eco brand: kindom, recyled fashion never looked so good

there's an expression i like to use + i use it often: "until kingdom come" - i use it when i know there will be a long wait for something - like my favorite vegan chocolate bar to be restocked or when i'm rushing to meet a friend, but the dryer at the laverie is in super slow mo and won't release my favorite trousers from its jaws. i was happy to discover the eco brand kindom this summer because this is exactly the kind of ethical label that i love to wear. 

i'd been searching for a fresh summer dress for my capsule wardrobe, something easy, something singular with a little urban edge: i had to laugh when i found this sustainable frock as it occurred to me that "kindom" has finally come, and the wait is over {yes, you know i love a clever play on words}.  

here is a transparent slow fashion label that produces apparel with respect to the environment + its workers and seeks to create employment opportunities for indigenous people to preserve ancient traditions of handicraft as well. how does one fashion brand make this happen? by producing a perfectly willowy column dress for the minimalists of the world; a demure, celestial dress adorned with planets and stars for moon-gazers like me; and boho graphic tees for girls with sustainability + style on the mind. 

let's start with the ingredients: sometimes we want a simple garment to do all the work for us, especially on a hot summer day or a sultry night. light, breathable fibers do a happy eco girl make. kindom uses organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, and tencel to craft their designs. they also use discarded stock inventory that would otherwise end up in a landfill. 

the designs are made with active girls in mind, with comfort clearly a priority. i've strolled the streets of chicago in this fun, cosmic dress; i've investigated new york city's vegan scene in it; and i've explored paris farmers markets while wearing this easy, breezy number and it's quite chameleonic - fitting into any milieu with its modern cut + an unexpected print. 

this frock is the kind of design that people stop + ask me about. it's with feverish excitement that i share fashion notes: this dress was made by happy hands from recycled textiles!

those of you that know me here at eco voyage or follow me on instagram know that i like my looks to be fuss-free, but i do love a plucky piece with personality, and a design with a little something special is always welcome in my closet. as i hop from daytime outings to evening soirees, i always look for pieces that can keep up + wear well. 

i'll be easing out of summer and into cool-weather months by wearing this dress over a black turtleneck and pairing it with my faux leather moto jacket + vegan booties, because this is one piece that will see many wears on this green gal's slow fashion journey.

check out kindom and their newest line of brilliant bags hand dyed by artisans and hand-embroidered by the t'boli tribal people. this is the future of fashion, boys + girls.

this post was written in collaboration with kindom. all views are honest + my own. 

eco beauty: shea brand body butter

i have this visual that used to replay in my head when i first started blogging: it's a western film, the scene: a shadowy saloon, and a thirsty cowboy sits bar-side waiting for his drink; the bartender slides a frosty glass across the bar top. in the movies, the cowboy usually picks up the beverage and downs it, but in my mind, i imagine the drink being slid back across the bar, right back to where it came from.

in my imagination, the cowboy is actually me, and i'm sliding a bath or beauty product back because it wasn't effective. that was years ago when i was still learning which natural skincare brands truly worked wonders, as promised. these days, i have a list of clean + cruelty-free favorites that are tried + true. and i'm adding a new plant-based moisturizer today.

recently, when i ran out of my regular facial oil + body balm by pelle and when my travel bottle of lotion by beauty without cruelty was completely empty, i turned to a new organic + animal-friendly product shea brand whipped organic butter for a little hydrating help. the results? let's just say, i'm one happy cowgirl + i will not be sliding this softening body butter back across my fictional counter. this is shea brand: new to the green beauty scene is this fantastic product, handmade in brooklyn, boasting no chemicals and no palm oil. a cruelty-free product, this regenerative product comes in a petite cylindrical tin that fits easily into your make-up bag or even your pocket. it twists open + shut, so there's no spillage.

i've tried shea-based products before as body moisturizers, and none have had the same powerfully nourishing effect as this little butter. i use oils + butters on my skin, hair and face, and i'm always careful not to apply too liberally because shiny is good, but sticky is not on my agenda. this product has the perfect texture.

from our friends at shea brand: 

shea is a powerfully nourishing daily moisturizer, and a little bit goes a long way. thick, reliable and protective, yet soft and rapidly nourishing, shea’s fatty acids replenish important lipids and strengthen cell membranes in the skin. regenerate, soften and protect dry, dehydrated, healing, and sensitive skin and hair. use on eczema, to eliminate scars, prevent stretch marks, smooth keratosis pilaris, and heal burned and damaged skin.

distinctive benefits:

• muscle aches and fatigue
• mild insect repellent
• scent provides headache and nausea relief
• protect skin from toxins and bacteria

as an avid traveler, this product is also tops on my list for being small in stature + easy to pack. ready for silky soft? pop on over here. for more of my fave small batch, organic + vegan lotions, hop on over here. 

until next time, stay green dear hearts!

{simple pleasures} l'art du bonheur: the art of happiness

“The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.”

— Henry Ward Beecher

jardin intérieur: sometimes i wonder if the locals think me mad for snapping pics of all things common: lacquered park benches + shiny street signs, languid cats + portly dogs, my beloved house plants + my friends' herb gardens, each click of the shutter grows my inner garden + my happiness.