“Made in the USA.” You're dreading what I'm about to say, aren't you? We all do it, we sometimes avoid research if it may cause guilt in our daily purchases and decisions. I must admit, at one point I was putting off the research of factory conditions in the US. I wanted to believe I could trust every brand that claims to be made in the USA. It would be another problem that I'd have to check for when choosing to purchase a certain product. Well I eventually researched and it’

I remember volunteering for an anti-trafficking campaign at my university in Hilo, Hawaii one afternoon. As students walked by, we told them facts, showed them pictures, and kept their attention by giving them logo pens or bracelets. I’m not sure how I got involved with this or if it was just for school credit. That doesn’t matter, though, because simply spreading the word about the reality of human trafficking is one of the most impactful efforts we can make to put an end to

The whirring of a sewing machine fills the pink bedroom as the sewing needle rapidly punches a seam down a cut-up polo shirt. While Dad may not have wanted it anymore, a young girl envisioned the faded blue cotton as perfect material for the next purse in her collection. One day she aspires to open a store to sell self-designed fashion pieces, but as an eleven-year old, sewing purses, hats and wallets out of fabric scraps and repurposed clothing to sell at the local farmer’s

Every summer for my entire life, my family has made the trip to Carpinteria, California for a week at our family beach house. There is nothing quite like it, running out of the car we just spent way too many hours in, throwing off our shoes, and running into the warm, soft sand for the first time since last year. We always make a point to dip our toes in the ocean to see what kind of water temperatures we will be braving this year before trudging back to the car to unload. Al

Women Empowerment Empower: to liberate, set free, unshackle; to make stronger and more confident. To empower another is an admirable task that could positively transform a life completely. Something as revolutionary as empowerment can require immense time, resources, and ability. But did you know the clothes you choose to buy and wear could empower another human like yourself? By making a conscious decision and a little change to something you already do, shopping, you could

Hippie Dippy Drink? Yerba mate. Maybe those two words are just gibberish to you. Maybe you’ve seen a friend drinking a bottle of it with its bright yellow label. Maybe you’ve actually tried this earthy tea drink for yourself. Wherever you lie, after learning a bit more about Guayakí’s yerba mate, I think you will agree, it’s an amazing product that you just might want to incorporate as a regular beverage choice. Guayakí was the first company to produce fair-trade certified ye