Clifton Clerics Get Shirty

29 September 2008

Priests and Deacons in the Clifton Diocese have been given the opportunity to demonstrate their support of fairly traded goods.  Very few clerics would dispute the importance of Fairtrade in guaranteeing producers from developing countries a fair price for their goods and labour. 

There are ever increasing numbers of Fairtrade products available to buy off the shelf. 

Until now however, buying a Fairtrade clerical shirt has not been an option. 

With the launch of Fairtrade clergy shirts by Butler & Butler, this is set to change.  For the very first time clergy can choose Fairtrade when it comes to their shirts.

Butler & Butler shirts are made from 100% Fairtrade certified cotton, rather than the usual poly-cotton mix, and are produced in a Fairtrade certified factory.  This ensures that no workers are exploited in the production process, that long term relationships with suppliers are guaranteed, and some of the worlds poorest producers are given the opportunity to work themselves out of poverty.

Reverend Simon Butler, Director of Butler & Butler, said, “Almost all of my colleagues seem to be committed to Fairtrade as an essential aspect of living the Gospel message, and so it seemed ridiculous that clergy didn’t have the option to buy according to conscience when it came to our own uniform!”  

With this in mind, and in partnership with his Father, Reverend Butler set up Butler & Butler, to supply the highest quality Fairtrade clerical shirts to clergy in the West of England and the entire UK. 

With a large number of the first batch sold before they have arrived in the country, Butler & Butler are inviting clergy to pre-order on their website.