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18 Colorful Summer Finds For Styling Sustainable Outdoor Decor

published on June 1, 2021 by Jennifer Andrew
updated on May 11, 2023

June is here! With summer on the horizon, all we can think about is spending more time outside. And as homebodies who also work from home, some days “outside” simply means the patio or backyard. Might as well make it pretty—especially since many of us can open up these small spaces to visitors once again. As a conscious maximalist, adding pops of color is important to me for my own outdoor setup. I’m just so much happier surrounded by color. I also love outdoor accessories that I can bring inside during the colder months rather than pack away, like planters, coasters, and side tables. The season is just beginning, but luckily I’ve already found plenty of sustainable outdoor decor to add to my wishlist!

Left to right, top to bottom: Korissa Shuly Plant Hanger, Kazi Sunset Camel Hump Birdhouse, The Inside Cheetah Outdoor Throw Pillow, Holistic Habitat Earth Day Bundle, Les Pieds de Biche Terazzo Planter, Nipomo Luna Upcycled Blanket, House Raccoon Mila Planter, Kazi Rainbow Hooped Planter, St Frank Ombre Pink Coasters, Innit Designs Concha Chair, English Lavender Waxed Planter, Pollinator House by Raleigh Seed Co, Ten Thousand Villages Summer Day Hammock, Stained Glass Panel by Debbie Bean, Modern Sprout Seed Popper, Nardi Net Relax Armchair, Dash & Albert Zanzibar Ticking Rug, Bend Goods Conical Side Table in Pink

Are you giving your backyard a makeover this year? Where do you go for sustainable outdoor decor?

Love Anthropologie Fashion? Try These Ethical & Sustainable Alternatives

published on May 25, 2021 by Angela Hamilton

Ever since we posted our guide to home decor alternatives to Anthropologie back in March, this here blog has felt a little incomplete. That’s because while Anthropologie home decor is highly coveted, half of the brand is dedicated to gorgeous fashion of the sophisticated bohemian variety. But for conscious consumers, finding ethical and sustainable alternatives to Anthropologie takes a little more time and energy than this stylish one-stop-shop.

Fear not, flowy, print-adoring friends! We’ve spent entirely too much time on the internet in search of ethical fashion for many years now, so we’ve built up quite the resource list of sustainable alternatives. And guess what? They totally can compete with Anthropologie (some might even be stocked on their shelves–we fully support our small biz friends that find opportunity with big box retailers), offering styles that align for that trendy Anthro aficionado.

10 ethical and sustainable alternatives to anthropologie dresses

Based in Spain, Blue Anemone offers handcrafted, sustainable clothing with a vintage boho twist. Bonus: all of their packaging is plastic free. Yay!

RŪPAHAUS (based in Australia) is a really unique sustainable brand working with artisan communities in Indonesia to revive beautiful traditional natural dyeing techniques. These striped wide leg pants are hand-dyed and woven on a traditional handloom. They have menswear too!

Opia is an Australian-based slow fashion brand inspired by nature and the ocean. While they began as a brand making everything by hand-in house, they now employ a small family-run production team in Indonesia. Opia offers cotton and linen dresses and tops for that elevated boho look.

For those that appreciate Anthropologie’s affection for color, look no further than Mi Golondrina and their stunning hand-embroidered floral blouses. This brand tells you exactly where their garments come from in each product listing, and learning the artisan story behind them more than makes up for the jump in price.

Ethically produced in small batches, Portland-based Monochromatic is a curated marketplace of unisex, womens, and mens clothing from sustainable designers.

Designer slow fashion brand Celia B produces artful women’s clothing in Bali. Celia is the queeeen of print, OMG! Any Anthropologie fan would agree that Celia B’s spring collection is to die for. Full transparency: I have noticed that there is not a lot of information given within the product descriptions themselves, so be sure to check the materials and ask questions if you’re unsure of a particular design’s environmental impact!

London based womenswear brand Baukjen, a certified B corp, focuses on eco-friendly and ethical clothing. They publish regular impact reports, use innovative eco-fabrics, and have a rental program! (Don’t you think all fashion brands should offer clothing for rent, too? Just sayin.) Did I mention they have an OUTLET?

Eco club sustainable directory member and one of our favorite sustainable fashion brands Bel Kazan is an incredible alternative to Anthropologie. First of all, Anthro vibes? UM YES. And then some. The dress above is from their latest collection of colorful womenswear hand-printed in Bali. Each collection has something completely new and surprising, and I always look forward to seeing the creative prints they dream up!

NYC based sustainable clothing brand Leroli has that easygoing Anthro feel without the questionable materials or practices. They focus on materials like tencel, linen, and cupro. They’re one of our top favorites for adding color to your wardrobe.

Based in Jaipur, em & shi is home to the most beautiful feminine floral dresses, jumpsuits and blouses. I just want to sit in a field all day eating fruit while wearing this lovely jumpsuit, don’t you? This summer picnic dress is another sweet design!

6/1/21 edited to add more lovely alternatives to Anthropologie

Our member Omi Na Na offers clothing in that perfect mix of feminine boho and effortless elegance, carrying brands like em & shi and Mati, featured above. Accessories like this upcycled scrunchie give off those Anthro vibes too!

Christy Dawn has the prettiest, farm-to-closet sustainable dresses, tops, and jumpsuits, along with petite and extended sizes.

IKKIVI curates the best ethical fashion brands from India and delivers worldwide. So many of their brands exude those coveted Anthro vibes, and most offer inclusive sizing and even accommodate custom requests.

I realize that many of these shops like Anthropologie are based in different countries around the world. I find this so inspiring, especially since Anthropologie is known for “globally inspired” goods. At the same time, I know that shipping single garments halfway across the world isn’t the most sustainable way to shop. As with all things sustainable fashion, we have to weigh our options. I don’t expect you to ditch a US based brand for several international ones that have to produce & ship from separate locations–but I figure there’s no harm in discovering a new favorite brand that may just have that perfect item that currently only big box stores seem to offer! Thanks for joining in this important discussion and we can’t wait to continue the conversation!

Do you have any favorite sustainable alternatives to Anthropologie? Please share below!

16 Powerful Herbs To Try In Your Next DIY Tea Blend

published on May 19, 2021 by Mindy Chung

It’s time to spill the tea sis—literally. If you’re anything like me, Tiktok has opened a whole new realm of self-care and holistic practices you would never have thought of in a million years… including making your own tea from scratch with a DIY tea blend. I know Teavana stores (RIP) originally cornered that market so, for someone who’s used to buying the idiot-proof boxes of Sleepy Time tea from my local grocery store, the idea of mixing my own blends never really crossed my mind.

But no more! Here’s a list of some basic herbs to help you get your own par-tea started today. (I’ll see myself out.) Here you’ll find herbs to create a DIY tea blend for everything from increasing focus to catching more Zzzs and more. Happy mixing!

best teas for a mood boost

If you’ve been struggling to maintain your mood at work, herbs like saffron have been shown to raise dopamine levels and combat depression, as well as lessening PMS symptoms.

Rhodiola, also known as golden root, is believed to alleviate some symptoms of depression by balancing the brain’s neurotransmitters.

St John’s wort has been tested numerous times and shown promising results in lessening the symptoms of depression and mood disorders. HOWEVER, it has several documented interactions to certain medications, so definitely be mindful before incorporating it into your diet!

Gotu Kola has been used for centuries in ayurvedic medicine to relieve multiple conditions. In this instance, you can use the herb to help alleviate anxiety and improve mental clarity.

best teas for focus

It’s a tale as old as time—you make yourself a coffee, pop open your laptop, and settle down to work… only to realize you’d like to be doing anything but.

Although I’ll never admit to just how heavily my college-aged-self depended on it, guarana is a key ingredient in most energy drinks for a reason. The caffeine not only makes your brain go choo-choo like Tomas the Tank Engine, it also helps you maintain focus. Double whammy all around.

Maca is a popular enough supplement that even Trader Joe’s stocked it for a hot minute. Research shows that the maca root may improve learning, memory performance, and endurance (mental AND physical).

Ginko Bilboa is a stalwart proponent of Eastern medicine. Its touted benefits include increased brain functions resulting in better memory, focus, and attention span.

Probably the most unassuming herb on this list, rosemary has surprising benefits beyond making a pizza slap. Studies have shown that with regular ingestion, it can improve memory and sleep quality, and possibly combat burnout.

best teas for stress relief

I think we can all agree—whether you have your own business, or just clock in to your 9-5, everyone deals with stress in their day-to-day life.

There’s a reason lavender is such a dominating proponent of stress-relieving products. Although no concrete reason is given for its effect, it seems that the act of smelling the herb helps to bypass other signals (i.e. anxiety, stress) in the brain.

Ashwagandha is a part of a sub classification of herbs known as adaptogens; basically, they help your body adapt more efficiently to dealing with stress. It’s said to help normalize cortisol levels (the stress hormone), and in turn help ease related symptoms.

Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, is another adaptogenic herb. Chock full of antioxidants, Tulsi can be utilized to address a number of health concerns like boosting immunity, which tends to suffer when under prolonged bouts of stress.

Passionflower is a common additive in stress-targeted teas. Passionflower is believed to relieve anxiety and stress, as well as improve sleep by boosting your level of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) which calms brain activity.

best teas for sleep

NOTHING makes me saltier than settling in for the night… only to realize my brain is running faster than I did in high school P.E. Cue chamomile—the reigning go-to for those of us afflicted with insomnia and racing thoughts. Its properties are widely believed to help reduce anxiety and induce sleep so fluff your pillow, and say hello to the Sandman.

Next up is California poppy—just knowing poppies were used to make opiates should be enough of a testament to their abilities to put you out like a light. Although the California poppy is a different variety from the potent Opium poppy, it has a shared effect of improving anxiety and inducing sleep.

Valerian root has a long history as a sedative in herbal medicine. Like Passionflower it has been proven to increase GABA levels in the brain. Time to PTFO!

A cousin to mint, Lemon balm has known properties for reducing stress and anxiety, and as a result, is also known for helping ease the symptoms of sleeping disorders.

Have you ever made your own DIY tea blend? Let us know what herbs you’re most excited to start mixing in your own kitchen!

photo by Charity Hestead Kubena

10 Sustainable Underwear Brands + Knickey Review

published on May 18, 2021 by Angela Hamilton

To you this may be just another roundup post, but I can’t tell you how long the topic of sustainable underwear brands has taken up my precious internet browsing time. As a consumer, I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect undies for a couple years now, including a quest for the perfect womens boxer. Like, how is it that in 2021 womens undies are still literally made to be uncomfortable? Maybe it was the onset of my thirties, but I’ve reached the end of my tolerance for poly blends, irritating lace, and feeling suffocated. As an ethical consumer, I obviously do not want this wardrobe basic to be the source of any social or environmental shadiness. But buying ethical underwear has taken time to come around to. As we all know, it’s difficult to create a sustainable fashion budget, and it’s hard not to feel that resistance that comes with investing in something no one else sees.

… But, we all see clothing in a slightly different light thanks to the pandemic, and we have so much time at home. So any lingering resistance I had is most certainly gone at this point… I’d rather spend my pennies on sustainable underwear brands than most other articles of clothing at this point.

The list below contains mostly brands I’ve researched and admired from afar, along with a Knickey review since we recently got to try them IRL (yay!). If you’ve tried any of them or have others to add, please leave a comment or DM us on Instagram! We’d love to make these guides as helpful as can be.

10 sustainable underwear brands + review of Knickey

HARA‘s mission is to bring awareness to the human and environmental issues within the fashion industry while creating sustainable bamboo underwear that’s both rejuvenating and empowering. They’re all plant dyed, made in Australia with free shipping worldwide. I’m eyeing their low cut bra and high waist undies! Size XS-5X.

Made in USA Brook There specializes in organic cotton underwear and the colors are so subtle and dreamy! They also have this adorable keyhole undie. I’m really intrigued by their boyshorts, as they look more like briefs than cheekys, and therefore might be exactly what I’m looking for! Size XS-XXL.

Okay, so we all know about ARQ, right? Home of organic cotton basics for adults and littles alike. How pretty is periwinkle? Sizes XS-3X, depending on style.

Seasoned ethical consumers will recognize Proclaim, the sustainable underwear brand dedicated to inclusive fashion, offering nudes that are actually representative of a range of skin tones. Their everyday collection is made of Tencel and features bralettes too. Recently they’ve expanded to a gorgeous color pop collection shown above, (can I have these high rise undies in Poppy, please?) Size S-3X.

Lela is another brand with stunning organic cotton underwear options coming from Australia (keep that in mind if you’re trying to cut back on shipping impact). They have a few sexier silhouettes than you typically find in the cotton department! Hopefully they will feature more extensive size options soon. Size XS-L.

Possibly the prettiest sustainable underwear brand on our list is Botanica Workshop, who has lovely undies (including multipacks), bras, loungewear and accessories. Gosh these are dreamy! I hope to give them a try one day (though I’m pretty certain I’d spill right out of those pretty little bralettes). Oh, and they also offer recycled swimwear! Size S-L.

Pansy is another organic cotton underwear company you have probably seen on insta (their editorial shoots are incredible, they are one of our favorite ethical brands to follow!). They’ve been made in California since 2013! I’m most intrigued by their unisex stretch shorts, which seem like the perfect loungewear AKA work-from-home-wear. The spandex in it is made from recycled plastic bottles! Size XS-3X.

We’ve mentioned Object Apparel as a top sustainable loungewear brand, so it’s not too surprising to find them on our list of sustainable underwear brands! Their thermal shorties top my wishlist. (Does anyone else prefer undies with enough coverage to lounge pants-less in??) They offer XS-3L and custom sizing as well.

Canada based Mary Young (who we are linking here through our affiliate Made Trade, but feel free to purchase directly if you prefer), makes bamboo bras and underwear, as well as other PJs and loungewear. The whole line is soft, elevated, and sexy. Size XS-2X.

And finally, our Knickey review! Knickey sent us a couple pairs of their organic underwear, so we could give them a try before adding to our ethical shopping directory. Our web developer Jenn and I each tried their High Rise Briefs. I love their core colors, and we both thought the fit was perfect for our respective sizes. I recently tried a few other underwear brands in my normal size and they felt too tight/thick and a bit restrictive, but the Knickeys were 100% perfect, breathable, and cozy to wear for hours. Knickey currently stocks XS-3XL in their Mid Rise Brief, with the full range coming soon to their other cuts (as early as June).

I was really surprised to see organic underwear for $13 a piece. As you have probably gathered so far, it’s super hard to find sustainable underwear brands that are priced this low. Another perk of Knickey is their recycling program! You can save your undies from meeting their dirty end in a landfill by sending them back to Knickey to be made into other materials (like insulation!) through their textile recycling program. I’ll definitely be buying more as I refresh my collection, and hope to see a boxer-brief soon too, as I’m pretty sure that would be THE ideal fit for so many of us.

For all these reasons, we’re adding Knickey to our directory and have joined their affiliate program (affiliate links were used above).

EDIT October 2022

A year and a half later, I wanted to share a few updates on our favorite eco underwear brand, Knickey. Since our original post, I purchased a few more of their high-waisted briefs. They are still the underwear I wear most. They recently came out with limited edition colors and bralettes, though, and sent me a few to try:

OMG, their new colors are so cute! I tried rosy, melon, and sprig. It all goes quite nicely with my new scrunchie. I also tried one of their new bralettes, the keyhole cut.

Shopping for bras, and especially bralettes is very hard for me. Most of the time I won’t do it unless there are bra sizes. I requested a M in this bralette and it’s super comfy, but a bit small. As a 34DD I’d probably order a Large in the future. I LOVE that they have traditional bra bands and 4 clasps. It’s perfect for anyone who needs support. I just wish I had a bit more coverage (my fault, not theirs! their size guide is actually quite accurate in my opinion). I cannot wait until there are bright colors in this design!

Note: Knickey, like everyone else, has had to raise their prices over the past couple years. High rise briefs are now $17 each. My honest thought is that they are still worth it. They are still much more affordable than many brands selling ethically made, organic underwear, and the quality is worth it.

Have you tried Knickey or the other sustainable underwear brands on this list? Let us know who you recommend!

edited to add another brand 8/5/2021:

I recently got the chance to try WAMA Underwear,(XS-3X), a sustainable underwear brand that creates undies for women and men using organic hemp fabric. They chose to make underwear with hemp because it is naturally anti-bacterial with anti-odor properties, comfortable, breathable, and gets softer each wash. I tried out their Hemp Boy Shorts and High Waisted Underwear. I’ve worn and washed each a few times now and here are my thoughts!

Okay, the Boy Shorts. I generally hate boy shorts because if I want underwear up my butt I will just wear a thong. But these are just long enough that they do not ride up and are more like a womens boxer brief to me. As mentioned above, I’ve had trouble finding the perfect sustainable boxer! Other brands I’ve tried (sustainable or otherwise), their boxer briefs are too long, too tight on the thighs, or just fit weird in general. I definitely think these are my favorites so far in this particular cut of undies. I also like that they’re $20 and you can order in packs, because so many of the brands I admire (that make this cut) are a bit out of my price range. $20 I can handle!

I also tried the High Waisted cut. For both, the hemp does indeed seem quite comfortable and breathable. They stretch enough when wearing but form back to size after the wash/dry. I typically like my high-waists to be *really* high, theirs aren’t as hi cut, but I’m sure some people prefer that. Lastly, it just so happened that I chose the two styles that only come in black and green, but others have an array of neutrals, including the mens! I’m interested to see how my boyfriend likes them next 🙂

If you’re interested in giving WAMA hemp underwear a try yourself, use code ECOCLUB10 for 10% off your first order.

DIY Onion Skin Dye – Natural Dye Tutorial for Cotton & Silk

published on May 12, 2021 by Angela Hamilton

If you tuned into our IG Live with Tatiana of Zuahaza for Earth Month, you may know that we’re getting very into natural dyes over here! Learning about Zuahaza’s process of dyeing with organic cotton opened our eyes to the many ways you can go about dyeing your own fabrics naturally. I’ve had natural dye on my DIY bucket list for years, and the DIY avocado dye Tatiana shared a while back got me even more excited to give this a go. For this project, she shared her recipe for DIY onion skin dye, which is a way to dye cotton, silk, and other natural fabrics a range of yellow, mustard, and orange hues. I followed her lead with my own silk scarves and cotton yarn, and we all got very different results!

Keep reading for the DIY from Zuahaza, as well as photos of my own results of the tutorial.

diy onion skin dye – what you’ll need

ONION SKINS

Store your onion skins in a dry place for at least a week. If you see mold collecting, you can move your onion skins to your fridge. Try to get them as dry as possible before you freeze them. The number of onion skins will vary, but as a rule-of-thumb, collect as much as your fabric weighs. A 1:1 ratio is always a good place to start.

Note: Onion skins are extremely lightweight when dried, so you might need to collect more than what you think.

Tip: If you can’t collect enough onion skins from your kitchen, head to your local farmers’ market and ask them for a few. They generally peel onions and throw away the skins, anyway!

FABRIC OF CHOICE

If you are planning to store 200g of onion skins, then you’ll need your yarn skein or your cotton t-shirt to weigh at least 200g. We encourage exact measurements.

ALUM POWDER OR AN ALUMINUM STONE

Some great websites sell natural dyeing materials. You can order alum powder from Dharma Trading here. If you are using powder, you will need only 1 tablespoon of powder per 100g of fiber. If you are in Colombia or in other countries outside the US and Europe, I recommend buying an aluminum stone, which you can easily find in pharmacies or online. You just need one or two for this project.

Note: I (Angela) used alum powder, and Tatiana used a stone for hers.

A LARGE STAINING STEEL POT

HEAT-RESISTANT GLOVES

A WOODEN SPOON

I had collected these onion skins in my freezer for many moons before the tutorial. It was a pretty big pile!

before dyeing, mordant your fibers

First, we are going to prepare your fibers to soak up and adhere to the color as much as possible. I prefer to mordant all my fibers with aluminum before dyeing because it makes the colors stronger and even more long-lasting. It’s a simple step that helps guarantee your color won’t wash off after dyeing.

Boil enough water in a medium-size pot. Just enough to cover your fibers.

Introduce 1 aluminum stone or 1-2 teaspoons of aluminum powder (based on the weight of your fibers)
Mix thoroughly until dissolved.
Wet your fibers. Make sure your fibers (t-shirt or yarn skein) are fully wet before introducing them.
Introduce your fibers to the hot pot and simmer for 1 hour.
Move your fibers around every once in a while. Do not let the fibers sit. This will avoid having uneven color and help you get nice even results
Remove and wash with cold water.

diy natural dye tutorial – how to dye onion skins

1. In a medium-size pot, bring water to a boil and then keep it at a simmering temperature. How much water you might ask? This is not as important as the exact measurement for your dyestuff and dry goods. Enough water to cover your fibers is good.

2. When the temperature is simmering, add your dry onion skins to the pot. DO NOT let the water get to a boiling temperature as this might burn the dye and you might get results that end up brown.

3. Keep at a simmering temperature (medium to low heat) for about an hour.

4. You can either filter out your onion skins in this step or keep them in the bath, is up to you.

I read that some people do not mordant silk before use (it is good at keeping color naturally), but that it is possible to do so. So I used the mordant for one of the two scarves – the darker one was treated with the mordant before dyeing, and I skipped that step with the one that came out lighter. Love them both!

5. Introduce your fibers. I recommend always washing with water your yarn skein or fabric before introducing it to the dye bath. This opens up the fiber molecules to receive the dye better and avoid uneven dye spots.

6. Move your fibers around constantly. You can use metal tongs, wooden spoons, or heat-resistant gloves to move it around the dye bath. This is crucial to getting even colors.

7. Leave your fibers between 1-2 hours in the dye bath and move around constantly.

8. Carefully use your heat-resistant gloves to take out your fibers and wash with water until water runs clear and discard your onion skins in compost or organic material waste.

As for my cotton yarn, the onion skins produced a very light peachy-orange dye, like a faded creamsicle hue. It looks a bit more orange-y in real life, but my phone didn’t capture it perfectly.

This DIY onion dye recipe is actually the same one that Zuahaza uses to produce their own yellow hue on their textiles! Just look for the one with the Pitaya Yellow shade.

How that you’ve seen MY results, head to Zuahaza’s blog to see Tatiana’s! She dyed a towel and a t-shirt, and got a much more mustard color! She also reveals what happens when you add iron and other modifiers, as well as more tips and tricks for successful dyeing.

How To Style A Silk Scarf

published on May 4, 2021 by Angela Hamilton
updated on November 2, 2021

With temps finally warming up in Seattle, I’m getting inspired to change out of my moss girlfriend leggings and into something slightly dressier… at least once a week (baby steps). One of the easiest ways to make a simple outfit like a maxi dress, a bright jumpsuit, or ethically made overalls perfectly put together for spring is with a beautiful silk scarf. Danish sustainable luxury womenswear brand 1 People, a new #ecoclubapproved directory member, sent us two of their regenerative silk scarves to try just in time for our last content shoot, so we snapped a few photos of them at a cute airbnb we stayed at nearby!

What is Regenerative Silk? 1 People uses a bluesign® certified luxurious mulberry silk fabric produced from regenerative farming methods, that achieve comprehensive and sustainable conservation of the atmosphere, water and soil. bluesign® certification means that a product has been manufactured with responsible use of resources, lowest impact on people & planet, and safety for the consumer. I’ve recently learned that the natural fiber silk, like cotton, can either be incredibly sustainable or super damaging. It all depends how it is produced, so I’m happy to learn about regenerative silk!

So let’s start with the classic… tying a silk scarf around your neck. Totally dreamy for a pop of color.

The Icon Collection is an ode to women trailblazers throughout history, with each scarf designed in honor of a specific woman. The two scarves we styled were inspired by Maya Angelou (above) and Rachel Carson. Each scarf also comes with a detachable recycled brass pendant to elevate it further.

Each is digitally printed, resulting in a beautiful wearable painting. The Icon Collection also celebrates Jane Goodall, RA Kartini, Wangari Maathai, and other change-makers past and present.

A favorite when it comes to hair scarves is tying it around a soft pony, long and loose. Love the pops of yellow and orange with Jenn’s sagey green sweater.

They have two sizes, but we went with the square version. It’s so versatile, though the Twilly size would look super cute as a neckerchief or purse tie.

Side pony is another fun 90s inspired look, and was also a great reminder that I’m terrible at tying the most basic of knots…

Other silk scarf styling tips we love:

Tie it around a bag, purse, or luggage handle for a pop of color!
Wear as a bandana tied under chin (you’ll need your big sunnies and convertible, obvs)
Tie around your topknot for an easy statement bun!

Use code ANGELA (that’s me!) for 10% off your 1 People purchase

Do you wear silk scarves? What’s your favorite way to style them?

Photos by Charity Hestead Kubena.