Earth Divas' Blog

We’ve gotten so many wonderful fair trade bags, and tons of them are perfect for the upcoming music festival season! Bottle Rock just ended, and next on tap is the Detroit Movement Festival, which takes place over Memorial Day Weekend. I’ll be there all three days!

If you’re a music festival goer, then you know that the perfect bag is the most essential item you can have with you. Some people like large totes, some like backpacks, while others only want to carry the bare essentials. I fall somewhere in between; I’ve done all three at various festivals and found that ultra-minimal doesn’t really work for me…but I also don’t like to be weighed down with a lot of stuff.

To honor the upcoming music festival season, I wanted to highlight some of our newest bags that I think would be perfect festival accessories.

1. For the Gal Who Carries Everything But the Kitchen Sink

I love our new Rugged Weathered Cotton Bag. It’s slouchy, it’s huge, and it’s really comfortable. Perfect for the girl who carries a change of clothes, a lunch, a water bottle, a picnic blanket, some sunscreen…you get the idea.

2. For the Gypsy Who Only Needs a Few Things

I love our new Handwoven Gypsy Bag. Talk about a perfect festival bag! This is the bag I would carry myself. It’s the perfect size for a bottle of water, a wallet, your sunnies, and a cell phone. What else do you need?

3. For the Gal Who Likes Freedom

I lovelovelove our new Aztec-inspired Fair Trade Backpacks. Backpacks are perfect for dancing because you can throw a lot in there and yet not feel weighed down like you do dancing with a purse.

P.S. You can see a great list of summer music festivals around the world here on CNN.

Filed under: Fair Trade Living on May 15th, 2013 | No Comments »

So, World Fair Trade Day is this Saturday, May 11. And you can bet there are a lot of events going on all over North America. It is, after all, the biggest fair trade of the year. There are celebrations planned in over 70 countries!

If you haven’t heard of it, World Fair Trade Day is a global awareness campaign started by the World Fair Trade Organization to help everyone, around the world, recognize the importance of fair trade. According to the WFTO, World Fair Trade Day is, “…a worldwide festival of events celebrating Fair Trade as a tangible contribution to the fight against poverty, climate change and the economic crisis that has the greatest impact on the world’s most vulnerable populations.”

As you might imagine, the team here at Earth Divas is really excited about this.

Get Involved!

So, how can you get involved and celebrate World Fair Trade Day? There are tons of ways to participate.

First, check out the Events Calendar at the WFTO website. They have a great list of some of the bigger events that are taking place state by state.

If you live near a Whole Foods, stop by their stores on Saturday; I’m pretty sure just about all of them have events planned. They’re also putting all their fair trade products on sale up to 25%. You can find  out more on which fair trade products will be on sale here.

If there are no events going on in your area, then make it a goal to purchase one item that’s fair trade. I’m not a fan of buying stuff just to buy stuff…that doesn’t really help anyone! But if you need some sugar this weekend, why not try some fair trade sugar? If you have a craving for a chocolate bar, why not buy one that’s fair trade?

It might seem like a simple purchase, but I believe a subtle but important shift in energy takes place when you buy fair trade. Your actions say that you care about yourself, and you care about the Other as well. You’ll never see the woman who picked those cocoa beans, and you’ll never see the young man who harvested that sugar cane, but your purchase helps ensure they live a better life.

It IS just a purchase. But it’s a powerful purchase that, over time, will change the world.

So, get involved this weekend everyone! We are making a difference.

Filed under: Fair Trade News on May 8th, 2013 | No Comments »

So, yesterday I highlighted some of our larger-sized Recycled Bike Tire Tube Bags. Today, I wanted to showcase some our smaller bags.

1. Recycled Bike Tire Tube Bag with Stripes

I love this bag. Our Recycled Bike Tire Tube Bag with Stripes is a great everyday bag because it’s holds just your essentials.

2. Black and White Recycled Bike Tire Tube Passport Bag

Another cutie! Our Black and White Recycled Bike Tire Tube Passport Bag is a teeny-weeny bag that’s perfect if you just want to take out your wallet and cell phone.

3. Recycled Silk and Recycled Bike Tire Tube Shoulder Bag

Our Recycled Silk and Recycled Bike Tire Tube Shoulder Bag is tiny…it’s similar in size to the black and white bag above it. But the difference is the wonderful rich color, and the fact that the body is made from recycled silk, and recycled bike tires!

Filed under: Fair Trade Bags on May 3rd, 2013 | No Comments »

I don’t think we’ve ever come out with bags that I love quite as much as our new Recycled Tire Tube bags. They pair Southwest fabric (which I lovelovelove) with recycled bike tire tubes. What’s not to love here? They’re fair trade, upcycled, and very much on-trend. Also, they would all make perfect festival bags for this summer.

Let’s take a look!

1. Recycled Tire Tube Backpack

Our Recycled Bike Tube Backpack is waiting for you to take her to Bonaroo. Don’t let her down!

2. Recycled Bike Tire Tube Tapered Hobo

I can’t tell if our Recycled Bike Tube Tapered Hobo is my favorite, or if it’s the backpack. I madly love this black and white Aztec-inspired fabric…but I love the bright Southwest colors in the backpack. Which would you choose?

3. Recycled Bike Tire Tube Hobo Sling

Our Recycled Bike Tire Tube Hobo Sling is going to be a huge hit this summer, I can tell already. It’s very trendy, and smaller than the other two making it a great everyday bag.

We have several more of these Recycled Bike Tire Tube bags on the Earth Divas’ site, so come take a look!

Filed under: Fair Trade Bags on May 2nd, 2013 | No Comments »

It’s like Christmas when we get new designs in, and I have so many to share with you this week! So, I’m diving right in. In fact, I’m going to have to segment them out we have so many fun bags to showcase.

Since today is May Day, I want to highlight our newest fair trade bags with bright floral prints and eye catching colors.

1. Bright Floral Hobo

This is our Bright Blue Floral Hobo. I love it! A perfect summer bag.

2. Maroon Hobo with Flowers

Our Maroon Hobo with Flowers has a wonderful handmade look. This is the maroon, but this bag also comes in green and purple. You can see the Purple Hobo below:

3. Bright Floral Bag

I love the India-inspired pattern in this Bright Floral Bag. This is another colorful bag that will be perfect for the beach!

We have dozens and dozens of new bags up on Earth Divas, so come take a look!

Filed under: Uncategorized on May 1st, 2013 | No Comments »

Unless it’s 85 degrees out, I usually have a scarf around my neck. To me, scarves add elegance and a pop of color to any outfit. They’re also perfect to take to festivals and the beach to drape around your neck and shoulders when the night air turns cool.

Below, I’ve highlighted some of my favorite fair trade/eco-friendly summer scarves.

1. Pastel Tie-Dye Silk Scarves

These amazing silk scarves are hand dyed in Cambodia, and sold through Global Goods.

2. Recycled Silk Scarf from Earth Divas

Our Recycled Silk Scarf is a wonderful cool to warm weather scarf because it’s lightweight and breathable. It’s also hand crocheted from, you guessed it, recycled silk!

3. Fair Trade Linen Scarf

To me, the colors in this scarf embody the best of summer. This linen scarf, sold through Global Goods, is handmade in India.

4. Flowers of Afternoon Scarf

I’m sad I could only get a small image of this lovely scarf sold through Ten Thousand Villages. If you follow fashion at all then you know that the flowered prints so popular in the ’90s are now back and as popular as ever. This scarf would be a perfect summer scarf that would look great with a white shirt and denim jacket. Yes please!

Filed under: Eco Fashion on April 23rd, 2013 | No Comments »

Earth Day is right around the corner…in fact, it’s Monday, April 22.

In honor of this wonderful day I wanted to highlight some really cool upcycling ideas I’ve pulled from Pinterest. I love upcycling because it’s a great way to keep things out of the landfill. And, all the items I’ve ever upcycled have always, hands down, added a great deal of interest and character to my living space.

I’ve included a link to each image underneath the picture. Also, if you want to follow me on Pinterest I can be found at Hemingway Love.

1. Upcycled Jeans Into a Skirt

Pinterest Link

2. Upcycled T-Shirt

Pinterest Link

3. Upcycled Jeans to Door Hanging Organizer

Pinterest Link

Creator: SimplySimpleStamping

4. Upcycled Sweater to Baby Jumper

Pinterest Link

Filed under: DIY/Upcycling on April 21st, 2013 | No Comments »

Here at Earth Divas we’re always coming out with new designs. After all, creating wonderful new fair trade bags is a major part of the fun we all have working here!

However, some of our fair trade bags are classics and continue to be popular years after their creation. So, I wanted to highlight some of the “oldie but goodie” designs that I love.

1. Hemp Patched Shoulder Bag

Our Hemp Patched Shoulder Bag is an oldie but goody because each one is unique. You can really tell this bag is handmade because it’s not perfect, and I think that’s what appeals to people. It does not look like it was made by a machine.

2. Green Hemp Handbag

Our Green Hemp Handbag is an oldie but goodie because it’s one of those bags that goes with just about everything. I gave this bag to my mom and she literally used it until it began to fall apart…literally years of hard, daily use (she’s a teacher and would pile this bag full of stuff every morning before she went to school.) This bag is classic, sturdy, and also perfect for spring and summer!

3. Blue Hemp Handbag

Another classic! Our Blue Hemp Handbag is similar to our Green Hemp Handbag in that it will last you forever. This bag is also popular because it’s just the right size for your essentials, and nothing more. A perfect summer bag!

4. Recycled Rice Bag Tote

Our Recycled Rice Bag Tote (and backpacks) continue to be popular because they’re upcycled (made from, you guessed it, recycled bags!) and because they’re just cool looking. They make excellent totes to take to the grocery store or farmer’s market because they’re super sturdy and roomy. I have the Recycled Rice Backpack and after several years of heavy use it’s still holding up great.

Filed under: Fair Trade Bags on April 20th, 2013 | No Comments »

Are you planning a wedding? Or, are you like me and just enjoy looking at beautiful gowns? If so then you’re in for a treat because a few days ago I received an email from Lori at Conscious Elegance, a small design firm that makes organic, upcycled and eco-friendly wedding dresses.

Lori asked if I’d be interested in writing about her gowns, and one look was all it took. The wedding dresses from Conscious Elegance are gorgeous, elegant, and sustainably made. Of course I’d love to feature them!

Eco-Friendly Wedding Gowns

The values of Conscious Elegance mirror those of Earth Divas so much…we could be sisters! They truly care about the environment, they care that their product is sustainably made, and they care about their people – Conscious Elegance is an LGBT-friendly business (LOVE) and every gown is made in the US.

Here’s what makes the gowns at Conscious Elegance stand out:

• Our gowns are made to order, to your measurements and preferences. We collaborate with you and yours on your perfect wedding dress and you’ll be working directly with the fiber artists who create it.

• We use exclusively sustainable fabrics: hempsilk blends, fair-trade cottons and reclaimed materials. Even our thread is 100% certified organic cotton.

• Love real silk? We now offer reclaimed and vintage silk options. By using these fabrics, we not only save materials from the landfill but we reduce the need for new resources (and spare the silkworms!).

• Our garments are made in the USA in a non-smoking, pet allergen-free studio. This is wonderful for the sensitive and allergy-sufferers among us, but let’s face it: we all could benefit from a few less irritants in our environment!

• Our fabric producers are treated with respect and earn a fair living wage; no sweatshops allowed. Not only is this the kindest we can be to the earth, it’s the kindest we can be to each other.

So, what do the amazing eco-friendly wedding gowns at Conscious Elegance look like? Take a peek…

Aren’t those gowns amazing? To me, what’s unique about these gowns is that they showcase the true beauty of the person wearing them. Some wedding gowns are so extravagant, frilly, and overdone that they eclipse the woman wearing them. But these gowns support and uplift the woman…they’re not trying to steal the show or detract from what’s most beautiful about her. That’s true elegance.

Filed under: Eco Fashion on April 19th, 2013 | No Comments »

Here at Earth Divas we love pets. Many of us have dogs (including my two, Peppy and Gunther, which you can see below!)

Many people don’t realize that we have fair trade pet products at the Earth Divas Pet Site. All our our dog collars and leashes are fair trade, and made from 100% hemp. Hemp is incredibly durable and strong, making them ideal for collars and leashes because they’re very hard to break. And, they last a long time under heavy use!

Here are a few of my favorite hemp dog collars and hemp leashes.

1. Purple Hemp Leash

2. Green Hemp Leash and Collar

3. Yellow Hemp Leash

As you can see, the braided hemp means these leashes and collars are super-strong! They’re very natural looking, and I love the soft earthy colors.

Filed under: Eco Living on April 3rd, 2013 | No Comments »