I believe there is a lot of misinformation and prejudice against one of our planets most abundant and safest material- hemp. As green is officially becoming the new black, more and more consumers are looking into sustainable, natural fibers to have in their homes and closets. And it is a widely accepted truth that products made from hemp fibers are among the greenest of the bunch.
Hemp products are typically well made, sustainable and are usually sold using fair trade practices. Products made from hemp offer an ideal alternative to fabrics produced using harmful chemicals and practices. Hemp also produces more fiber per acre than trees, and can be renewed two to three times per year!
Hemp is the most durable of natural fibers and one of the safest natural resources to maintain. Growing and harvesting hemp does not require any environmentally damaging chemicals or pesticides. Hemp is one of the easiest crops to grow and does not deplete the natural resources in the soil. It needs very little water and grows is most regions.
Bearing this in mind, I was happy to find a line of chic hemp bags that were imported using fair trade practices and utilize this miracle fiber. Topanien Global Gifts sells a line of hemp bags that are earth friendly, durable and fashionable. The bags range from spacious to over the shoulder bags and sling bags to small travel bags. My favorite bags from this line sport a youthful & chic bohemian “Ohm” or “Peace” symbol.
As a bonus, the bags are imported from Guatemala using fair trade practices that allow the artists to make a fair living wage while enjoying humane work conditions. I am thrilled to see more and more retailers making a conscious effort to provide better choices to consumers.
World Challenge 08 is a one of a kind competition presented by BBC and Newsweek in association with Shell. The competition is aimed at finding projects or small businesses from around the world that have shown enterprise and innovation at a grass roots level. Voters choose the business they feel is making the biggest difference and shows the most innovation and the winner will receive a grant of USD $20 000 to put back into their project/business, and two runners up will each receive USD $10 000. Voters have until November 22 to cast their vote.
My friends at The Leakey Collection (pictured above) are among those being honored with this nomination. If they are selected, they will use the prize money to build a hydroelectric dam to reduce the use of fuel in the remote areas of Kenya and allowing the Maasai to thrive for generations to come. Visit their page to vote and see their story piece produced by BBC.
I have a new “must have” item: A Good Charma Bracelet. I would personally like to have the Good Luck one. These bracelets are sexy, cool, can be worn with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt or with a slinky dress for a night out. There is something very special and appealing about Good Charma bracelets; they been a favorite among celebrities like Demi Moore & Beyonce and Madonna (she has reportedly gifted over 100 sets to her friends)!
These feel good bracelets are designed to stir the soul and bring forth feelings of well-being and peace. Rachel Smith of Giving Tree Jewelry says the bracelets are packed with great energy and wildly popular at her gallery because they appeal to such a wide audience.“They are incredibly comfortable, and everyone who buys one, comes back to the gallery and still has it on! It’s comfortable, stylish, and brings great things!”
Good Charma- Love
Favorites among her customers include the Good Charma Luck bracelet and the Good Charma Love bracelet.The jewelry recently caught the attention of Extra’s Tanika Ray who interviewed Smith (see clip above). Bracelets are hand made and composed of 6 strands, either sterling silver or 14 karot gold.Each charm is packed with great energy and holds a significant spiritual meaning.The bracelets are sold at http://www.givingtreejewelry.com. Happy Shopping….
UniquEco Recycled Flip Flop Initiative Creating One of a Kind Wildlife Sculptures
The shores of the Indian Ocean in eastern Africa are awash with industrial debris from as far away as China, Indonesia, Japan and Malaysia. Hundreds of brightly colored flip flop sandal pieces and parts wash ashore daily not only causing blight along the coastlines but endangering the marine eco-system in the vast ocean that lies between these countries. The flip flop initiative by UniquEco is a solution designed to clean up the environment by marketing products made from waste back to the consumer who generated it while providing employment opportunities to the poor communities hardest hit by this environmental degradation.
The Champali Wildlife Sculptures from UniquEco Designs are imported by Global Crafts, a fair trade company that works with artisan groups from all over the world. Champali means slipper in Swahili. Local women and children comb the shores to collect the indestructible pieces of rubber champali. Talented artisans and sculptors in the village glue the pieces together in multicolored patterns then hand carve each carefully crafted animal transforming recycled waste into stunning works of art!These colorful animals offer no matter what their skill level.
These unique pieces can be purchased at www.organicbug.com.Purchasing one of these colorful animals helps to support workers in this developing region while preserving the beauty and wonder of the natural world. The UniquEco Champali Animal Sculptures are featured in the Summer, 2008issue of O at Home, Oprah’s popular home decor quarterly magazine!
Few have experienced the exotic lifestyle led by Philip and Katy Leakey in the rural bush of the Rift Valley in Kenya; and in 2002 they had an idea:bring a piece of their world to the rest of the globe. The Leakey’s vision was to utilize their artistic talent and passion for African culture and create beautiful, stylish and sustainable accessories while providing income for the Maasai in Kenya. The Leakey Collection was born.
The Maasai women work under acacia trees at mobile work sites in the Rift Valley, spanning 150 miles.The Leakey Collection provides work opportunities where work is needed, and is currently offering employment to over 1200 Kenyans.Katy Leakey is hopeful this statistic will grow by reaching a wider audience through their new retail site, http://www.leakeylife.com. “We developed this company with the goal of enhancing understanding between developed nations and Africa using products and commerce as a vehicle.” says Ms. Leakey.“Consumers want quality products made from sustainable and natural resources; and that is exactly what they will find from The Leakey Collection.”
Philip Leakey is the third and youngest son of paleo-anthropologists Drs. Louis and Mary Leakey. He was a Member of Parliament in Kenya for 15 years, a Deputy Member of the Cabinet for 14 years and a Member of Cabinet for 1 year. Philip is known in Kenya for his dedication towards improving conditions for all Kenyan’s with particular attention to the areas of business opportunity and the environment. Katy Leakey’s talent as an artist and designer has allowed her to connect diverse cultures through art and lecturing in university systems in the United States. She spent time studying ancient cultures in the unexplored areas of the Amazon of Peru and Ecuador before moving to Africa in 2001. In 1964 Allen and Helen O’Brien along with Katy Leakey’s parents, Robert and Evelyn Moodey along with three others, co-founded the L.S.B. Leakey foundation, lending a cultural anthropological bent towards Katy’s life long work in art.
The Zulugrass and Zuluwood lines feature the most popular products of The Leakey Collection; and have found their way into the global market.
Zulugrass is the cornerstone of The Leakey Collection and contains vibrant and exotic necklaces, bracelets and earrings.Each piece of Zulugrass is assembled by the Maasai women from grass beads colored with low impact textile dyes. The grass is harvested and cut into beads by hand. The pieces are then mixed with hand blown Czech and Japanese glass beads and strung on a special blend of elastic that was used in the movie, Spiderman.
ZuluWood necklaces and earrings are made from the native woods of East Africa and is the natural compliment to Zulugrass jewelry. All wood used to make the Zuluwood products are collected from fallen and sustainable pieces of acacia.Sustainable methods of planning and collection are utilized in this process. In addition, wood is hand tooled and burnished for a gem like finish; there is no wax, lacquer or varnish used on any of the beads or wooden products.
From high fashion jewelry to home interior design accessories, The Leakey Collection’s natural elegance distinguishes this high end product line as one of the world’s premier offerings. These extraordinary pieces are now available http://www.leakeylife.com .
I believe there is a lot of misinformation and prejudice against one of our planets most abundant and safest material- hemp. As green is officially becoming the new black, more and more consumers are looking into sustainable, natural fibers to have in their homes and closets. And it is a widely accepted truth that products made from hemp fibers are among the greenest of the bunch.
