Apparel
Confessions of an Anti-Shopaholic
Working at Ideal Bite has ruined me forever. I can no longer shop like a normal person. I fret over purchases – dresses made in China (the shipping CO2! the sweatshops!), fabrics that aren't sustainable (just cotton?
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Send to a FriendIf the Shoe Fits...
On my way to work this morning, I spotted a tied-up pair of sneaks hanging over a street sign. Nice…like the time my friend left her old boots on the sidewalk in case another girl with size 10 feet happened to walk by and want them (likely, they were picked up with the trash, like the 12.7 million tons of shoes that end up in landfills each year).And Sometimes DIY...
I don't own a TV, but when I did, Project Runway was my Wednesday night addiction (might be my gateway back to TV when it starts in August).Spring Pickins
No surprise here, but as a new mom I’ve got zero time (let’s not get started on money) to shop for myself. And to be honest, I’m not much of a browser/gatherer type anyway - which probably explains why I still wear sweaters that date to the first Bush administration.Lasik surgery leave you with a spare pair of spectacles?
Submitted by tmeronek on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 12:00am. Donate them. It's as easy as dropping them off or mailing them to a service that'll redistribute them to peeps with peepers that can use your old prescription.Ideal Bite GCS: Significant Others - Nau
Submitted by tmeronek on Fri, 11/09/2007 - 1:43am.Company Background:
Nau opened its doors in March 2007 under the premise that each piece it creates must be functional, beautiful, and sustainable. Through its Partners for Change program, it's also setting an example for other businesses by donating a portion of its profits to - and raising awareness about - organizations such as Conservation International and Mercy Corps that are working to solve environmental and social issues. You can even follow the program's progress, and your part in it, online. Designwise, Nau's clothes are edgy and multipurpose. Chief Sustainability Officer Jil Zilligen, says "We're urban dwellers who love the outdoors, so we make clothing that keeps us moving between the two." The fall line includes sleek, recycled-poly jackets and sexy, eco-merino dresses, so you can look stylin' for your hike and your coffee date without needing to change in between (just remember your aluminum-free deodorant).
Why Care?:
- Nau purchases renewable energy credits (such as wind) for 100% of its electricity use in stores and HQ, and carbon offsets 100% of employee travel and product transport.
- The company donates 5% of gross revenue (more than 70 times that of most Fortune 500 companies, which average 0.07% of sales) to charities through its Partners for Change program.
- Nau worked in partnership with manufacturers to develop 43 all-new eco-fabrics, such as recycled polyester and corn-based cloth.
- The company shares its sustainable technology (its new fabrics, for example) with competitors, free of charge.
- Nau is transparent about its practices, publishing a section on its site called Grey Matters where you can read about its eco-initiatives.
Keeping it real:
Nau produces most of its line overseas. It's necessary to stay competitive, says Zilligen, but "it's also very much because that's where the technical expertise exists." A third-party audit ensures that labor requirements are met. Also, its rainproof gear uses a finish that isn't very eco-friendly, so Nau's working hard to find an alternative.
Ideal Bite GCS: A Brighter, Better Bling - Brilliant Earth
Submitted by idealbite on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 6:11pm.Company Background:
Brilliant Earth was co-founded by Beth Gerstein in 2005 after her fiancée had major trouble finding a US retailer that could guarantee fair trade diamonds. "Jewelry purchases have such emotional symbolism, and our customers want their purchase to be consistent with their values," says Beth's business partner, Eric Grossberg. From the recycled gold in their ring settings down to the recycled paper they print on, the company's committed to doing well by doing good. And now that the new DiCaprio flick, Blood Diamond, exposes audiences to the conflict diamond issue, more people are sure to be enamored with the eco-option.
Why Care?:
- All diamonds are harvested and finished using fair trade practices and are certified conflict-free by third-parties like the Government of the Northwest Territories.
- The 2 Canadian mines from which the company sources its diamonds undertake rigorous environmental monitoring.
- Uses recycled gold, replacing the need for additional gold mining. Believe it or not, it takes 30 tons of ore to produce a single, new, gold ring.
- 5% of profits are donated to the Diamonds for Africa Fund, which gives back to communities harmed by the diamond trade.
- Runs an eco-friendlier HQ using recycled paper and online banking.
- Highly competitive pricing - often less expensive than your local retail jewelry store, because overhead's low.
- Biter exclusive: receive $100 off with an earring or pendant purchase of $2,000 or more (just mention you're a Biter during checkout).
Keeping it real:
Crystal clear as the digital photos on Brilliant Earth's website may be, it's tough to beat seeing one of their rings in person. Right now, that's only possible by appointment in San Francisco. In addition, Grossberg says he'd like to start offsetting the CO2 created by the shipping of their gems, and to offer "more entry-level, low-priced pieces for the younger market."
