Sustainable Fashion Archives • WonderMamas

7Oct 0

$OEKO-TEX®$

OEKO-TEX® : Safe For Humans & The Planet

**All of our sustainable & zero waste content has moved over to our brand new website: SustainablyKindLiving. Hope to see you there!!**

OEKO-TEX®: Why I care about this brand and why you should too!

Hello, loves, and welcome back to the blog! Today we are thrilled to talk all about the amazingly beneficial and important labels by OEKO-TEX®. My mission as a sustainable and ethical blogger is to not only share my lifestyle with you in order to inspire change and awareness, but to also educate and help you to navigate your own journey. To break it all down for you so that you can make your own conscious and ethical decisions.

As I like to say, “Give a person some Oat Milk and they drink for a day. Teach a person how to blend some Oats and Water and they drink for a lifetime.” haha!

So, here we go, let’s jump right on in to learning all about OEKO-TEX®: The labels that ensure our clothes and home goods are SAFE!

What Is The STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®?

World’s Best Known Labels for textiles tested for harmful substances

Customer Confidence

High Product Safety

I first found out about this label while shopping for my children’s very first carpet for their nursery. At this point, I was in the very beginning of my journey to a non-toxic and sustainable home. We were barely making enough income to afford this carpet but I knew that I wanted to ensure the best quality (for our budget!) for my children.

I began researching toxins in textiles and was shocked at the truth. Some scary toxins found in the textile industry include Formaldehyde (for a crease resistant finish and easy care finish ), Azo Dyes which break down over time to become aromatic amines (some dyes can cause contact dermatitis), Heavy Metals (during the dying process) like Antimony and Chromium IV, and more.

Shocking, Right?

I could not believe that this was even legal, let alone able to be sold in my local shops. Thus began our journey into learning all about all the amazing labels out there that put our health and safety at the forefront of their business models.

Now, when I speak of textiles, I am speaking about so much more than carpets. We are talking clothing, bedding, towels, etc. This is a very large chunk of the material world and we must ensure its safety for our health as well as the health of our planet.

This is where the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® comes in. When you see this label on your textiles, you can rest assured that it is safe for you and your babe. The focus of this label is to ensure the textile poses no risk for human health.

Testing: What is tested?

All textile products, starting from the threads to the finishing touches, are able to be tested for the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®. Every single component is tested in order to carry the label.

What about the Health & Safety of our Environment?

Keeping our family and ourselves safe from the harmful toxins of the textile industry is of utmost importance, but what about the health and safety of our home that we all share? The health and safety of our environment and neighbours?

This is where the MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® comes in!

What Is MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX®?

Traceable Product Label

Carries the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certification

Guarantees the article has been made using sustainable processes under socially responsible working conditions via STeP by OEKO-TEX®

Traceable Product Label

Each and every MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® item can be traced using a unique product ID or QR code. This amazing traceable label gives access to the consumer regarding production facilities , the stage of production, and the countries where the manufacturing took place.

The Story Behind OEKO-TEX®

I’m always amazed at how just a few dedicated folks band together to create something as extraordinary as these labels. Let’s take some time to get to know the story behind OEKO-TEX®!

Left to right: Raimar Freitag (Testex textile testing institute), Prof. Wilhelm Herzog (Austrian textile research institute), Prof. Dr. Jürgen Mecheels, Dr. Rainer Weckmann, Dieter Walden, Dr. Stefan Mecheels (Hohenstein research institute)

Let’s start with the name. OEKO-TEX® is short for the International Association for Research and Testing in the Field of Textile and Leather Ecology.

The OEKO-TEX® association started in Zurich in March of 1992. Founding members were the German Hohenstein Institute and the Austrian Textile Research Institute (OETI). In April of 1992, OEKO-TEX® introduced their very first STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® label at the Interstoff Trade Fair and the rest, as you can say, is history!

Currently, OEKO-TEX® consists of 18 independent research and test institutes in the field of textile and leather ecology in Europe and Japan with contact offices in more than 60 countries around the World.

Have we changed your mind on Textiles?

I sure hope so!

Be sure to check for the OEKO-TEX® labels the next time you shop and stay safe out there!

Well, my loves, that is all for today. I sure hope this post was as educational as it was inspirational for you all. Please be safe out there and get to know all of your labels when shopping. If you are unsure about something in your textiles, be sure to ask and do the research. It’s unbelievable what is legal to sell nowadays. Have a very happy and healthy week and I’ll chat with you all soon!

This post is a sponsored post, but as always, I truly stand behind every company that we share on this website. Thank you!

$OEKO-TEX®$

6Oct 2

Rent-A-Romper: The Capsule Wardrobe Subscription for Children

**All of our sustainable & zero waste content has moved over to our brand new website: SustainablyKindLiving. Hope to see you there!!**

Hold Up….A Capsule Wardrobe for….Kids?!

Hello, loves, and welcome back to the blog! Today we are thrilled to talk all about the amazing and innovative company that is changing the fashion world. One children’s capsule wardrobe bundle at a time.

As you all know, I am such a big supporter of sustainable and ethical brands from my closet to my littles closet, and our family is over the moon about this one. Standing applause for Rent-A-Romper: The Capsule Wardrobe Subscription for Children!

Rent-A-Romper Capsule Wardrobe Subscription for Children

What exactly is a capsule wardrobe?

Let’s break it down to the basics:

**Most essential pieces**

Functional pieces

Seamless Mixing & Matching

The entire point behind a capsule wardrobe is to have a smarter closet. One that works with you and not against you. A closet that, when you open it, has a bunch of ready to wear outfits that fit your lifestyle (your actual lifestyle – not the one we dream about).

What does this mean for a kids closet? It means a LOT less headaches, a lot less clutter, and a lot more time and money for the important things!

Let’s get educated on Rent-A-Romper!

Goal

Being a Parent is hard work. Why make it harder with all the added stress of shopping to meet our little ones needs? By subscribing to the Rent-A-Romper capsule wardrobe, you will have exactly what you need, when you need it! This capsule subscription grows with your child!

Environmental Benefits

We talk a lot about the negative effects of the fast fashion industry, but sometimes when we think of kids clothing, we tend to not associate fast fashion with it. It’s just so cute, right? You take a stroll through the well known fast fashion shops and you are instinctively drawn to the cute little outfits. No way this little knit sweater could cause any harm. It’s impossible!

Well, the sad truth is: fast fashion is fast fashion. By choosing a children’s capsule wardrobe by Rent-A-Romper, you are avoiding the chaotic back-and-forth conversations in your head. We can avoid the stress, the long lists of things our kids need (or what we think they need), and just get back to the good stuff.

Extra bonus: By limiting the amount of funds sent to the fast fashion industry, you are benefiting your child’s future by forcing these brands to step up. Money speaks so much louder than we could imagine.

Rent-A-Romber Founder: Lauren Gregor

Lauren is all about helping parents. She knows how hard it can be, she is a mom herself! I loved reading her story of how she became an entrepreneur (reminded me of when I started!) and how she finally just jumped all in with a passion to help others. I truly believe there is no greater purpose out there other than to want to help your community. Whether small or large – it is such a great way to live your life and truly find your purpose.

Lauren jumped in, bought the domain, stocked up on clothes, and got to work. And that, my friends, is how dreams come true.

Trust in your self and jump in!

The Full Break Down of Rent-A-Romper

Step 1

Tell the folks at Rent-A-Romper about your child and where you live.

Once they know the age/season/location of your child, the folks behind the scene can curate the perfect capsule wardrobe for your little one!

Step 2

Wear and Love the items!

Once your child is about to grow out of the items OR you are just looking for a change, return and get a new capsule! Anytime!

Step 3

Send back the capsule in the same box it came in (FREE)

Use the same box and send it back to the company to receive a brand new capsule!

Step 4

Log into your account and curate your next box!

The returned clothes will be checked for re-use, washed with organic & sensitive detergent, and steamed before sent out again.

Rent-A-Romper Capsule Wardrobe Options

Two Wonderful and Extremely Budget Friendly Options!

**No two capsules are ever the same**

Yes, you can customise to your specific needs!

$24.00/box: Just The Essentials Capsule Wardrobe

3 onesies or bodysuits

2 pairs pants or leggings

1 shorts

1 pair of pyjamas

$39.00/box: The Complete Capsule

5 onesies or bodysuits

3 pants

2 shirts

2 shorts

2 pyjamas

Rent-A-Romper: All Questions Answered!

Rent-A-Romper Customization

Rent-A-Romper understands that you may have specific needs such as seasonal needs and color specifications. Simply add this to your capsule request and let them worry about the rest!

Kids are Messy and that’s OK!

Don’t you even worry about your kids living their best lives and getting messy. Rent-A-Romper understands and does not penalise you for sending back clothes with stains or whatnot. Just relax, enjoy, and let the good times roll.

FREE shipping both ways!

Not going to lie, this was my first question with this company and I was so thrilled to see that it is free to send back and to receive! Woo hoo!

No Limit on Capsules

There is no limit on how many times you send back and receive your capsule wardrobes for the kiddos. The membership is super flexible and adaptable to our needs. Keep on sitting back and relaxing – this subscription is the bomb dot com.

Sit back, Relax, and Help Protect the World!

By joining this subscription, you are allowing clothes to have a much longer and happier life! Clothes were meant to be worn over and over again – not just tossed aside once a little gets too big for it. By extending the life of these clothes, we are limiting our impact on the environment. That’s what I’m talking about!

p.s. Bonus: YES, you can add Rent-A-Romper to your Babylist baby registry! With the ‘Add to Babylist’ button in your bookmarks, you can drag a gift card subscription to your button and add it to your registry. This is a great way to ensure you have the clothes you need when your baby arrives. Perfect!

Oh goodness me, this was a joy to write. I truly hope you all loved learning about this amazing company just as much as I enjoyed getting to know it! I am blown away by this genius idea. So simple, so impactful, and so unbelievably helpful to all of the causes we stand behind. Thank you, Lauren, for following you gut and creating such a remarkable company. You rock!

Want to learn more about Rent-A-Romper? Follow them on their socials! Every follow and like helps these amazing companies grow and flourish. Let’s help them out!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rentaromper

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rentaromper/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rentaromperus/

This post is a sponsored post, but as always, I truly stand behind every company that we share on this website. Thank you!

Chat with you all soon!

9Sep 0

Organic Cotton Textiles by Zuahaza

**All of our sustainable & zero waste content has moved over to our brand new website: SustainablyKindLiving. Hope to see you there!!**

Sustainable, Ethical & Handcrafted Organic Cotton Textiles by Zuahaza

Hello, loves, and welcome back to the blog! Today we are honoured to feature the handcrafted & organic textiles from the women of Zuahaza.

As you all know, I am such a big supporter of sustainable and ethical brands from fashion to home decor. I am beyond thrilled to share this company with you all today.

ORGANIC COTTON TEXTILES HANDMADE IN COLOMBIA

ZUAHAZA honours the makers, culture and craft.

Collective Sisterhood.

Social Enterprise.

Always ethical and sustainable.

In today’s sustainable home goods highlight, we are going to break down everything that makes Zuahaza one of our absolute favourites. We will chat about sustainability, production, faces behind the brand, and ethics.

Let’s get educated on the Ethical & Sustainable textiles by Zuahaza!

A Brief Overlook of Zuahaza

Handmade: The organic cotton textiles by Zuahaza tell a story of Colombia through thoughtful craftsmanship. Many of us adore slow fashion, and this practice is also brilliant in home goods. The quality, style, and love put forth towards each item is unlike any other.

Sustainable: Zuahaza respects Earth and her resources with the highest regard. Organic materials and processes are only the base of this company. We have watched in their stories and highlights all of the fantastic ways they are using nature to dye their fabrics – it’s truly inspirational.

Social Enterprise: As a social enterprise, Zuahaza strives to embody a sisterhood between the women in Colombia. Zuahaza translates to “my sister” in the Muisca language of the Cundiboyacense people.

Women supporting Women: Zuahaza strives to connect women from across Colombia. The goal is to create unique products that reflect the Columbian culture, history and craftsmanship. The bond between the workers and their crafts is evident in the high quality.

Fair Trade and Fair Wage: The folks behind Zuahaza go beyond fair trade and fair wages by supporting the dreams of each and every team member.

Responsible: Zuahaza assumes responsibility for the environment and those living within. Choosing to work with organic and biodegradable materials saves water and eliminates the harsh chemicals in the soil.

Zuahaza Founder: Tatiana

Tatiana is the founder of Zuahaza as well as the head designer. She has a lot of experience in the artisan field throughout Latin America and also a background in textiles from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Natural dyes and organic fibres are a big part of Tatiana’s advocacy for sustainable production. Having Colombian roots herself, Tatiana holds so much admiration for the indigenous artisans and her favourite part of her job is the interchange of knowledge with her artisans.

Organic Cotton Textiles by Zuahaza

Shopping on the Zuahaza website is such a breeze. The artisans work together to create one focal collection (slowly and sustainably) and this collection will be featured for quite a long time. Their first ever collection is called the “Roots” collection and this is what is featured in our blog post today.

Organic Cotton Textiles by Zuahaza

When browsing through the website, you will notice the minimalistic menu that features some of our favourite topics: Approach, Artisans, Values, Process, and Materials. I have said this before and I’ll say it again, companies can never give too much information when it comes to who makes your products, where, why, and how. These are key points of information that allow consumers to make conscious decisions.

How does Tatiana & ZUAHAZA stay committed to their values?

With the help of 7 beautiful and talented women….the artisans.

One of the first things that I noticed about Tatiana and her company was the love she held for her artisans. We began working together at the beginning of the Covid-19 spread and I was blown away at her dedication to helping her artisans make it through the hard times. It has truly been an honour to witness the love shared here.

(Left to right in order!)

Mariá: Mariá has been a part of the cooperative for 4 years and is a very talented seamstress. She is thrilled to have a job that she loves and also provide for her family.
Ana: Ana has been a part of the cooperative for 24 years and is a master weaver and teacher. She is a big believer in preserving ancestral techniques.
Graciela: Graciela has been a part of the cooperative for 20 years. She is the administrative head of the co-op as well as sewer and designer. Graciela believes it is very important to teach the history of her ancestors to new generations as a way of preserving the columbian heritage.

Tatiana is in the middle!

Martha: Martha is the youngest of the group and has been in the cooperative for 2 years as a weaver. Her skills are far beyond her years! She holds so much love and respect for the artisanal work.
Otilia: Otilia has been a part of the cooperative for 8 years. She is an administrative secretary as well as a weaver. She loves to carry on the traditions of her people.
Esther: Esther has been an artisan for over 20 years and is a wonderful weaver and spinner. She truly stands behinds this company and believes that the artisan cooperative has rescued the traditions of the Guane culture.
Inés (not shown in photo): Inés has been a part of the cooperative for 18 years and is an incredible weaver and spinner. For her, working in the cooperative as an artisan means participating in changing her community, in preserving their cultural heritage, and believing in economic stability for both men and women.

Organic Cotton Textiles by Zuahaza: Values & Philosophy

To create sustainable employment for women artisans in Colombia by revitalizing the craft of making textiles and collaborating to innovate in product and design

Equality of Opinion

Zuahaza is all about collaboration and equality of opinion from start to finish in the design and production process. The dreams, careers, and families of each and every artisan is valued. The folks behind Zuahaza truly believe that each artisan has the vision and skills to participate in the important decision making. Everything is done as a team.

“Collaboration is truly the soul of Zuahaza, as we come and work together as Colombian sisters to create unique sustainable treasures for your home.”

— TATIANA ORDOÑEZ

Honouring the Craft

It has become harder and harder for artisans like those in the Zuahaza team to earn enough money to support themselves and their family. This company wants to change this. These artisans deserve to be recognised and highly respected for the magnificent work that they do. Zuahaza believes in elevating the craftsmen to a much more dignified person in society. I love this!

Waste Happens but Zuahaza is dedicated to reducing and up-cycling as much as possible.

As with every production, waste happens. Even though Zuahaza is dedicated to using 100% organic and natural materials, a bit of waste is produced. To counteract this waste, the artisans create small one of a kind pieces made from scraps to sell such as small purses and bags. They are truly dedicated to become a zero waste production company in the near future and it has been a joy to watch. You can watch along with us on their instagram stories here.

Here are a few of my favourites from the New Collection:

Striped Guayaba Pink Pillow: 100% organic cotton | 100% naturally dyed | 18”x18” |

Zuahaza Small Naidi Blue & Guayaba Pink Throw

Small Naidi Blue & Guayaba Pink Throw: 100% organic cotton | 100% naturally dyed | 40”x60” |

Diamond Naidi Blue Table Runner: 100% organic cotton | 100% naturally dyed | 40”x60” |

As a sustainable & ethical researcher and consumer, I cannot express how excited I was to work with Tatiana and the Zuahaza team to share their products with you all. These pieces of art are decorating our bedroom and living room and they are an absolute dream. Super soft, nice and thick material, the absolute highest quality, and beautiful design of these pillows have transformed our rooms into relaxing havens. I am so exited to see the next collection!

**Thank you to Tatiana and the amazing artisans for gifting us the amazing pillows featured in our blog post and social media posts. This collaboration is definitely not over – we will have these pillows for life and they will be present in so many family photos and future work.

Chat with you all soon!

15Aug 2

5 Ways To Repurpose Old Clothes

**All of our sustainable & zero waste content has moved over to our brand new website: SustainablyKindLiving. Hope to see you there!!**

5 Ways To Repurpose Old Clothes

Written by the amazing Rhea of @helpingtheenvironment

Hi there! I think we’ve all been in this situation before: having a bunch of old clothes in your closet and not knowing what to do with them. That’s why today I want to show you how to make use of old clothes instead of throwing them away.

Ethical motivation

Now, why is it so important to be resourceful with the clothes we already have? Well, more often than not, western fast fashion companies exploit workers in developing countries, who are willing to work for lower wages and in unsafe factories. These workers lack workplace protection, are oftentimes abused by employers and work extremely long shifts.

Environmental motivation

From an environmental standpoint, fast fashion also spells disaster. According to Oxfam, it would take 13 years to drink the water needed to make one t-shirt and a pair of jeans! A single cotton t-shirt uses up to 2,700 litres of water during production. And just the UK alone sends 11 million items of clothing to landfill every week.

Get your old clothes ready!

This means that only by repurposing our old fast fashion clothes can we make up for the labor and emissions that went into their production! Throwing them away would furthermore add to the waste problem we already have. So, without further ado, here are five ways to repurpose old clothes and give them new life!

5 Ways to Repurpose Old Clothes: Crop Tops

You need:

old shirt, scissors, optionally a sewing kit

Especially in summer, short clothes are a life-saver for hot weather. You can make your own crop tops out of old shirts or blouses!

First, put the shirt on and use a pen to mark a line along which you want to cut.

Make sure you straighten it out before cutting, and use appropriate scissors!

Alternative crop top idea

Another awesome idea is to cut a shirt or blouse into a crop top that you can tie into a knot at the front! Instead of cutting a straight line, you leave two triangles of cloth along the front, which can then be tied.

For some pieces of clothing, I would recommend to hem them afterwards in order to prevent the edges fraying, but it isn’t always necessary.

5 Ways to Repurpose Old Clothes: Hair Ties

You need:

old socks, scissors

How to:

Cut off a few stripes at the opening of a sock! Socks have the right size for hair ties and you can choose ones with nice colors and patterns.

Considering hair ties often go missing the moment we buy them, they’re pretty expensive.

5 Ways to Repurpose Old Clothes: Denim Shorts

You need:

old jeans, scissors, optionally a sewing kit

Old jeans that don’t fit that well can easily be made into cute shorts by simply cutting them. Raw denim edges are a trend right now, but if you don’t want your shorts to fray too much, you can do a basic stitch along the edge. Alternatively, you can simply cuff your shorts, which also looks pretty cool.

5 Ways to Repurpose Old Clothes: Kitchen Towels

You need:

any old clothes, scissors

This one isn’t an outfit idea, but still useful. Any old piece of clothing can be made into a reusable kitchen towel very easily by simply cutting it into equal-sized squares. This way, you’re also reducing your kitchen waste!

5 Ways to Repurpose Old Clothes: Makeup Wipes

You need:

old clothes, scissors

Another easy way to repurpose old clothes is to cut them into equal-size round pieces and use them as makeup wipes. It’s especially ecofriendly because
disposable wipes take very long to biodegrade, and this is a quick reusable alternative.

About Rhea

My name is Rhea and I live in Germany. A few years ago I started taking an interest in the environment and ways to protect it. Since then I’ve changed my lifestyle in a lot of ways, for example by becoming vegetarian and eliminating a lot of plastic from my life. That’s why I started an Instagram account in 2018, sharing ways to help Earth, information about climate change and tips to reduce waste. If you’re interested in sustainability, why don’t you check it out? @helpingtheenvironment.

If you liked this blog post, check these other ones out!

Zero Waste Deodorant that Actually Works

Zero Waste Bathroom Products

3Aug 0

Minimalist Packing Guide for a 7-Day Vacation (Ethical, Low-Waste, and Sustainable)

**All of our sustainable & zero waste content has moved over to our brand new website: SustainablyKindLiving. Hope to see you there!!**

Minimalist Packing List

Our family just came back from a magical 7-day vacation in Tuscany and we are already dying to go back. This was one of those holidays where everything just went right. A few days before we were to head out on a camping trip (also fun, of course), our friend called us to let us know that his apartment in Tuscany was available and that we could stay for free. Gasp. Are you serious?!

We had no idea what we were getting into when we hit the road. We had yet to see any photos of the place and neither of us know enough about Tuscany to have any clue as to where the house was. 5 hours later and we were (or so we thought) in the middle of nowhere and driving up a very rough road. It was so rough that I had to get out of the car and push rocks left and right so that our very low car would not get stuck on this extremely steep hill. The boys were ecstatic to see that a tractor was parked in the field and while we were singing along to the “tractor song” (thanks, Blippi), we saw about 200 gorgeous sheep being escorted by 3 magical dogs. I swear….it was straight out of a movie.

We pulled up to a huge shrub of greenery, a hand made football field, and a shed that looked like it had just been destroyed by a storm (turns out, the storm destroyed way more than that quite recently). To my right a saw a quaint little archway that was covered in purple flowers. The entrance to our home for the week.

We all unbuckled our seat belts and walked slowly towards the purple flowers. As we inched nearer, we saw what was the most magical scene: A traditional Tuscan home in the middle of a farm. No bells and whistles, no commercial property, no modern anything….just….a house that fairy tales are made in.

We walked around the entirety of the house: huge ceramic pots lined the entire property and were full of gorgeous flowers and plants. 3 little cats came to say hello, a bunny bounced by us, 4 massive lizards crawled over our heads, and a very spunky mixed itty-bitty dog came over to sniff us out. Turns out, this little dog lets the families know if the wolves are near. He came in handy on our last night!

The family who resides upstairs was not home but our apartment had a key just hanging there…right in the key holder. This made me smile…and laugh…and take a deep breath. Trust. You don’t see this much anymore.

I took one photo of the house….on our third night when I realised that I had yet to capture the home. Its not a perfect photo, but I love it. It just speaks for itself. No TV, no radio….nothing but our own singing, our own chatting, and lots of laughter. Each night we sat outside and played board games and card games. Each morning the boys ran outside to the garden and rode their bikes all over the farm and chased the kitties with their little “I FOUND YOU!!” screams. Each afternoon we headed to the sea and played in the sand for hours and hours on end. We hit the same gelato shop at siesta time for our mango and strawberry sorbet and shots of espresso. We piled up in the same bed at night and read the 2 same books over and over again until our littles ones drifted off to dream land. Tip toe and tip toe….we opened a bottle of wine and talked. Laughing at random sounds, running inside when the dog shouted “wolves”, and passing out each night in each others arms.

This was the perfect holiday.

Minimalist Packing: The Toiletries

Pit Liquor Deodorant: Martin and I are obsessed with this entire company. This scent is whiskey vanilla which I love and Martin loves the coconut rum. They come in spray bottles and roller bottles. They are glass so be careful! (Use code WONDERMAMAS15 for a discount!)
Jojoba oil: I pick up my jojoba oil from our local farmers market. I add 12 drops of frankincense and 12 drops of lavender essential oils to each bottle before using. This is my face cleanser and face moisturiser all in one!
My bamboo toothbrush. I packed 4, of course, but for photo sake you just see one.
This is my favorite hair brush (I own one hair brush and one comb from this company, Tek Hair brushes).
Plaine Products Shampoo & Conditioner: I do not mess around with my hair anymore and shampoo/conditoner bars. My hair is way too wavy, course, and latin to mess around anymore haha. I nearly destroyed it with the bars. So, I found this amazing company that has a vegan, natural, refillable, and super wavy/curly hair friendly line that keeps my strands hydrated and happy. I would say it resembled the Aveda shampoo line that I was addicted to for years and years before making the switch! If you want to give them a go, you can use the discount code: WonderMamas20. P.s. they do have travel sized ones but with sand and sea water, I knew I had to bring the big ones haha.

Bandana: This bandana is about 5 years old and I do believe it came from H&M. Probably the only thing that ever lasted this long from that store haha. I use this when I wash my face, when I need a hair band, when I need a head band, etc.
Bandaids. Because….kids.
Georganics crush and brush toothpaste tablets. All you do is pop one tablet in your mouth and begin brushing with a wet toothbrush. Bam – you are set.
Eyelash curler and 100% pure lipstick: I use the lipstick as an impromptu blush as well. This is as far as I go with makeup in the Tuscan heat.
Tweezers: You all know that I only wax (no razor comes near my body) and tweezers are great for holidays for random clean up jobs.
Body wash and shampoo bar: This is all my kids and Martin need. We all share the body wash bar!
Lavera SPF 50 sunscreen: This is made for babies but I love it. It works great and this company is all around amazing. Heads up though: this sunscreen is WHITE. We all look like casper the ghost when we wear it.
Washable and reusable face wipes: These wipes come with this little bag. Once the wipes are dirty, toss in the bag. When the bag is full, simply toss into the wash and start over again. These work great for oil cleansing.
This spray bottle is my homemade bug spray made with lemongrass eucalyptus oil, geranium oil, and cedar wood oil.
The two roller bottles: One has a sleepy roller blend and the other is just a first aid cleaning alcohol that is super handy when the boys get a minor scrape. Just roll this over their cut/scrape and add the bandaid! Genius.
Wash Cloth: This wash cloth is made of jungle vine and comes from A Million Elephants. Made in Laos, this company is one of my all-time favourites for eco friendly and long lasting products. I also packed along their jungle vine produce bag and wallet!

Minimalist Packing: My Choice of Clothes

White Linen Long Sleeve Button Up by Sundays Designs: I love this linen button up top because it can be worn on its own over a swim suit, tucked into shorts or tied as a cute crop with a Sarong or skirt. I wore this nearly every day on the trip to protect myself from the sun!
Organic Basics Tencel Tank Top: This is one of my all time favorite tanks and I own it in three colors. This looks great with the Patagonia hiking shorts, the linen skirt, and just as is with the panties. It is softer than anything else in my closet!

Linen Button Up Skirt by Sundays Designs: This link is no longer available but any button up skirt will do (or skip all together for a sarong). I wore this a few times for dinner and walking around the amazing Tuscany village.
Encircled 8 Ways to Wear It Chrysalis Cardi: This is supposed to be able to be worn 8 times but I have found out how to wear it 10 ways! I love to use this as a strapless dress and a skirt (not shown on the site, but super easy to make it happen). This is a capsule wardrobe must have.

5. Athletic Shorts: Any will do. I actually never wore these but I still think they are a smart addition in case you want to work out or go for a bike ride! It was just too hot for any of that haha.

6. Patagonia High Rise Wrinkle Free Shorts: These are my all time favorite shorts. I ordered these during a huge sale last year and I am just in love. They always look good, sit beautifully on my waist, and are extremely comfortable.

7. Kindomshop Dress (This specific one is now gone but there are plenty of options here): I love every single dress from this shop. Just gorgeous and oh so sustainable.

8. Tet Swimwear Jacqueline One Piece Reversible Swim Suit: One side is a beautiful striped color and the reverse is a very cool green. Love this swimsuit! I used this as a body suit as well and paired it with the patagonia shorts for walking around the town. Paired below with my favorite robe by Luks linen!

9. Striped Bikini gifted from a friend (she ordered the wrong size): I love this swimsuit but low and behold, it only held up for about 5 swims before losing all its color and turning into crap (another big reason why we only shop from sustainable brands). I’ll still keep it but gosh….this just reminded me how much we all need to shop with better brands.

10. Two sarongs: One short (very old from my closet) and one long from Nomads Clothing UK: I live in sarongs all year round. I wore both of these every single day and I usually sleep in the longer sarong by Nomads Clothing UK.

11. Two Bralettes: One from Organic basics in tan and one from Hara the Label in green

12. One Sports bra from Indigo Luna: The comfiest sports bra in the world in my opinion (I have tried hundreds in my life). Recommended by breast feeding moms everywhere!

13. Four Panties from Organic Basics, Bhumi Organic and Hara the Label

14. Two sets of earrings: From our local fair trade shop in town.

15. Not shown: I also packed two of my Wuka period panties just in case my period came on holidays. Good thinking because it hit two days before we left! I love my period panties…they make periods comfortable.

Minimalist Packing: The Bag

We have had the pakt bag for well over a year now and it’s my go to for pretty much any adventure including this trip to Tuscany. They also have a very cool back pack that works just like a carry on suit case if you are more of a back pack person!

All of my clothes from above, rolled, and my toiletries fit perfectly into this bag. I also packed along my laptop, charger, documents, my book, and camera supplies. Everything fit beautifully and unpacking is always a breeze. Highly recommend this to anyone looking for a duffel/backpack suitcase option!

p.s. This works as a brilliant diaper bag as well. It fit all my cloth diapers and the gear needed for our 24 hour travel trip to the states. Just unbeatable.

If you liked this blog post, check these other ones out!

Zero Waste Deodorant that Actually Works

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Welp, that’s all I got for you today! I hope this helps you on your own sustainable, ethical, minimalist, and/or eco-friendly journey. As always, thanks so much for taking the time to visit our little site and thank you so much for all of the support. This post contains a few affiliate links from which we will receive a small percentage of commission. By clicking on the links and purchasing through our links, you help to keep this site alive! Yay!

8Jun 0

Vegan & Sustainable Fashion by LANIUS

**All of our sustainable & zero waste content has moved over to our brand new website: SustainablyKindLiving. Hope to see you there!!**

Vegan & Sustainable Fashion by LANIUS

Hello, loves, and welcome back to the blog! Today we are honoured to feature the amazingly beautiful “Peta Approved” Vegan Fashion Line by LANIUS.

As you all know, I am such a big supporter of sustainably vegan brands and also those who are doing their best to provide sustainable and vegan options for our community. Ethical fashion is a big passion of mine and I had the best time shooting for this new PETA approved (woo-hoo!) fashion line. Our social media inbox is always flooded with messages about ethical fashion, so let’s get to it!

FASHION WITH RESPECT FOR
PEOPLE, ANIMALS & ENVIRONMENT

LANIUS has three guiding principles:

Love Fashion.

Think Organic.

Be Responsible.

In today’s fashion highlight, we are going to break down everything that makes LANIUS great. We will chat about sustainability, production, transparency, and ethics.

Let’s get educated on the Vegan & Sustainable Fashion by LANIUS!

A Brief Overlook of LANIUS

Slow Fashion: Slow fashion is the movement of designing, creating, and buying garments for quality and longevity. It encourages slower production schedules, fair wages, lower carbon footprints, and more. The team of Lanius creative designers produces new LANIUS collections twice a year in their Cologne workshop.

Sustainability is at the forefront of their minds: LANIUS uses materials produced according to controlled ecological standards. Season after season, Lanius invests intensive research to become even better, even more sustainable and to be able to offer you even more beautiful qualities.

Natural & Organic Materials: Natural materials are the key to high-quality. Organic cotton, organic linen, hemp, tencel, and more are used to create their gorgeous pieces.

Cruelty-Free: Today we are featuring the “Peta Approved Vegan Fashion Line”, but what about the other fashion lines held by Lanius? Out of love and respect for animals, Lanius uses neither real fur nor down. When it comes to wool, they stick to a strict “no-mulesing“ policy. To learn more about their practice, please click here.

Responsible: Lanius assumes responsibility for people, animals, as well as the environment. The production sites comply with social and environmental standards, which are regularly checked by independent institutions and the company themselves.

Fair Working Conditions: Lanius has production centers in Lithuania, Portugal, Bulgaria, Turkey, Peru, China and India. Each one of these amazing centres is held to the highest standards.

LANIUS Founder: Claudia Lanius

Claudia Lanius had a strong vision when she started up the LANIUS brand. She envisioned a fashion brand that combined eco-friendly materials with fair working conditions, feminine silhouettes and the perfect fit. It’s pretty easy to see that she has successfully turned her vision into a reality and has inspired brands all over the world to take crucial steps in becoming more sustainable, ethical, and conscious.

The creative designers of LANIUS create TWO new collections each and every year. Compare this with the fast fashion’s industry 52+ collections each year, and you will begin to see just how miraculously slow and sustainable LANIUS truly is. LANIUS uses the highest quality materials, with strong attention to detail, and creates fashionable pieces that will last the test of time.

LANIUS is, in all regards, exactly what we need in this fashion world.

Vegan & Sustainable Fashion by LANIUS: Transparency is Key

When shopping via the LANIUS website, you have the options of selecting Detail, Sustainability, Care, Material and Production. This is probably one of my most favorite features of the LANIUS site. The transparency of this company is so very refreshing! With just a click of a button, customers can make educated decisions on their clothes and know that they are supporting a wonderful company that stands behind strong ethics. Imagine if all brands were as transparent as this one?

We at WonderMamas were so very excited to see “production” as a category that is easily accessible when shopping. This production category let’s the consumer know where the clothing was made, a bit of background information, certifications, and fair trade conditions. Just marvelous.

Vegan & Sustainable Fashion by LANIUS

Sustainable development is based on the so-called three pillar system: economic, environmental and social. The folks behind LANIUS see sustainability as a future-oriented and ongoing process. They take into consideration the people, animals and the environment. LANIUS’S defining strength is the ability to produce fair, high-quality and eco-friendly collections season after season.

How does LANIUS stay committed to their values?

Here are a few wonderful ways:

LANIUS is a GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified company. This provides a uniform certification process in the production of sustainable textiles. A product receives the GOTS seal when the entire supply chain, from cultivation to production, is certified in every step. The seal is renewed annually and the companies are subject to regular checks.
The bioRe® Foundation: With every purchase of the LANIUS charity shirt line, 3 euros per shirt will go to the school project of the bioRe® foundation, thus enabling the preservation, expansion and operation of a school for the children of the LANIUS organic cotton farmers. The bioRe® Foundation has been supporting infrastructure development in India and Tanzania since 1997, thus ensuring the sustainable improvement of the living conditions of farmers’ families. The main focus is on the cultivation of organic cotton as a sustainable livelihood, as well as the areas of health, education and livelihood.
#NoPlastic Initiative: Through better packaging, organic textile, clever caring, and recycled fibres, LANIUS is fighting back against plastic on a daily basis.
Natural Dyeing: This was so very exciting for me to see! Natural dyeing produces 97 % less water contamination compared to conventional dyeing, Energy savings of up to 30 %, and is Gentle and natural to the skin, because it’s free of harmful chemicals. LANIUS is committed to creating more pieces with natural dye. Check out the full break down here!

Vegan & Sustainable Fashion by LANIUS: Peta Approved!

So now to the most exciting part, the Vegan Fashion Line! I am thrilled to share this with you all. Let’s take a look!

The vegan fashion line by LANIUS is everything that you would expect from a company with such high standards. The fibres are top of the line, the pieces are absolutely timeless, and you can feel good purchasing something for yourself without worrying about the high consequences of fashion. I love that LANIUS took the time and effort to become Peta approved certified through the application and interview process. This really shows how much they honour the vegan lifestyle and I truly appreciate that.

What is the “Peta Approved Logo”?

The “PETA-Approved Vegan” logo allows companies that sell apparel, accessories, furniture, or home decor to highlight their vegan offerings, helping consumers find animal-free products at a glance and make purchases that align with their values.

Ethical consumers can rest assured knowing that the entire article, as well as its manufacture, are free from animal ingredients.

‘As more and more people decide to live vegan – for the sake of animals, the environment and their own health – …we try to offer more and more vegan garments at LANIUS as well. The PETA “Approved Vegan” label marks our vegan garments and assures that the entire article as well as its manufacture are free from animal ingredients.’

The vegan collection is not small in any way whatsoever. I actually attempted to count how many options LANIUS had in their vegan collection, and it was well over 150+ (possibly way more, I had to stop scrolling!). Each piece is just as beautiful and timeless as the next. When scrolling through, you will see a few fibres stand out : Tencel Lyocell, organic cotton, organic linen, and recycled materials. The fashion pieces vary greatly and you can come here to find a great collection of capsule wardrobe pieces, staple items, formal wear, outdoor wear, and so much more.

Here are a few of my favourites from the collection:

Soft Sheath Dress: 48% cotton, from controlled organic cultivation | 47% TENCEL™ Modalfibers | 5% elastane

Casual Marlene Pants: 82% cotton, from controlled organic cultivation | 18% linen

Kaftan Dress: 82% cotton, from controlled organic cultivation | 18% linen

As an ethical fashion researcher and consumer, I was thrilled to see the large selection of cuts, colours, and styles. I often feel as though we have very limited options in this ethical fashion world and this is not the case with the LANIUS vegan fashion line. One thing that I was not too thrilled about was the sizing options that are offered. After looking through the site, I noticed that the sizes only range from a size 34-44. This would equal to a size 2-12 in the states.

I also noticed a lack of diversity and sizing in the models.

I am hoping that LANIUS will make more ethical pieces that are size inclusive, showcase the clothing in various sizes, and also showcase the clothing on a more diverse group of models. These are rather large issues in the sustainable and ethical fashion world and we do need to speak up about it as consumers and bloggers.

And that is it for us today, folks! Gosh, I love ya. Thank you so much for being here, for reading my articles, and for supporting my work every single day. I am so truly honoured to have you all in this community. A quick heads up on this blog post: LANIUS has sponsored my work here but has in no way pushed me or leveraged me to speak in any which way. I have truly fallen head over feels in love with this brand and cannot wait to share more about them with you all in the future! I highly recommend bookmarking their website for when you are in need of an ethically made, high quality, fair trade, and gorgeous number for your closet.

Chat with you all soon!

If you liked this blog post on the Vegan & Sustainable Fashion by LANIUS, check these other ones out!

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20Apr 0

All About EarthHero: Online Marketplace for Conscious Consumers

**All of our sustainable & zero waste content has moved over to our brand new website: SustainablyKindLiving. Hope to see you there!!**

EarthHero: The Online Marketplace for Conscious Consumers

This is it. The online marketplace that we have all been waiting for. A marketplace that not only takes sustainability and eco-friendliness into consideration when working with brands but a marketplace that has a strict screening and selection process to ensure that their customers are choosing the best of the best. I would like to formally introduce you all to EarthHero: The Eco-Friendly Online Marketplace for conscious consumers.

I am truly honored to share this company, EarthHero, with our WonderMamas community. We have worked tirelessly to share with our followers the best of the best and it feels so good to share this eco-friendly online marketplace with you all. Just think….from now on, instead of searching for hours on end for trusted sellers, you can now head to this one site, search as if you were on a popular online marketplace (named after a prominent rainforest, perhaps?) and shop without second-guessing! Goodness gracious, it’s about time! Am I right?!

EarthHero: The Eco-Friendly Online Marketplace

So let’s dive right in, shall we?

I am going to chat all about this company, how they choose the brands, their mission, their high standards, a few of my favorite products, and more. I urge you (begging on my knees over here) to share this online marketplace with everyone you know. People do not know that a sustainable marketplace exists and it’s not something that everyone really thinks about until we tell them! Let’s make sustainable living the new normal. Together, we can truly make a difference. Just by sharing this company, either in conversation or online, we can help to light the way for an eco-friendly future.

So, without further babbling, let’s learn all about EarthHero, The Eco-friendly Online Marketplace!

(P.s. before you jump the gun and start shopping away, we have a discount code AND a big sale announcement for you at the end of this blog post!)

EarthHero Online Marketplace: Vision & Mission

If you have been on the sustainable shopping journey for a while, you may be a vision and mission statement junkie like myself. If not, then I highly recommend that you check your future sellers for their mission statements before purchasing. You can learn A LOT from a companies mission statement, let me tell you!

EarthHero’s mission statement made me break out into a big smile.

The words sat well with my heart, my lifestyle, and my optimistic view of the future.

To start, EarthHero‘s vision is to make sustainable and eco-friendly shopping the new normal. They have successfully laid out the groundwork for this “new normal” by choosing trusted, high-quality brands and goods that create an authentic positive impact. (We will chat about their screening and selection process a little bit later in the blog post).

The mission statement pairs beautifully with their vision: to empower their customers to take action by simply shopping through their online marketplace. “We make it simple for you to buy high quality, reliable products that are produced using sustainable methods and materials. We’re giving you easy access to suppliers, manufacturers, and entrepreneurs who are committed to creating the products you want in a way that respects the Earth. We believe there shouldn’t be a conflict between environmentally sustainable and high quality. The products you find on EarthHero are both.”

I cannot agree with this simple and genius mission statement enough; our society relies heavily on ease of shopping and EarthHero takes all of the hard work out of sustainable shopping and makes it easy.

Intrigued?! I sure hope so. Let’s find out more!

EarthHero: They don’t just talk the talk…

EarthHero is 100% dedicated to a sustainable, responsible, and eco-friendly future. They host well over 150+ trusted brands but they are also a trusted brand in an of themselves! Here are just a few highlights of this amazing online marketplace:

B Corp Certified: Businesses who have been awarded this prestigious certification have met the highest standards of environment and social performance, transparency, and legal accountability. Each B Corp certified company has been evaluated and scored on how it impacts the environment, community, workers, and customers. The scores are made public and each company strives to improve its score each and every day! These companies are redefining what “success” means in the business world.
1% For The Planet: 1% of all sales (annually) are donated to sustainable initiatives and organizations that give back to the planet.
Carbon Free Partner: EarthHero knows that shipping is not the most eco-friendly thing to do and so they partnered with CarbonFund.org to ensure that your products arrive with the least amount of impact possible. There’s even a very cool Carbon Calculator that they use to offset the carbon emitted through the shipping and transportation of the goods.
Zero Waste Initiatives In and Out of the Office: These folks are serious about protecting our planet and I love it. From the reusable water bottles and 100% recycled paper in the office to reused shipping boxes and plastic-free shipping tape outside of the office…they are next level inspirational. You can absolutely trust in their company and the workers who make it tick.
Plus so much more!

EarthHero Online Marketplace: Over 150 Brands that you can trust (No greenwashing here, folks!)

The brands that EarthHero works with are some of my all-time favorite brands in the World. One thing that I love about this marketplace is that they have an entire page dedicated to educating their customers on each and every brand (check out the list of brands here).

Each and every story is inspiring, and if you are anything like me, you may spend a solid 5-6 hours clicking through each and every story and feeling so unbelievably uplifted by all the good that is being done in the world.

As I said before, EarthHero is all about transparency (Hello, B Corporation Certified!) and they have found an easy way to educate their customers with simple sustainable logos.

These logos let you know exactly what kind of impact the company has on the environment (ink, packaging, GMO-free, sulfate-free, compostable, etc), the organic content (USDA certified organic, GOTS certified, etc), the recycled content (recycled glass, recycled nylon, Econyl, etc), if it is made of a renewable resource (cork, bamboo, Lenzing Tencel, etc), the responsibility logo for the specific brand (cruelty-free, fair trade certified, plants a tree, etc), and the upcycled content.

Each one of these logos is easy to understand and the sustainable logos page has the further reading attached to each specific logo.

Alright Alright, But What Does EarthHero Sell?!

The EarthHero Online Marketplace has the following categories: Zero Waste (my favorite), clothing and accessories (my second favorite), Baby + Kids, Travel, Home, Outdoors, Audio + Tech, Pets, Beauty + care, and Gifts. Phew, that is a lot of categories!

These all line up right at the top of the website for easy access and when you hover over the selection, you will see a ton of options that relate to that category. EarthHero has a helpful “featured brand” section that I really like and have discovered some amazing new brands from this helpful side category.

I’m not going to lie, I felt so good scrolling through this website because so many of the brands that I have shared with you all over the years have a little home in this marketplace. Just knowing that our favorite brands are supporting and being supported by this wonderful platform makes me all giddy!

What if you cannot find what you are looking for?

Pretty much, if you want something, they will most likely have it in some sustainable and eco-friendly way. If they do not have a product that you are looking for, help a brother (or sister) out and shoot them an e-mail with your request. Companies like this (You know…ones who care) are always looking for ways to do better!

Do they ship internationally?

Not yet, but that is coming soon! Woop Woop!

Do you have an awesome discount code for us?!

You bet I do! Use code “wondermamas” at checkout for 10% off your purchase!

Some of My Favorite EarthHero Items

Before we go into my favorite items from the EarthHero Online Marketplace, I want to suggest that you bookmark or favorite this website for the future. So many times we revert back to old ways and our fingers begin typing in “A….M….A….Z….”, you get the picture haha. I want to urge you to keep this website at the forefront of your mind when it comes to making purchases. Rewire the brain for sustainability!

Here is a fun list of my favorite items on the website:

Global Healing Collective + Wild Foundation Gift Box: This amazing zero waste box is full of goodies to start you on your journey and 10% of the profits go directly to the Wild Foundation! This box includes 100% recycled produce bags, a stasher sandwich bag, an EarthHero Bamboo Utensil Kit, Stainless Steel Straw and Brush, and an adult bamboo toothbrush.
The Kid Kanteen 12oz Water Bottles: Just perfect for kids and so easy for parents to clean!
Kid’s Ziptuck Reusable Snack bags: Again, just so easy to use and perfect for kiddos (and big kiddos).
3-in-1 Splash Stainless Steel Lunchbox: Ummm…if you do not know about these magical boxes then you are welcome! Perfect for any human being because we are all a hot mess when it comes to food.
The Cora Ball: Catch those nasty plastic microfibers that fall off your clothes in the wash with this magical ball. It can’t catch them all (pesky rascals) but it does help a lot!
5 Piece Straw and Brush Set: Hands down the best reusable straws ever!
Compostable Phone Case by Pela Case: Protect your phone from scratches, shocks, and falls while also protecting the planet!
The Full Elate Makeup Line: Now you all know that I hardly ever wear make-up, but I do love this line. It feels very light, the packaging is zero waste, and it’s a company that you can really stand behind and be proud to wear.
Ida Vegan Soy Candle + Planter: Talk about a cool gift. If someone was to gift me something sweet, it would be something like this. A soy candle (that smells amazing and is free of additives, colorants, phthalates, and toxins) and it turns into a planter once all used up?! It also comes with wildflower seeds to plant + growing instructions. Genius. Practical. Danielle Approved. This is the photo above :).

WonderMamas Discount Code + A Big EarthHero Sale

So, first off, save the code “wondermamas” to save 10%!

Thank you all for checking out this wonderful company and for supporting us in our mission to share and inspire all of the sustainable goodness of the world!

That’s all for today, Mamas! I hope this blog post helped and please feel free to leave a comment about your own journey or to ask any questions! Heads up, we did use a few affiliate links and will receive a small commission if you purchase through them. As always, we truly stand behind the products we link. Thanks for stopping by!

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7Mar 0

Sustainable & Ethical Capsule Wardrobe: My Fall and Winter Capsule Revealed!

**All of our sustainable & zero waste content has moved over to our brand new website: SustainablyKindLiving. Hope to see you there!!**

My Full Fall and Winter Capsule Wardrobe Revealed!

Welcome back to the blog! I recently chatted on our Instagram and Facebook stories about building my sustainable and ethical capsule wardrobe from scratch and I am so thrilled to finally share it with you all! I began my journey to a capsule wardrobe about two years ago when our family made the decision to live as mindfully and sustainably as possible. Read more

3Feb 0

Nordgreen Watches of Copenhagen: Sustainable, Ethical and Timeless

**All of our sustainable & zero waste content has moved over to our brand new website: SustainablyKindLiving. Hope to see you there!!**

Nordgreen Watches of Copenhagen: Sustainable, Ethical and Timeless

Welcome back to the blog! Today we are super excited to feature Nordgreen Watches, a beautiful, timeless, and sustainable wristwatch company that has created gorgeous watches for both men and women alike.

As many of you know, we only work with companies when we are in need of a sustainable/ethical item because we are minimalists to the core and refuse to take on what we do not actually need. Doing this would defeat the entire purpose of what our website is all about!

Martin has been looking for an ethical and sustainable watch for quite some time now. We have browsed a few of the sustainable shops around our town but he just could not decide. He wanted a men’s watch that was rugged, classic, minimalist, and very durable.

*Discount Code for 15% off: VMAMAS15

When the folks behind Nordgreen Watches reached out to me, I immediately checked out their standards, practices, transparency, and background. I was so impressed! I called up Martin and later that night we looked through the website together to see if anything would actually work for his capsule wardrobe (check out our full blog post on building your own capsule wardrobe here!).

As soon as Martin laid eyes on the Nordgreen Pioneer watch, he got so excited! We flipped through the options and were so happy when vegan watch options were not just there, but there were MANY options. Usually, if a company offers vegan strap options, the options are far and few between. Martin was able to check out the vegan leather bands of different colors, rubber bands, and a variety of mesh bands. We both fell in love with the Nordgreen rubber watch band and now Martin is the proud owner of this gorgeous beauty!

Nordgreen has captured Danish design principles in three distinctive models, each under $250

*Discount Code for 15% off: VMAMAS15

The Story and Sustainability Practices Behind Nordgreen Watches

Pascar and Vasilij

Two life-long Danish friends who share a passion for watches. Their dream and mission are to deliver true Scandinavian design and lifestyle to everyone.

“As watch-lovers, we believe all watches should have the highest quality and best design.

As Danes, we believe in companies that are honest, sustainable, and that put others first.

As consumers, we couldn’t find any affordable watch company that embodied all of these things.

So we created it.”

This gorgeous rose gold Nordgreen pioneer women’s watch with the mesh strap is one of the top sellers for women watches by Nordgreen. This danish watch has such a beautiful take on minimalism.

Chief Designer of Nordgreen Watches

The Chief Designer behind these amazing watches is none other than Jakob Wagner, one of Scandinavia’s most heavily awarded designers. Jakob has the ability to bridge the gap between great aesthetics and functional products that each and every person can incorporate into their lives. An art that many designers struggle with, separating the good from the great.

Highlights of Nordgreen

Sustainable Practices

Nordgreen works with a premium quality production partner, a fully integrated watch producer headquartered in Hong Kong with a factory in Shenzen. The production partner is Danish-owned, securing European work ethics and standards.

Valuing the Workers

While working with high-quality sub-suppliers, including Japanese and Swiss mechanism producers, their partner offers a various spectrum of employment benefits, such as free education and language courses for further training and development and free insurance for the workers and their families.

Strong Work Ethics

In order for the folks behind Nordgreento to guarantee the best quality, not only for the Nordgren timepieces but for the supply chain, working conditions, and quality control, the founders visit the production partner on a regular basis. To avoid extensive logistics and unnecessary transportation, all non-European orders are fulfilled directly from the warehouse in Asia and all European orders from the distribution center in Denmark.

Giving Back Program

For each watch sold, Nordgreen empowers its customers to give back to one of three causes. The unique serial number provided on the back of each watch allows them to track the impact that your donation has made. Access to clean water, a clean environment, and a full education should be a right for all, and it is important to the folks behind Nordgreen that their watches inspire a connection, not just between watch and owner, but amongst everyone.

“To do things the Danish way means to do things with pride and purpose – we don’t settle for anything less.”

Both the Men’s Watches and Women’s Watches of Nordgreen are high-quality, sustainable and beautifully crafted. Customers are able to choose between a silver, gunmetal, or rose gold case, which can then be customized even further with Nordgreen’s interchangeable straps that come in a multitude of colors. The Philosopher is available in 36mm and 40mm sizes.

Big Thanks to Nordgreen Watches!

The folks behind Nordgreen watches were kind enough to gift Martin this beautiful men’s wristwatch. While this is so, every single word of this blog post came straight from us and we truly believe in this sustainable and high-quality brand. I am so excited for Martin to have found his capsule wardrobe watch! Don’t forget to use the code: VMAMAS15 for 15% off your Nordgreen Watch. Thanks for joining us for this review of Nordgreen watches!

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