Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, The Gap, Zara, Abercrombie and Fitch, Nike, the Kardashians, and H&M. That’s just a short list of major clothing retailers who’ve been called out for their awful humanitarian policies. It’s difficult to feel good about a clothing purchase when you can’t be sure that your gorgeous new dress wasn’t produced in a brutal sweatshop. Luckily for us, there’s a young designer who’s looking to change that and more.

Abi Ferrin is now based in Dallas, Texas, but she grew up in my hometown of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. (Yes, that’s the little ski town where Justin Timberlake proposed to Jessica Biel.) Abi, who was named Texas’ Next Top Designer in 2007, is making waves with her bold, colorful designs. But what makes her vision really unique is her business model. All Abi Ferrin garments are assembled in the USA, and each one includes a piece that was handmade by women involved with the Freedom Project. The Freedom Project is an initiative that Abi created to empower women in the US and beyond. She works with an organization that rescues women from human trafficking in Nepal and Cambodia and gives them the opportunity to work in a safe, fair trade setting. I had the chance to interview Abi and learn more about her inspiring process. Read More »

The holiday seasons are all about eating too many dips, spending way too much money on frenemy gifts, and watching Elf on repeat. This year we’re prepared to take the stress and the frustration out of holiday gift giving by giving you the ultimate gift guides to buying the perfect presents for your favorite people (and we’re splitting into 3 different price ranges so you can choose the gift based on how much you actually like the person!).

So set this series as your favorite because all week we’re bringing you the best.

As many retailers start advertising Christmas before you’ve even begun planning your Halloween costume, it’s often hard to look past the consumerism of the holiday. Giving gifts is a nice gesture – you get to show the people you care about that you appreciate them and it can be fun trying to pick out something you know they’ll like. At the same time, Christmas is obviously big business – a lot of money is exchanged during the holiday season. Yes, you’ll probably continue to buy gifts (I know I do) even if you could just make donations in people’s names, or dispense the practice of gift-giving all together.

You can however, give gifts that both help out a cause, while still treating someone you care about to something nice.

When you’re out doing your Christmas shopping this year, look for gifts that continue to give (and I’m not talking as a re-gift). Some companies provide charitable gifts – a different approach than making a donation in someone’s name, you can give a gift that where proceeds go to a charity or a gift that helps fairly employ someone in a developing country. While giving donations for people is an amazing gift, I know there are times when you feel like you should be giving them something tangible instead.  We’ve found nine gifts at various price points to help you give a gift that keeps giving back! There are a lot of options out there, find something your gift receiver will like or a cause they support. Read More »

Whenever I go to the grocery store, I always try my best to load my cart with socially responsible products.  Cage free eggs?  Uh, yeah why not?  Organic lettuce? Sure, throw that on in there.

The truth is, though, up until recently, I didn’t really know what these things meant.  They’ve just been over-marketed so that I think I’m doing good when really I may just be wasting money.  That’s why I formulated a mini label guide for all of your shopping needs.

Hint:  don’t waste your money on the “organic” Oreos! Read More »

Ladies, let’s talk chocolate.

If I needed to name one food substance I absolutely could not live without, I’m pretty sure it would be chocolate. My weapon of choice is dark chocolate, as dark as possible…I’ve had up to 88% cocoa and thought it was fantastic. Espresso or coffee mixed with dark chocolate is also possibly one of the best things on Earth.

I’m ashamed to admit that I actually believe this, but I think the chocolate I buy has medicinal qualities.

If I have a stomachache, I eat half a square and start to feel better almost instantly. If I’m feeling just crummy in general, even a little nibble can be enough to perk me up. Part of the reason my chocolate is so magical, I think, is because I don’t waste my dollars buying Hershey’s, which is like flavored candle wax to the dark chocolate connoisseur. Hershey’s has recently tried to go all high-class with their Cacao Reserve line, but let’s not kid ourselves. It’s basically the same stuff in more refined packaging.

No, when I spring for chocolate, I spring for the good stuff. Here are a few of my favorites and the reasons why they’re so fantastic. Read More »