Fair trade PC peripherals announced

An unusual range of animal-shaped technology products, largely comprising fair trade materials, has been launched in the UK.

Lili, a 1.3-megapixel webcam with a microphone shaped like an octopus, and Oscar, a USB2 hub shaped like a starfish, are made and sold by United Pepper.

Both products are made using recycled materials including cotton, sand, kapok (a material made from tree fibre) and paperboard.

The products are finished in workshops in Vietnam that adhere to fair trade principles. These include safe, comfortable and hygienic working conditions, and staff paid a fair price for completed work. Child labour is also prohibited in the company's factories.

Currently the circuit boards inside the products are not yet made according to Fairtrade standards, but United Pepper says it is working to get certification for these parts.

The company said it has more products planned, including a USB memory card reader. Lili and Oscar, which will be available in stores from the middle of October, are priced at £30 and £20 respectively.