Meaningful Purchase - August - mata traders top

Later this fall, Grand Rapids is on schedule to open its very first Anthropologie. About a year and a half ago when I heard this news, I almost jumped out of my chair with excitement. Anthro has been my favorite store for as long as I can remember. I never made a trip to Chicago without stopping there to paw through the sale rack (it's way to expensive for me to ever pay full price), I obsessively watched their website for mark-downs (they happen every Tuesday morning at 5am - I said I was obsessed), and I even followed some Anthro-themed blogs for a short time (indeed, there are entire blogs dedicated to shopping at just one store).

But, as you are probably anticipating, my love for Anthropologie has waned over the past year. Partly, I think it's because it has become increasingly more popular and well-known. (One of the things I always loved about it was that very few people in my community would shop there or had even heard of it, so I always felt special wearing one of their pieces.) But mostly, I can no longer support their various unethical practices. When I first started this project, I figured that giving up Anthropologie would be really difficult. Now, I don't even really enjoy looking at their catalog when it comes in the mail. Oh, I still think their clothes are beautiful, don't get me wrong. There are just too many other things wrong with the company for me to be excited about it any more. (I would encourage you to take a look at those three links if you have the time.)

My meaningful purchase for August did not come from Anthropologie, but I think it manages to capture some of their style that I have always admired. My husband likes to tease me for having an addiction to 'flowy tops'. He is right, of course, and this top is no exception. I bought it in Chicago at the Andersonville Galleria. It was made fairly in India and sold by Mata Traders.I love how the body is full and blousy, but the square neckline gives it some structure, so it doesn't just look like pajamas. The colors are bright and the print is vibrant. It looks great with skinny jeans. I don't miss Anthropologie when there are beautiful and ethical clothes like this available. In fact, I think I'm going to add this top to my Christmas list.

Meaningful Purchases - greenheart shop and renegade handmade

First, my apologies. I know it's been a long time since I've posted. I guess I didn't realize how much work this blog would be when I'm trying to balance it with 3 grad classes and 2 teaching assistantships. I am going to try to make it my goal to post twice a week and we'll see how it goes. Thanks for the encouragement from those of you who wanted to see more posts! It makes me feel special.

OK, as promised. Here are some details about the purchases we made in Chicago. We were in need of a new candle to burn for home air freshening purposes and found this one at GreenHeart Shop that was made by a woman named Jemima. Jemima works with a non-profit enterprise called Bright Endeavors that helps inner city and homeless young women gain skills to become self-sufficient and successful adults. They use recycled glass containers, soy wax and natural fragrances. This one is 'Lemon Tea.' It smells lovely. It doesn't quite have the same power to fill the room with fragrance as other candles we've tried, but we love the cause and the blue glass is very pretty.
We also picked up some natural fair trade birthday candles made in Thailand through Global Exchange. We plan to use them in many cakes for many birthdays for many years to come.Also, from Green Heart Shop we found these metal bird sculptures that are hand made out of 55 gallon oil drums by artisans in Haiti. We haven't found the perfect place to hang them in our house yet, but we love the hand-hammered look and brushed metal patina.Speaking of birds... we also bought this small watercolor bird print from Renegade Handmade and hung it in a vintage frame I found at an estate sale some years back. It fit perfectly! It's titled "Fall." Don't you love the colors? I can't find the package it came in with the artist's name, but I do think it's an original, not a copy.

It's good to be back! More soon...

Cheers,
Sara

Meaningful Purchase - Fair Trade Macbook Sleeve - awava

For those of you following this blog, I apologize for not posting much in the last week. Josh and I were in Chicago over the weekend (more on that trip later) and this week I've been in meetings all day at MSU. On that note, today's post features my new computer case that came from fair trade retailer Awava. Awava empowers marginalized women in Uganda by providing education and global retail opportunities for their crafts. I love the beautiful vibrant blue print of this envelope-style case. It provides the perfect amount of protection for my laptop, but doesn't take up too much space in my bag. Check out Awava's site for lovely clothing, accessories and home goods at very reasonable prices.

Meaningful Purchase - Handmade Purse - madebyhank

A few years ago, I was browsing Etsy for a new handbag and came across this purse from burgeoning designer Katie Henry, whose line is called madebyhank. (At the time I purchased this bag, she was still an up-and-comer, but I believe her stuff is so popular now that she often sells out of new merchandise the day she releases it. Yes, I'm a trend-setter... what can I say!) She calls this line of bags 'tough ruffles' and uses lots of reclaimed materials in production, including a vintage belt for the strap! I was enamored and convinced my husband that I would use it all the time and he should allow me to splurge on the slightly-higher-than-I-normally-pay-for-handbags price. Well, I was right. I still use it almost every day. I also continue to get compliments on it almost everywhere I go. The only problem was that after a few years of heavy use, it was starting to look a little worse-for-wear. The fabric was looking dirty and the belt was coming un-stitched. I brought it to the dry cleaners, but they wouldn't touch it because of the leather and I don't sew, so I wasn't sure how to fix the belt. So, I decided to just email Katie and see if she had any advice for me. Well, she replied promptly and kindly offered to have me ship the bag back to her so that she could clean it all up for me... at no charge! Not only did she clean up the fabric and sew the belt back together, but she also re-positioned the inside pockets and added a magnet closure! Then, as if that wasn't enough, she included a free tough ruffles zipper purse to reimburse me for the shipping I paid! Above and beyond.
(As you can see, Katie has such great style when it comes to packaging and branding, too. I actually kept the original tag that came with the purse all these years because I thought the little plastic dinosaur attached to it was so clever and quirky. Love.)

This is exactly the kind of customer service and personal attention that I wish would accompany all of the products I buy. If you've ever seen the videos in the Story of Stuff series, you have heard the term 'designed for the dump.' One of the things that makes our current method of consumerism so unsustainable is that the stuff we buy is designed not to last. So, when something does break or start to look worn out, unless we have the skills to fix it ourselves, it's usually cheaper to just trash it and buy new. How long can we really keep that up?

I love my madebyhank purse for many reasons, the first of which is that it's rad, but also because it was designed and made by a person who has passion for what she does and cares about her products and her customers. So, go check out her site and find something you love. It won't be hard. Thanks again, Katie!

Meaningful Purchase - July - american apparel tank

OK, let's talk about American Apparel for a minute. On one hand, I love that they are made in the USA, sweatshop free and embody a simple, easy fitting, casual style. On the other hand, I abhor their marketing that exploits and objectifies women to an alarming degree (just Google it and you'll see what i mean). So, while they don't exploit workers in third world countries, they do exploit young women (and some of the women in their ads look really young) in this country, contributing to the increasingly problematic standards women are given for beauty and sex.

So which is worse? I suppose you could argue that the women in the American Apparel advertisements at least have a choice in their exploitation, while the workers in third world countries are given very few, if any choices. But that doesn't really sit well with me (not to mention the fact that the CEO has been hit with multiple sexual harassment lawsuits over the past 10 years, which doesn't exactly suggest the promotion of female empowerment).

In the end, what it comes down to for me is awareness and willingness to speak up. Getting American Apparel to change their marketing tactics sounds like a lot easier job then, say, getting The Gap to move all of their production to the United States. I know of various petitions floating around the web to be signed that denounce AA's marketing, or you could send an email to the company. Of course, for many, boycotting probably feels like the best option, and I don't disagree with that either. There's a lot about the company to celebrate, and a lot to be disappointed with, for sure.
In the meantime, you can check out this floaty, flowery top I bought from them last month. I hope it will be a very versatile piece that I can wear alone in the summer, under a blazer for teaching in the fall, and even with a chunky knit sweater in the winter. I like how it mixes an 80's color palette with a vintage - almost 'old lady' style - print, but the cut is fresh and modern.

I think I'll go send that email now...

Meaningful Purchase - Husband's Jeans Edition - good society denim

So, my husband is rather tall... and rather thin. This poses numerous problems for him when purchasing clothing, particularly pants. When I started this project, I included him in it as well. However, as you might suspect, there are far fewer options for sustainable menswear out there than women's. In fact, I don't believe we have successfully purchased an item of clothing for him yet this year. Well, you can imagine my excitement when one of the only fair trade organic denim distributors, Good Society, came up for sale on Pure Citizen... for 50% off! We had been burned ordering pants online for him before, so we were hesitant. But they had a slim fit style that claimed to have a 34 inch inseam. So, we tried it.Low and behold... these jeans fit him better than any other pair he's ever purchased! He put them on an instantly a smile came across his face. Jeans that don't fall off without a belt... and don't reveal his shins when he sits down? A miracle.

Meaningful Purchase - Maya Works Pillows - pure citizen

I've been wanting to buy something from this online merchandiser for so long just so I could write about it on this blog because they are so awesome! So, the site is called Pure Citizen and here is a quick blurb from their info page.

Pure Citizen is a place where you can save daily from a featured company that is making our world a better place. Each flash sale lasts only 72 hours. What you will find every day are products that are organic, fair trade, sustainable, recycled, cruelty free, natural, handmade...

Not all products can claim all of those labels, so you can also sort by your top priorities. (For example, their sale today is from Matt and Nat, who, while they boast handbags made from vegan and recycled materials, still manufacture in China and use non-organic materials like PVC and polyurethane as substitutes for leather.)

Basically, you sign up with your email address and they send you daily sale offers from awesome companies, often at 50% off or more! (There's no obligation and they don't sell your email to 3rd parties.) The other cool thing is that you have the option with every purchase to selflessly donate some of your discount to a non-profit or charity organization. I have to admit, I was selfish with this purchase and didn't donate anything, but I have high hopes for many purchases to come. These pillow covers are fair trade from Maya Works which is an organization set up to help support Mayan artisans in Guatemala. They bring some color into our previously all black, white and earth tones TV room and I'm hoping they will inspire more colorful accessories to come!

Meaningful Purchase - Bracelets from Peru - rrunaway

Johanna is an American living in Arequipa, Peru. She moved from Grand Rapids, Michigan to have an adventure and while she's there, she's making beautiful jewelry from local materials and selling it online.When her Etsy store first launched, she had some bracelets that immediately caught my eye. But apparently I wasn't the only one and the next time I visited, they had already sold. So, since I know her personally, I decided to email and see if I could place a special order. No problem! She made them custom in my size and shipped them in a matter of days. I found this lovely note and cute little alpaca figure tucked in with my shipment. I love the mixture of earth tones and metallics. They go with pretty much anything and I can keep them on all the time and they just keep looking better and more worn in. But the best part is... 30% of all profits from Johanna's shop are donated to Rosita. Rosita was born in Peru with a cleft lip and palate and has undergone surgery to correct it. Now, at almost two years old, she has developed additional health issues requiring medical attention. Johanna is supporting the work of Paz Holandesa and La Casa de los Pinguinos in Peru in keeping Rosita and her family healthy and happy. Here are just a few of her gorgeous pieces. I just love the all of the unique stones she uses and the soft, but vibrant colors. Click on over to her shop and show her (and Rosita) some love!

Meaningful Purchase - May - consignment and vintage

I've been allowing myself to spend more than I normally would on individual items of clothing since I started this blog. But I know that this isn't sustainable, and I never intended it to be! My goal in doing this 'project' is to try to reduce my consumption overall. This month I went through my closets and filled 5 huge trash bags full of clothes to bring to Goodwill. I also saved a few choice pieces to bring to a local consignment shop for re-sale (more on them in a bit). It felt so good to purge all these pieces that were just taking up space in my closet and be able to look at my wardrobe with fresh eyes. I do love fashion and I always have, but the truth is I just don't need that many clothes. I usually end up wearing a heavy rotation of just a few of my favorite things anyway.

My plan after this year is done is to try to do most of my shopping (if I even need to at all) at consignment and re-sale outlets. I've never been that good at secondhand shopping and always found it exhausting and ultimately not worth it to paw through racks and racks of stuff hoping to find a gem. But, I'm going to get over it! While there are many awesome companies using sustainable and eco-friendly materials and fair production standards, the most eco-friendly thing we can do is stop buying NEW things and just RE-USE the things that already exist. So, that's what I did this month.

When I dropped off my clothing at my local consignment boutique, I also picked up this great soft cotton deep green top, which my husband said brings out the color in my eyes.I had been without sunglasses for a few weeks after sitting on mine in the car (don't get me started on how many pairs of sunglasses I've broken that way.) I found these at a different consignment boutique that just opened. I love the subtle vintage cat-eye shape they have at the top.
And finally, I found this super-cute mini purse (it's vintage Coach!) at an Etsy store. It has been very handy to have at the farmers market and wandering art fairs since it's hands free and not bulky at all. It just fits my iPhone, my cash or cards and a tube of lip balm. Plus the red jazzes up almost any outfit. When I got this bag in the mail, the owner sent me this cute little pin along with it. I love those personal touches you get when you buy things on Etsy. More on that topic soon.

Meaningful Purchase - March - curator by she-bible coat

My husband and I took advantage of some insanely cheap plane tickets and decided to go to Paris for spring break this year. Since there is always a chance of rain during the spring in Paris, I needed a lightweight coat that would keep me warm (but not too warm) and relatively waterproof. Enter this funky number that has this huge collar/scarf detail around the neck that kicks it up a notch from just being a simple (boring) black canvas coat.
There are tons of different things you can do with this collar detail. I love it! Since I started this blog I have had a really good time searching for eco and fair trade stores on the internet. There are actually way more than I ever would have thought! This jacket was made by one of the brands that I saw and instantly loved, Curator by She-bible. They have an effortless and timeless style while still being up-to-date and funky.
I actually first found and eventually purchased this jacket at a different retailer, ecolissa. One of the things I love about these online boutiques is that you know who owns them and they communicate with you personally. I think that personalized shopping experience is something we really miss out on with all the 'big brands' and 'big box' stores that sell most of our stuff today. We have to find our 'shops around the corner' on the internet now. I'd still prefer to be able to walk into a neighborhood store and say hello to the people who make and sell the things I buy, but this is the next best thing.

Meaningful Purchase - February - del forte denim

Jeans. Could there be a more difficult-to-shop-for wardrobe staple? Well it becomes even more difficult when you try to find jeans that weren't made in a Chinese sweatshop. I think this is why for so long, I just didn't bother. I have been aware of the problem of sweatshops in the denim industry for a long time. In fact, there is an image from a PBS documentary that, ever since I first saw it, I have not been able to get out of my head. These beautiful girls use clothespins to keep their eyelids open so they can work extremely long hours without falling asleep making the jeans that I buy without even blinking - many of which I don't even wear and instead keep piled up in the back of my closet. I simply can't support this any more. There is a store in my city that sells fair trade denim, but none of their styles fit me right. So, I started looking online. Now, let me be clear. Fair trade, sweatshop free, organic denim is not cheap. If there's one thing I've discovered since starting this blog, it's that shopping with a conscience is not easy, especially on your bank account. (Which is why one of my larger goals is to buy less, way less.) Since these jeans are an investment that I hope will last a long time, I was looking for a pair that were classic straight and easy fitting, nothing with a low rise or skinny leg. Well, mission accomplished! These jeans are made by Del Forte Denim. They fit exactly how I wanted them to: relaxed and easy. And I really like the deep indigo color of the wash.
I bought them from Nancy's Gone Green, which is a great little online boutique that sells new and vintage eco-friendly clothing and accessories.
They were a little too long, so I had them tailored and viola! Jeans I can wear and feel good about on the outside and the inside. Finally.

Meaningful Purchase - January - skunkfunk jacket

In Michigan where it's freezing for what feels like 9 months out of the year, most of the time I'm wearing a large puffy extra warm jacket filled with feathers. But all that bulk was leaving me craving something more simple and streamlined (not to mention fashionable). For my birthday, my friend Sarah had given me a gift certificate to a new store in downtown Grand Rapids called Lee and Birch, which has a kind of Anthropologie style and is owned by some cool local female entrepreneurs. Perusing their website, I came across this jacket and was instantly enamored.

It's the perfect blend of toughness and luxury. It's soft and comfortable, not restricting. It fits well over my winter sweaters, but it's light enough that I can even leave it on inside and just make it part of an ensemble. But here's the awesome part: this jacket looks and feels (basically) like leather, but it's actually made out of recycled plastic bottles! How cool is that?
The brand skunkfunk is among the few out there who have managed to successfully merge innovative fashion design and socially and environmentally conscious practices. Check out their standards here!