All in Slow Living
The last of my gift guides for the year has been the most fun to put together. It's possible that kids are even harder to shop for than men, especially if you're trying to do so ethically. Although I try to always keep our Christmas gifts (very) simple and affordable for my two girls, I went a bit over the top with this guide. I include gifts for a wide age range and an even wider range of budgets ;)
I dress-ember….
Because the coffee my mom boils in the pot every morning is likely tainted by slave labor from equatorial countries across the globe.
Because when I bought all my clothes for under $20 growing up, I also bought into the capitalist ideal of maximizing profit by minimizing cost, oblivious to the externalized cost of human blood, sweat, and tears.
Because my voice, my actions, my limitations, have power.
Because I want my daughters to grow up knowing that they can take a stand too, even if they feel powerless.
Because awareness is the most powerful way to create real change.
Because sex trafficking happens in my town.
He may be low maintenance, but for some reason, Christmas shopping for my husband is always the hardest part of the holiday. I know him and what he needs, and yet, I find myself stumped each year because guys are just so darn hard to shop for.
Adding ethics to the mix makes things even more difficult. It's one thing to run to Target and pick up a new set of steak knives or a new flannel, but when you're hoping to find conscious gifts for everyone on your list, things can get pricey really quickly. This gift guide focuses solely on items that are both practical and affordable- without sacrificing ethics. Everything is under $100 (except one splurge gift) and each piece is hand picked by me including brands I've personally worked with or researched. There may even be a discount code or two thrown in just for fun ;)
Happy shopping!
I'll be completely honest: ever since we moved, I've found it incredibly difficult to prioritize sustainability in my day to day life. The act of moving to a new home is such a wasteful process in itself (the endless boxes and bubble wrap and back and forth and throwing away) that I essentially tossed the mindset, giving myself a bit of (necessary) grace until we slowly settled in our new home.
But how long does said "grace period" last? It's been nearly three months and although we're technically "settled," my mindset about my daily habits hasn't shifted much. If I'm being totally honest (which I like to be, mostly) I'm feeling abnormally unmotivated to put in the work it takes to downsize waste and live consciously. I feel like I'm in a bit of an "eco-slump" when it comes to things like recycling, plastic elimination, and everything else it takes to live sustainably.
One of the most common phrases I hear from skeptics and band-wagon-jumpers alike when it comes to ethical shopping and the way brand's produce is "how do you know?"
How do you know the brand really knows who makes their products and what their waste/use ratio is and where their fabric is sourced?
How can you trust a brand when they use the words "ethical" and "transparent" and "supply chain" in their bio but don't have other evidence to back up their claims? I've worked with brands and shopped from brands in the past who claimed to be "USA made" or "sustainable" but, really, how can you trust what you read on a brand's website?
