Shared Earth shop review

Where is it?
51 Piccadilly
Manchester
M1 2AP

Tel: 0161 236 1014
Website: www.sharedearth.co.uk
Opening hours: Mon – Sat 8.30am - 6.30pm, Sun 10am – 5pm

History:
If you blinked, you may well have missed it. Tucked away in the hustle and bustle of the City Centre, Shared Earth can be considered a distinctive place.

This quaint store with an earthy feel stands up for those who are ignored and mistreated in the production process. The business flies the flag for the fair treatment of suppliers.

UK’s premier fair trade retailer stemmed from the genius of Jeremy Piercey, author of Coffins, Cats and Fair Trade Sex Toys.

“Jeremy decided to open a fair trade shop after he came back from travelling around India,” said Gail Barrow, the Manchester Branch shop manager.

It started as a small shop in 1986 in York, where the head office now is, and has developed into a successful nation-wide chain.

“The Manchester branch of Shared Earth opened in 1990,” Gail said. “We now have 11 shops in total and are hoping to open one in Covent Garden in September.”

Jeremy started the company as a way to repay the generosity and kindness he had experienced during his trip.

“His way of doing this was to open a fair trade shop in the UK, trading with various suppliers and ensuring they are paid fair prices, that their working conditions are acceptable and that no child labour is used,” Gail said.

What does it sell?
Anything and everything can be found at Shared Earth and at a good price. It completely disproves the idea that Fair Trade is limiting and costly.

Clothes, cards, jewellery, decorations for the home, books, chocolate, textiles, bags, candles and toys are just a few of the things you can buy at Shared Earth.

If you feel the urge to learn an instrument, you can buy an Australian didgeridoo, some African drums or a Chinese bamboo flute. As an accompaniment you can purchase some CDs of global traditional music and natural sounds.

Shared Earth gets its products from all over the world and trades with suppliers from Peru, India, Madagascar, Mauritius, South Africa, Kenya and Thailand. They even have suppliers in the UK.

“A lot of the stock we sell is handmade using traditional techniques ensuring the livelihood of small villages and keeping the crafts alive,” Gail said.

Who shops there?
The assumption is that shops like these are lounging areas for green enthusiasts but that is certainly not the case.

There is variety galore and the group just simply can’t be labelled. There’s the man looking for a gift for his girlfriend, the homemaker looking for a nice piece for the living room (perhaps one of a selection of clay tribal masks) and the observer who just saw something different and decided to pop in for a look.

“We get a variety of customers from students looking to kit out their halls in the latest home ware to office workers looking to relieve some of the strains of their day with a peaceful browse around the store,” Gail said. “I wouldn’t say we have a specific type of customer.”

Why go there?
The bottom line is that Shared Earth is setting a standard that maybe we should all want to join in with.

“It's good to know the products we sell are helping people who would be otherwise less advantaged,” Gail said. “By shopping in this store people are supporting our suppliers and so building a better life for them.”

Besides that though, the store is full unique products, and personally speaking I've not seen anything like their collection of products anywhere else in Manchester.

“I think our products are really lovely and make perfect gifts if you're looking for something a little different,” Gail said. “We've recently got a lot of new clothes in from our supplier Namaste which I just love - I hope our customers do too.”

Future:
The shop has been around for 20 years and Gail believes it will continue to succeed because of the amazing products and their approach to business.

“Hopefully the Manchester shop will go from strength to strength as more people are wanting to support Fair Trade.” Gail said.

Verdict
Every feature of the shop screams different even if the shop may be familiar to Manchester shoppers. It's a great place to go if you want to try a new kind of shopping experience. From the relaxed ambience of the store to its symbolism, it’s one for the curious.