"IN 1993 A MAN NAMED JOHN PARKINSON MADE FABRICS THAT MIXED HEMP WITH MUNGO (WOOL FIBRES OBTAINED FROM CLOTH) AND SHODDY (SHREDDED WOOL FROM OLD CLOTH) FROM A COMPANY IN DEWSBURY, WEST YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND. THE HEMP WAS GROWN BY HEMPCORE IN ESSEX, AND THEY ARE STILL WORKING TO THIS DAY. AROUND THAT SAME TIME I BEGAN MAKING VARIOUS ACCESSORIES FROM HEMP/MUNGO/SHODDY-MIX MATERIALS FOR A FEW SMALL HEMP COMPANIES. I MADE RECORD BAGS, PURSES, RUCKSACKS, COFFEE FILTERS, JUGGLING BALLS, LADIES AND MEN'S CLOTHES, SOFT-FURNISHINGS AND SOFT-TOYS..

A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER, I DECIDED TO WORK ON MY OWN, BUT CONCENTRATE IN ONE AREA. CREATING CHARACTER BEARS BEARS SEEMED THE BEST IDEA. SO ECOBEARS WERE BORN FROM A COMBINATION OF TWO PASSIONS: SOFT-TOY MAKING AND ENVIRONMENTAL INTEREST. USING A HEMP/ RECYCLED COTTON/WOOL MIX FABRIC WAS HIGHLY UNUSUAL AT THE TIME, MAKING ECOBEARS THE FIRST BEARS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY TO BE MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS. IN FACT, I WAS HONOURED WITH THE '2000 BEST NEWCOMER AWARD' FROM THE BRITISH TOYMAKERS' GUILD.

I WANT ECOBEARS TO ENCOURAGE AN AWARENESS AND INTEREST IN THE VERSATILITY OF HEMP AND OTHER NATURAL FIBRES. FROM ITS OUTER FIBROUS STEM TO ITS INNER CELLULOSE CONTENT, HEMP MAKES PRODUCTS SUCH AS TEXTILES, PAPER AND PAINTS. THE SEED OIL IS USED TO MAKE BIO FUELS THAT RUN VEHICLES AND ALSO PROVIDES A RICH SOURCE OF OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS FOR NUTRITIONAL CONSUMPTION.

HEMP DEMONSTRATES AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE WAY WE LIVE TODAY. IT'S A FABRIC STEEPED IN TRADITION. BURLAP, WHICH WAS USED TO MAKE SOFT TOYS IN THE 1800s IS A WOVEN CLOTH CREATED FROM HEMP, JUTE, OR FLAX FIBRES. ECOBEARS ARE HELPING REVIVE THIS TRADITION.

AT THE BEGINNING OF 2003, MY PARTNER,DAVID, AND I DECIDED IT WAS TIME FOR A NEW LIFE-CHALLENGE. SO WE SOLD OUR HOUSE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND SET OFF WITH OUR TWO CATS AND TWO DOGS TO FIND NEW PASTURES SOMEWHERE IN EUROPE. WE TRAVELLED IN FRANCE, SPAIN, PORTUGAL, AND MOROCCO BEFORE FINALLY SETTLING IN CATALONIA IN NORTH-EASTERN SPAIN.

LIVING HERE HAS GIVEN US A MUCH MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT WAY OF LIFE. WE ARE OFF GRID, COLLECT OUR OWN WATER, GROW OUR OWN PRODUCE, AND USE SOLAR ENERGY; HENCE, ALL ECOBEARS ARE NOW MADE USING SOLAR ENERGY. IT TAKES A WHILE TO BUILD THIS NEW KIND OF LIFE, BUT IT BECOMES MORE MEANINGFUL EVERY DAY.
 
I NOW DEVELOP PLAYTHINGS AND ACCESSORIES THAT INCORPORATE THE ECOBEARS 'GREEN BEAR' LOGO. DAVID WRITES THE ECOBEARS "EPIC TALES" FOR THE WEBSITE, WHICH WE WOULD LOVE ONE DAY TO HAVE PUBLISHED IN BOOK FORM. THEY CHRONICLE THE STORY OF SIX BEARONAUTS WHO TRAVEL TO EARTH FROM THEIR PLANET VYNEN AFTER A SERIES OF DEVASTATING THREATS ARE REVEALED FROM ONE OF THEIR OWN. OUR FRIEND, GARETH RIVETT, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LIVELY AND COLOURFUL ILLUSTRATIONS, WHICH WE HOPE TO EVENTUALLY HAVE PUBLISHED TOO.

ECOBEARS EDUCATE AND PROVIDE FUN, PERSONALITY AND ENTERTAINMENT. BUT AS WELL AS THIS THEY SHOW WHAT LOVELY THINGS CAN BE MADE FROM ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY FABRICS : D