Wednesday 20 August 2008

Fairly traded clergy shirts

Special hat tip to Maggi Dawn who both raised the issue of lack of fairly traded clergy shirts some time ago and has now pointed to the introduction of Butler and Butler's male and female fairly traded shirts.
Now I have never (yet) worn a clerical collar or shirt, though sometimes working in ecumenical circles I do occasionally yearn for the visibility wearing a collar might give. OK I admit it I also rather like the pink cassocks priests from the Kerala Orthodox churches wear - a welcome relief from black.
Anyway those of you who want to wear these fairly traded badges of office need to get going quickly, stocks are limited.
So what next? I did once hear of a bishop who knitted his own mitres and there are wonderful stoles available from the Kopanang Trust . Given how much clergy and churches in some traditions spend on liturgical garments maybe a campaign for sourcing them ethically would be good - perhaps that already exists?

1 Comment:

Anonymous said...

We will stock these Fair Trade Clergy shirts from November. http://www.clericalshirtsclergyshirts.co.uk/