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How To Make Your Wedding More Sustainable

published on April 28, 2021 by Angela Hamilton
updated on May 4, 2021

Hi friends! Allow us to introduce you to our new eco club member, ethical brand Valani! VALANI designs beautiful, flirty and romantic clothing for women who want a wardrobe that’s also sustainable and ethically made. Many of Valani’s pieces also make great bridesmaid dresses! Today, Valani owner Vanni is here sharing her tips on how to make your wedding more sustainable!

We all know that planning a wedding is one of the most stressful things to do in life. As beautiful as this occasion is, it can also be expensive, time consuming and wasteful. When we add eco-friendly to the mix, you might think it’s going to cost more, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are some sustainable wedding planning tips to lighten the stress on the planet and your wallet:

Weddings are all about the outdoors this year. Backyard weddings are trending hard for a few reasons:

It’s best to be outdoors for the ventilation and ability to spread guests 6 feet apart.
Venues are high in demand and limited in slots this year due to the pandemic.
It’s one of the most affordable and easily available options.
Also consider parks or community centers if your backyard is limited in space.

Go with digital invitations. Save paper and skip the printed save the date cards, change the date cards, and RSVP cards. The cost of printing each card and postage adds up fast. No need to obsess over designing an elaborate hard copy invitation when most guests will throw it away after they save the info in their calendars.

Setup a wedding website. There are so many free options. Here’s where you can share your amazing love story, important details and FAQs. Guests can RSVP and let you know of any special diet requests. You can easily keep track of who has or hasn’t RSVP yet. So easy!

Skip the single use cards. This includes programs and menu cards. Honestly, these are just left on the table or chair for you to collect later. It’s quite wasteful! Try reusable signage like chalkboards on an easel or include this info on the wedding website.

Get creative with place cards. Be creative and use natural, biodegradable options. Paint or write names on leaves or rocks. Or use recycled paper to print ONE large sign—it’s cheaper than several small ones. Check out Pinterest for inspiration—the possibilities are endless.

Ditch the balloons. These single use decorations are horrible for the environment and wildlife. While some balloons can be 100% latex and be biodegradable, if released to into the air, it can create problems for wildlife and the environment (digestion, entanglement and pollution). Unfortunately, most balloons end up in the landfill or waterways. For pops of color, try using colored tissue paper to make puffs or flowers. It’s biodegradable, inexpensive and recycled tissue paper options are easily available.

Rent or buy used wedding décor. Plates, tableware, linens, chair covers and napkins can all be rented. Some florists, caterers, event planners offer this. You might even be able to save a bit if it’s a package deal. Wedding items lose their value quickly—don’t just assume you can buy something new and easily sell it after the big day!

Upcycled Décor. Upcycled wine bottles, glass jars, tin cans to create centerpieces. These may sound too simple, but let your creativity run wild and you might be surprised. A little bit of paint, fabric and twine can easily dress up these common items into beautiful, unique décor. Look into Pinterest for inspiration.

Use plant-based candles for ambiance. Set the mood for romance with candles—they also look great on camera. Plant based candles are biodegradable, burn clean and soot free. Most importantly, it’s better for you and the environment as it doesn’t release toxic carcinogens into the air.

Use live, potted plants instead of cut flowers for centerpieces and decorations. At the end of the day, these live plants will be repurposed at home or gifted to guests. I love potted plants—it’s symbolic like watching your love grow.

DIY Flowers. If you’re on a budget or want to keep your wedding as eco-friendly as possible, skip the florist and keep things simple. Grab a few bunches of blooms from your local market. Ask a creative friend to help. This post on sustainable DIY flowers has a few tips!

Confetti. Avoid plastic or foil confetti as it’s not biodegradable, not to mention what a nightmare it is to clean up. Natural elements like dried flowers, real flowers from your garden, and leaves work beautifully!

Ditch the floral foam. It’s the green squishy sponge commonly used inside of floral arrangements. It’s made of microplastics, toxic chemicals and does not biodegrade. 1 block of foam is equal to 10 plastic shopping bags. Instead, try using pebbles, sand, gravel, clay, or marbles inside of vases or bottles.

Smaller guest list. Thanks to the pandemic, it’s not easier than ever to keep a guest list intimate. Don’t invite people because you feel obligated. Ask yourself, will I be in contact with this person in 1 or 2 years?
This means less resources used, less money spent, and it’s less risky with the unpredictable COVID regulations.

Green your party favors. Avoid printing or engraving the specifics of your wedding onto the gift. No one really wants a cup with your wedding details on it. Favors can be a thoughtful ‘thank you’ to guests, but if it’s not something they actually want, it ends up in the trash or collecting dust. Some ideas:

Packets of flower or vegetables seeds
Packets of bird seeds or bird seed feeders
Mini potted plants—succulents are easy to take care of!
A tree sapling to plant
Palm-oil free soaps wrapped in paper or twine, instead of plastic
Edible treats—make sure the packaging is biodegradable or low waste!

Let your bridal party choose their dresses! Pick a color and length or color palette. That way, she can use one she already has, rent one or even purchase a sustainable bridesmaid dress for the occasion (and beyond). She’ll actually wear these more than once and alterations may not be needed! Same goes for shoes and accessories.

How will you make your wedding more sustainable? Do you have tips to add? Be sure to check out member VALANI for gorgeous sustainable fashion!

Sokha Banana Midi Dress by Valani.

wedding photos by lucas mendes

Your Guide to Small Batch and Sustainable Shopping in LA

published on April 26, 2021 by Mindy Chung
updated on November 2, 2021

Behind all the glitz and glam of Hollywood on-screen, is a more eco-conscious reality—the one where avocado toast and locally sourced bee pollen are totally a thing (I don’t get it either). I know Portland has technically cornered the market on “weird,” but I thoroughly believe you’d be hard-pressed to find a cultural scene more eclectic than LA.

As fast-paced and transient as life in the big city may be, many Angelenos have made a collective effort to cultivate a lasting green movement. Their dedication has spawned multiple small batch and sustainable shops specializing in home goods, sustainable fashion labels, and even bulk dry goods. In true LA fashion, the stores are hip (do kids say hip anymore?), modern, and full of potential.

So here’s a small rundown of a few sustainable shops in LA that you can shop in-person and online, if you’ve been tinkering with the idea of making a few lifestyle adjustments.

Bulk refill stores in LA

I’m going to be 100% with you—the first time I heard about bulk goods stores, I was confuzzled. Americans have been raised to value packaging—so much so that there is a whole industry around the profitability of package marketing. And while certain movements, like the transition to banana leaf packaging in Thailand seem like a novel alternative, for a city like LA, it’s just unrealistic to think that the supply could match the demand.

Now, while some grocery chains like Sprouts do offer bulk goods like nuts and flour, if you’re still using their plastic bags, the point seems kind of moot. That’s why stores like re_ (formerly known as tare) circumvent this issue with their package-free policy- they allow customers to bring their own clean containers from home, and also offer post-consumer paper bags and reusable glass containers for purchase. Wild Terra follows a similar model by letting customers bring containers from home, but offers a more eclectic variety of herbs like burdock root and damiana.

Then there’s the original mobile refill shop, Refillery LA, who refills household and personal care products in West LA to reduce plastic pollution. They even make house calls!

Sustainable Décor Shops in LA

I don’t know if it’s a sign of my aging, but home goods excite me in a way they didn’t five years ago. Factor in an effort to exercise sustainable market practices, and businesses like the General Store might as well just take my money now. The General Store offers a well-rounded experience of home goods curated from local artists, as well as vintage finds, to create an overall intimate feeling to their offerings.

While the General Store is clean and minimalist, Otherwild is anything but. Founded by a community of artists and designers, Otherwild offers an array of goods, all sold with the focus on quality and ethical business practices. They also offer their own take on a general store with zero-waste bath and kitchen goods, as well as a refill station.

Lastly, Studio City’s Greenwood is a plant paradise featuring artisan pottery, small batch home décor, and apothecary goods. Plant mamas, get ready to swoon over their oh-so-green insta.

Ethical Fashion in LA

I’m just as guilty as the next person who’s become too comfortable with instant gratification when it comes to the clothes we buy; often overlooking the hidden cost of quality and work environment for manufacturers. But in an admirable effort to fight against the toxic culture of fast fashion, companies like Whimsy and Row pride themselves on operating as an eco-conscious brand that produces quality goods made with sustainable practices in mind.

Belljar in Los Feliz offers designer fashion from indie brands, homewares, gifts, and a beautifully curated collection of vintage. Not local? Don’t worry, they list their beautiful pieces online too!

If you’re cool with online-only, LA’s MATE is all about organic, sustainably made clothing in LA for women and littles. Their loungewear is about as comfy-trendy as it gets. Check out their annual impact report for a deeper look into their commitments.

When people say LA has it all, they’re not exaggerating; yes, it’s a hub for mindless consumerism, but locals are constantly combating wasteful practices with new businesses founded on eco-consciousness. The city has built a community of sustainable resources that continues to grow every day. Although we may never be completely waste-free and independently sustainable, at least I can buy my lentils in bulk and not feel bad about the packaging.

What does the sustainable shopping movement look like in your area?

Sustainably Made Utility Jumpsuits in Every Color of the Rainbow

published on April 16, 2021 by Angela Hamilton
updated on November 2, 2021

First it was maxi dresses, then it was overalls (updated this week with more styles!), and now it’s the utility jumpsuit… don’t you love how many options we have for one-piece outfits these days? It took me a while to get behind jumpsuits (I’m 5’0 and have a tiny bladder, so, even if it fits, it’s annoying), buuut now that I spend oh so much time at home I can’t deny how comfortable they are. And should I finally leave my den (thank goodness for Seattle spring!), I even look slightly put together, thanks to these one-piece looks. Whether it’s the boiler suit, the flight suit, the work suit or the coveralls–this simple yet tailored style of the sustainably made utility jumpsuit is so versatile you might as well have a few new hues! Check out all the colors these goodies are available in 🌈, below…

Pink jumpsuit from Big Bud Press

Gray painters jumpsuit by Christy Dawn

YELLOW jumpsuit from nooworks

Red jumpsuit from Back Beat Co

Green jumpsuit by Sotela

Plum jumpsuit by Outerknown

Orange jumpsuit by Saint Geraldine from Cara Cara

Mint linen jumpsuit from OffOn

Neutral MATE linen jumpsuits

Black tencel jumpsuit by Komodo

Lilac People Tree jumpsuit from Sancho’s

What jumpsuits are you wearing lately? Tell us which of these sustainably made utility jumpsuits you’d wear… I love the fit of the grey and black, but pink is more my style! 🌈

5 Shopify Apps to Strengthen Customer Experience

published on April 14, 2021 by Jennifer Andrew

Does your sustainable brand run on Shopify? So far in our series of resources for shop owners we’ve shared our Instagram and blog tips, but today let’s back up and focus on the platform. Because so many of our ethical shopping directory members run on Shopify, we thought we’d share why we love this platform and how easy it is to create an even better experience for your customer.

Shopify is created specifically for e-commerce brands so even out of the box themes are user friendly, intuitive, and customizable (although if you have the budget, we recommend investing in a highly custom theme tailored to your specific needs). Rather than being self-hosted, your Shopify site runs on Shopify’s speeder servers and has built in SEO and analytics tools. Shopify also integrates with countless apps to enhance your customer’s user experience and make your site easier to manage. Most apps include a free trial so you can test them out and see if they are working for you before you commit to a monthly fee. Ultimately, your Shopify apps can end up paying for themselves because of the value they add to your store.

5 types of Shopify apps to strengthen customer experience

Rewards Program. Anybody else notice that rewards programs are springing up like wildflowers lately? We’ve implemented several rewards programs into shops over the past year and they are surprisingly easy to set up. Earning rewards makes shopping more fun for your customers and can also increase your revenue as it keeps shoppers coming back for more perks. Our fave Shopify app for rewards is Smile—their free plan comes with a few good options, but if you opt for a higher priced plan, you can apply full design customization, integrate Smile with other apps, and more. Another amazing rewards program app is Loyalty Lion. It can be a bit more pricey but the options and app integration are endless, and LL’s customer support is incredible.

In-stock Notifications. This kind of app adds a signup form to products that are sold out and alerts customers via email when those products are back in stock. Our favorite is Alert Me! Restock Alerts. Customers love being the first to know when an item on their wishlist is in stock again. In the dashboard of this app, you’ll be able to view stats showing how much revenue you’ve earned from your in stock notifications.

Wishlist. Speaking of wishlists! We always joke about having too many screenshots and saved photos on Instagram/texts, making it hard to remember what gems we’ve found in shops and what we actually want to purchase. Integrating a wishlist app for your shop makes it easy for customers to keep all their faves in one spot and come back to purchase them when they’re ready. We love the app Wishify— it adds a little heart to product pages and collection pages, so visitors can easily add products to wishlist page connected to their customer account.

Newsletter Signup Form. We all know how quickly our inboxes can get cluttered with newsletters that we don’t even remember signing up for. What usually gets me to sign up for a newsletter is a discount code or free shipping coupon. If the newsletter has a gorgeous design and personable copywriting, I will probably stay subscribed. A newsletter isn’t just a way to announce sales, it’s a great tool for connecting to shoppers on a more personal level (but more on that later). Shopify has a built-in newsletter feature so all you need is an app to send your subscribers from Shopify to MailChimp, Klaviyo, or whichever email marketing service you use. To connect to Mailchimp, you’ll need to use the ShopSync app, while Klaviyo and many other services have their own apps or custom integration methods.

Accessibility App. Integrating an accessibility app with your shop is more than just a “nice to have”. In 2010, the Department of Justice published the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design which states that “all electronic and information technology must be accessible to people with disabilities.” (source: interactiveaccessibility.com) We recommend installing Accessibly, Accessibility Assistant, or Accessibility Enabler on Shopify asap. This is an easy but important way to show compassion and respect to your customers (…and avoid a lawsuit).

What are your favorite Shopify apps? And, what other Shopify questions do you have for us?

How To Dress Like A Conscious Maximalist

published on April 12, 2021 by Angela Hamilton
updated on November 2, 2021

I love that the concept of maximalism in sustainable fashion is really just representative of opportunity—taking advantage of your ability to style something out of the ordinary and collect from many different sources, and with limitless potential for inspiration. It’s embodying the idea that you are a canvas with endless opportunity for expression. By adding the ‘conscious’ aspect, you challenge yourself to be more discerning about your fashion, taking into account where and how it’s made, and how useful it will be to your wardrobe (ie no impulse buys or one-time wears). Today we have three tips on how to dress like a conscious maximalist, and throughout this post you’ll find a few of our favorite sustainable fashion brands for maximalist style!

Gossamer Vintage Rust Ruffle Blouse

Buy Secondhand

Shopping vintage and secondhand is one of the best ways to pull off a conscious maximalist wardrobe because you’re able to find designs that aren’t seen elsewhere, and therefore make every outfit look one of a kind. It allows you to mix and match unexpected colors and patterns in a fresh way. Those who love the concept of conscious maximalism are into the treasure hunt—they love the idea that fashion is expressive and meant to be experimented with!

Mi Golondrina Olivia Blouse

Meaningful Finds

With that in mind, you’ll want to keep a mend mentality—that the pieces in your wardrobe are special and worth repairing rather than trashing. That also means that while you’re on the vintage hunt, you don’t buy for the sake of a “thrift haul” but because you can see yourself wearing the hell out of a piece. Or perhaps it’s new but you absolutely love the brand/designer, and want to support them by adding a piece of their artwork to your rotation. It’s beyond cliché now, but it’s a helpful question to ask while shopping—does this spark JOY for me?! Or is it just trendy or a good deal?

Samantha Pleet Moon Banquet

Layer Up

Maximalist home décor is defined by layers of surprisingly (but well-coordinated) prints, textures, and colors. Same goes for maximalist style in fashion! I’m so inspired by anyone who can pull off bold mixed prints—they make it look easy but you have to have a good eye for design to make it work! Layering is key to this look, and not just with warm clothes in the winter. Sometimes it’s the littlest details like a good necklace and blouse collar combo that makes an outfit go from average to marvelously maximalist.

Tuesday of California Cadette Skirt

How would you describe your personal style? Conscious maximalism is admittedly more of an aspirational style to me, but it’s inspiring me to look in my closet and pull out those purchases that used to seem too loud or risky and finally wear them with confidence.

Where to Buy Ethically Made Shoes Under $300

published on March 29, 2021 by Angela Hamilton

When it comes to sustainable shopping, ethically made shoes aren’t the most affordable. It kind of makes sense, though, right? If there’s a wardrobe staple worth investing in, there’s no better one than on quality footwear that you can walk around in for months (or even years) before discarding.

Not to mention, shoes are one of the toughest fashion pieces to purchase secondhand (in my opinion)–though I applaud anyone who has the patience to do so as it can be quite the search to find the right pair for you.

I think shoes are generally bound to be expensive (those of good quality, anyway!) so it’s worth it to me to pay the added price of ensuring they are ethically made. That said, each of the companies below has their own sustainability standards, so it’s up to you to decide if you are comfortable with their level of transparency and use of certain materials. Shoes are tricky! But I hope this gets you off to a good start…

Chicago Ankle Strap Heels in Canela by 1 People $179 / Above photo by @charityvictoria

Danish sustainable womenswear brand 1 People, who is a new member of our ethical shop directory, has a line of shoes under $200 made from ethically-harvested teak wood with recycled brass details. After trying them on and reviewing them in person (we took this photo during our last shoot!), I knew I had to add them to this guide! The sandals are casual and comfortable, and the teak heel is stunning. If I ever put on jeans again, these will look perfect with crops!

The 1 People scarf (printed on 100% Regenerated Silk) we styled these shoes on is beautiful as well, and we’ll share more soon. In the meantime, be sure to use code ANGELA if you shop their site for 10% off your purchase.

Atelier Alienor Olive Lace Up Sandals $165

Islenas Off Grid Sandals $150

Augusta The Brand from Wolf & Badger $260

Ea Par Ta Espadrilles Palla Sora Sandals $210

Llani Shop Modern Boot in Merlot Cheque $130

About Arianne Mel Dahlia $335

Soludos Yin Yang Platform Sneaker in Coral $149

ABLE Sarai D’orsay Heel $98

Loeffler Randall Maisie Bermuda Pink Sport Sandal $195 (but if you need something more formal, the prettiest splurge would be Cammellia Bow Sandal Emerald $395)

Freedom Moses Candy Slides $50 (photo by @blaireadiebee)

Zuzii Romy Clogs in Avocado $215

Alohas Double Strap Camel Sandal (Preorder) $98/$117

Yumayo Gila Metallic slide $140

Georgia Wasabi $395 This is the one pair of all ethical shoe brands that I can see spending $400 on. HILOS mission to provide circular footwear is so fascinating to me! That means shoes are created to be recycled—deconstructed and repurposed. They’re also made from performance (AKA workout-y materials and 3D printed!) I just happened across them on Instagram one day and had to to learn more. It’s just such a unique design I can see why someone might consider this investment piece.

Where do you shop for ethically made shoes? Let us know so we can edit the post with your faves!