Posted by admin on October 1, 2009
1. Lovely Ring by Nashelle -$74
Turquoise gem in the center. Available in only full sizes. Handmade and fairly traded in the USA.
2. Handmade Artisan Leather Handbag – $90
Made by Novica artisan Nanan is the artistic name of Wahju Cahyono, a young Javanese designer now living in Bali.
3. Maple by Terra Plana – $250
A sexy stitch down high heel ankle boot with quilt detailing the shape and memory foam foot bed cushions every step; made from recycled quilts from Pakistan and Bangladesh.
4. Karma Perfume by Lush – $40
Karma is a proper perfume, not an eau de toilette, so a little goes a very long way. It’s made with patchouli to make you more objective and orange oil to revive you when you’re frazzled. Lavender refreshes, pine brings happiness into your life, lemongrass lifts your spirits and elemi ought to make you feel joyful. Once you’ve sprayed a little on your wrists and taken a good sniff, dab it on everyone you know to spread love and light all over the place.
5. Hooded Alpaca Caplet by Mayu – $139
The alpaca shawl hoodie allows you to maintain a temperate feeling of comfort throughout your day and is made fair trade from 100% Peruvian alpaca fiber.
Posted by The Q on September 8, 2008
A lot of people are still not convinced that luxury can be eco-friendly. Perhaps they are just not shopping in the right places. Check out the gorgeous alpaca knit accessories from Mayu. These shawls, throws, hats, and scarves surpass even cashmere as a luxury fiber–and they do it without the environmental impact or the harsh chemical processes for dying and processing. Alpaca doesn’t pill like other fibers. It lasts for decades and doesn’t lose its lustre.
The alpaca themselves are eco friendly animals. They graze on the tops of the grass, leaving the roots intact. they also have a more efficient digestive system than other grazing animals, which means they eat less. And their feet do not dig in to the soil like the hooves of goats or cows, leaving the foliage in their pastures healthy and unharmed for future growth.
Mayu is not just about promoting eco-friendly fibers and pretty accessories, though. The company was founded by Kate Robertson, a former Peace Corps volunteer who spent time in Peru, helping women in the region develop their fair-trade enterprise.
According to Robertson, the women of Peru (and particularly the women in the region where Robertson spent her time) have a long tradition of knitting. Starting from an early age, and continuing through their lifetimes, they produce exquisite artisan crafted clothing and housewares. Working with Mayu allows these women to continue doing what they love to do while earning a higher income than at any other job offered in their area. Young women who wish to stay with their children, and older women who wish to continue supporting themselves as widows are able to earn an excellent income while working from their own homes.
Robertson works in Chicago as a full time non-profit employee. Her work with Mayu is born from her love for the women of Peru and her desire to bring the culture and the artisan handiwork of these women to a fair trade market. The pieces sold my Mayu are beautiful, contemporary, and of the highest quality. This year, when searching for the perfect holiday gift for a loved one–or even for yourself–consider one of these amazing Mayu products and treat yourself to eco-luxury!