El Alto tough but fair
ethically sourced, fairly traded outdoor clothing made in Bolivia
El Alto produces outdoor clothing and equipment which has been ethically sourced and manufactured in Bolivia. As well as the emphasis on quality design and workmanship, the ethos behind our products has been to ensure that materials are ethically sourced, staff fairly treated and a fair price paid. El Alto has been formed as a partnership of Bolivian mountaineers, Bolivian tailors, British based designers and outdoor enthusiasts. El Alto is the name of one of the poorest districts of South America, on the outskirts of Bolivia’s capital, La Paz. This is where most of the local staff live. The company’s founder, Jonathan Cassidy, has been working and travelling in South America since the early 1990’s, running expeditions, NGO and charity funded projects and, of course, enjoying the spectacular landscapes and cultures this beautiful country has to offer. There is a great deal of need in many Latin American countries however there is also a wealth of talent and ability. Through building a sustainable business in Bolivia, Jonathan felt that he could best help the less advantaged communities which have made him feel welcome for so many years. It was this that inspired the formation of El Alto.
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El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
“Sweat shop” is such a well known term now and sadly is where much of the clothing on Britain’s shelves comes from. As long as there is a demand for rock bottom price clothing, there will always be someone who will choose to meet that demand. What we aim to do is to show that it doesn’t need to be like that, that people can make a choice which is an ethical one but at the same time doesn’t break the bank or compromise on quality.
Any company can claim they are socially responsible, but what does that mean? This is what it means for us: We ensure that all our staff receive a fair wage. In real terms this equates to almost double a typical wage for similar work, and four times the national minimum wage over there. It may still be a low wage by western standards but it certainly goes a long way to improving the livelihoods of our staff. Working conditions are good. Staff work reasonable hours in comfortable surroundings. The factories in Bolivia are wholly owned by Bolivians. This means that, as the company grows, the benefits will be spread evenly across the board, not just here in the UK. 1% of all El Alto’s sales go towards Bolivian social and environmental projects. See our website to learn more about the projects we support. A further 1% of sales go towards the international network “One Percent for the Planet” (www.onepercentfortheplanet.org). This is just for starters. We do not believe that there is an “acceptable” level of social responsibility, all companies can (and should) do better than they already do. We also recognise that there is a lot more that we should be doing. We are a young company though and will work continually to improve on the above list, making every item you buy a greater help for the less advantaged areas of our planet.
Does having an ethically sound policy mean that we compromise on quality. Not at all! We ensure all our products meet the highest standards in quality, performance and style. Material: Our fleece and windproof fabrics are not the name brands you find in top price mountain clothing, it is for this reason that we can pay a fair wage AND sell for a reasonable price. We do not compromise on the quality of our material which has been thoroughly tested in the heart of the Andean mountains – it can’t get much better than that! Style: It’s all well and good to offer a product which has an ethical source but if no one wants to buy it, there’s no point. Our products are designed by a combination of British designers and Bolivian trekking and mountaineering guides, helping to ensure that they are both practical and stylish.
El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
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Greg Coe - International Expedition Leader
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El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
Windproof fleece material Two large ventilation pockets and one smaller chest pocket Drawcord at the waist Zip protector at the neck Solid high collar for warmth Sizes: S, M, L, XL – Colours: Black
Our range of windproof jackets and vests are made with high quality, durable, windproof fleece material.
Windproof Clothing - Mens
Windproof “Condor” Jacket
Windproof “Condor” Vest Lightweight windproof fleece with regular fleece under the arms Snug fitted design Two large ventilation pockets and one smaller chest pocket Zip protector at the neck Sizes: S, M, L, XL – Colours: Black
El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
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Fleece Clothing - Mens
Fleece “Eagle” Jacket Mid-weight quality fleece material Smooth fleece under arms, giving a stylish finish Two large ventilation pockets on the outside, one internal chest pocket Walkman / MP3 player headphone cable slot from chest pocket
From our hats to our j is quality, durable, w
Drawcord at the waist Zip protector at the neck Solid high collar for warmth Sizes: S, M, L, XL – Colours: Black
Fleece “Eagle” Vest Mid-weight quality fleece material Two large ventilation pockets on the outside, one internal chest pocket Walkman / MP3 player headphone cable slot from chest pocket Smooth fleece under the arms, giving a stylish finish Fitted design Zip protector at the neck Sizes: S, M, L, XL – Colours: Black
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El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
Warm, lightweight bottoms Drawcord at the waist Sizes: S, M, L, XL – Colours: Black, Grey
r jackets, our fleece material , warm fabric made to last.
Fleece Clothing - Mens
Fleece “Puma” trousers
Fleece “Eagle” long sleeved top Quality lightweight fleece material Can be used as a base layer or over a thermal top or t-shirt Sleeve extension with thumb hole Smooth fleece under the arms, giving a stylish finish Zip protector at the neck Solid collar for shape and warmth Sizes: S, M, L, XL – Colours: Black, Grey
El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
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Annabel Ross - British Trekker
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El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
Windproof fleece material Two large ventilation pockets and one smaller chest pocket Drawcord at the waist Zip protector at the neck Solid high collar for warmth Sizes: S, M, L, XL (10, 12, 14, 16) – Colours: Black
Our fitted range of women’s clothing has been designed with style, practicality and comfort in mind.
Windproof Clothing - Womens
Windproof “Condor” Jacket
Windproof “Condor” Vest Lightweight windproof fleece with regular fleece under the arms Snug fitted design Two large ventilation pockets and one smaller chest pocket Zip protector at the neck Sizes: S, M, L, XL (10, 12, 14, 16) – Colours: Black
El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
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Fleece Clothing - Womens
Fleece “Eagle” Jacket Mid-weight quality fleece material Smooth fleece under arms, giving a stylish finish Two large ventilation pockets on the outside, one internal chest pocket Walkman / MP3 player headphone cable slot from chest pocket Drawcord at the waist Zip protector at the neck Solid high collar for warmth Sizes: S, M, L, XL (10, 12, 14, 16) – Colours: Black
Fleece “Eagle” Vest Mid-weight quality fleece material Two large ventilation pockets on the outside, one internal chest pocket Walkman / MP3 player headphone cable slot from chest pocket Smooth fleece under the arms, giving a stylish finish Fitted design Zip protector at the neck Sizes: S, M, L, XL (10, 12, 14, 16) – Colours: Black
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El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
From our hats to our j is durable, warm f
Warm, lightweight bottoms Drawcord at the waist Sizes: S, M, L, XL – Colours: Black, Grey
r jackets, our fleece material m fabric made to last.
Fleece Clothing - Womens
Fleece “Puma” trousers
Fleece “Eagle” long sleeved top Quality lightweight fleece material Can be used as a base layer or over a thermal top or t-shirt Sleeve extension with thumb hole Smooth fleece under the arms, giving a stylish finish Zip protector at the neck Solid collar for shape and warmth Sizes: S, M, L, XL (10, 12, 14, 16) – Colours: Black, Grey
El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
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Jessica Blom - El Alto style consultant
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El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
Accessories
Our range of fleece accessories will keep you warm and stylish.
Fleece Hat Snug, fitted design Sizes: S/M, L/XL – Colours: Black, Grey
Fleece Scarf / Short Snood Stylish and warm neckwear Sizes: One Size – Colours: Black, Grey
Fleece Hat-Scarf / Long Snood Drawcord at the top, allowing it to function as a hat, scarf or balaclava Sizes: One Size – Colours: Black, Grey
El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
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ABOUT THE STAFF In Bolivia Our factory in La Paz is wholly owned and run by Bolivians, from La Paz and El Alto. They are a combination of local businessmen and mountaineers who are delighted they now have a means to exist outside of the relatively short trekking and climbing season (May – September). The production staff are a small, very talented team which work perfectly together with our British designers to consistently make top quality products. We have endeavoured to make the working environment a fun one as well as a productive one, with all staff enjoying the chance to ‘test’ the products out on the beautiful mountains surrounding the city at every opportunity. It is a family unit and we look forward to seeing it grow.
In the UK Based in Brighton, our aim is to maintain the socially responsible ethos on both sides of the globe and to try to redress the work / life balance this country seems to have lost. We run a professional, slick outfit which puts its customers first at all times, we are happy to talk to or meet with customers interested in doing so. However, if you call us and you reach the answer phone, it is probably because the sun is out and so are we, but if you leave a message we’ll get back to you straight away.
Rene Castro - Bolivian tailor
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El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
ORDER INFORMATION Making an order
Delivery
You can make an order in a number of ways:
Orders over £100 are postage free. Delivery charge for smaller orders - £4.00
By Phone: Call us on 01273 746 545 from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 6.00pm. We accept most major credit and debit cards.
By Fax: Fax us on 01273 746 545 (24 hours) with your order and your contact details (email or phone) and we will contact you. By Post: Orders can be sent by post to:
If your item is in stock, we will do our best to despatch your order the day you place it. In busy times we usually tell you how long it will take us to process it. Your order will be sent first class recorded delivery. This service should take between 2-5 working days.
El Alto Ltd, 1 Palmeira Mansions, 13 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2FA
Returns
Cheques should be made payable to “El Alto” and should have your cheque guarantee card number, guarantee amount and expiry date written on the back of the cheque. Please also supply us with some contact details (phone or email) so we can get in touch with you in case we have a problem with your order.
We have high standards with the quality of our products, so if for any reason you are not happy with what you have received, we will exchange them or give you a complete refund with no questions asked (within 14 days of your order). You will receive a postage paid return address label with your package which you can stick on and take to your nearest post office.
Online: You can make a secure order via our website on www.elalto.co.uk
If you wish to speak to someone about a return or refund, please just call us on 01273 746 545 or email returns@elalto.co.uk
Stores: El Alto products can be found in a number of stores across the UK, check out our website to see where they are stocked.
Larger/Corporate Orders: We have special rates for larger orders (in excess of 10 items). We are also able to produce personalised branded products for companies or specific expeditions, please contact us directly for further details on either of these points.
Credits: Brochure and Website Design: Active Parity, (www.activeparity.co.uk) Clothing design consultancy - Jessica Blom (www.jessiandamy.com) Product images courtesy of BCUC Printed on recycled paper
El Alto – Tough but fair – call +44 (0) 1273 746 545 or visit www.elalto.co.uk
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El Alto, 1 Palmeira Mansions, 13 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2FA
T/F: 01273 746 545 W: www.elalto.co.uk