woman-owned

Changer Pendant

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 07:59:00 +0000

“She changes everything She touches, and everything She touches changes.” This quote by Starhawk accompanies the Changer Pendant by K Robins Designs and is an apt summary behind this sterling silver emblem’s meaning. The pendant figure sits serenely in a lotus-like pose with hands brought together over her heart. Her curves are fluid and rhythmic. Her demeanor is confident, compassionate, and accepting in the natural ways of forces that are beyond our control.

The Changer Pendant is only one of many meaningful designs offered by K Robins, who creates her art in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. The influence of nature on her art is evident in the organic and pure form each piece takes. Her jewelry and sculptures are each born into one of five symbolic categories—nature, Celtic lore, yoga and meditation, sacred symbols, and goddesses, mothers, and daughters—and the artist's mission is “to discover and create archetypal images and symbols that transcend the personal, resonate with the universal and soothe the soul.”

Expecting my first child this year and contemplating change, I realize that I do feel altered by the life force I welcomed into my life cautiously, knowing well that I cannot even pretend to imagine what’s in store for me. As I wait to be changed in a myriad of ways that this soon-to-be-mother cannot even fathom, the Changer Pendant encourages me to remain at peace with myself and my abilities to weather through the changes already taking place within my physical being.

Anyone can inhabit this symbolic image and sit peacefully within the chaotic whirl of changes about them. With the Changer Pendant, K Robins has accomplished her mission.

Written by: Beverly Jenkins-Crockett, April 5th 2010

Soap Sampler & Solid Body Lotion

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0000

By Soap Lady Oregon

I discovered Soap Lady Oregon products at—of all places—a chocolate festival in Portland, Oregon. While the products obviously aren't edible, they smelled better—and had healthier ingredients—than many of the food products that my partner and I sampled at the event.

I believe you can vote with your pocketbook, and it was nice to know that the company uses all-natural, vegan and cruelty-free ingredients. Their mission is actually to provide non-toxic products with no preservatives, and they go one step further by listing all of their ingredients on the company's website. This is especially handy if you have any known allergies or have particularly sensitive skin.

In addition, there's the satisfaction of supporting a women-owned small business. Still not enough reasons to try their soap? There's the absolutely soothing experience of using the products themselves.

At just $6, the soap sampler gift box features four travel-sized, yummy-smelling soaps: rose, spice, tea tree, and calendula lavender. Despite their small size, each soap lasted several days in my shower, which is no small feat considering that my partner has a woodworking hobby and I have a workout fetish. The scents were spicy and natural but not overpowering or perfume-y, and they were, for lack of a better word, soft. I can't wait to try some of the sweeter scents, like sweet vanilla and peppermint swirl. A full-size, five ounce bar is $4.50.

At $2.50, the solid body lotion was even more of a steal. Just a tiny bit of this citrus-scented lotion goes a long way, and it will last awhile, even if you work in a job that requires frequent hand washing (or are a compulsive hand washer like me.)

If you're looking for some TLC and inexpensive luxury, this is the place to find it.

Written by: M.L. Madison, March 7th 2010

Zosterops Jewelry Shop

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:01:00 +0000

By Zosterops

Zosterops' Jessie Cheng is a doll. Not an empty-headed plaything, like Barbie or Bratz, but the kind crooner Frank Sinatra used as a term of endearment. Jessie is the kind of gal who's so lovely and sincere that you immediately want do nice things for her. Lucky for me, Jessie's long-honed raw talent make that compulsion all too easy for this so-called objective reviewess to carry out.

The beauty of Zosterops is that it's a shop that caters to a broad range of aesthetic sensibilities—so much so, in fact, that Jessie's mantra is "creation to meet anyone's content." From sunflower earrings to a heart-shaped locket and cut-out bird designs to crystal hearts, there really is something here for everyone, and Jessie is constantly adding more to the mix. She handcrafts the jewelry from items she picks up at places her journeys take her, which gives each piece a matchless quality.

The five-piece sampling Jessie sent me from Hong Kong is diversely sublime, and my two favorites are the Little Red Penguin Earrings and Turquoise Necklace. Although the latter is no longer available, the former is a pair of sterling silver hook earwires holding tiny red and silver bird charms that are absolutely adorable for children and adults alike. And speaking of adorable birds, the Gold Buddy Birdie Necklace is that as well. The gold-plated, nickle-free charm and chain add a smidgen of childhood hipster glamor to a plain tee and jeans day. Although you may get folks asking if you're simply really into Twitter now that the rapidly growing company's logo has co-opted our feathered friends. (Too bad for a company who is named after a winged species.)

The picture of the Crystal Heart Earrings doesn't do their blinding bling justice. The Swarovski crystal that comprises the heart-shaped beads is made to catch the light and reflect it in all directions, causing an über-shimmer effect I happen to be partial to. The beads hang from a sterling silver hook earwire, which makes the earrings dangly and nearly weightless.

The last item I received is the Cream White Pearl Heart Locket Love Necklace. The mouthful of name leaves something to be desired, but the piece itself is quite simple and sweet. As soon as I saw it, I knew my sister would love it. Her nine-month-old son might have given her the greatest gift ever (he said his first word—"mommy"—on Christmas Day) for 2009, but I've now got her 2010 birthday present in the bag. Pop a picture of the little one in there, and I'm golden—which is somewhat paradoxical since it's a silver locket, no?

Born in the late 1960s, Jessie started making jewelry after quitting her job and the most exciting part of her day is getting an email notification of a sale. The gist of her Zosterops' story is this: kind artisan + beautiful, well-constructed jewelry = tru luv 4eva (4now). You don't have to be a white-eyed bird to see that.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, February 1st 2010

Red Bracelet

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 11:07:00 +0000

By Luckxurys

Based in Tel Aviv, Israel, Luckxurys was started by designer Tali Rosen out of a personal frustration: she was unable to find a traditionally turquoise hamsa, palm-shaped amulet used in jewelery that is thought to protect a person from the evil eye. The tradition of using a hamsa (the Arabic word for the number five, hence the symbolism of a hand) to ward off evil began in the Middle East as a practice of Islam, and is now a part of Jewish mysticism. After searching unsuccessfully for her prized stone, Rosen decided to simply make one herself. When she received positive feedback from others, she followed her desire to make "fashion that welcomes good energies," and incorporated her own good energies into a proper self-run jewelry business.

Using self-styled hand knitting, hand sculpturing, and silvercrafting techniques that Rosen gained through more than a decade of study, Luckxurys sells creative pieces (mostly bracelets and necklaces) that are stylistically unique. The Red Bracelet uses a simple wax wire knit string, handmade lucky charms, made from a mixture of calcium and polymer clay, and an easy loop clasp to fasten the string after you wrap it around your wrist a few times. The meaning of the color is taken from the Kabbalah. Red symbolizes danger, passion, and love, which makes it the strongest protector against evil. However, other colors are available.

Innovation in jewelry is difficult to come by these days, yet Luckxurys managed to develop something contemporary using an ancient concept. Made to be durable, the Red Bracelet can be worn daily without removal, which might not be such a bad thing for those plagued with bad ju-ju.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, January 9th 2010

Hamsa Clothing Yoga Pants

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:41:00 +0000

By Hamsa Clothing

Hamsa is a Sanskrit word for a meditation we all do daily without intention; it is our first, and inherent, pranayama: inhale (ham) and exhale (sa). Breathing is a natural way to steady the mind and calm the body. It provides a method to refocus one's physical and mental rhythm, and channel it in a more positive, stress-free way. Because of this, pranayama is an integral part of yoga.

As one might expect given the name, Hamsa Clothing is a woman-run company that facilitates yogic comfort through the sale of cotton pants and tees made to stretch (thanks lycra!) with the body—particularly the female body—during one's yoga practice. Its sister company, Moonseats, sells meditation cushions. Run by Sangeeta from Cape Town, South Africa, Hamsa Clothing is an alternative to the corporatism and competition that has infected the world of yoga.

Sangeeta provided me with three sample pair of pants for this review, each a different design and color. The first were rather small for my size 12 lower half, and when worn resemble a pair of calf-length leggings. (It's possible these would be ankle length on someone who isn't six feet tall, like I am.) In fact, I can easily see these having a dual use if paired with a cute top instead of a tee. The deep red material is spiced up a bit by a multi-colored floral design that I simply adore: a sort of modern, fashionable take on Hawaiian print. I also love the soft stretchiness of the fabric, and its breathability while hugging the body.

Pairs two and three appear to be made of a different material than the first, a heavier and thicker cotton—though no less soft and stretchy—that would work well for winter sessions. The medium size fit me just fine, though to be honest, a large may well have fit better. Both pair have a reinforced roll top waist, which allows you to adjust the waistline in order to achieve a more snug fit and create the most flattering and stylish look for your particular body type. The roll top also makes these pants suitable for ladies with a bun in the oven (or on a badly bloated period day) since they will expand as your belly expands.

What makes the second and third pair distinct from each other is both the color (one is periwinkle blue while the other is steel gray, both of which are very pleasing and calming) and the shape of the leg. The blue pair is a standard pant style: semi-loose yet fitted at the thigh and slightly flared (more like boot cut) at the ankle. The gray pair, however, is a bit more adventurous and reminds me of something I see the hippie tourists wearing around Kolkata: a harem-style cut that is baggy throughout the length of the leg with a tightly bunched cuff at the ankle. My recent readings of the Indian editions of both Marie Claire and Vogue have confirmed that this style is coming back into popular fashion, so perhaps this means I am now ahead of the curve. The construction on all three pair of pants is impeccable.

Hamsa does have another Sanskrit meaning, one that is no doubt the actual root of this clothing company's name. Hamsa is typically translated as swan, a term that is a slight misnomer since swans aren't indigenous to India and the creature called hamsa was probably actually a goose. Somewhere along the way the linguistic swap was made when hamsa became associated (through repetition) with the inverse of the word, soaham, meaning "that which I am." Because when asked to self-define, we'd probably all rather be swans than geese, no?

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, January 6th 2010

Pheasant Skirt

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:00:00 +0000

By Mata Traders

Before I moved to India, a friend of mine joked that I should send her a full wardrobe at the start of every season. She was more than a little jealous of the items I'd picked up on a trip before—particularly the scarves with sparse silver threading that are difficult to find in the States—where I made my way East to West across the subcontinent from Kolkata to Varanasi to Delhi. My sister made me promise to buy her a few stylish hippie-cum-hipster skirts while my boss hinted at her desire for intricately designed jewelry. I was all too pleased to have my holiday shopping list laid out so neatly.

A reflection of the global economy, a great many women's empowerment NGOs in India have added employment and job training programs to their organizational structure that consists of textile making and exporting. In Kolkata, ex-prostitutes (Sari Bari and Freeset), women living in slums (Connexions), girls and women who have escaped sex trafficking (Made By Survivors), and rural women (Jeevika Development Society) are all carving out a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities by creating clothing, bags, plush toys, and other items that are desirable to those in the West. But in order for these items to make their way from the hands of their creators on one side of the globe to the person who uses the goods on other, there must be an entity facilitating that transaction. Enter Mata Traders.

Although I can't say for certain from which India-based NGOs Mata Traders receives their wares, it is clear this is their system of operation. They pay women workers a livable wage to make handmade clothing, jewelry, bags, and accessories that are then bought in a retail location in Illinois, through their online store, or purchased at the Women Thrive Worldwide World of Good shop. Alternatively, any individual or group can also sell their items as a fundraiser or a home show... kind of like an eco-friendly, fashion-forward, global economy consciousness raising Tupperware party, if you replace the passé pastel plastic with eclectic yet practical attire.

I was quite taken with the bold colors of the Pheasant Skirt, which is made entirely of a comfortable fair trade certified cotton. On most women this skirt would no doubt hit just below the knee, but at 6'1", I'm not most women, so my legs a tad more exposed. No matter, though. The hand-stitched, block-printed bird and swirly designs on the thigh are what attracts the eye. I can already hear the envy in my friends' voices. Luckily, this time, I can tell them how they can get one of their own without shelling out the cash for a plane ticket across the world.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, December 23rd 2009

Winter Dreidle Dress

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:23:00 +0000

Mata Traders

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, a number of Western counter-cultural icons traveled to India in order to broaden their knowledge of art, music, literature, and philosophy by speaking with some the country's intellectual and religious figures. Among those world travelers were musicians (The Beatles), writers (Allen Ginsberg), and academics (Joseph Campbell), who incorporated what they learned into their respective fields of influence. One area that was indirectly affected by these now-famed travels was fashion. From the Nehru Jacket to tie die to sandals, utilitarian staples of Indian attire were brought back to the United States by pop culture heroes and quickly became en vogue.

Today, Mata Traders continues this practice of global fashion exchange. Since 2003, Michelle King and Maureen Dunn have run their women's clothing and accessories business from Chicago, IL. Instead of simply co-opting the bright, offbeat colors and floral patterns seen across the Indian landscape, this woman-owned company moves past an aesthetic focus toward one of social consciousness by employing groups of Indian women worker in a well-worn model of transcontinental economic exchange. Mata Traders is an import/export business whose foundational desire is to facilitate women's financial empowerment.

Working with fair trade women's cooperatives and artisan groups that employ individual women who work either from home or in collective spaces to create handmade clothing in safe conditions while earning a living wage, Mata Traders contributes to a growing consumer trend of fighting the worldwide feminization of poverty by "giving women economic power and viable working skills [in order to] transform a community (and so the world)." According to the Nike Foundation's "The Girl Effect," women earners reinvest 90% of their income back into their families while men earners reinvest just 35%. The idea behind Mata Traders is that bringing women into the workforce will be a catalyst for positive global change.

And that is just the groundwork. Beyond the excellent crafts(wo)manship of the hand-embroidered floral appliqué on the three-quarter length sleeves and hemline of the elastic empire waist Winter Dreidle Dress is the knowledge that the garment is made of 100% fair trade certified cotton that is "grown on small family farms that...follow environmental standards that restrict the use of agrochemicals and encourage sustainability." And the beautiful color (mauve in my case, though the dress is also available in black) is gained through the use of eco-friendly vegetable dyes. All of this enviro-feminism contributes to my feeling very good about myself while wearing this trés cute dress. How many birds can you hit with just one stone?

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, December 16th 2009

Strawberry Rectangle Zipper Pouch

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:34:00 +0000

By Give Gift

Ten months ago, Singaporean Lilis Lim started the Give Gift etsy shop as a practical method to facilitate her passion for arts and crafts. Lilis loves the process of creation, but creating for creation's sake can get expensive unless you develop a way to subsidize your hobby, which is exactly what she did. Now a part of her everyday schedule, Lilis sews the bags, pouches, purses, and totes at home in her free time, and she drops the completed orders in the post on her way to work or school.

Only a month after she began, Lilis broke her first sewing machine, a mini-model that wasn't able to withstand the thick fabrics and zippers. Since then she has obtained a newer, better performing machine to effectively tackle her many projects. The resulting crafts(wo)manship is apparent in the Strawberry Rectangle Zipper Pouch.

Handmade from a pre-washed cotton fabric that features tiny pink and red strawberries dancing about in a sort of chorus line, the Strawberry Rectangle Zipper Pouch is a cutesy, feminine carrying case that reminds me of a certain popular red-haired, sweet-smelling doll from my youth. The fact that I never actually owned one of these dolls is neither here nor there; Strawberry Shortcake was ubiquitous in the 1980s, and the design of this pouch capitalizes on the '80s nostalgia that has infected America for the past several years.

At approximately 7 x 5 inches, the Strawberry Rectangle Zipper Pouch is big enough to hold your basic necessities—cell phone, cash, passport, iPod—unless you're the type of person who just cannot leave home without a stash of contingency items on your shoulder at all times. I used to be like that, then I developed back problems and a slight right tilt, so I decided my immediate physiological needs outweigh whatever not-really-emergency situation that might-possibly-perhaps-maybe-could strike where I need a bandaid, tissues, lip balm, and a multi-use tool.

Ranging from $3.50 to $23 (and then only $2 more for shipping), Give Gift makes is easy to, well, give gifts because their prices are so darn affordable—additional proof that this isn't a money-making venture, but is, indeed, a labor of love.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, December 14th 2009

Quilted Gadget Bag & Small Pouch

admin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:07:00 +0000

By bagonebagshop

For no apparent reason, I fell in love with elephants when I was a little girl and started an ad hoc collection. By the time I was an adult I had gathered a small army of elephant kitsch that included everything from crystal statues to jewelry to candles to clocks. My penchant for all things pachyderm made gift-giving occasions an effortless affair for all of my family and friends, but while they were appreciative of the low maintenance mental exertion, their lack of creativity had me a little bit miffed. And when I sold all but my most precious belongings before moving to India—the country with the largest elephant population, by the way—my collection didn't make the cut.

The loss didn't strike me as particularly bothersome until I visited an elephant breeding center in Chitwan, Nepal, where I saw a particularly uncommon occurrence: captive elephant twins! My fondness for the largest living land mammal returned while attempting to pet the ever-mobile baby giants in a manner that was matador-esque. Already strong enough to knock a grown man out of their way (a feat I witnessed several times by a handful of foolish men who wanted them to stop and pose for a picture), as the two month old twins trotted from one end of the enclosure to the other, I would swoop in for a pat as they passed. Once the darling duo renewed my amorous inclinations for their species, Tina Hsieh's Small Pouch was the perfect way to be re-introduced cute creature consumption.

A stay-at-home mother, Tina's creative interest came from her father, a costume tailor. She honed her skills at a fashion design school in Taipei before settling into her current location: Singapore. When she's not looking after her thirteen-year-old daughter, Tina runs her bagonebagshop through Etsy.

Tina's bags are impeccably constructed with sturdy material and reliable stitching. While the Small Pouch (3.5 x 5 inches) works for pocket-sized items—money, a U.S. driver's license, or a compact cell phone—the Quilted Gadget Bag (6 x 4.5 inches) comes in handy for those who prefer to carry goods of a larger variety, such as a Blackberry, iPod, or passport. The Small Pouch comes with a d-ring attachment that can be used with a spring hook to snap it to your belt loop, and the Gadget Bag has a multi-use strap that facilitates several wearable configurations. Both are of excellent quality and affordably priced, even when you add international shipping.

Not into elephants? No problem. Tina's wristlet and clutch designs run the gammut from mod to modern and back again with fabrics that feature everything from flowers and flying birds to fluffy clouds and phrases. And if that's still not enough variety, she'll even customize orders to suit your style. That's what I call thoughtful gifting.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, November 17th 2009

Hyacinth Collection Crystal Moon Necklace

admin — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:45:00 +0000

By Yumi Chen

I was born March 23, 1980 at 1:30 a.m. in San Diego, California. This moment of happenstance means that I just made the cut for being the fire sign Aries, a bold astrological identification. This arbitrary timing is also the cause of my birthstone being Aquamarine, a barely-there blue resembling the clarity of the ocean in a place untouched by tourism like Lakshadweep. I find this fire and water coupling somewhat ironic, but take it to be an indicator of the fluid duality of my existence: I am both/and—not either/or—and the capricious conditions of my birth are enough proof for me.

I wonder what the moon looked like the first time my mother visited San Francisco. She was twenty-four years old, unmarried, and had a two-year old daughter from a marriage that didn’t work out. The man who took her to see the seals play near the Fisherman’s Wharf and for a nighttime walk across the Bay Bridge was my father, then an officer in the Navy. The two were introduced by shared friends in a bar at the San Diego Naval Base just months before and were enjoying each other’s company very much. It was on the bus back from Frisco that it occurred to my mother that her period was late.

I wonder what the moon looked like from the rust-colored bridge that summer. I wonder if my mom even noticed the moon, and if that had been a subconscious tip off that her cycle wasn’t following its typical twenty-eight-day routine. When my parents left the courthouse a month later—marriage certificate in one hand and my older sister in the other—what phase did the moon find itself in? How did the moon show itself on the day of my birth? Or when my dad left for Okinawa—a work assignment that doomed an already failing marriage? You see, the moon is a powerful thing. It gives us things of gravity, like wind and waves and the consistent marking of time as a circular, nonlinear entity.

When I wear Yumi Chen’s Crystal Moon necklace, I find myself looking from the moon on my chest to the one in the Indian night sky. The iridescent Swarovski crystal one is as dazzling as its predecessor and accompanied by just as much sparkling bling—from Aquamarine and Blue Zircon Swarovski crystals to glittery 14kt gold-filled beads on a likewise golden eighteen-inch chain. I marvel at their differing yet similar beauty and smile. When the moon is gone from my view, it is gracing that of my family and friends on the opposite side of the earth. I hope the daily visit from this ever-changing orb reminds them of me.

Yumi Chen is providing Feminist Review readers a 20% Discount off anything and everything on her website. The discount code is 'feminist20' and should be entered at the checkout. Might as well get some holiday shopping done early, right?

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, November 8th 2009

Rhubarb N Blueberry Spice Soap

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:58:00 +0000

By Vegan Soap Kitchen

I am a soap snob, but not without good reason. I don't want to imbibe chemicals into my skin, and just about everything with scent tends to make my skin dry out or cause an allergic reaction. For these reasons, I usually order olive oil soap from my favorite woman-owned business online, but using Rhubarb N Blueberry Spice Soap from Vegan Soap Kitchen definitely made me want to try more of their goodies.

Owner Deborah Dana has all kinds of cruelty-free skin care products (did I mention my partner and I buy only vegan personal care products?) on her Etsy site, some of which sound good enough to munch. Pink Grapefruit and Pineapple Cilantro soaps and Chai Tea lip balm are just some of her offerings. Unlike some specialty shops, they're reasonably priced.

My soap arrived in environmentally-friendly packaging (the smallest amount of stiff paper wrapping) and a cute, lime green gingham ribbon. She had me at gingham, and the package also listed all of the non-toxic ingredients. I could pronounce all of them!

The soap itself left behind a nice and not overpowering scent when I bathed with it. Think more musky than fruity, with the rhubarb adding a bittersweet scent. My partner is very finicky about our care products—he won't use them if they smell too “girly”—and he didn't complain.

The blueberry seeds offer a mild exfoliant that's not too harsh, although they did tend to get all over the place when the bar neared its end. Still, this was a delicious product, and I'm definitely going to shop for more goodies at Vegan Soap Kitchen.

Written by: M.L. Madison, November 4th 2009

Skinny Scarves

admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:02:00 +0000

By Masala Tee Collection

The first time I came to Kolkata, I was swindled by a little girl who couldn't have been more than six years old. While trying to find a pair of shoes in New Market, this cutie pie grabbed my hand as I was walking, turned her grinning face toward me, and cheerfully said, "Hello! What is your name?" Caught off guard, and a little stupid from lingering jet lag, I said, "My name is Mandy." Her eyes grew wide and she dropped my hand. Holding her hennaed palm to my face she squealed with delight, "Mehndi!"

I laughed and agreed, "That's exactly right: mehndi." I then proceeded to allow this tiny tout to drag me into her father's (so she said) scarf shop where I promptly bought two "pashmina" scarves for what I now know to be triple the actual price, a common skin affliction my partner refers to as a "cracker tax." I knew I was being taken for a ride, but I couldn't bring myself to care. The miniature mehndi charlatan was doing what she had to do to get by, and she was so darn good at it that I felt obliged to play my role as the "dumb American tourist."

Ultimately, it turned out to be a good thing I did because after leaving Kolkata, my partner and I took a fourteen-hour long overnight train to Benares... in the second class sleeper car... in late-December... with nothing more to fight the cold wind that readily seeped in through the cracks than a hoodie and those two scarves. Easily the most miserable fourteen hours I have ever spent, I gained a deep affinity for scarves and swindlers that very long and uncomfortable night.

These days I act on that affinity by scooping up scarves left and right, and my most recent acquisition is from the Dehli-based, woman-owned Masala Tee Collection, whose designer organic cotton t-shirts adorned with Swarovski crystals have already been mentioned in the Indian editions of Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Marie Claire magazines. Inspired by the feminine beauty of their homeland, the Tee Wallahs (Sheikha Mattar-Jacob and Noelline Besson) founded the company less than a year ago while chatting over (what else) a cup of tea. They design the Masala Tees with screen-printed faces of five women (Divya, Sapna, Pia, Sitara, and Maya), and this fall they have added Skinny Scarves made of organic bamboo fiber into the mix.

Offered in either gray or sage, the Skinny Scarves are 50 x 180cm of gauzy goodness as soft as clouds of kittens. The eco-friendly accessory can be worn in a variety of ways—such as a proper scarf or a head wrap—making it a most versatile simple yet stylish addition to your urban outfit. For every sale made, the Tee Wallahs donate a portion to humanitarian organizations serving women and children in India under the social justice mantra "Masala Tee is for Humani-Tee."

The fashion industry is exploding right now in India, and designers are using the boom to bring both political awareness and casual chic clothing to the country's growing middle class. Though they don't have a web-based store set up just yet, the Masala Tee Collection is sold in boutique stores throughout India—including Ogaan, The Neemrana Shop, The Box, Bombay Electric—and can be purchased through a secure Paypal link by shooting the Tee Wallahs an email. For the dudes out there who think Masala Tee is hot, they're working hard to unveil a men's collection soon.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, November 2nd 2009

BooBoo Unisex Wrist Bracelet, Woven

admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:48:00 +0000

By Truth

The story behind a company and its products really makes or breaks my decision to purchase. Yes, aesthetics are a key determining factor, but my criteria goes beyond this alone. I want to know the who, what, where, when, and how behind it so that my money supports my values. Truth, as it turns out, is a company with a great product and a great story.

I’d heard a bit about this Canadian company, but didn’t know what they were all about, so I was especially excited to review Truth’s Woven Wrist BooBoo. Given the unisex cuff style and my extra-dinky wrists, I hoped I’d be getting the S versus the other size, L. Indeed I got the S woven style Booboo in the “brown/pink” combo and instantly loved the contrast between the serious snaps set in a pewter-colored faux leather and the soft baby pink, raspberry pink, and ivory threads tightly woven with burgundy, brown and taupe threads.

I like that it’s not woven into a perfect checkerboard-like basket weave. It’s totally cute, but has an edge. Browsing their website I could see a range of tastes going through their wares, from preppy to punk. The materials are all vegan and their line includes several style of wrist cuffs, belts, bamboo fabric t-shirts, and clean, simple necklaces.

The story behind Truth is especially interesting. When owner and designer Renia Pruchnicki started the company in 2001, she was used to working with technical fabrics as an outerwear clothing designer and naturally gravitated toward a “technical” faux leather fabric. Truth's "leather looking" belts became very popular within the vegan community and their website reads: “When I started this company, I was not a vegetarian and was not even thinking of pursuing anything along those lines in terms of a market. But the path that I took opened my eyes to many things and over the years and my diet slowly became mostly vegetarian.”

As an activist-minded consumer it’s heartening to find such a great example of the power consumer demand has to actually change the marketplace. In this instance not only did demand directly influence the company’s products, the personal values of the company owner were also affected. And for this I love wearing my stylish, comfy, cruelty-free Woven Wrist BooBoo even more!

Written by: Matsya Siosal, November 2nd 2009

Spearmint Soap

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:27:00 +0000

By Vegan Soap Kitchen

Who doesn’t love soap? Besides a Chilean pal I had in college who insisted “Americans bathe too often,” I’ve never known anyone who took issue with washing. I have a complicated relationship with bathing, though. It takes me a while to deal with my hair once washed, and for this reason, I’ve been experimenting with less frequent showering this past year.

Some people think this is a ‘green’ habit. For me, it’s mostly about convenience and comfort. I grew up loving baths, and my current apartment features only an awkward shower with two levels. One might argue the steepest part of the stall is a step, but how one would properly use it is beyond me. Unless I’m showering with my partner or trying to relax sore shoulder muscles, I’m usually annoyed by my strangely shaped bathroom and try to be in and out as quickly as possible.

Adopting a vegan diet is one thing, but a vegan lifestyle is quite another. When I began to make the switch, I had to start rethinking warm clothing, for example. No more wool, and finding cruelty-free waterproof boots has been a challenge. I also switched to olive oil soap, which I can purchase in large blocks locally for roughly the equivalent of $4 USD. Since I live in Scandinavia, where everything is roughly double the cost of what it is in the States, this seems like quite a bargain.

I’m not unhappy with my hunks of green-yellow castile, but it does tend to leave a residue unless I’m diligent with my washcloth. Because I’m thrifty, I also tend to buy unwieldy chunks that go flying when slippery. Bath time should be fun, even if you don’t have a proper tub.

Enter my new spearmint soap from Vegan Soap Kitchen. Taking after my favorite Origins mint shampoo, I thought that putting one more herbal goody on my body would keep me smelling nice even on those days I race off to work without a proper lather. Handcrafted by Deborah Dana in Plano, Texas, my wholly vegan soap is a wonderful find. Made from coconut, palm, jojoba, and olive oils with shea butter and a dash of spearmint essential oil, there is no funky residue. The only thing to watch out for are bits of spearmint leaf that eventually detach from the bar. Better to have mint leaves in my hair than grime, no?

Written by: Brittany Shoot, October 30th 2009

Teatime in Bombay Earrings

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:37:00 +0000

By Teatime in Bombay Earrings

Swingy, playful and pretty, the Teatime in Bombay Earrings also work well for cocktail time in Manhattan. Equally attractive is the quality construction and affordable price. The intricate and slightly edgy white metal design is contrasted by the more classical ladylike dangling faux gemstone beads in sapphire and amber.

As a collector of earrings, I have many pairs in my jewelry box from which to choose, and I found myself wearing these over and over again because they look great with a little black dress, a garden party frock, or just a plain old t-shirt and jeans. They are lightweight, visually interesting, and original. More than a few women complimented me, and asked where I’d purchased them.

Jewelry designer Jazmine Bowe describes her Stars + Rocks creations as urban, glam, and gypsy in sensibility. I found myself loving her entire collection, which also includes bracelets and necklaces. She thinks of fun names for her pieces—Country Club Lush, Saloon Girl, Circus of Life, and Good Karma—most of which can be had for under $20.

Bowe's fun and trendy jewelry exudes her imagination, and I am so happy to have discovered this particular designer because she accomplishes this dramatically stylish mood without crossing the line into tacky territory. Stars + Rocks jewelry looks and feels very upscale chic: the strong, confident, city girl is also a glamorous gal. Prepare to be dazzled by the bauble-icious wonders from this very talented designer!

Written by: Cheryl Reeves, October 15th 2009