Design + Decor

How to Transform Your Bedroom with Ethically Made Home Decor

published on August 26, 2020 by Angela Hamilton
updated on May 2, 2023

Kay, I know we’re full of home decor talk this summer (admittedly that says a lot about how I’m coping with the world at the moment but hey it makes me feel better and I get to gush about sustainable brands, SO!), with our backyard picnic and guide to sustainable home decor boutiques. But I promise these gorgeous photos Charity styled and shot during our collaboration with Zuahaza will have you inspired to take on a creative home project or two, ethically made home decor included, of course.

We actually have two bedroom styles for you today, beginning with this sunlit linen bed scene.

Recreate this look with a set of pillows, sheets, and a linen duvet in two tones of blush.

Top with soft woven throw pillows in cheerful colors. Zuahaza’s Salento Pillow and Jardin Pillow were used here!

The pillows look TOO good with that linen. So cozy and yet summery.

In related news, Charity decided to paint a wall in her guest room the most amazing dark jungle green. It turned out pretty damn good for an impulsive DIY, don’t you think? The prints are by Carla Llanos and Madeline Kate Martinez.

OF COURSE our sweet lil’ pillow snuggled right on in. This look is all about unexpected color combos. There is a lot of ethically made home decor designed in rich colors and textures (especially if woven) in online boutiques like Zuahaza’s. Because of the often higher price point of ethically made goods, it can be a little risky to take the plunge and go for it. But that’s why I like investing in statement pieces like these when I’m able to. There’s been so many times I’ve opted for something less beautiful and just poorly made because of budget, and had I just saved that to put toward one or two really, truly great pieces, I’d have spent the same amount (or less). And I can honestly say that whenever I’ve spent the money on a handmade piece from an independent shop or Etsy maker, I’ve never been disappointed!

Something so simple as a beautifully made pillow or a little shelf featuring a couple of unique art prints can truly transform a space. Just make sure to keep your kitty away from those tassels!

How has ethically made home decor transformed your living space? Do you find that pieces like this are worth investing in? Let us know!

12 Expertly Curated Online Boutiques for Sustainable Home Decor

published on August 24, 2020 by Angela Hamilton
updated on May 2, 2023

When I started blogging about green living and sustainable home decor back in 2015, it felt like I was always linking to the same five shops. There were plenty of options, but you really had to dig to find them. Reflecting on that time reminds me that while things seem to be moving at an imperceptible pace (and sometimes completely backwards, thanks, prez) in terms of society’s dedication to sustainability, they truly are moving. Still, anyone new to sustainable living will soon find how much research goes into ensuring your products really are ethically crafted, so I wanted to update you all with what I’ve found are some incredible sustainable home decor shops online! There are many out there but I chose these specifically because they always have a lot to choose from, a variety of price-points, and feature so many fantastic independent designers/artisans.

12 Expertly Curated Online Boutiques for Sustainable Home Decor

Made Trade – This eco club member is an enormous marketplace full of ethically made goods and sustainable home decor. They definitely have the largest roster of sustainable brands that I’ve seen in any single marketplace! (Product shown)

Loom & Field is a textile and homeware brand featuring rugs and other ethically made goods crafted in partnerships with artisans in Morocco. (Product shown)

Design Milk has their own design shop where you can purchase modern design and wares from independent brands all in one place. (Product shown)

Goodee, a Certified B-corp, is a global marketplace where good design and good impact intersect. (Product shown)

Bon Femmes sells beautiful art prints and other wares and accessories by independent makers. (Product shown)

Baba Souk is a Canadian based “happy home decor” shop full of ethically sourced, colorful Moroccan rugs, poufs, baskets, and handmade accents. (Product shown)

Mercado Collective, who also sells ethical jewelry and accessories, offers boho, desert, and travel-inspired artisan home goods. (Product shown)

Meso Goods is (in their words) a Guatemalan-based company dedicated to the design and production of exclusive handmade home decor and personal accessories. (Product shown)

Favor is a sister-brand to the furniture company Industry West, that emphasizes modern global home decor and independently designed wares. (Product shown)

Eco Vibe, an eco-friendly apparel and accessories brand from Portland has launched a line of sustainable home decor and plants at an affordable price point. (Product shown)

SustainAble Home Goods features a wide array of sustainable home decor, kitchenwares, gifts, and accessories. They also stock lots of vintage goodies and feature exclusive collaborations with independent artists. (Product shown)

Woven Rosa is a dream for the curator of a colorful home, with handwoven textiles, cushions, tote bags, and other unique finds like this wicker lampshade that was handmade in Peru. (Product shown)

Edit 2022: I wanted to update this post to share a new shop coming from the founders of eco club (AKA Jennifer and I). It’s called wallflower and we stock lots of handmade and sustainable home decor goodies as well as accessories and stationery. Take a peek!

Do you have a sustainable home decor shop to add to this list? Do tell, it seriously lights us up.

Creating a Summer Oasis On My Apartment Balcony

published on August 10, 2020 by Angela Hamilton
updated on May 11, 2023

Do you have outdoor space you can retreat to during the summer of COVID? I’ve always been one to make use of any outdoor space I have, no matter how small–in California I was one of the only people in our entire complex to make use of the gorgeous courtyard (we didn’t have our own deck) almost everyday. Now that we’re in Seattle there are only so many months we can use our balcony but I’ve never been more grateful to have one!

For some reason no one else in our complex, again, seems to do so much as stand outside on theirs, but, their loss. I’m fully committed to making this space my oasis right up until Seattle starts doing that heavy wind/side rain situation that renders even covered spaces useless. That’s at least two months away!

Natural Fringe Coasters / Vases by Gabrielle Silverlight / Organic Cotton Yoga Mat / Woven Rosa Runner / Bamboo Hand Fans / Pink Bamboo Bowls / Mint Striped Vase / Kilim Pillow (sold out, find more from this shop here) / Fringed Palm Basket

Like most people I know, months of sheltering in place, not to mention search for an outlet to direct some of that pent-up despair-over-the-fate-of-the-world energy, has led me to pour all my creativity and all my pennies into outfitting this small apartment balcony. Normally I’d purchase as much as I could for our balcony at a thrift store, but I’m trying to think of this as an opportunity to purchase from a few of my favorite Etsy shops and ethical brands.

So far I’ve outfitted my outdoor loveseat with vintage pillows from Etsy (guide to my favorite shops coming soon) and I’m waiting on a rug too. Next I hope to find some more unique artisan decor pieces like the vases above and I’d love to someday replace my battered yoga mat with an organic cotton mat by OKO–isn’t it gorgeous and about one million times better than any other yoga mat you’ve seen?

I’ll share a progress update once it looks more put together. But honestly, no matter what it looks like, it’s still my oasis every step of the way.

Do you have an outdoor space to retreat to during summer?

Making The Most Of Summer During Covid-19

published on August 5, 2020 by Angela Hamilton
updated on May 1, 2023

If there are two things that can (at least temporarily) pull me out of the funk that 2020 has trapped me in, it’s gotta be A) getting creative with someone (yes someone, social distance style) and B) spending time outside. Our talented photographer Charity and I had canceled our spring shoot due to the pandemic. Halfway through summer and sufficiently bummed, we knew that even if just the two of us got together outside we’d feel a whole lot better!

Today I’ll walk you through what we did so that hopefully you can make the most of this strange summer safely, with just a good friend (or family that you live with!) and a little patch of grass.

We’d connected with Tatiana of Zuahaza earlier this year with a tour of her creative studio in Bogota here on eco club. Zuahaza’s ethically made home décor are designed and produced in collaboration with their local community of female artisans. Tatiana is a fiber artist herself so it’s very inspiring to see how she combined so many of her own passions into this sustainable business.

She mailed us Zuahaza’s Salento Pillow and Jardin Pillow. When possible, I love to personally experience the brands we add to our sustainable shopping directory. I know there’s a bit of risk in not being personally involved with each & every one, but we’re also mindful of each member’s budgets and the fact that quite honestly we don’t need that much product. The pillows were beautifully made using 100% organic cotton and vibrant natural dyes. And as mentioned, they’re SO soft. So I brought those, along with several pillows I’d collected from Etsy for my balcony, over to summer happy hour with Charity.

Next we made this tasty cantaloupe margarita recipe by Charity’s sister, Katie Hestead, who is a cocktail expert!

Click here to view her cantaloupe aperol mint frozen margarita recipe. It was the perfect summer cocktail for real. We garnished with mint and edible flowers from Charity’s garden and took 9 million photos because that’s what we do with pretty drinks ‘round here.

A few suggested accessories for such an afternoon: snacks like fresh fruits & veggies, sun wear and care, a fun little raffia fan (I use them as wall décor so I have a few around), journals or books or magazines, and a camera if you’re in the mood to get creative and share your pretty scene with your Insta community.

And more cantaloupe margaritas.

How are you making the most of your summer during COVID? Let’s all be sure to check in on our friends and try to lift people up when we can. Even the tiniest activity like those above can be difficult to be motivated to do when you’re feeling down.

Shop Zuahaza on their website or via eco club member Made Trade.

Eco Studio Tour: Zuahaza Artisan Workshop in Colombia

published on April 30, 2020 by Angela Hamilton
updated on November 2, 2021

Did you check out our very first eco studio tour with Colombian textile brand Zuahaza? Founder Tatiana told us all about how she started an ethical home decor brand in Bogotá last fall. Now, she works from their office HQ, dreaming, designing, and testing product, before heading off to the workspace of her artisan partners in the town of Charalá. Keep reading for a peek into their process Photos by Ali Campbell.

From the very beginning of Zuahaza, one of the main values was to create not just beautiful items for the home, but truly create products that would not have a negative impact on the environment and the lives of the people who make them. With that in mind, we decided that we needed to work with a material that was earth friendly but also was culturally appropriate for the region. In the region of Santander, organic cotton farming goes back to the Guane indigenous people that lived in this land. The Guane people were experts in harvesting their local cotton, and in making woven goods which they commercialized with other ethnic groups. With the Spanish conquest and later the industrial revolution, the importation of foreign cotton fabrics at a low cost caused the production of organic cotton in Santander to almost disappear.

Today, the artisans in the region are advocating to return to growing organic cotton in the way their ancestors had done it. Sadly, this is still a long-term dream. Organic cotton still exists here, but the lack of government and industry investment in tools to spin that cotton in organic methods has made it difficult. That is why we had to look for another organic cotton supplier meanwhile we continue to get the resources needed for an organic certified spinning mill to make our own organic cotton yarn a reality.

We currently work with another artisan factory from Peru to supply us with the organic cotton yarn we need. We thought it would be very important to still create products with the integrity of the history of the region by only using cotton that was organic. The artisans also use plant and vegetable dyes. We respect and value this choice because we also know that natural dyeing is a very good sustainable option instead of conventional chemical dyes which are widely used in the textile industry and are water pollutants.

Lastly, there is a big problem of waste. I agree when people say that waste is a design flaw. By using the design thinking method, I think it is possible to start redesigning our linear method of production for a more circular one. In our case, we firstly design with only biodegradable materials. This means that even though we are creating new products, at the end of their life cycle they can go back to the earth with no problem. Still, we believe that even when making new products we have a responsibility to design them to last and with minimum waste in mind. We design all our pillows, rugs and blankets to mostly fit the width of our looms entirely, and for the small fabric waste that is created we make smaller items such as pouches and clutches, having a minimum waste design model.

Tatiana also told us about her design process and how she works with her team to bring it all to life.

Inspiration. I collect imagery, memories and photographs of color combinations, textures and scenes that will be guides I we make desicions, making sure what the design is always in tune with the brand’s aesthetic and collection’s theme.

Material Research. Although we only work with organic cotton, we think that thickness of yarn and color do play a big role in textile design, so we try to understand the behavior of our materials very well when designing a new fabric.

Experimentation. This is the step when I try out new weave structures at the handloom. Using a weaving draft as a beginning point, then we explore the endless possibilities the loom can give us to create new innovative patterns and color combinations.

Textile Samples to Final Product. I take these small textile samples to the artisans’ workshop. This is when we start collaborating in choosing the best weaves, finalizing color combinations, trying them out in a product for the first time and making final and important decisions collectively. During this time is when weaving new fabric, cutting it and sewing it into new products takes place.

Final details. Quality control is very important. You can’t make a product that looks gorgeous in a photograph but is not well made. This step is tedious but is crucial. Making sure the fabric is resistant (although our fabrics are delicate, they don’t fall apart), sewing is perfect and some products require final touches such as macrame knots and tassels which will elevate the design.

Given that our products are handmade and there are so many steps to finish one single item, we want to be respectful of the load of work our artisans have and allow them to work at a good pace, not a factory environment. We generally make between 30-50 units per style of each product to keep in stock for our online sales platform and we are currently making one collection a year as we are just staring off. We hope designing 2-3 collections per year to allow for custom projects as well as more homes and businesses want to have Zuahaza products designed for them too. As we grow, we will continue to evaluate and learn better ways to make our production easier and more efficient without compromising our values and the wellbeing of our artisans.

Thanks to Tatiana for diving deeper into her business and gorgeous, ethical home decor at Zuahaza. See part one of this eco studio tour, if you missed it!

Eco Studio Tour: Ethical Home Decor Brand Zuahaza’s Bogotá Studio

published on April 20, 2020 by Angela Hamilton
updated on November 2, 2021

I know we could all use some inspiration at the moment, so I couldn’t wait to post our first ever studio tour any longer. (We’d originally planned to pair this with a styled shoot of our own—so we look forward to that.) I’ve been dreaming of sharing creative studios for years now but never knew where to start. That is until I got to know talented artist and business owner, Tatiana Ordonez of Zuahaza, who shares these stunning process photos on their brand’s Instagram.

Tatiana’s story is fascinating for those of you who love a deeper look into an artisan brand’s creative process and production, which is why we decided to treat this like a guest post and give you the full scoop in her words. Her brand Zuahaza is an all organic + naturally-dyed textile brand based in Colombia. Tatiana collaborates with women artists in rural communities outside the city to bring their woven home goods to life. This is a two part post, with the next being a tour of Zuahaza’s artisan workshop outside the city.

I can think of nothing more inspiring than pairing Tatiana’s story with the magical images Ali Campbell captured of her creative Colombian studio. Keep reading!

From Tatiana: I am from Colombia and lived abroad for many years before coming back to my home city of Bogotá. Zuahaza launched in November 2019, but it was truly the work and relationship building of over 2 years prior that brought Zuahaza into existence. Zuahaza’s main operation happens in Bogotá. Our artisan partners live 7-8 hours away by car in a lovely town from the region of Santander called Charalá.

In 2018 I made a trip to Charalá to learn about the rich history of organic cotton growing, spinning and weaving in this region. During my trip, I met with an artisan cooperative called Corpolienzo. I loved talking to them and learning from their journey making 100% organic textiles for over 30 years. We shared our stories and found a great opportunity to collaborate in a new project. The artisans had expressed the necessity of connecting to larger markets. Although they could sell at art fairs in larger cities, they found it really difficult to sell handmade, organic products at a fair price in the national market. With my background in textile design and having lived in the US, together with my experience working directly with other artisan groups from Latin America, we saw the opportunity to try out a new model of designing and selling handmade textiles to a different market looking for fair trade and sustainable products.

We developed a new line of textiles born of the artisan’s extensive knowledge of craft, and my desire to share creative, innovative textiles with the global market. We wanted to truly understand what a “collaborative” model would look like, honoring ancestral techniques and innovating in design for the contemporary home. That’s when the name “Zuahaza” came to mind. It means “my sister” in the Muisca language of the people who lived in the Cundiboyancense mountain region of the Colombian Andes.

As a social enterprise our main goal is to embody collective sisterhood between women in Colombia. Following an era of intense conflict, which continues to shape and affect Colombia today, we seek to participate in peacemaking efforts to reunite and heal our country. We believe that by collaboratively creating unique products that reflect our diversity, history and dreams, we can start creating a new future for all Colombian women.

Our main studio/office is in Bogotá for the easy access to ship products, network with clients, and the great connection this city has to other countries. I try to work directly with the artisans every 3—4 months and it’s such a joy to spend a couple weeks working together with my team. Although I love having a creative space to try new textiles, material research and make samples, it gets lonely in the studio! Working as a team is definitely the ideal situation and I hope that as we grow, I get to spend months at a time with our team in Charalá.

We only use natural dyes so we end up with a limited color palette to work with. It is a design challenge, to design with only a natural color scheme. Right now, between working with the artisans from Peru (our yarn suppliers) and the artisans in Charalá, we have a whole team of experts in natural dyeing, which is a privilege. They have recipes that have passed from generation to generation, so I think color is a representation of indigenous knowledge that we get to preserve through only designing with natural dyes. Natural dyeing is not easy, it takes so much research to get colors in cotton to look the way they do in our products. I am very proud of the knowledge of our team in achieving gorgeous hues that are long lasting and color fast.

In terms of design, it comes easily living in such a beautiful country like Colombia. The launch collection was inspired by all the colors, textures, patterns and flora found in colonial towns across the country. Colombia is such a diverse and culturally rich country. Every region is so different in its own way because of the historical events that have taken place. Every town embodies the music, gastronomy and art from the people who live there; that inspires me. We wanted to create textile collections that represented our country’s diverse culture in an abstract, eclectic and sophisticated way. To represent our values even in the way we designed our products aesthetically.

Isn’t Tatiana’s studio so dreamy? In our next post we’ll share how she goes from inspiration and design to handcrafting them with the team in Charalá. In the meantime, head to zuahaza.com/shop to see the products!

{to shop on madetrade: mongui rug / charalá blanket / salento pillow / barichara pillow}

photos: Ali Campbell Photography / studio: Zuahaza