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Why Is Everyone Seeking Out Organic Clothes?

Why Is Everyone Seeking Out Organic Clothes?

We’re all looking for ways to become more natural and organic in our general consumption. Of course, once you factor the costs into your budget, it’s relatively easy to go organic and all-natural in terms of your diet. There are plenty of different organic brands available at the grocery store, as well as stores that only sell organic food products. And there’s a reason why grocery stores have come to offer this type of food so readily. There is a huge demand for organic food, as many consumers have come to realize its benefits.

For one thing, organic products are much healthier for us than non-organic products, as they lack the types of pesticides and growth hormones used to treat the typical types of food products you’ll find in the store. There is also a moral factor that needs to be kept in mind. Organic food, whether it’s made up of meat or vegetables, can be ethically sourced much more easily than non-organic products. This means that the animals involved in the production process were treated humanely and the employees involved in the processing or preparation stage received fair wages worked in fair conditions. Now, it’s one thing to keep these issues in mind when buying your food. Although not all organic food is ethically sourced, you can probably find ethically sourced, organic groceries relatively easily. Organic, ethically sourced clothing can be much more challenging to find.

Many people aren’t even aware that clothing can be organic. In this day and age, many of us buy fast fashion. Not only are fast fashion products made from synthetic materials like plastics that can be harmful to the environment and even our own bodies, but they feed into a system that is detrimental to thousands of people worldwide. With that being said, if you want to make an effort to buy organic clothing from ethical sources, you’ll have to make an effort and a change. With that being said, let’s look into what you should look for and how you can change your shopping habits to buy more organic, ethically sourced clothing.

What Is Organic Clothing?

You’ll have a hard time buying organic clothing if you don’t know what you’re actually looking for. Not all clothing is advertised as organic outright, although many clothing lines do market themselves as “clean” or “green”. Just because a particular apparel line is marketed this way, however, does not mean that it’s truly organic — and not all organic clothing is ethically sourced. Therefore, if you have any questions you should look up the clothing line before you buy, perhaps checking up on it through websites like Trustpilot.

Organic clothing ultimately isn’t very different from organic food. As many clothing textiles are made from agricultural products, organic clothing is made with the assurance that the clothes’ materials will be grown in accordance with organic standards. Organic standards require that the agricultural materials are grown as naturally as possible, with little or no synthetic substances. You can expect the types of textiles used to make organic clothing to include silk, wool, cotton, ramie, or jute. This means that a wide variety of clothing types can be made organically and whether you’re looking for women’s clothes — the number one top-selling item online as of 2017 — or men’s clothes, or even children’s clothes, you can probably find it organically made. With that being said, not all textiles have to be completely organic to be considered a part of organic clothing.

Is Organic Clothing More Expensive?

As with many clean or green products, there is a perception that organic clothing is inherently more expensive than typical clothing. It’s true that the materials used to create organic clothing is often of a higher quality and therefore it costs somewhat more. The point of fast fashion, in contrast, is for it to be made for as little as possible so that it can be sold at a high markup, achieving the maximum profit. Of course, the cost of relying upon clothes that are environmentally unfriendly should be considered.

While organic clothing may be more expensive than clothes sourced through fast fashion, you could consider it an investment in the environment, just as buying organic food is. Of course, clothing is a much longer-term investment than the food and it’s a more long-term investment than fast fashion as well. Organic clothing is, as previously mentioned, made from high-quality materials. Alpaca fibers, for instance, are rather strong and usually measure about 50 N/ktex. This strength means that clothes made from these fibers will typically last longer. For that matter, organic clothing looks no different from many high-end pieces that are not organic. If fast fashion isn’t to your taste and you’re already spending a good amount of money on clothes, why not redirect your buying power to organic clothing?

Where Can I Buy Organic Clothing?

As people become more concerned about being environmentally friendly, more organic clothing lines are coming into play. Shift to Nature, Kowtow, and Beaumont Organic are all organic clothing brands — though not all of them are found in the United States. Fortunately, even if you have to look internationally to find organic clothing, the internet is making them easier than ever to find. In 2017 alone, around 79% of American consumers reported shopping online. And as most new fashion shoppers are in younger age brackets — between 16 to 24 and 25 to 34 — we’ll see all types of clothes online in the future!

There are so many reasons why people are looking for organic clothing — and that’s a good thing. Know it is an option for you if you want it to be!

Give the Sustainable Gift of Cork this Holiday Season with Pelcor Handbags

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I love Pelcor and their amazing chic handbags and accessories made from sustainable cork! I have their Sunshine Tote in turquoise which I love to use in the summertime and their Color Tote that I am using right now! Both are remarkably beautiful and have exquisite craftsmanship.

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Pelcor’s products are touted as an environmentally friendly approach to fashion. This is because cork oak trees can only be harvested after nine years for their material, and by ‘harvesting’, we don’t mean that they are chopped down – only the usable material is taken from the trees, which they will then regenerate over the course of the next nine years. The processing method employed by Pelcor is remarkable sustainable too – the cork is dried under the sun and boiled in water to make it more workable.

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In addition to its meticulous design and eco-friendly nature, the Pelcor Tote line is imminently functional with metal closures and an internal removable pouch. Since each cork skin differs in appearance, each of Pelcor’s pieces is unique.

If you are looking for a great sustainable fit for the gal in your life – give Pelcor a look. They have everything from beautiful bags to accessories that would make amazing stocking stuffers too!

 

Full Disclosure: I received a color tote to review – however, I would have shared Pelcor with you anyway (and I have before!), because I absolutely adore the company and their products!

REVIEW: Beautiful Eco-Friendly Shoes for Your Green Journey

Nisolo Shoes

by Jennie

I’d like to think we each strive on a daily basis to do our best in the world. On most days I’m sure most of us do our best to make it to work on time and get the kids to school with all their homework. Oftentimes shopping is a luxury we don’t have time for with our busy lives. Not to mention shoe shopping can become a guilty pleasure for some who may have significant others who think they have too many! However, once you check out Nisolo there’s no turning back!

Living in Florida, my go-to shoes are sandals, really they are all that I wear – unless I am heading out to go paddleboarding or biking. Nisolo sent me a pair of their Delicias Sandal in Scarlet (which is more of a firey orange, and I immediately feel in love.) Not only are they super comfortable, but they look amazing with both skinny jeans and fun dresses and shorts – perfect for these last few weeks of summer and early fall!

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However, all of dreamy shoes featured at Nisolo are backed by their mission statement which reads, “As consumers, we are not alone in the world. We recognize that our small choices have a big impact somewhere else. As producers, we are not alone. We have access to the global market and fair compensation for our work. We are a team of makers, doers, and storytellers working together to facilitate a healthy connection between consumers and producers in the global marketplace.” Their game changing impact is about rethinking the way fashion is done. Nisolo facilitates international market access, pays above fair trade wages, offers skills training, and provides safe working conditions. Their stated result? Consistent employment, an average income increase of 300% per producer, improved living conditions, inaugural access to education and savings, and above all, dignity and empowerment.

Mustard Flats

Aside from the overall good feelings your purchase itself has to offer wait until you check out the shoes! The Scarlet Delicias Sandal come highly recommend (you will adore them!) but I think I’ve also decided to pick up a pair of the Espresso Bolivar Wedge and the Mendez Flats in Mustard!

The point is you should do yourself a favor and take a few minutes today to do a little shoe shopping and empower the world!

 

Full Disclosure: I received a pair of Scarlet Delicias Sandals to review – however, I would have shared them with you anyway, because they are fabulous!

4 Ways to Go Green and Save Money on Back-to-School Wardrobes

back-to-schoolBack-to-school time is upon us which means most kids will need a new fall and winter wardrobe. Because buying a new wardrobe each season can get expensive and wasteful. I have been working with ECOlunchbox to help your family go green and buy smart, so we’re sharing a few ways to keep the process green and thrifty. Read on for our top 4 ways to save money and go green when purchasing your student’s back-to-school wardrobe.

#1: Buy Second Hand
Thrift stores and garage sales are usually great places to find kids’ clothes because kids tend to only wear their wardrobe for a season before they’ve grown out of it, thus providing you with a selection of used clothes in pretty great condition—at a much lower price! If the thought of thrift stores turns you off, seek out local consignment stores where the selection is likely to be a little newer and higher-end. The one item I don’t usually purchase second hand is kids’ shoes. Properly-fitted, comfortable shoes are so essential—it’s best to buy these new or acquire a used pair from someone you know, perhaps at a clothing swap.

#2: Arrange a Clothing Swap
Finding a hand-me-down buddy, or someone who’s always willing to give you the clothes their slightly older kid has just grown out of, is also great, but with a clothing swap you get to give back while offloading some outgrown clothes! Clothing swaps for kids tend to work best with a group of families with kids in several different age groups so that you’re not just exchanging too-small clothes for new too-small clothes. Families with multiple kids or siblings staggered between your kids will do just fine! Set a date, time, and pick a house and bring gently worn, washed and folded clothing to the swap—oh yeah, and don’t forget to bring your kids! You’ll want to be able to use the old hold up method or let your kids try on the clothes to make sure they’ll fit. Bringing the kids along also gives them a chance to pick out a few pieces themselves.

#3: Go Green & Local When Buying New
If there are clothing items you can’t find used, consider eco-friendly and sustainable companies to purchase new items from. There are tons of brands and smaller businesses selling organic, sustainably made kids’ clothes just a Google away, and some big box stores like H&M even have organic lines for little ones.

#4: Keep Clothes Nice
One of the best ways to preserve clothing so that it can be passed down to younger siblings, donated, or re-sold at consignment to bring some cash back in is to keep it nice enough to be reused. When clothing encounters a stain, treat it with a non-toxic stain remover before throwing it in the wash so that the stain isn’t set forever. Having a few sets of “weekend clothes”, casual, or lounge clothes at home for your kids to change into after school is also a great way to preserve the life of their school clothes—and help them get cozy and settled into homework time!

These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg! What eco-friendly, back-to-school wardrobe tips does your family have?

 

Full Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored 10 post series with EcoLunchbox – you can find all 10 posts below:

  1. 4 Ways to Go Green and Save Money on Back-to-School Wardrobes
  2. 3 Back-to-School Tips to Help Kids Make Healthy Eating Choices
  3. 3 Tips for Waste-Free Lunches for Back to School
  4. How to Start Phasing Plastics Out of the Kitchen
  5. Waste Free Lunch Gear to Add to Your Lunchbox

Celebrating Dad!

Eco Friendly Mothers DayHello Friends! Father’s Day is this weekend – it’s always one of my favorite days, I get to celebrate all of the favorite dads in my life. This weekend, Eben and I are excited to spend the entire day celebrating our favorite dad, the mister! We plan to let him sleep in, enjoy the morning with brunch, and then spend the rest of the day paddleboarding! While we sip mimosas on the patio, he will get to open a few fun, eco-friendly Father’s Day gifts that he will enjoy for years to come! I hope you have an amazing day with your favorite dads! Continuing reading for the 3 surprises we have in store for our dad.

Threads for Thought1. Threads for Thought Men’s Shirt

I absolutely love Threads for Thought. You may recognize this eco-friendly company from the clothing section at Whole Foods. They manufacture clothing and accessories using sustainable materials, are dedicated to quality, and treat their workers with respect and integrity. This Oxford Contrast Pocket Shirt would look great on any dad and is the perfect weight for summer!GoPro

2. GoPro

Our family spends a ton of time doing outdoor activities together. GoPro makes small, versatile, high-quality cameras can travel pretty much anywhere you do outside and can be mounted just about anywhere, too, allowing the user to film up-close shots so that you feel like you’re right in the action when viewing footage. I think he will like this gift the best – it will be perfect for our Florida Keys vacation that is coming up!

Ahnu Vegan Shoes3. Anhu Cruz Vegan Shoes

The mister is all about shoes that are comfortable and easy to slip on, so I think these great clogs will be fantastic! I love Anhu Cruz Vegan shoes, not only are they are vegan, but super stylish and EVA footbed will be perfect for those long summer strolls!

YOUR TURN: What fantastic gifts and activities do you have in store for the special dad in your life this Father’s Day?

Full Disclosure: I received a Threads for Thought Oxford Shirt and a pair of Ahnu Vegan Shoes for review – however, are both products that I love and would have shared with you anyway!