Earth Day at Nest

Earth Day is always a special time at Nest, not only because our annual Earth Day raffle lets us play Santa for a day, but also because the occasion allows us to showcase our vendors, their products and their commitment to Earth.

This year, our vendors have been especially generous with their donations. Make a purchase on Sunday, April 22nd and you could win:

A Greeting Card from Positively Green: The paper used to print these cards is made with 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Positively Green also donates 10% of its profits to organizations that protect our environment and fight global warming.

A Fair Trade Himalayan Crystal tea light holder from Solay Wellness: Solay tea light holders cleanse the air naturally (as houseplants do) while charging it with the healthy ions found in a saltwater breeze.

A Corinthian Bells Windchime from Weatherland Chimes: Made in Manassas Park, Virginia from start to finish, each chime is made using raw materials sourced from American mills and material providers. 

A Roll-On Bracelet from Aid Through Trade: Each fair-trade roll-on bracelet is made with care by Nepali women artists whose work through ATT ensures fair pay, benefits, dignity and a healthy work place.

A CD or Book from Sounds True: An independent multimedia publishing company, Sounds True embraces the world’s major spiritual traditions, as well as the arts and humanities, embodied by leading authors, teachers, and visionary artists.

 

A Chef Set, Tool Box or Fire Truck from Green Toys: A line of classic children’s toys constructed in California from recycled plastic and other environmentally friendly materials.

A Candle from Way Out Wax: Way Out Wax was founded in 1992 with a vision to produce hand-crafted works of art utilizing socially and environmentally responsible business practices. Their soy wax candles are 100% natural and biodegradable, and their scents come from 100% pure essential oils.

An Women’s Top from Aventura Clothing: Aventura is passionate about creating fashionable clothing with low environmental impact. Their eco-friendly clothing not only prevents synthetic fertilizers pesticides from polluting the soil, they also look and feel amazing!

A CD from Putumayo: Putumayo World Music was established in 1993 to introduce people to the music of the world’s cultures. The company’s commitment to helping communities in the countries where the music originates has led to the label contributing more than one million dollars to worthwhile non-profit organizations around the world.

 

An Eye Pillow from Herbal Animals: Herbal Animals makes eco-friendly pillows in whimsical designs. Each animal pillow is made with 100% certified organically grown herbs, seeds, and cotton

 What will you win when you make a purchase at Nest on Earth Day?

 

Mata Traders

We’re so pleased to have discovered Mata Traders in time for this spring’s clothing season. Our first shipment is now at Nest, and we think you’re going to love this line!

Mata Traders is a fair-trade women’s clothing line, with production done by over 600 women in cooperatives and artisan groups in India and Nepal. In addition to the fair-trade basics of a living wage and safe working conditions, Mata Traders also offers the women on-site childcare, medical check-ups and overtime pay. The women determine all aspects of the production process, and the skills and confidence they gain often ripples out as they become more socially and politically involved in their communities.

Mata Traders is everything fair-trade ought to be. The women are self-organized, do meaningful work they enjoy, and often have the option of working at home or in one of the workshops. They gain an expanded social network of co-workers, professional skills, increased empowerment, and the ability to send their children to school. Their fair-trade work enables them to make a change for themselves and their families now and into the future.

And, by the way, the clothes are cute, feminine and comfortable!

We think the dresses are Mad Men-retro meets classic Audrey Hepburn with a dash of eco-chic… in a way that’s really fun. Hand block-printing and hand embroidery add  a unique quality to many of the pieces. Perfect for warm weather fun!

 

Imagine Greenwear

Last fall we discovered Imagine Greenwear and introduced some of their baby clothes at Nest. Now it’s time to introduce their women’s clothing.

 The folks at Imagine Greenwear have developed a seaweed-based dying system that is clean and green. Their colors actually fuse with the organic cotton fabric, instead of being applied to the surface, which means that the fabric remains soft and the colors will not fade. Greenwear’s method uses little energy, reduces the amount of waste due to color run-off, and leaves no toxic residues on the garment.

 

This season’s women’s tops are bold and artsy. Inspired by nature, the designs are uniquely gorgeous. The cuts are feminine and flattering, while also being deliciously comfortable.

 In addition to all that goodness, we consider it a super-bonus that Imagine Greenwear is based in Fairfax, VA, and all their manufacturing is done in the U.S.

 

 

 

Happy Feet

OKA b. shoes are just about the cutest shoes we’ve seen. Their colors and decorations are playful and happy. Durable and non-fading, they can go in the washing machine whenever necessary. Perhaps best of all, these shoes are comfy – those little massage nubbies feel great as you walk!

 

We’re pleased to be working with such a thoughtful company. For OKA b., “Made in the USA”means deliberately choosing to locate their factory Georgia, manufacturing in an environmentally sensitive way to protect the surrounding community, and giving back in both dollars and shoes.

 

 

As part of the environmental commitment, OKA b. shoes are recyclable. They can either be sent to any facility that accepts #3 plastics, or they can be sent back to the factory, where they will be ground up and made into new shoes.

Inter-American Trading

This spring we have brought in cotton tops from Inter-American Trading. These lovely shirts are made in Peru using the highest quality pima cotton, and are made one at a time, by a single person on a simple sewing machine.

Inter-American Trading is dedicated to supporting indigenous people through fair-trade enterprise. They often visit the manufacturers in Peru and Bolivia to confirm that employees are paid a living wage and working conditions are safe.   

In addition to the good inherent in being a fair-trade enterprise, Inter-American Trading also gives a portion of their profits to a parish that serves a barrio community on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. The Parish of Santa Ana offers a soup kitchen, two medical clinics, a dental clinic, legal aid consulting and a full-time social worker. Inter-American Trading focuses its contributions on helping the parish build a vocational training center for single mothers and expand a school for the area’s children.

 It feels so good to know that the purchase of a handmade top in Clarksville supports a better life for artisans, schoolchildren, and women in Peru.

Sprout Watches

Sprout Watches have arrived at Nest!

These watches are made with tremendous attention to their environmental impact. The watch faces are made of bamboo or responsibly gathered mother-of-pearl; cases and buckles are made of corn resin, and bands are made of organic cotton or recyclable Tyvec. Additionally, the watches use a mercury-free battery.

As they say on their website, they aren’t environmentalists, they are a watch company that figures that the best way to be a greener company is make a greener watch.

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