organic●ally™ was set up by Siew Peng (or 'Siew-Peng' or 'Siewpeng' when in UK/Europe), a ‘pre-tired’ change management consultant and social anthropologist from Singapore, who now lives in the UK. organic●ally™ is where her concerns for the environment and good working conditions (especially for marginalized women) meet.

All organic●ally™ products have been ethically-sourced and, as much as possible, fairly traded. (Except for our Gift Wrapper Bags made with Fair Trade organic cotton, we do not carry the Fair Trade logo because we (and some of our suppliers) cannot afford to pay for that privilege at the moment.)

We will not stock any item that we are not prepared to give to those nearest and dearest to us with a clear conscience.

organic●ally™ is a growing, but still very small, business, designed to be manageable around the needs of Siew Peng's family and community commitments. While we do not have a dazzling all-singing, all-dancing website with seamless online payment software, we are small enough to provide a personal and friendly, as well as an efficient, service.

Feel free to 'chat' with Siew Peng at shopkeeper@organic-ally.co.uk*.

Why we do what we do

Of course people are always looking out for a cheaper alternative, and big corporations have made huge, HUGE profits on that basis.

But how cheap is cheap? (See also blog article on 'sustainable development'.)

Plastic bags are cheap to make, but the real cost of environmental damage – to wildlife, human beings, global climate change, etc. – is incalculable. Paper tissues and other disposable products are convenient to use, but how many trees must we fell? 

Not too long ago, intensive farming which altered the vegetarian diet of cattle resulted in BSE. Right now 'cheap cotton' is being produced with the use of potent chemicals that poison the earth. Just think back to the tragedy in Bhopal where the Union Carbide plant was manufacturing aldicarb and carbaryl, pesticides for use in Indian cotton production. Result: 20,000 people killed, 120,000 people injured.

The current threat is global avian flu. How is it related to intensive farming?

We reap what we sow. Whether in this generation, or the next. 

Cost, price and value

It is increasingly clear that:

The real cost of paying a low price is the earth which we must value more – for our children and their children’s sake.

Why use an organic cotton handkerchief when there are ‘cheaper’, ‘more convenient’, disposable paper alternatives? 

Why carry a organic cotton string bag instead of collecting one more of those ubiquitous plastic bags? 

Why use an organic cotton or silk gift wrapper bag instead of a beautifully printed gift wrapper?

Because it does not cost the earth!

*Why 'shopkeeper'?

It is said about the Raffles Hotel in Singapore that there are not many notices in the hotel rooms. If you wanted something, you simply ring for service.

The reasoning is: when you stop a night or two at friends, you do not expect them to leave you notices with lots of instructions about the room, telling you the price of a cup of tea or coffee, etc, do you?

In the same vein, staying at the Raffles should be a bit like staying with (posh) friends. The butler will carry out your orders.

For a long while Siew Peng has wanted to run a shop. She only needed to find the few products that she is prepared to sell which would make a difference, a positive difference, to the world around her.

At organic●ally™, Siew Peng hopes that you'd feel a bit more like talking to your neighbourhood shopkeeper rather than a nameless, face-less email address called 'info@...'.

"But Siew Peng," you say, "You are still face-less. We do not have a photo of you any where on the site."

They say a picture could paint a thousand words and sometimes a face could launch a thousand ships. Let's just say that it's easier for me to write a thousand words than to ever expect my face to launch a thousand ships. I write much better than I look! You can "see" more of me in my blog. Promise.

Contact Us

Remember, if you have any queries or requests, just ask here by email!

Or post query to:

Organic-Ally
118 Nibthwaite Road
Harrow
Middlesex HA1 1TG
UK

Telephone: We have not published a number because, to be absolutely honest, we cannot promise to be there to answer your call. But if you should email us with your query and number, we are happy to phone you back.