After the success of its launch earlier this year Hackney Council's 'Love Hackney, Shop Local' fashion bags campaign is back.

The initiative, which supports local designers and the borough's street markets, will reward shoppers who spend £10 with participating markets (locations and dates below) and traders with a free tote bag created by Hackney-based fashion designers Atalanta Weller or Simone Rocha.  

• Broadway Market - 13 October
• Chatsworth Road - 14 October
• Ridley Road -19 October
• Hoxton - 20 October 

The launch of the bags aims to promote the area’s fashion sector alongside the quality and vibrancy of Hackney’s Markets, which each dish up delicious local fare and produce alongside other goods such as clothing, toys, gifts and household supplies.  It also wants to get people to think twice about using plastic bags in order to help the borough on its way to becoming one of the greenest in London. 

Cllr Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: "Hackney is home to fantastic markets and many independent shops. 'Love Hackney, Shop Local' encourages residents to make the most of what's on their doorstep by shopping locally and supporting our market traders and businesses. Hackney designers are helping to champion this message by producing these reusable bags for shoppers to use instead of plastic bags.” 

Fashion designer Simone Rocha said: "I live and work in Hackney, with my studio being located behind Ridley Road Market. I walk the market most days and its there where I got the inspiration for the image on the Hackney shopping bag. I am very happy to be part of the borough's community and support the 'Love Hackney, Shop Local' campaign."

Participating traders will have a Love Hackney, Shop Local sign on their stalls and will distribute tokens to claim your bag in exchange for purchases. Hackney Council  also commissioned Hackney-based fashion designers Mark Fast and William Richard Green to design bags as part of the campaign, these were successfully distributed at markets in the borough earlier in the year.   

For more information about Hackney's markets, visit:  http://www.hackney.gov.uk/markets.htm or for more details about the council's Love Hackney Shop Local campaign, visit: http://www.hackney.gov.uk/shop-local.htm 

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