About

Sourced By Oxfam

Sourced by Oxfam collaborates with accountable suppliers who put people and planet before profit. Whether that’s through using recycled materials or creating fair employment for the people behind our products.

You might know Oxfam best for our second-hand goods, but Oxfam also sources new goods, known as Sourced by Oxfam. The Sourced by Oxfam range brings together the best of ethical, sustainable, and brand-new items that the team has carefully sourced for you from around the world. 

Our products are sourced and assessed through a wide range of ethical and environmental criteria. We prioritise supporting small businesses and those that share our values, ensuring our products align with the needs of our Oxfam supporters.

Oxfam's Values

At Oxfam, we have a vision of a just and sustainable world - a world where people and the planet are at the centre of our economy. This vision guides us in every decision we make. To support this vision, our Sourced by Oxfam values are:

  • Solidarity: We join hands, support, and collaborate across boundaries in working towards a just and sustainable world.

  • Equality: We believe everyone has the right to be treated fairly and to have the same rights and opportunities.

  • Inclusivity: We embrace diversity and difference and value the perspectives and contributions of all people and communities in their fight against poverty and injustice. 

  • Empowerment: We acknowledge and seek to expand people’s agency over their lives and the decisions that impact them. 

  • Accountability: We take responsibility for our action and inaction and hold ourselves accountable to the people we work with and for.

  • Fair Trade: We support Fair Trade business models that put people and planet before profit and fight poverty, climate change, gender, inequality, and injustice.

  • Sustainability: We believe in a viable alternative to doing business that prioritises social and environmental sustainability, alongside with economic success.

I was a Sari

Founded by Stefano Funari in 2013, I Was a Sari is an Indian social enterprise selling upcycled products such as contemporary ready-to-wear and accessories made from pre-loved saris. In India, saris are traditional attire for women and a source of cultural pride. Each I Was a Sari product is handcrafted by underprivileged Indian women, providing them with regular income and financial independence.

Their mission is to empower Indian women by providing them recurring income opportunities, with the vision of creating a society in which all women are dignified, and their basic rights are respected.

 


The women behind the brand

I was a Sari's 250 artisans have not let their origins stop them.

  • 57% never worked before. 
  • 55% moved to Mumbai from rural areas.
  • 51% dropped out of school by 15 years old.
  • 36% look after 3 or more children.