Eco + Envy — News

We have been having an open dialogue with some of our customers regarding my question as to whether or not "we should carry leather goods at Eco + Envy?" Here's an interesting take on this from Ed. We would love to get more feedback on this complex topic. What's your thoughts?

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Hi Rick and thank you for your considered response.

I have recently seen the documentary "Earthlings" and now look at animal products in a new light. This is to say I consider the source of animal products to the best of my ability and, if I don't know the provenance, I don't buy. There are obviously some practical considerations but there are also some very serious moral considerations.

I am not a vegan or vegetarian but I do consider how the animal was treated and where it comes from. Leather from India, for instance, is often treated with extremely toxic chemicals that pollute many waterways and subject cows to appalling conditions. There are also many meat processors that treat cows and pigs in ways that turned my stomach when I saw the documentary. I also know not every processor is the same and there are humanely treated cattle and pigs.

I don't have an answer for you Rick just a moral consideration and I was pleasantly surprised you considered my question.

Quite frankly I did not expect you to respond to my question given that most retailers have no idea of the provenance of their leather products and if consumers really knew, many of us would not buy.

Ed--

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Watch the video>

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6361872964130308142

Hello Eco + Envy Shoppers!

Kate here, founder of Mayu. This Fair Trade certified, hand-knit alpaca hoodie is my favorite Mayu product. Let me tell you why…

During my last trip to Peru, I was busy working with Mayu’s artisans to create our new collection. I have a day job so everything I’d done with the group of knitters up until that point had been through the mail. Yup, snail mail. I sent samples to the rural Andean community where they lived and held my breath that they’d arrive. After a 10 hour bus ride from Lima up into the mountains, the designs arrived and the artisans were off to replicate them. When I arrived in Peru to my old Peace Corps stomping grounds, the artisans and I danced the night away to Peruvian Huayno music and got to work bright and early the following morning.

As I was reviewing the scarves, hats and gloves they’d knit for me, I knew we had problems. Some of the products just didn’t turn out as planed. I knew it was time to improvise. We had seven days so we had to do it quick! I explained my designers’ vision of this mélange hoodie and Diana, one of the most skilled knitters, went to work. The first model was a disaster; a horrible stitch, a tiny hood and measures were off. The second model was better, but it was knit too tight, the hood was too pointy and the scarf was too short. The third time, well that was a charm.

We hope you enjoy this hoodie. It is a must-have winter staple. So versatile, so soft, so cute. Your friends will want one too.

Meet Diana here, the artisan behind this super stylish hoodie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_846HBqriJM

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