade Fortnight and we’re celebrating fair trade products which ensure that everyone gets a fair deal.

Fairtrade is all about justice: fair pricing, equal opportunities and respect for workers.

As Allah (SWT) tells us in the Holy Qur’an:

Allah loves those who are fair and just. (49:9)

By buying fairtrade produce, we can guarantee that we’re not buying into modern slavery, child labour or worker exploitation. From cocoa farmers, machinists and designers, everyone in the supply chain is paid a fair deal. It may cost us a little more; but the benefits surely outweigh the financial cost.

This is crucial if we are to continue empowering men and women across the globe to earn a safe, sustainable livelihood and to ensure that people are not being exploited.

Islamic Relief Waterloo: Fairtrade shopping for sustainability

Alhamdulillah, thanks to Fairtrade, a staggering 7 million people (including farmers, workers, their families and communities) are protected against exploitation. Across the globe, 70 countries are now selling Fairtrade products – including the UK.

Here in our London office, we’ve got our very own set of Fairtrade items in our charity shop.

Not only are the sales of these items supporting suppliers and the craftspeople who make them, but all of the proceeds from the sale of our products go towards our life-saving work across the globe. Alhamdulillah!

In fact, we’re a big fan of the some of the fabulous handcrafted home décor items. And with Spring on the way, what better time to give your home a refresh?Moroccan-style décor is big right now – and we can see why! With vibrant colours, fabulous prints and a variety of textures and materials from woven cotton, glass, wool and wood, plus lots of accessories – it’s warm, homely and bright!

So let’s forget the cold and wet winter and seek some Moroccan chic to warm up our homes. We’ve come up with six simple and easy Fairtrade tricks to jazz up your home, Moroccan style.

Take a look!

1. Lanterns and hangings

Silver, bronze, painted or perhaps with a gold sheen, ceiling decorations such as lanterns are the staple of Moroccan décor.

Brighten up your kitchen, bedroom or hallway and add a touch of evening glamour with a lovely colour-tinted metal lantern. It’ll definitely add a sparkle of glamour!

BUY THIS:

Metal lantern: £25 (height: 48cm)

2. Printed cushions

A simple way to add a touch of the Maghreb to your living room or bedroom is to add colour, print and texture with a rug or some great cushions.

Prints such as quatrefoil (bottom left) or triangular Berber-style designs (bottom right) are very Moroccan and super popular right now. Soft, comfortable and stylish!

BUY THIS:

Quatrefoil cushion (teal / beige): £20 (58cm x 58cm)

Rectangle cushion £13 (38cm x 33cm)

3. Textured planters

Breathe a bit of life into your home with some fresh vibrant flowers or succulents. They’re everywhere right now!

Of course, you’ll need to home your plants in a lovely planter. We love the variety of materials, prints and textures with these two gorgeous planters – typical of Moroccan styling. Perfect for the new green additions to your home!

BUY THIS:

Jute planter: £12 (width: 22cm)

Silver planter: £18 (width: 13cm)

4. Engraved mirrors

A mirror is always a great staple for any area of the home and mirrors are big in Moroccan design.

Combining engraved wooden or painted mirrors, you can add a pop of colour or craftsmanship to your home. These two pieces will definitely stand out above the sofa or help welcome guests in the hallway!

BUY THIS:

Wooden engraved mirror: £28 (37cm x 37cm)

Painted mirror: £39 (130cm x 40cm)

5. Painted ceramics

Painted ceramics offer not only a practical storage solution, but also some lovely handpainted artwork to display in your home.

All across North Africa, you’ll find beautiful handpainted ceramics for both kitchen use and display. We love these Nomad pieces – the pots will add a lovely element of artistic colour to your kitchen, whilst the drawers could become your new jewellery box!

BUY THIS:

Handpainted pickle dishes (set of 3): £15 (pots: 6cm x 6cm each, tray: 7cm x 20cm)

Handpainted mango wood chest of drawers: £24 (24cm x 18cm)

Handpainted pots: £9.20 each (10 cm x 16cm)

6. Candles and fragrances

A simple addition to your home, incense and candles can really help you wind down after a long week (or day!) at work, whilst you daydream of summer nights in Marrakesh.

Add a Fairtrade touch to your wind-down routine with a lovely candle pot or incense holder, ensuring you can relax with no mess! We especially love these silver-inspired accessories which add a rugged, vintage feel.