Meet the makers serving Britain’s disadvantaged communities

Mini Stitches

The East-London based charity Stitches in Time is the brains behind the gorgeous soft stripes, geometric prints and pastel colours of kids’ clothing brand Mini Stitches.

Each piece is designed and made entirely be women involved in the charity’s training programme, which aims to empower the Bangladeshi women of Tower Hamlets, an area of high deprivation, with 75% of the women in the community facing unemployment thanks to barriers like a lack of qualifications, employment experience and and English not being their first language.

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As well as helping locals, the social enterprise is switching to fully ethical production

The Mini Stitches free training programme provides training in garment manufacture, English classes, one-to-one support, mentoring and I.T. support, all of which build confidence, combat social isolation and help women progress towards employment.

Damsel & Daughter

Founder Mai Gornall created by Damsel & Daughter to marry her love of crafts with social consciousness in a way that responded to the issues she saw surrounding women in poverty.

Each Damsel & Daughter purse is handmade in Hackney from vegan leather off cuts, with proceeds going towards producing feminine care kits for disadvantaged women in Hackney, and distributed through local night shelters; The Manna Society and the Hackney Migrant Centre. There’s currently 20% off Damsel & Daughter at The Big Issue Shop

The Goodwash Company

What if shampoo could help homelessness? What if pet wash could fight animal cruelty?

The Goodwash Company are on a mission to change the world one wash at a time. All its products are sourced with the finest ingredients from the Welsh land and sea, and vegan society approved, with the purpose of supporting those in need, and enable people in their communities and animals in their environment to improve their lives for the better.

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Head to The Big Issue Shop to shop with a social echo.