sustainability manifesto

In the store today I watched people falling in love with a variety of things, Stewart + Brown's Clairibel draped dress, a pair of "Stop" shoes from Cydwoq, Prairie Underground's Frock Coat. What struck me was that each item was appreciated entirely for it's aesthetic appeal...and then, we could tell the women about the sustainable qualities of the designs. Stewart + Brown's dress is a proprietary 95% hemp blend, made in LA, Cydwoq's hand-made shoes are all vegetable dyed leather, non-toxic glues and made in Southern California, and Prairie's coat is organic cotton, also made in the good ol' USA. All of this epitomizes my desire to provide excellent design, while still honoring conscience. I am so pleased to be able to offer items that we can feel good about on so many levels. There really is no reason to sacrifice style in the name of sustainable design. Every time we purchase anything we are making a statement with our dollars, why not love our purchases for their appeal to us, AND to support a healthier planet, and keep the innovative work of small designers alive and thriving? Makes me feel good.