eco brand: anchal project, how design changes lives

if you had a superpower, what would it be? this is a question i love to ask people in my life. the founders + workers behind ethical businesses are made of tenacity, resilience and creative problem solving applied to our world’s pressing issues: i call them our modern-day superheroes. today we meet the entrepreneurs + the artisans behind the eco home goods label anchal project, a brand i’ve been following for years. exploring a sustainable brand, as a conscious consumer and citizen, means pulling back the curtain on a brand and getting to know the people, the processes, and the forces behind the label. and who doesn’t love to take a peek behind a superhero’s curtain {ahem, or cape}?

“We believe design can change lives. When you purchase Anchal’s handmade products, you invest in new economic realities for exploited women around the world.”

— Maggie and Colleen Clines

anchal {the urdu word for shelter} brings safety, stability + shelter to vulnerable women across the globe through sustainable employment and handmade designs. a movement for forward change + freedom can happen with a sea of steadfast people, and sometimes, a movement starts with two savvy, strong-willed sisters. colleen and maggie clines place human rights at the center of their organization, working with survivors of sex trafficking and transforming lives via sustainable employment. colleen and maggie are today’s supersheroes and their capes are fair trade.

anchal project is a nonprofit that uses design and collaboration to provide economic opportunities for marginalized women to empower themselves through the creation of handmade, fair trade products. ordinary quilts + pillows these are not, my friends.

all entrepreneurs start with an idea {there it is, skipping about, frolicking in our brains} and suddenly, it’s standing there before us, a once fermenting idea has now come to fruition. and sometimes that idea comes into existence to create positive change on this planet we all call home.

colleen clines took a trip to india in 2009. she was introduced to the world of commercial sex trade and the lack of opportunity for women in the community. it was then that she was galvanized to address social and environmental systems, “the women we met became our sisters, sisters we had to fight for.” 

rooted in collaboration and creative design solutions, anchal is a non-profit that operates like a business via both sales and donations. women are hired as artisans and every artisan has her own personal bank account. 100% of artisans are investing in their children’s education, thereby breaking the cycle of poverty + exploitation.

anchal’s programs demonstrate that when employment inequality is systematically addressed, this can reduce the number of women reliant on commercial sex work and eliminate the stigma that women and girls face around the world. 95% of anchal artisans have left the commercial sex trade or dramatically reduced their clients.

from the founders of anchal, “our impact is evident in each artisan’s personal growth, which we measure annually. ferosa purchased a plot of land and has ideas for a farm, renu bought her family a water filter to ensure safe drinking water, seema purchased purple tile for her kitchen and laxmi sent her daughter to college.

our holistic program is designed to address the diverse needs of each woman and equip them with the tools to sustain employment as an anchal artisan and beyond. by offering alternatives to dangerous and exploitative work, we help women rediscover their dignity, independence and creativity in a financially rewarding way. our programs offer women design and skills training, full-time employment, educational workshops, health services, a supportive community, and access to an international marketplace.”

ethical consumption is indeed a potent form of protest. cheap goods are linked to poverty wages, to dangerous working conditions for factory workers {with 86% being young females} and to environmental degradation with factories contributing to pollution of local communities. this holiday season, choose an ethical label, choose an experience for a loved one, choose to be a superhero yourself via each purchase your make. together we can choose better.

“I think when there is peace, respect and freedom, anybody can be more productive and creative. When I am making something I have many images in my head, but only need to reproduce them on the fabric.”

— Lupe, Anchal Project Artisan

to learn more about anchal’s work, follow them on IG or skip on over to their website for fair trade goodness + life changing products. remember friends, only buy what you need because quality over quantity is what the cool eco cats are doing.

until next time, stay green dear hearts!

eco brand: zero waste pouches from by the sea

keep it together

how does one keep everything together? literally or metaphorically, i love the idea of discovering how each of us holds our lives together, whether by service to others, the creation of art, physical activity, prayer or nurturing relationships in our lives. for me, i’m adamant about keeping my home space + personal space organized.

i like to think a neat, orderly space creates clear, open paths for brilliant + beautiful ideas to push through the fertile ground of my brain {that’s my story + i’m sticking to it!}.

zero waste living

to create a clean space here on planet earth, it takes just a few adjustments to our everyday living habits to shape environmentally sound practices.

remember, friends, not all that glimmers can be recycled. the answer here is not simply to recycle more, but to buy less plastic products + pre-packaged food items. according to greenpeace, globally only 9% of our plastic is recycled. where does the rest go? with landfills + recycling facilities reaching maximum capacity, the overflow ends up in our oceans.

here are four easy steps to plastic-free living:

1. carry a canvas or cloth tote bag to fetch groceries + run errands

2. use a reusable water bottle rather than single-use plastic bottles

3. take a set of reusable utensils + your own to-go container when heading out

4. invest in zero-waste products made by eco companies like reusable dishcloths, produce bags + zip pouches

by the sea

i’m holding it all together with handmade + zero waste pouches from by the sea organics. this eco home goods brand + sustainable fashion label was created with the mission to pay a fair wage + provide safe working milieus to workers throughout the supply chain while continuing to adhere to the most sustainable practices at every level of production.

it’s a great balm to my mind + heart to know that there are small, independent companies that never stray from their values + ethics to put people + planet over profit. by the sea has an entire range of lovely, zero waste zip pouches, grocery totes, produce bags, snack bags + charming notebooks made from earth friendly, organic cotton factory scraps. why toss excess fabric into a landfill when you can make magic with them?! i carry my light-as-a-feather notebook with me everywhere!

love + equal pay

shopping is indeed a political act, with our dollars we can vote to support companies that mirror our values. we can choose companies like by the sea that protect the environment by eschewing the use of plastic throughout their entire supply chain and lift up workers via safe working environments + living wages.

each of our actions matters: small acts + big acts. as consumers + citizens, we can each choose to invest in products that truly create harmony for people + planet.

wherever you may be during these uncertain times, i hope that you are close to peace + calm. and i hope that you are organizing the space in your mind, heart + home.

until next time, stay green dear hearts!

don’t forget the tip: journalist + environmentalist lucy siegle informs us in her book turning the tide on plastic, “the amount of plastic debris in the sea is predicted to increase from 50 million metric tons in 2015 to 150 million metric tons by 2025.” let this sobering science galvanize us to action. let us take up pens, my friends. let us write + call our government representatives and elected officials.

our garbage is buried in the ground, burned or sent away to be disposed of in landfills, often affecting vulnerable communities. single-use plastic bags + containers pollute land + waterways, endangering animal life on earth + marine life in our oceans. the chemicals released by these plastics make our soil infertile + our water supplies toxic. gulp.

siegle implores us as citizens + consumers, “whenever you see packaging that is totally over the top, take up the pen and write to the company responsible. It needn’t be a formal letter – a tweet [or ig post] will often be just as if not more effective. add the hashtag, #reducepackaging to your tweet, and make sure you copy in your local council and trading standards office (if they are on social media).”

eco brand: the 108 handbags, socially conscious style

into africa

today’s ethical brand, the one08, takes us to the pastoral landscape of eastern africa to the il ngwesi wildlife conservancy. spanning 16,500 acres of lush low plains + highlands, il ngwesi is a community-led + operated conservation initiative in northern kenya, a sanctuary for the critically endangered black rhino, the white rhino, the african elephant + the grevy’s zebra. the vision of the conservation initiative is to sustainably manage the land to conserve wildlife.

this is not just a bag

the one08 is an eco, vegan handbag label created with the purpose of participating in the conservation of wildlife + the protection of our planet. how does a simple product like a handbag contribute to the conservation of biodiversity? the root of the answer lies in the company name. the number 108 was considered the basis of all creation in ancient cultures and traditions. co-founders jamie travis + marnie quinn came together to create the one08, 1 representing the individual, 0 representing the collective and 8 representing the infinite.

“Hearing the fierce roar of a lion just a few feet away is like coming heart to heart with the seat of creation itself. It is not only through the sound but through the resulting vibration in your heart. This permanently changed the way I view our place in the world. My life mission is to speak for the wildlife as they cannot speak for themselves.”

the one08

33% of the profits from the sale of every the one08 handbag is used to purchase equipment and provide training for the people at il ngwesi so that they may continue to live in symbiosis with the land + wildlife.**

every purchase of a cruelty-free, handcrafted product provides viable means of employment, thus allowing the maasai people to live in harmony with wildlife + their environs. the founders of remind us that long term wildlife conservation can only be achieved by working with the communities that inhabit the same land, “our solution is providing economic opportunity for these communities.”

do no harm

it started with a visit to south africa in 2013, where a deep passion for wildlife conservation was ignited. “hearing the fierce roar of a lion just a few feet away is like coming heart to heart with the seat of creation itself. it is not only through the sound but through the resulting vibration in your heart. this permanently changed the way i view our place in the world. my life mission is to speak for the wildlife as they cannot speak for themselves. “

forward thinking

as a conscious consumer, i have been seeking an ethically produced + vegan handbag to travel with me, across town or across continents, and the one08 has captured my heart for their lofty mission and design-led handbags that are transforming an entire community in kenya and conserving wildlife while protecting the environment. all the one08 designs are made with vegan leather, including an innovative plantbased, pineapple leaf fiber, all lined with a happy flora + fauna print made of 100% recycled plastic bottles.

the one08 bag has been my trusty companion, as i stay put for now during these precarious times and appreciate simple pleasures like native vegetation, fresh spring breezes and the scent of fresh blooms on my way to the market. i dream of visiting the il ngwesi eco lodge with friends in the future. when the time comes, i’ll carry this powerful product with me. for now, i love to dream + scheme as i look forward with anticipation to future adventures.

i’ll be holding this bag on my arm as my nomadic soul trots across the globe for all future grand explorations.

don’t forget the tip: **the wildlife conservancy is home to a breathtaking eco lodge hand built by maasai tribal members on the model of responsible tourism and is both owned and managed by the maasai people. the maasai people benefit from sustainable development projects funded by the conservancy including adequate medical care, job training and education for local schoolchildren. let us travel to africa, my friends, at least via our imaginations until we can voyage there one fine day: click here to travel to il ngwesi.

until next time, stay green dear hearts!

eco brand: studio kimaya, building a community

sophie planet is an eco entrepreneur with an alacritous mind + a charming french accent, and she’s telling me about her steamy morning hike through the lush woods of auroville, located in south india. sophie has moved to this small village, where she lives between serenity beach + sadhana forest.

hers is an unconventional story: this is the story of sophie’s serendipitous journey to a life of wellness, balance + ethical entrepreneurship.

auroville is an experimental town + utopian village that provides a milieu for material and spiritual awakening. and this is where sophie planet has come to live, and where she has built her ethical apparel brand kimaya from seed to sustainable garment.

sophie is recounting her first trip to india, a city that spoke to her in gray. she recalls stepping into the blistering heat + conspicuous pollution. she remembers thinking she couldn’t live here, but 15 years later, life spilled sophie right into india.

“The universe put me [in India] to push me away from my comfort zone - I’m grateful for that. Life pushes you beyond your limits every time there is a challenge.”

sophie shares her youthful wow moments before creating her own eco fashion label kimaya: working for luxury fashion label burberry, having financial security, early morning walks to work through the metropolis + sunbeams of paris. at this time she wasn’t traveling much, at the horizon of her life stood her lone office work building.

sophie knew from a young age that she wanted to be a fashion designer. she would go on to study english literature before attending fashion school in paris. soon, she was working alongside her designer cousin, growing her small fashion brand, a brand built from scratch.

eventually sophie went on to work for other fashion labels; these big machines offered a life of structure, but she had the irksome feeling that there was no human connection, the focus was on money. this thought seemed perennially perched on her shoulders.

“It’s really important to be connected, to foster good relationships. I know the names of the children of each worker, where they go to holiday: it’s really a collaboration, a co-creation. ”

and then one fateful day, while helping a friend tend to her paris bookshop, she found herself surrounded by shelves plump with spiritual books + a solicitous client who highly recommended a masseuse. the masseuse highly recommended a trip to pondicherry, india. and before long, sophie was on a plane headed to the seaside city in india. there she stepped wittingly into an ashram to meditate, and this is where she had the distinct feeling that she was home. she traveled further south, and upon her arrival to auroville, she thought, “what do i have to do to live here?”

she then wondered, “why am i asking this question?” she was quite happy in paris. but on the flight home, she found herself crying. back in france, she soon understood the tear shed. while at reike, she learned that these were cleansing tears, tears allowing her to shed the old + welcome the new, “i had something to do. the reason was because i was saying goodbye to my old life and a new life was coming. change was coming.”

it was like a bottle had washed up on the shore of sophie’s life, and inside was the answer to her own spiritual awakening. how do we listen to our intuition when it seems to be guiding us into the unknown, a new direction, yet speaking to us so clearly?

sophie tells her story easily, as if narrating the unfolding of her favorite rom-com. it makes me believe that we are all capable of sculpting our lives exactly as we imagine in the far recesses of our mind.

a determined sophie booked a return flight to india, “the idea was to see that i didn't feel the same way, but i felt exactly the same and it was even stronger, it was home. i had to follow my intuition because i have very strong intuition. my intent was not just to live but to enjoy the present moment.”

after making the decision to move her life to auroville, and taking time to settle in, she eventually knew it was the right time to start her own ethical fashion brand. “every step is important. i have met wonderful people who were the right people [to start this eco business]: the right weavers, the right pattern makers.”

“It’ important to take pleasure and love what we are doing. Then everything flows. Gratitude changes the energy around you. You feel it in you and in the product.”

kimaya now employs 12-15 people, all locals, including sewers + batik dyers. sophie has created a community that envelopes her workers. “i know everyone by name. i want to empower the workers. i want to recreate something like a family.” 

kimaya uses local textiles from regional farms, “humane fabrics” including organic cotton, banana fibers + bamboo, and all clothing tags are made by an ashram in pondicherry using recycled t-shirts. sophie herself designs classic, feminine jumpers; wide-legged pants in calming hues; liquid tops, soft + flowing like the energy she speaks of. she shares emphatically, “design is so important, if it's not beautiful, men + women won't be moved to change their habits towards clean fashion.” 

“it’s important to do things with consciousness. it’s important to take care of the planet and its resources as well as the people with whom we are working. gratitude changes the energy around you. you feel it in you and in the product. it’s all about co-creation and connection to people.”

by the end of our conversation, i’m a bit mesmerized by sophie, much the way she was spellbound while sitting in the ashram, years ago, in india for the first time. i ask her how she balances it all: life, a burgeoning business, self care?

“meditation every day helps me to be grounded and connected to life and people. i also take a walk in the forest every morning and evening. it’s important because it gives love to my body and it gives me energy.”  

it seems to make perfect sense that sophie has come to live in auroville, on the outskirts of sadhana forest; sadhana means you are using everything as a tool for your well being. and i think this is exactly what sophie is doing, putting her energy into her community + its people, and giving the world products prepared with love, care + positive energy.

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eco mode: wearing gifted kimaya organic cotton top with vintage skirt and thrifted jacket. check out my instagram to see how i style the fab banana silk shorts + this wear-with-anything top.

eco beauty: akamai basics for good clean fun

try as you may, you’ll be hard pressed to find a gal who loves and lauds the benefits of botanical facial oils + natural skin oils more than me. akamai basics is an american, indie + small-batch skincare company, founded by vincent cobb and marni shymkus, and they’re bringing to life clean + green products for boys and girls who love the simple things in life.

akamai makes one of my new favorite vegan, cruelty-free and sustainably sourced face + skin oils, skin fuel.

i’ve learned over the years that oils can seem quite alien as a bath + beauty product; we cook with coconut, avocado and olive oil, but did nature intend for us to use these vitamin + mineral-packed oils on our faces + bodies? the answer is unequivocally yes!

skin and facial oils go beyond the daily duties of a traditional moisturizer, my friends: oils heal, repair and regenerate skin. of course, not all oils are created equal! a well-crafted oil supports the skin’s bicrobiome and the body’s ecology by delivering key nutrients to your cells and body. oils deliver peace and harmony by balancing the pH of your skin. you’ll find only natural, organic + unrefined ingredients at akamais.

weird science

“We know far too many people who have died of cancer, or who have battled and won, at great cost to themselves and their family. While a small percentage are genetic, 85% of all cancer is caused by the environment and lifestyle choices. ”

— Vincent Cobb and Marni Shymkus

here i’m going to hit you with a little science, stay with me: the chemicals and synthetic ingredients that can be found in conventional, big-brand moisturizers have negative effects on our bodies, both short-term effects like psoriasis, and long-term effects like endocrine disruption, immune dysfunction, birth defects and cancer. if you can’t figure out what’s listed on an ingredient label, put the bottle down and step slowly away from the shelf. parabens, pthalates, sulfates {foaming agents, preservatives, dyes and synthetic fragrances}: you don’t need them and you don’t want them. parabens, a preservative found in makeup, shampoo, conditioners and lotions, mimic the hormone estrogen and have been found in breast tumor tissue.

just as ingredients are the starting point for a great meal, they’re also the foundation of a fantastic and effective product. skin fuel has six simple ingredients: coconut, jojoba, argan and olive oil; trace mineral/fulvic acid concentrate {for proper cellular metabolism}; and rosemary essential oil for a soothing and aromatic experience.

the oil

akamai's skin fuel is like a protein smoothie for the skin. it’s the first product i reach for after a shower, and the one i want by my side when i’m traveling because it does it all. i use it to moisturize my face, my hands and legs. fun tip: mix it with your fave lotions for a rich, hydrating experience + for the perfect amount of body glow. just a touch adds a healthy shine to my hair. i also swipe a bit across my lips as a light lip balm.

the toothpaste

i’ve been brushing my pearly whites with the akamai mineral toothpaste. first thing’s first: it’s a natural, clay-based paste; the color of the paste might surprise you. it’s a gray hue. i do not shy away from the new; in fact i was quite intrigued. i love this formula and i offer one small caveat: it’s not as sweet as those you might have used, so keep that in mind. i personally love it. i don’t like to wake up and have a slosh of extra sweet in my mouth. like all products in my green routine, i do rotate for variation. this paste will remain in the mix!

the bar soap

i really do love shampoo bars. i love any company that thinks outside the bottle. this is a 3-in-1 product: a shampoo bar that can also be used as a soap bar, and a shaving oil. i use this as a facial cleanser and shampoo. it’s grrreat for traveling. think no-spill magic. as a gentle reminder, i always use a conditioner along with a soap bar for best results {this combo is best for my parched hair + scalp}. this product adds volume to my hair, which i quite like on dry, winter days. i just ordered these as stocking stuffers because everyone deserves good hair days!

my goal is not to slow down the natural and beautiful results of aging, but rather to look and feel healthy, my very best every day. akamai allows me to feel confident about what i'm putting on my body each day. check out akamai for some of that natural glow.

don’t forget the tip: from no more dirty looks, “awareness about cosmetics [and personal care product] ingredients is on the rise. all of a sudden it’s ‘sulfate-free’ this and ‘paraben-free’ that. as consumers get savvier, so do cosmetics companies. in response to the chatter, many companies are reformulating to omit one or two of the ingredients that have become buzzwords, and then they mount advertising campaigns bragging about it. that is what we call marketing—but leaving out one ingredient and replacing it with a lesser-known or chemically similar substitute is not necessarily what we call clean. neither is boasting about its absence when your products are packed with a dozen other dirty chemicals.”

often healthy skin is a result of what we put in and on our bodies. follow the environmental working group to learn more about the important work that they do to keep citizens healthy and informed. akamai donates 1% of all sales to ewc to support their mission to empower people to live healthier lives.

eco mode: wearing boxy tee made of organic cotton from wildlife works with earrings from fair trade label abel. hair by akamai and facial oil by akamai.