As a socially conscious publication, naturally we love and support brands that not only create stylish products, but also benefit worthy causes. Whether they use environmentally friendly/repurposed materials, donate to local charities or help provide sustainable employment for women overseas, we love brands that care. Here are 11 socially conscious brands that are both chic and kind!
BIRD TROUBLE
Bird Trouble is a collection of ethically chic handbags that are 100% designed and manufactured in the U.S. From festival inspired fringed totes to their iconic weekender bag, Bird Trouble is the perfect accessory for the wanderlust boho-chic woman in you. Handmade with love in Chicago, each bag is one-of-a-kind and created with repurposed textiles as well as locally sourced leathers. Bird Trouble is nothing short of stylish backed by ethical manufacturing.
IG: @birdtrouble
BROOKLYN BEACH HAIR
Brooklyn Beach Hair is the perfect all-natural, vegan beauty product that instantly replicates sexy salt-water-tousled hair. The exact beachy tresses we covet after a blissful day at the beach – minus the crunch. Made from natural sea salts for volume and a hint of jojoba oil for moisture, Brooklyn Beach Hair is available in 3 delightfully fresh scents: Autumn, Summer and Winter, with Spring coming out in 2016. Keep up your best summer hair with a spritz of this conscious beauty must-have.
IG: @emily_brooklynbeach
DHARMA EYEWEAR CO
Beyond being known for its high quality and competitive retail prices, every pair of Dharma sunglasses and optical eyewear are $99, Dharma prides itself on being an eyewear company with a purpose. For each Dharma eyewear purchase, the company donates 5% of its proceeds to Optometry Giving Sight, a charity that helps provide global vision care to those in need. With its recently launched Dharma Eyewear Virtual Try-On app and “magic mirror” technology, you can try on a pair of Dharma glasses from the comfort of your couch or share your favorites with your best friends to get a trusted second opinion.
IG: @dharmaco
FORTUNE AND FRAME
Gretel Going, the designer of Fortune and Frame, launched her jewelry line as a means to bridge the gap between the insightful fortunes from her fortune cookies and the lack of dedicated places to showcase them. Today, each signature fortune-holding piece comes with an original inspiring fortune written by Gretel that focuses on the intersection of hardship and light at the end of the tunnel. The collection is entirely made in NYC by people who “consistently give a damn” – Gretel Going.
IG: @fortuneandframe
GET WICKD
Get Wickd creates beautiful repurposed candles from pre-used wine, champagne and spirit bottles. Each candle is locally made in NYC, filled with 100% paraffin-free premium soy wax and 100% cotton and lead free wicks. With their REPURPOSE – REFILL – RELIVE mantra Get Wickd also serves as the perfect memento for every special occasion. From engagement to graduation, Get Wickd has created a seamless process so that consumers can send in their empty bottles or schedule for the bottle to be picked up via their concierge service. The bottle is then cut, filled and up-cycled into a keepsake to last a lifetime. Individuals can also have the custom candle engraved with a special date, saying or expression of love. Once you burn your custom candle down, you simply send the candle back in to be refilled, leaving you with a memory you can relive with every light.
IG: @get_wickd
LOCAL & LEJOS
Local + Lejos is a home décor company “bridging communities near and far.” Providing quality modern pieces at very competitive retail prices. From conception to creation Local + Lejos supports artisanal craft at its most eclectic and elegant. From rugs to pillows, throws to ceramics, Local + Lejos scours the globe to collaborate with artisans and design contemporary goods that enrich your home and enlighten your heart. Each Local + Lejos piece is handmade by an artisan, empowering their business, preserving cultural traditions and sustaining local economies.
IG: @localandlejos
MISHA VAIDYA
Combining her British upbringing with her New York life, Misha Vaidya gravitates her designs towards architecturally simple elegance and sophistication with a dash of mischief. From simple tees to floral rompers and open-back tops to lace skirts, Misha’s pieces merge classic with modern a dash of edge. She designs for the assertive woman who wants it all and always knows how to dress the part.
IG: @mishavaidya
NICOLE BENNETT
Nicole Bennett is an Australian designer with a unique eye for the female silhouette. Her designs and inspiration stem from the modern day woman who is always on-the-go and understands that fashion choices are about functionality as much as they are about form. Her vision produces statement pieces that are feminine and can be taken from day to night in a cinch. Nicole Bennett has structured her line around the belief that slow fashion and sustainability should be a staple in production and in her consumer’s closet. Each piece is made to order and tailored thus reducing waste.
IG: @nicole_bennett
PH7 NAIL COUTURE
PH7 Nail Couture is more than a nail salon; it’s an experience. Located in the trendy Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn, pH7 offers their clients an eco-friendly, non-toxic environment where you can indulge in the simple pleasures of getting your hands and feet pampered by highly trained nail technicians and artists while enjoying a cup of organic herbal tea. The zen-like atmosphere allows you to escape the hustle and bustle of the outside world for a moment of guilt-free relaxation.
IG: @ph7nail
TRACEY TANNER
Tracy Tanner sets out to keep you uber organized and equipped with exquisite, simply chic handcrafted leather pouches, handbags and accessories. From large zip pouches to her exclusive fatty zip pouches and clutches, Tracey Tanner designs for the conscious consumer that has a place for everything -and puts everything in its place. With all leather accessories handcrafted in her Brooklyn based studio Ms.Tanner has an eye for sourcing and creating unique finishes that fit every outfit and occasion. Each piece it made from by-product leathers so that no materials ever go to waste.
IG: @traceytannerstudio
TRUE MORINGA
Natural oils are the best way to restore moisture, texture and radiance to your hair and skin and True Moringa reigns supreme among natural oils. The all-natural skin and hair care line is rich in anti-oxidants, paraben and sulfate-free. Made from the seeds of the Moringa tree found in Ghana, True Moringa provides a network of 700 smallholder farmers throughout Ghana sustainable livelihoods through access to credit, agricultural training, nutrition programs and fair wages.
IG: @truemoringa
