ETHICAL underwear parties are set to sweep across North Yorkshire.

Heather Stroud and Anna Dent found it almost impossible to buy clothing that was both environmentally-friendly and fair trade.

So the pair decided to take matters into their own hands and set up an eco-friendly business called Evren from their base at Low Warren Farm, Gilling East, near Easingwold.

Heather has a background in human rights and has worked with asylum seekers and victims of torture. She is also the author of The Ghost Locust, a book based around the desperate plight of Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong.

Anna has experience of working in harmony with the environment as a member of the Soil Association and farming her own smallholding.

The women hope to combine their talents to bring ethical clothing to Britain, including slinky silk and cotton nightgowns for women and children's clothing, which will be sold at parties.

Heather said cotton is one of the world's most environmentally unfriendly crops because of the chemicals used by farmers.

But they have found three factories in Turkey, which produce completely organic cotton.

They are hoping to take the cotton as well as some silk and employ women's co-operatives in Turkey to make the clothing.

"The plan is to pay a fair wage and provide them with good working conditions," Heather said.

The two women left for Turkey on Sunday to set the wheels of their business in motion.

They are also looking into the possibility of selling fair trade toys, rugs and Palestinian olive oil.

"Our vision of the world is a world of justice rather than exploitation," said Heather.

Updated: 10:45 Thursday, May 13, 2004