:::important feather update:::

As a seller of feathered goods, I've gone out of my way to ensure all of my feathers are as bird-friendly as possible. This has meant having dry spells when birds aren't moulting, having a hard time tracking down feathers I can be 100% sure have not come from harmed birds and knowing that I am sourcing feathers from farms or pets where they are shed naturally by happy healthy birds. Its hard at times but I feel better knowing that I can offer a friendly alternative to bulk bought and killed on farms somewhere on the other side of the world, which just upsets me. I think its important when using animal products that we know where they have come from. Right?

For this reason I need to let you all know that my latest batch - these are not naturally moulted feathers. I was offered a box of pheasant feathers from the lovely Alice, who I met at the last WonderHill market. She was on the table next to me and we got to chatting about feathers and the like. Her uncle is a farmer who hunts and she offered me some feathers from his latest trip. I grappled with this for a while, thinking of the aforementioned promise I've made to my customers - but decided that turning these feathers into pieces people can wear and give them a second life was better than the alternative - the bin.

While I am sad to be breaking my 'no birds were harmed!' promise, I'm happy to be giving these feathers a new lease of life, as a tribute to the beautiful bird they once were a part of. I grew up on a farm and believe in the 'use every part of the animal and do it justice' mantra, and don't feel that this is too controversial to be using these feathers. It would be a total and sad waste for them to just go in the bin.

I do however understand that not everyone is comfortable with this, and any items made from this batch will be marked as such so those who don't agree can still shop with a clear conscience. It would have been all to easy to not say anything and continue to sell these as 'not from harmed birds' but I think it important that I am honest about this.

This does mean I will have pheasant tailfeather headbands back in store in time for Summer. I'll be offering these up first at a couple of local markets I have set for March - Barboot in Crouch End and the Muswell Hill Market - but if anyone out there would like to bags one before then, please drop me an email. dianneohdeer (at) gmail dot com.