Previously featured in the Sunday Times Style and The Ecologist magazine, Martha Evatt brings you the opportunity to own something truly unique. A clutch bag that no one else has, stitched by our suppliers in India from genuine vintage kimono fabric.

After studying Japanese fashion designers at university and then spending a full year in Japan teaching English, making new friends and travelling around, Martha came to really love the sights, sounds, tastes and people of this fascinating country. Now you also can share a little piece of Japan by owning one of the below bags – absolute one-off pieces that you will never find elsewhere.

To purchase, please follow the link http://www.folksy.com/shops/marthaevatt or email martha@marthaevatt.com. Kimono clutches priced at £30.

Would you like to own your own, special kimono, sourced directly from Japan? Martha has the following available for you to buy, all priced at £45. Please email for further details.

My mum’s called Kate and she’s a top Martha Evatt customer. We love her because she’s loyal, selfless, goes out of her way to look after us and support us. She’s outstandingly chic with a gorgeous giggle, mean cooking skills and she’s just lovely to be with! Post a comment here and tell us about your mum!

KATE’S FAVOURITE MARTHA EVATT PRODUCT OF THE MOMENT! Large black and fuschia Annie bow bag.

For further information or to purchase go to http://www.folksy.com/shops/marthaevatt

She’s feisty, compassionate and totally committed. Mercy Abraham is the woman behind the vision that brought the production unit ‘Flowering Desert’ in the South of India into existence – currently the sole supplier of all Martha Evatt bags.

Around 15 years ago Mercy began her work in the local community with a heart to help desitute women in her area. Many of these women had been cast out of their homes or involved in prostitution but Mercy, along with husband Vinci, decided to try and help them by providing food and refuge.

Over the years, Mercy’s Christian refuge has grown and grown and now accomodates around 10 women who live in their own purpose built building near to her house as well as around 80 girls, orphaned or living away from families that can’t afford to keep them. Mercy gives them food and accomodation and pays for their schooling and uniform. She was recently awarded special recognition by the local police force for her contribution to the community.

The women at Mercy’s place help with farming and agriculture, some are involved in cooking and cleaning and others are taken on to the one year stitching course before taking a final exam to graduate into the stitching production unit. On the course the girls learn all kinds of skills from developing embroidery stitches to pattern cutting to card making with particular focus placed on quality control. Recently Mercy, alongside some key players in the UK, has been raising funds to build a medical centre on the site of the refuge as access to medication in the area is very limited. The plan is to become self-sufficient, growing all food and vegetables that are needed to provide for the women and children who live alongside her.

Mercy truly is a unique, inspiring and phenomenal woman who we had the privelige to spend 5 months with. We saw first-hand her commitment, determination and dedication to help those in desperate poverty and need in her community and it’s this need that drives us to keep selling bags, keep designing, keep sourcing and keep telling you about incredible people like her.

Swap your usual stuff for Fairtrade stuff

For this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight the Fairtrade Foundation is asking the nation to join them in The Big Swap. For two whole weeks they’ll be asking you to swap your usual stuff for Fairtrade stuff. Your usual bananas for Fairtrade bananas, your usual cotton socks for Fairtrade cotton socks, and your usual cuppa for a Fairtrade cuppa. Whenever you pop to the shops, you can use your wallet to make a stand.

Watch a video about it here The Big Swap

or visit http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/thebigswap/why_you_should_swap/

A perfect small gift for the stylish Audrey Hepburn icon amongst you – why not give our pale pink bow purse with gorgeous black and white spot silk bow? A limited edition item means that only very few exist – this gift is for the truly discerning and will not be found anywhere else! Fully lined in cotton with zip fastening.

For more details on all above and to purchase, go to http://www.folksy.com/shops/marthaevatt

Or for the working woman about town, why not try our black and fuschia combination – available in either a coin purse, small or large shopper? A dash of colour adds a vibrant and frivolous touch to staple black. Shopper bags with inside zip pocket, lined in shocking pink cotton with metallic silver clasp fastener.

For more details on all above and to purchase, go to http://www.folksy.com/shops/marthaevatt

Or for the ec0-conscious friend, perhaps our organic canvas shopper with a green bow…?

 Made with SKAL-certified canvas, spun from cotton grown without any pesticides, this bag comes in large and small shopper sizes, boasting a deep green cotton lining, silver metallic clasp fastener and inside zip pocket. A beautiful shade of purple-grey on the base, this bag is hand-stitched by our small scale production unit in Southern India, meaning it makes a great contribution to both people’s lives and the life of our planet.

For more details on all above and to purchase, go to http://www.folksy.com/shops/marthaevatt

Available in a large size, to easily fit an A4 folder that can be carried by shoulder.Features black and white spot cotton lining with inside zip pocket and metallic silver clasp fastener for security.

Follow this link for further details or to purchase
http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZmarthaevattQQhtZ-1

Here at Martha Evatt, we love 2. Two people together, married or friends having fun, we think 2’s fantastic.

But 1 is also good. 1 is a little different - master of his or her own time, money, choices, decisions. 1 can be single-minded, purposeful, without any distractions. So if you’re a 1 this Valentines Day and not a 2, don’t worry about it - delight in it. Maybe your 1 will become a 2 (and then a 3 or 4 or more…) but in the meantime, be happy about 1. 1 is also good.

After graduating with a degree in textiles and embroidery and several years of experience sourcing shoes and accessories for the mass manufactured high street, Martha set out with her love of colour and fabric to create a range of branded accessories by making jobs for some of the poorest people in the world.

Inspired by her faith in Jesus Christ, the urge to help her global neighbour and the desire to create fabulous, colourful and stylishly timeless products she left her job, went to Sri Lanka and India and sourced the first batch of stock from the slums of Mumbai.

Along the journey, her travels have taken in 18 months in Japan, Thailand, Laos and an extended 5 month period spent in Tamil Nadu in India, working directly with a small stitching organisation in quality control and new product development. Many characters and friends have been met and made along the way – and they continue to be the driving inspiration behind the Martha Evatt brand.

Highlights so far have included showing bags at the Ethical market in Paris, at Top Drawer, London and Clothes Show Live, Birmingham. Martha Evatt has also stocked the V & A Museum in London with a beautiful range of one-off vintage kimono fabric clutch bags and had a news documentary made about the business which has been shown around the world.

Martha continues to develop new ideas to sell as many bags as possible and to serve, train and give work to as many talented stitchers as she can.

When Santa stopped over at Rufford market this weekend he couldn’t resist being snapped with our best-selling red bow bag to match his red jacket, alongside top seller and Martha Evatt champion, Ali.

Thanks to all our stylish customers who came to Rufford, it was great to get out and meet you, also to Gillian and the lovely patchwork doll ladies – we enjoyed having you next door! To the lady learning the Argentine tango, I hope your friend loved her spotty bag and is not toooooo jealous of your red shopper. Although, who wouldn’t be?

If you are gearing up to your Christmas shopping, you can catch us again at the Christmas night markets in Uppingham and Oakham, 10th and 14th December. Don’t miss out!

Click here to view the embedded video.