Before we get down to business, I want to say a big THANK YOU to the folks that entered the Jute & Jackfruit EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY!
Now …
the time has come …
DRUM ROLL PLEASE!
ra-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat
The winner of the Jute & Jackfruit EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY is …
(as picked by Random.org) …
Janet MP
Note: Janet, I’ve sent your contact info to Shana at Jute & Jackfruit. She will be contacting you with your gift certificate code. 
There are countless online stores where you can peruse the latest and greatest eco-friend fashions. New on the scene & poised to be amazing, Jute & Jackfruit is one not-to-miss. I recently chatted with the site’s Owner/Founder Shana Yansen – a fantastic woman who is undoubtedly dedicated to all-around sustainability.
Read on to learn about Shana’s unique history, what really makes a product “green”, and the many great things she has to come. Featured with the interview are pictures of two brand-new eco-fashion lines that Jute & Jackfruit will soon be carrying: Sita and Itsus – enjoy!
Victoria (Everman) Klein: What inspired you to start an online eco-fashion store?
Shana Yansen: Three big moments in my life inspired me to start Jute and Jackfruit, forming the basis of the three core principles of the company: “Smart, Sustainable, Chic”.
“Smart“: To empower women worldwide through socially conscious endeavors and fair trade.
About twelve years ago, I served in the Peace Corps Honduras as a child-survival volunteer. Living in a rural coffee-growing village in the mountains, I had the opportunity to work with women’s artisan groups and small business owners. I became deeply inspired by the women-run businesses emerging out of these resource-poor settings, and observing the positive impact that the businesses had on the women and their communities. It seemed the greatest advantages often came through hand made products, since the women took such pride in making them. I knew that American women would also take an interest in these products. I decided that someday I would incorporate women’s small business ownership into my work and ultimately found a company based on these principles.
“Sustainable“: To support the environment in everything we do.
Fast forward a few years and the concept of “Sustainable” grew from my work experiences in Asia. Doing international public health work in Bangladesh, India and Indonesia, I became familiar with the tremendous environmental strains facing the region and also learned about aspects of the garment industry. I began researching cotton farming and the environmental impacts associated with the textile industry. Passionate about the environment, I grew increasingly interested in making a positive contribution to this industry after learning about the vast quantities of pesticides and chemicals used for cultivation and processing of conventional cotton and other fabrics.
“Chic“: To offer exquisite fashion-forward clothing, jewelry and handbags.
With a longstanding interest in style and design, I decided that “chic”, stylish apparel and fashion would be the optimal gateway to bring together environmentally and socially sustainable products. I knew that only being eco and socially conscious would have limited impact and that in order to make a big difference, I would need to have broader appeal.
Jute and Jackfruit was therefore founded with the aim of carrying chic, stylish and high-quality products available at an affordable price while making a positive social and environmental difference. The three core principles of Jute and Jackfruit—Smart, Sustainable, Chic— come together to create a new kind of authentic style for modern women.
How is Jute & Jackfruit different from the other sustainable style shops?
We differentiate ourselves in three ways.
First, we are very committed to women’s empowerment and the social impact of our company and products. Our products tell a meaningful story. We strive to identify groups and organizations that empower women and men in under-resourced settings with the goal of providing economic opportunities to individuals and communities. In addition, we source from women artisans here in the US, who exercise their creative talent with sustainable materials. For example, we carry recycled glass jewelry by Kathleen Plate, recycled vintage metal earrings by Anna Johansson, and laser-cut bamboo wood and felt earrings and pendants by Molly M. We believe in women’s empowerment through the marketplace and try to achieve this goal through our producers, artisans and customers.
Second, we strive to overcome the stereotype that green must be expensive. We provide customers a range of options from basic wardrobe builders and lounge wear to more formal dresses, coats and tops. We offer a wide range of items under $100 and also under $50. We also carry a large selection of handbags, jewelry, scarves that are all eco-friendly.
Finally, our overall business practices define who we are: we incorporate sustainable practices in everything we do and constantly aim to improve our practices For example, we pay a premium for our electricity to have it generated from wind farms; all our paper products are made from post-consumer recycled paper; we reuse our boxes; use biodegradable plastic bags for garment bags; and use biodegradable flatware for our events. We work with other environmentally committed partners for our collaborations, such as Stellar Organics Fair Trade Winery. Jute and Jackfruit is also a member of 1% for the Planet: we donate one percent of our revenue to non-profits working on climate change and conservation of natural resources.
Just opening last year, what are your hopes for Jute & Jackfruit?
We would like Jute and Jackfruit to become a trusted, sought after online source for organic, sustainable and socially conscious clothing, jewelry and handbags. In addition, our hope is that our online community will continue to grow, increasing our collective commitment to sustainability and continuing to learn from and to empower each other. (Join us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter!)
Based in Massachusetts, how has your local community responded to going green?
There is a rapidly growing eco-community here in Boston and Cambridge. I feel lucky to be part of such a dynamic region with so many green business innovators and a commitment to the environment. In fact, I just attended an eco-Boston Tweetup, which was great fun! At the same time, I find that when it comes to apparel and textiles, especially conventional cotton, awareness is just beginning to emerge. It’s exciting to be part of the change.
I will say also that awareness among many college-age students is impressively high. The idea behind sustainable apparel and eco-fashion does not require much explanation to them; they get it immediately. I recently participated in a Generation Green Event at Babson College and was thoroughly impressed by their commitment to the environment and entrepreneurship.
Do you have a specific criteria for choosing brands to sell in your online store?
Jute and Jackfruit’s selection criteria are woven into our core principles: Smart, Sustainable, Chic.
First, we look for “Smart” products made in socially conscious and responsible ways: this means fair trade with fair labor standards. We look at each product, its producer and see how it’s made. If it is made in the USA, we look for designers and artisans that have a strong commitment to the environment and are in control over the process and adopt fair labor standards. If a product is made abroad, we look for fair-trade certified factories or groups. We prioritize members of Fair Trade Federation.
For “Sustainable”, we hold specific criteria for each product category (clothing, jewelry and handbags). With respect to clothing, we look for fabrics made from certified organic cotton (ideally to the GOTS standard) and certified organic wools. We also support environmentally conscious fabrics such as soy, bamboo, jute, recycled fabrics and mill-end fabrics. In addition to the fabrics however, we look at the company and producers overall to assess their commitment to sustainability and the environment.
For our handbags, we look for stylish, handmade bags that have both a social and environmental impact. We look for bags that are made out of recycled materials such as candy wrappers, soda pull-tabs, newspapers, soda bottles and paper. We also carry a few bags made out of sustainable materials, such as cork, organic cotton and jute. We prioritize bags that are handmade and empower the artisans who make them by being fair trade. In this way, we look for women’s empowerment initiatives, cooperatives and other income generation projects.
For our jewelry, we identify earrings and necklaces made primarily out of recycled materials such as recycled glass, metals, beads as well as some made from sustainable materials such as bamboo.
What do you say to the folks that still believe global warming is just a myth?
I ask: Let’s say we assume global warming is a myth and we do nothing now, but later we realize we were wrong— what would be the consequences? Doing nothing now is a risky path: there are potentially grave irreversible consequences of no action. By contrast, there is great opportunity for us in acting: we will work toward increasing our environmental protections, curbing carbon emissions, conserving resources, recycling, and reducing energy consumption.
In addition, we could end up with new energy industries (less damaging to the environment), cleaner air, and even energy diversification (and therefore reduced dependency on fossil fuel imports—with national security implications). From the risk standpoint, I think the choice today for action in reducing greenhouse gas emissions is easy.
For those on the fence about climate change, I also recommend Al Gore’s film and book An Inconvenient Truth. His well-researched narrative offers a compelling look at carbon dioxide emissions and global warming; an important read for all.
Do you have any other nifty, secret projects in the works that you could hint at?
We have two brand new designers in the pipeline, not yet released on our site.
“Sita” is a brand new designer who just launched this year. We are very excited about her use of eco-fabrics (including jute) and beautiful, unique designs (through the use of embroidery and fabric layering). Her East-West sensibilities break from traditional eco-style and will appeal to a broad group of women.
“Itsus” is a new eco-brand, which just launched in Europe and is now coming to the US. I believe Jute and Jackfruit is one of the first to carry their designer shirts online in the US. Itsus is extremely committed to the environment, organic cotton and sustainability.
We have some exciting projects in the works for our online community as well. Join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to find out more!
GET IN OUR GIVEAWAY!
Just leave a comment on this post & you’ll be entered to win a $25 gift certificate for the Jute & Jackfruit online store – that’s right, you can use it for ANYthing!
Rules: only one entry per e-mail address, per name. Content runs from Wednesday, July 1st to Wednesday, July 8th. GOOD LUCK!
Move over Mary Kay, you’re over Avon – there’s a new independently-represented beauty brand taking over homes: Miessence. The best part? It’s eco-friendly! Started in Australia, Miessence was developed by the Organic and Natural Enterprise Group, a.k.a the ONEgroup. Miessence meets all organic standards in Australia, the United States, and Europe – it’s the first brand from down under to achieve such “pure” status.
Similar to Mary Kay & Avon, you can only buy Miessence products through a Independent Representative who makes commission off of how much they sell. If sales situations make your cringe, I’ve got a lady who is as no-pressure as it gets. My personal Miessence rep is Erin Ely out of Oregon. Eco-business or not, this woman is a delight to talk to & has one hell of an eclectic lifestyle.
Yeah, the products are organic and my seller is great … but how do they work? Thanks to Erin, I took on the task of testing nearly 15 different products from the Miessence line. Why? To give you the inside track on one of the fastest growing beauty brands, of course!
Since I reviewed a much larger collection of products than usual, I’m simply going to present my findings in two categories: Favorites and Not So Favorites (nothing is perfect, ya know?). Without further ado, let’s get to the findings!
:: FAVORITES ::
Aroma Free Roll-On Deodorant ($8.95): I hear folks complain about all-natural deodorants often, but this one is nothing but good. With only four ingredients, it takes “simple” to a whole other level. It is truly aroma free too – the product itself is scent-neutral. If you prefer to perfume your armpits, Miessence does have two other versions with scent.
Translucent Powder ($28.95): You’d be hard pressed to find a make-up powder that doesn’t do its job, but if you are going to use one, it might as well be eco-friendly, right? Most folks apply powder after foundation to help it stay in place. Since I don’t use foundation, the powder acts as a nice, colorless base to even out my skin tone ever so slightly.
Wind Up Jaffa Lip Balm ($5.95): It’s hard to screw up lip balm, but let me tell you, it happens! Thankfully, Miessence is right on with this one. With a subtle but pleasant taste, it goes on smooth, moisturizes well, and lasts for hours. As my teenage self would say, “it’s all good.”
Mascara in Pure Black ($22.95): Seeing how many different types of mascara are in the average drugstore still boggles my mind. Who needs that many versions of eye goop? Similar to their lip balm, Miessence’s mascara is an all-around classic that doesn’t disappoint. Few clumps, easy to apply, easy to remove, looks great. Since it is so easy to remove (I didn’t need eye make-up remover), I doubt this mascara is waterproof, but why would you swim with make-up on anyways? (rainy days are another story)
Probiotic Skin Brightener ($34.20): This is the only skin care product I tested that got my thumbs up. If eating probiotic bacteria is good for you, applying it to your skin should be too – right? That’s what Miessence says and I’m inclined to agree. After using it for just a few days, this skin brightener made my face, well, brighter! My skin tone was more even and I had an extra glow, though it didn’t do anything to reduce or prevent my blemishes.
Nourishing Hand Cream ($24.95): If you’ve never had dry hands, you are a rare breed indeed. For the rest of us, parched palms are probably a daily occurrence. Though I was disappointed with how long it took Miessence’s hand cream to fully absorb, I was repeatedly impressed with how long its moisturizing effects lasted. Looking for hard numbers? It took nearly 10 minutes for the “greasy” feeling to go away after an initial application, but the softness lasted almost 8 hours!
Shine Herbal Hair Conditioner ($20.95): Why do we care about our hair so much – it’s dead! Humans are strange, and I openly admit to being one of the strangest. For a little shine and lift, Miessence’s conditioner is right on the money, though I’m not a big fan of the price. I have very short hair, but I had to use even less of the product than usual to keep my hair from getting overly oily in less than 24 hours. Simply put: a little goes a long way.
Protect B5 Hair Repair ($28.95): For the fool hearty among us who damage their hair daily in the name of “style”, you’re probably angling for some extra moisture. Miessence’s repair spray certainly delivers. I never used it on my dry hair, but instead after just getting out of the shower – hoping the conditioners would help to seal in the moisture on my still-wet hair. It worked! This is another product where a little goes a long way; use too much & your hair will be a bit crunchy, like if you had used hairspray.
:: NOT SO FAVORITES ::
Purifying Skin Essentials [Cleanser, Skin Conditioner, & Moisturizer] ($97.95): I had high hopes for this collection, I really did, but you can’t escape the truth. My blemishes were not reduced by using these products. They all have a fantastic, soft scent, but didn’t do what my skin needed. The cleanser never made my skin feel clean; the conditioner was OK, but never seemed like it was doing anything; and the moisturizer was not strong enough – my skin was dry every morning and evening after using it.
Purifying Blemish Gel ($22.95): I tried this product both in conjunction with the Purifying Skin Essentials set & on its own, but it just didn’t reduce my blemishes. It smells great, feels great … but didn’t deliver the results I expected, even after using it for a full month.
Lemon Toothpaste ($9.95): While it cleaned my teeth comparably to other all-natural toothpastes, the lemon flavor was very unpleasant. After using it, I had to brush again with a different toothpaste to get the flavor out of my mouth. Maybe if I tried Miessence’s mint or anise versions, I would like them better, but the lemon turned me off.
Desert Flower Shampoo ($20.95): When asked by a friend what you think, this is one of those products that’s, “just OK.” Not terrible, but not great … wouldn’t buy it. The gel consistency was nice, but it was hard to spread around my scalp. After using it, my hair and scalp never felt fully clean. The website described the product as “ultra mild for daily use” – I’m thinking it might be a little too mild.