Van Asch goes Organic for 2018!! & Competition Winners.

I'm totally beside myself with excitement!!!
Our brand new shiny web site launches on January 1st and it is going to be very special. Not because we are now offering free shipping and returns in Sweden or free shipping and returns for orders over €50 in the EU...No, nothing as boring as that!
We have teamed up with an NGO (non governmental organisation) called CIRHEP based in Tamil Nadu India, that offers women financing, support and education to start their own organic micro farms.

5% of all sales on our new web site goes to this organisation. Yep, that is 5% of absolutely everything that gets sold on our website goes toward changing these women's lives...

As women’s rights have traditionally not been prioritized in Indian society, one of the goals of CIRHEP is to empower women. By empowering women you empower entire communities. CIRHEP helps to organize self help groups (SHGs) and then provides training programs with a focus on creating awareness about women rights, gender equality and conserving the local environment. The aim is to strengthen women’s confidence and self-esteem, and to increase women’s involvement in the decision-making process within their families and outside the household. 

The women are also participating in entrepreneurship development programs with the support of NABARD (National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development). Women get help to start a small business in e.g. mushroom cultivation, honey processing, pigeon rearing, garland making, foot wear making, organic manure preparation, keeping small shops etc.

This is super exciting because we get to make a difference. 
Our contribution will help establish positive positions for women in their local communities. They, also  organise workshops for men in order to educate them about gender equality too. As women increasingly contribute to the household economy they also have a say when it comes to how to spend the money. Consequently, more children, and especially girls, are now sent to schools. This can break the cycle of poverty and set these families up for a much brighter future.





Ok, so what else exciting is happening in 2018!  You've probably picked up that I'm passionate about sustainability, the environment, reducing plastic use and generally being responsible in business, so, we are moving into 100% organic manufacture. All our new cushions, shopper bags and fabrics will be made from organic cotton.
And finally, all our international deliveries and transport in the EU will be using the new DHL GoGreen carbon neutral transport system which offsets all the carbon emissions from transport by planting trees and also subsidises the DHL fleet of electric and bio gas fuelled vehicles... 
Yep, 2018 is looking very GREEN for Van Asch !!!

Ok, enough about all that, you want to know who won our handbag competition right?
Ok, so lucky Pia Lundberg from Sweden is the winner of the Skull 403 handbag

And the runners-up to each win one of our cute Skull 403 mirror compacts are:

Diana VB from California USA
Sara O from Sweden
Vivienne W from UK
Francesca T from Italy
Daniella VH from Holland
Pauline S from Sweden

Congratulations to all of you! And a huge thanks to the multitudes that took the time to answer my nosy questions ;-)

Have a super wonderful Christmas, don't forget to check our 'mellandagsrea' or After Christmas Sale which starts boxing day... there will be masses of awesome bargains to be had...