How to spot the good from the bad when reviewing International Women’s Day products

I’ve had to establish the difference between brands that genuinely support women through their products, and those simply jumping on the femvertising bandwagon

Navigating the influx of PR emails that hit your inbox every day when you work on a product review section is a real art to master. Mass deletes are tempting, and just when I thought I’d seen it all, a PR looking for a designer to craft a handbag out of their client’s skin – taken from her amputated leg – truly topped the charts.

The lead up to annual events can be even more testing. Over the past two months I’ve received endless pitches about International Women’s Day (IWD), some good, some not so good. I’ve had to establish the difference between brands that genuinely support women through their products, and those simply jumping on the femvertising bandwagon – those that masquerade as supporters of the movement but do nothing to empower women and merely exploit IWD’s popularity.

Covering IWD without missing the point of the day itself is a challenge any newsroom faces, but it’s safe to say that Emmeline Pankhurst didn’t galvanise the suffragette movement only for her to be commemorated with some tacky water bottle emblazoned with an inspirational quote. Here at IndyBest, we’ve been forensic in our search for products that are created by talented women in fields that are dominated by men. And for female-led initiatives who provide sustainable income, childcare and other benefits to the women they employ – many from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Our choices include Cherie Spriggs, the first ever woman to win Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge competition for her delicious cuvée. And the accessory brand SEP Jordan, which employs 500 refugee women in Jordan and Syria. They were the first private company to set up in the Jerash camp in Jordan, seeing women refugees as “peers rather than just recipients of aid”.

With so much to be done to achieve gender equality, IndyBest cannot afford to showcase brands which don’t benefit the lives of women on a day that so many throughout history fought to honour. Finding products that make a difference is challenging but vital.

We hope we’ve managed to do that – and you enjoy our recommendations.

Yours,

Ellie Fry​

IndyBest commissioning editor