Blue Caravan: online ethical design marketplace

If you are sick of mass produced products that have been produced in questionable labour conditions, you will LOVE visiting online ethical marketplace Blue Caravan, where you can find unique ethically designed contemporary products all under the one roof!  Prior to launching Blue Caravan, creator Jen Djula spent a number of years travelling in developing countries, and studying politics, community development and sustainable design. From this experience, she developed a keen interest in ethical production and independent design, leading to the creation of this wonderful online marketplace in late 2009.

Organic Cotton dresses, funky resin rings, a quirky brooch and seatbelt handbag are all on offer!

Hard to go past these beautiful handmade ceramics

At Blue Caravan, sellers are handpicked based on a selection criteria that requires their products to be produced ethically under fair trade or sweat-free conditions, in addition to fitting with Blue Caravan’s design criteria.  The result is a broad collection of unique designs, with not a mass produced product in sight!

Beautiful handcrafted kids products

Jen Djula is passionate about ethical design and shared with State of Green more about the workings and her dreams for Blue Caravan :

1.  With numerous online marketplaces springing up over the last few years, what inspired you to launch Blue Caravan?   The basic premise of Bluecaravan is to bring exposure to a vast number of ethical designers, to connect designers to their customers,  to change people’s perceptions about ethical design – and to hopefully influence the way people engage in their retail therapy!  The ‘marketplace’ set up is the one that works best to achieve this aim, and at the time that we started building Bluecaravan there was nothing else like it that we could see either here in Australia, or overseas.  We have filled a very specific niche where ethical design and style are no longer distant cousins! Additionally, the bottom line on which we operate is ‘production practice’. Organic bamboo baby clothing (for example) made in an overseas, local, or locally outsourced sweat-shop doesn’t excite us. By focusing on both production and design in a marketplace setting we have taken a big step into uncharted territory. 

2. Can you share with us how Blue Caravan works for both buyers and sellers?   After a buyer has stepped through the application process they are given a corner of Bluecaravan to edit a shop space for themselves. Buyers browse the hundreds of stores within Bluecaravan and then buy directly from the designers themselves. Direct trade is such an intimate way to shop – customers can build a relationship with the designers they adore, and designers are given the opportunity to connect with their customers. This set up also paves the way for ‘custom’ order, of which many happen through the site.

3.  What are you main challenges in running an online marketplace?   The greatest challenge in running Bluecaravan has been both the steep learning curve in modern technology (!), and time. I have two children, one who is not yet at school – so working from home presents as many challenges as it does benefits. Other than practical issues, I have enjoyed every minute. I love how much people are enjoying the site, I love the publicity we are getting, and i love that we are helping to bring ethical design into the public eye. I feel immensely satisfied by the work I’m doing, which is a privilege in itself.

4. Do you have any personal favourites at Blue Caravan at the moment?   Yes! – But my favourites change all the time! Here’s my top 6:

1 & 2: Big Beethoven singlet dress by Max.Created and Cowdy Boots by St Looi Blues

3 & 4: Recycled silver Cycle of Vita necklace by TobyE Jewellery and the Voluspa dress by Bachhara

5 & 6: Felt Macbook sleeve by Kazzki and locally designed Mama and Papa Tee by Ola & Olek

5. What are your dreams for Blue Caravan over the next 12 months?   Over the next 12 months we have a number of new features on the horizon, which we’ll keep under our hats for the moment (there was start-up lesson number 1!). Most of all we just want to see Bluecaravan continuing to experience the amazing growth that we have been lucky to have so far. The ‘community’ growing around Bluecaravan is something that I personally feel very excited about and this is an area that I would like to see expand and grow…

6. Please share with us your easy eco living tip!   When a better choice presents itself – take it! Every good choice you make is a vote for both the social and the physical environment. Ultimately it is our collective choice as to what gets made and how.

Be sure to pop over to Blue Caravan for a peek – With lots of great categories you are sure to find a lovely piece of independent ethical design that is right up your alley!

 

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