Fjallraven Kanken
In the past year or so I’ve noticed a kitschy little backpack strapped to the backs of countless cool urban adventurers in New York. The odd name , catchy colors, and clean design made it more apparent this was a brand of those that knew what’s up. Simply put, Fjallraven does outerwear design better. Keeping up with the Swedish gold standard of design, everything is clean and balanced with enough pop to give the products personality. Even with my ignorance to the Scandinavian powerhouse, The Fjallraven logo is certainly iconic at first glance. You couldn’t forget that Red Fox if you tried to. With further education I learned Fjallraven carries the same careful construction responsibility ethos throughout the entire…
One Tablet Per Child
One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) has come out with the XO-3. Fuse Project did the design keeping with the brand of OLPC and solving for the need of a rugged cost effective mobile device. Their latest release unveiled this month. “We’re proud to introduce the XO 3.0 tablet, showcasing the design, durability and performance features that make it a natural successor for our current laptops, which have been distributed to more than 2.4 million children in 42 countries and in 25 languages,” said Ed McNierney, Chief Technology Officer of One Laptop per Child. The XO 3.0 has an 8-inch, 1024 x 768-resolution PixelQi display, which can be read indoors and out, a Marvell Armada PXA618 processor,…
Krochet Kids – Peru
Through their facility in Northern Uganda Krochet Kids International has changed the lives of over 100 women and their families through training and employment. The inspiring team has now set their sites on Peru. With over crowding in the capital city many women are desperate need of stable income. Knitting has long been a cultural practice in Peru which just makes this project make sense. Oh, and each hat is signed by the maker for that personal touch. www.krochetkids.org
Redefine Charity Bracelets
Rubber fundraiser bracelets are great but a little impractical as an everyday accessory if you are trying to pull an outfit together. Here are a few of my favorite charity bracelets that benefit amazing organizations and look amazing. The best thing about having a beautiful accessory is that not only can it set off a fit but when people ask about it you get the chance to tell a story to be proud of. That feels good. 1. Charity: Water This is a beautiful piece. Charity: Water and Kwiat who are both based out of NYC, partnered to create The Diamond Water Droplet Bracelet. This piece though beautiful still carries a bit of a stir…
Patagonia Now a B Corporation
So it looks like California has joined the list of states allowing companies to organize as Benefit Corporations to make a total of seven. To be a Benefit Corporation or “B Corporation” means that you legally organize your business as a for-profit that uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. This is important because traditional Corporations are bound by law to act in the best interests of the stakeholders. Which means that if your stakeholders think you’re spending too much the environment and charities then the focus of the business could be forced to shift to more “profitable” avenues. By definition B Corporations are committed to showing a certain level of transparency, meet higher legal…
Bottled Water for Charity
People have a lot of mixed feelings about the whole bottled water for charity concept. When I first saw bottled water in the stores it was seen as an insane luxury item and scoffed at by much of the general public (at least my friends and fam). Now its everywhere in the marketplace with tons of options to choose from. It seems that since many bottlers seem to have the same assumption as most consumers (that they’re all pretty much the same) they’ve taken to other marketing angles. The connection to water and life is an easy enough leap that philanthropy would seem to vibe well with this concept and vice versa. Philanthropists are looking…
Ark Collective
Ark Collective is a California based company is a simple company with a simple mission. Make really nice backpacks really well and donate a backpack to underserved students in the United States. No doubt inspired by TOMS and other one-4-one giving companies, Ark has found an item so many take for granted. A lack of proper school supplies is just one more hurdle for kids to cross. With all the other things in their way getting a backpack to use for school can truly make an impact on a kids life. The bag and straps are made from a durable canvas and comes in three major color ways and have a sleeve to fit 15…
TWINS for Peace
A collaboration between twin brothers Maxime and Alexandre Mussard and their best friend Louis Felix de Fenoyl, TWINS for Peace is a Parisian footwear brand with a purpose. TWINS for Peace has a one-4-one giving model. For every pair you buy they will give a pair to a child in need, but unlike TOMS they are also involved in donating school supplies, school tuition, books, and medical supplies. They carry a men’s and women’s line of casual footwear produced in a family owned factory in Portugal. The shoes are made from Italian materials and carry the motto “Be Cool, Be Good.”
KMC Pink Lady
KMC Chain partnered with GIDEA Group to create the packaging and design of their Pink Lady Chain. The chain features the recessed, hollow pins and lightened plates of the X9SL series, and its pink-plated inner links reflect the fact that KMC donates 15% of its profits directly to the Pink Ribbon Foundation to find their fight against breast cancer.
MOVMT 2012 Lookbook
MOVMT is a southern California shoe company that takes care to use recycled and organic material whenever possible to make a super simple but wearable shoe. Each season they partner with a different organization. This year a portion of the profits from their Clean Act Collection will benefit the Plastic Pollution Coalition which is a network that is focused on preventing the harmful effects of plastic on humans, animals, and the environment. Their line includes men’s and women’s casual footwear. From the sound of it only the “Clean Act Collection” directly benefits the charity while other pieces in their line do not so just check the name when you’re purchasing.
NorthWest NAU
NAU pronounced (now) embodies a lot of what the NorthWest has to offer. When I first moved to Seattle from Hawaii one of the first things I noticed about the people here (aside from being a bit fair skinned and having an affliction for plaid) was how much influence they took from nature and applied to their designs. Its kind of like Hawaii where a beach culture has influenced the look and feel of a lot of designs. Here the bike, boarding, climbing, and outdoor activities show through in color ways and textures of a lot of designs. NAU is a Portland based brand that creates outerwear that works as well in downtown as in the…
Buy A Watch, Plant A Tree
In just two years WeWOOD has come a long way. The first piece was born in Italy but this LA based company crafts eco-friendly and nostalgic time pieces mostly from found wood. The inner workings are Miyota movements. The bands are adjustable by adding and removing links just like traditional metal pieces. The group at WeWOOD has also partnered with American Forests to promise that a tree will be planted for each piece sold.
