Lifestyle products will also be on display including the skin care line Ba Yan Ka La, the first based on the millennia-old traditions of Chinese herbal practice. The products were formulated using water from the Yellow River high on the Tibetan Plateau.

Fair organizer Sherry Poon admits that she was surprised to find so many eco-conscious businesses and groups in Shanghai.

"I thought I would probably find 20 to 25 companies for the most, but now we have 27, and more on the waiting list," Poon says. "I had to follow the principle of first come, first serve, for lack of space for more vendors. But we'll have flyers available for all of the companies on the waiting list."

Poon says the majority of fair participants are small companies that "don't have a big budget or means to advertise to the general public."

She plans to turn the fair into a regular bi-annual event.

Like Poon's own business Wobabybasics that designs clothes for children, most participating companies are owned by foreign expats in Shanghai and most of their products are made in China.

Launched 12 months ago, Poon got the idea for Wobabybasics while searching for organic clothes for her new-born daughter. After an extensive search showed limited available product, Poon decided to open her own business selling 100 percent organic cotton and yak down clothes.