As the lockdown restrictions continue, our essential shops in town are continuing to stay open, offering a brilliant service to their customers.
One of those is Just Fair Trade on Silver Street. Whether it’s cleaning products or sustainable fashion, they have a vast range of products available in the shop and online.
With click & collect, local home delivery and national postal delivery available, we caught up with them for this week’s BID Spotlight to find out how it’s going.
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How would you describe Just Fair Trade for anyone who hasn’t visited?
Just is a selection of fair trade, ethical, sustainable products on 3 floors. We sell food and drinks, toys and clothes, all sorts of accessories, homeware and much more.
We are a social enterprise, spending money at Just means you are buying quality products and you are supporting us to trade for a better world.
What new products do you have in stock that people might not be aware of?
Spring is in the air and we are ready! A few sustainable products to mention: our canvas shoes made of natural rubber and organic cotton, our new range of clothes will be arriving in a few weeks with spring/summer colours and natural fabrics like bamboo, hemp, organic cotton.
Have you had to adapt your product range over lockdown at all?
Yes, since everyone is spending more time at home, there are products, which are more popular: chocolate, coffee and tea, we extended what we offer for breakfast: muesli, jams. Another big change is, that many of our customers are sending gifts through us, so cards are very popular and gift for kids, also smaller items like bamboo socks, jewellery, incense, candles.
What are your own favourite items that you sell?
Well, Just is a shop where there is something for everyone, so Thought bamboo leggings for myself, Divine chocolate for my mum, Fair Squared Apricot face soap for my sister, Cycle of Good wallet made of bike inner tubes for my boyfriend.
How has the online shop been, and what items can people find on there?
We started with essentials, food and household items, but by now, you can find cards, gifts, clothes, bags. In February we are working a Mother’s day section and adding lots of Easter goodies. We always have seasonal products and uploading items based on customer feedback so it’s worth coming back time to time.
What’s your favourite thing about the location of the shop on Silver Street and St Martin’s Square?
We are surrounded by Leicester’s independents, it is a nice community, also when we can sit outside, this area is the place to be in Leicester City Centre.
What is it about Leicester that makes it a great city for independents?
Leicester is so open for diversity, for arts, for interesting projects, we are home for many start ups actually! People in Leicester are interested, we love to have long chats, the interactions with our customers, who become regulars, some of them friends over the years. We miss them a lot! Hopefully by summer we can meet again much more.
Who are some of your other favourite independents in the city?
It is hard to name a few as the list is long, we have great indies! Let me just say, we are stronger together and 2020 hit us hard but we don’t give up!
How can people find out more and how can they shop with you over lockdown and beyond?
The shop is open with limited opening hours during lockdown and we review it every few weeks (on Facebook, Instagram, newsletter we have the latest updates) but the online shop is always open. We do click and collect from the Leicester shop and EcoVillage, Market Harborough, local delivery (LE1, LE2, LE3) on every Wednesday and we post mainland UK.
Shop online at shop.justfairtrade.com and visit us on Facebook and Instagram.
Our BID Spotlight features are brought to you in collaboration with BID Leicester.
