Slippers with a conscience

Juniper Hearth wool felt slippers have been keeping feet cosy for years! 

Wool felt is the world's oldest textile. It is durable, a natural insulator (both of sound and heat) and breathes. Slippers made from wool felt are soft to wear and quiet to walk in, and ours last for years.

Our slippers also have a wonderful provenance!

They are proudly made by hand in Kathmandu, Nepal by a certified not-for-profit Fair Trade organisation (the Association of Craft Producers) that provides employment for many craftspeople and the opportunity to distribute their crafts globally, in return for fair wages and generous benefits.

Established in 1984 with just 38 producers, five full-time staff members and three skill categories, ACP has grown to around 1000 artisans (90% female), 60 full-time staff members and 20 skill categories, of which wool felting is just one!

The founder Meera Bhattarai has a particular focus on empowering women, providing women from all over Nepal with a safe and nurturing environment in which to practice their skills. Many of these women would not otherwise find work outside the home.

ACP also has a strong focus on sustainability and has implemented many environmentally focused initiatives in recent years, including solar panels, rainwater harvesting and waste water treatment and recycling.

The artisans enjoy meals in the staff cafeteria and the camaraderie of working with their peers – their happy faces as they sit around their communal work tables chatting and laughing is so lovely to witness.

So next time you slip on a pair of Juniper Hearth slippers, know that you’re wearing something that has made a real difference to women’s lives!

NOTE: All of our current stock of slippers are now online – unfortunately due to the lockdowns and ongoing freight delays associated with COVID19, I am unsure when we will receive our winter 2020 order (as at 2 April 2020). Please contact us for updates.