Castlebar - County Mayo - Committed to Fair Trade in Castlebar

Helen O’Meara has always been a fan of alternative clothing, and now she has turned her hobby into a business with the launch of Harvestmoon global. com.

Helen O'Meara and her partner, Aldo Jordan, are behind the Mayo-based internet firm, which offers alternative and ethically-sourced clothing, jewellery and home accessories. It went live last December, with grant aid backing from County Mayo Enterprise Board.

Helen says Harvest Moon was currently the only online Fairtrade clothing retailer in Ireland. O’Meara and Jordan source their products through England, with clothing and jewellery that originally comes from India. They also carry products from the US, and will be introducing more from across the globe in the future.

Helen & Aldo

The site was created with the help of friends and local Belcarra-based design company Attik Designs. It accepts laser cards as well as credit cards, which the couple feel is important, as a lot of people - especially younger people - don’t have credit cards.

Aldo described the company’s customers as ‘‘vibrant, youthful, imaginative’’ people who were ‘‘embracing something that’s just that little bit different’’. Helen said the main challenge they had faced so far was finding time to keep everything up to date.

However, she said that ‘‘nothing worthwhile is achieved without commitment’’, and they had been pleased with the response to date.

‘‘I love the excitement of offering something different to Irish consumers and trying to introduce everybody to the Fairtrade ethic - showing them that you can support that by buying more than tea, coffee and chocolate,” she said.

It fulfils a long-held ambition for her, who met Jordan ten years ago when they were working for a radio station in Castlebar.

Helen left the station to work as a buyer for an alternative clothing shop, where she first tried to introduce Fairtrade clothing. Jordan still works at the station and also looks after sales and marketing for the website.

The harvest moon logo

As well as allowing them to spend more time with their three children - Caoimhe, Hayley and baby James - building the business has given the new entrepreneurs a sense of achievement. Jordan said:

‘‘The business has been performing quite well, considering that we are in the middle of a recession and are a brand new concept.”

As well as the website, the couple sell products at the Castlebar Indoor Market every Saturday. They hope to open a shop in the future and have also been in talks with one of Ireland’s best-known clothing manufacturers about bringing out their own clothing line.

‘‘I thoroughly recommend to anyone that, if you have a dream in your mind you owe it to yourself to do everything in your power to try and realise it,”

We welcome any queries or feedback.

Please contact us on 094 9028509 or email us at: info@harvestmoonglobal.ie
Castlebar Indoor Markets: Every Saturday 10am-4pm