The Search for Ethical Swimwear

Guys, I had every intention of writing a “Top 5 Ethical Swimwear Picks” post with the latest and greatest ethical swimsuit brands. It’s been a couple of years since I’ve shopped for a new swimsuit, and with the expansion the ethical fashion scene has undergone in the last few years, I figured there would surely be plenty of new options to investigate and at least one that worked for my style and budget.

Alas, the swimwear arena appears to be lagging behind the rest of the ethical fashion industry—in fact, the ethical swimwear industry may even be shrinking. I contacted Faerie’s Dance, an online store that carries several sustainable swimwear styles, and they informed me that all three of their swimwear suppliers have gone out of business in the last two years.

There are still some options out there, despite there not being as many as I’d hoped. Here are some of my favorites that I found:

Faherty graphic weave bikini

Graphic Weave Bikini from Faherty (top, bottom)

  • Made in the USA
  • Eco-friendly fabric is a blend of recycled polyester from plastic bottles and Lycra

Latte Drops Reversible Bikini from FINCH

String Theory Reversible Bikini from FINCH (top, bottom)

  • FINCH maintains close relationships with their factories in China and Indonesia. Based in Shanghai, they are able to visit their local suppliers frequently.
  • Do not impose rush deadlines on suppliers or force a “race to the bottom” for costs
  • FINCH aims to design a timeless product that can be worn for many years. They repeat their core prints year after year, which reduces pressure on suppliers and allows consumers to replace one half of a bikini instead of both pieces, if only one is worn out.
  • Fabric is made from certified 87% Repreve brand recycled PET (post-consumer use bottles) and 13% Spandex

Black and white bikini from Fables by Barrie

Yvette Swim Bra and Amelia Bikini Bottom from Fables by Barrie

  • Made in San Diego, CA
  • From their about page: “We take pride in being most definitely sweatshop-free.”

Mathilde one-piece swimsuit from LUZ

Mathilde One-Piece from LUZ

  • Fabrics is 93% GOTS-certified organic cotton and 7% elastane
  • Products are made in accordance with fair trade principles (fair salary, up-front payment, realistic and defined work schedule, long-term business relationship)

If you noticed a trend in my color choices (except for Mathilde—it’s navy!), I looked primarily for black designs so I could match them with the plain black bikini bottoms I already have.

For more ethical swimwear options, check out these posts:

Suit Yourself – Ethical Swimwear – Birds of a Thread
2015 Sustainable Swimwear Guide – Ecohabitude
Ethical and Adorable Swimwear  – Purse & Clutch
Guide to Ethical Swimwear – The Note Passer

Has anyone ever tried a cotton swimsuit before? The designs and colors in the entire LUZ collection are gorgeous. They make me almost want to roll the dice and try one…

Product Review: Karina Dress from Synergy Organic Clothing

For as long as I can remember, my mom and aunts have had a big vendetta against the color coral. “It’s not even a real color,” they would say, scoffing at any coral-colored garments on the rack at Nordstrom (our frequent shopping destination in my childhood). It’s taken me years to overcome their anti-coral propaganda, but I’ve been fully embracing the color lately and let me tell you, it feels good.

I recently received the Karina dress from Synergy Organic Clothing to try out, and I was drawn to it first for its coral and reddish-purplish stripes. It’s like if Beetlejuice was a skater girl from a tropical climate, which I mean as a compliment.

Front view of Karina Dress from Synergy Organic Clothing

The swingy skirt and scooped back also appealed to me, and as always, I went for sleeves and a not-too-short length in case I want to try to wear it to work. The cotton fabric is wicked comfortable.

Back view of Karina Dress from Synergy Organic Clothing

The dress fit perfectly out of the box except for the straps that cross the scooped back. If I was slouching, the straps were about right, but if I stood up straight, they were kind of loose and droopy. I like to err on the side of good posture (which I attempt to have occasionally), so I shortened the straps a little with a few quick stitches and now they fit whether I’m slouching or not.

Karina Dress from Synergy Organic Clothing

The one thing I wish this dress had was pockets. I keep putting my hands on my hips expecting pockets to be there and I’m disappointed every time. However, I love the real-world-helpful description of the dress on the Synergy website. How many online stores have notes like “Scoop neck in front and back, high enough that you can still wear a bra”? Thank you for knowing what I actually care about!

Karina Dress from Synergy Organic Clothing

Socializing at my imaginary barbecue!

In terms of ethics, this dress is firing on all cylinders. The fabric is 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton dyed with low-impact dyes (meaning it meets certain requirements in regard to toxicity and biodegradability), and the dress is sewn in a fair trade operation in Nepal. Synergy is also a Green America Certified Gold business. Learn more about Synergy’s ethics.

I’m looking forward to wearing this dress to cookouts and swing dances and for general frolicking. Does your family hate on a particular color? Can you even imagine not liking coral? (I can’t anymore.)

P.S. Synergy is currently running a summer sale: Get 20% off your clothing order with code summer20.

Disclosure: Synergy Organic Clothing provided this dress for free for me to review. All opinions are my own.

Find Pretty Much Anything Ethically with These Directories

Ethical Shopping Directories header

Once upon a time, the Fair for All Guide was the Fair for All Shopping Guide, and it was our dream to create an all-encompassing directory of ethical products and brands and to be a one-stop shop for anyone who wanted to make any kind of ethical purchase.

Our plan ended up being a little bigger than our britches, and we retired our directory in 2014. However, there are many other blogs and websites that feature ethical shopping directories, which we share on our Resources page. We recently added the following new directories to the list—check them out to help you find what you’re looking for!

Note that each directory is maintained according to its owner’s ethical criteria, which may differ from Fair for All’s. Be sure to look at the ethics of any specific company before purchasing.

EcoCult screenshot

EcoCult Shopping Guide

Includes several categories like clothing, jewelry, accessories, lingerie, men’s, beauty, and home.

Shop Conscious screenshot

Shop Conscious

Shop Conscious focuses on fashion brands and enables you to filter by a plethora of conscious factors including Handmade, Fair Trade, Empowering Women, Recycled Materials, Made in the USA, Vegan and more.

Top 10 Fashionable Fair Trade sites screenshot

Top 10 List of Fashionable Fair Trade Companies

Looking for some chic wearables? This top ten list (actually featuring twelve items!) is for you.

Global Stewards screenshot

Global Stewards Directory of Online Fair Trade Shops

Lists fair trade websites only. Categories include the usual plus some more obscure ones like toys/hobbies/entertainment, seasonal items, food, and flowers.

One of a Kind Sustainability screenshot

One of a Kind Sustainability Where to Shop Directory

Focuses on environmental sustainability rather than human rights, but several brands cover both bases. Includes categories for clothing, shoes, accessories, beauty and home, plus helpful notes about the product style or ethics/sustainability of each link.

Fair Fashion Finds screenshot

Fair Fashion Finds

This Tumblr shares sales, discounts and deals from ethical shopping websites.

With the addition of these links, our Resources page is becoming a kind of mega Frankendirectory, which is pretty wicked if you ask me. If you have a favorite ethical shopping directory that isn’t listed, tell us about it and we’ll add it to the monster!

Zero-Waste Wall Art

Zero-Waste Wall Art header

Over the last several months I’ve been pursuing two different aspects of personal development: revitalizing my creativity and reducing the amount of waste I generate. I’ve also been trying to combine these two pursuits, which led me to ponder ways I could create art without also creating waste.

I had recently made myself an Indiana wall-hanging with nails and plywood when my sister commented that her husband would probably like a similar piece of art in the shape of California for his upcoming birthday. (It’s already come and gone, so this post isn’t a spoiler.)

From a Facebook query asking for supplies, I discovered that one of my friends has a lapsed woodworking hobby. He was happy to give me a big scrap of plywood as well as the small wood pieces I attached to the back. (The backing pieces keep the plywood off the floor when you’re nailing and keep the nails from scratching the wall when you hang the finished piece.)

Reclaimed plywood with scraps attached for hanging

Reclaimed plywood with scraps attached for hanging

I printed the outline of California tiled on four sheets of paper so it would be big enough for the piece of wood. I made X’s on the outline where I wanted nails to go; I think it was about every inch. Having the nail placements marked was helpful so I didn’t have to eyeball it as I went. I taped down the outline and hammered a nail all the way through the plywood at each X.

In-progress shot with nails all the way around the outside of the shape

I nailed right through the paper—it was easy to tear off when I was done.

I then tore off the paper and was left with just the nails creating the outline. I spent some time experimenting with how I wanted to make the shape visible. Should I do zig-zags in the interior of the shape? Just a border around the outside?

Side-by-side comparison of zig-zags vs. outside border

I decided to do both techniques together. The zig-zags are embroidery thread, which I attached by simply knotting it to one of the nails. The outside border is some white binding tape I had in my craft drawer from years and years ago (when I mistakenly thought binding tape would have adhesive properties—protip: it does not). I wove the binding tape around the outside nails and then hand-sewed it at the corner so it would sit flat, rather than having a big knot.

Straight-on view of finished wall-hanging

The finished product

Materials used:

  • Reclaimed wood from a friend’s garage
  • Made in USA nails I already had (plus a few I borrowed)
  • Four sheets of paper
  • White embroidery thread I already had
  • White binding tape I already had
  • White thread I already had

Wall hanging on wall in living room with couch and lamp in background

One thing I like about this piece is that it can theoretically be disassembled and the components reused. I used no glue, so none of the elements are fused together inseparably.

I had been looking for a way to use a large quantity of the nails, which I bought without realizing they are “finishing nails,” which means they don’t have a head and are therefore difficult to pull out of the wall. Apparently Americans only make specialty nails, not basic ones for hanging pictures, so this was the most normal style I could get that was made in USA. (I’m not sure if it was more or less wasteful for me to buy 500 impractical American-made nails instead of 50 Chinese-made nails that were actually what I wanted.) I did have to borrow a few nails from a friend to attach the backing pieces because my nails were too long.

Side view of wall hanging showing backing piece

The side pieces on the back help stand the wall hanging off the wall so the nails don’t scratch it.

Technically I did waste a few pieces of Scotch tape, which I used to tape down the outline of the state, and I did have to recycle the paper after I tore it off. But overall I bought no new materials, found purpose for items that could have gone in the trash, and ended up with a minuscule amount of waste (not to mention a super-cool gift for my bro-in-law).

What DIY projects have you created lately? Are you working any zero-waste ideas into your lifestyle?

My Verdict on Handkerchiefs

Last month I interviewed Marion Poirier of handkerchief company TSHU, asking her all my skeptical questions about how much a hanky can really handle. She kindly provided me two handkerchiefs to try out, and after a month of use my verdict is in.

I’m officially a handkerchief convert. For me the most fun part is the feeling that blowing my nose on something that feels like clothes is somewhat rebellious. The first time I tried it, I thought someone was going to come up behind me and demand to know why I was besmirching a perfectly good piece of fabric. This is ridiculous of course, since people have been using handkerchiefs for hundreds of years longer than we’ve been using paper tissues. But I still get a thrill!

From a practical standpoint, the hankies hold up. They’re softer and stronger than paper tissues, with one handkerchief easily doing the work of several tissues. Once the handkerchief dries out (which it does quickly), whatever gunk fragments are left seem very insignificant compared to my load of laundry as a whole. The handkerchief material is thick enough that it contains moisture well, especially when it’s folded up. After each use, I fold my handkerchief so any moisture is on the inside, and then I put it in a little satin case I previously used to carry tissues. (TSHU makes a carrying case as well.)

Two handkerchiefs folded in small satin case

My handkerchief carrying case, originally made to hold a travel pack of tissues.

I used the handkerchiefs almost exclusively for blowing my nose. I had a backlog of disposable napkins in my lunchbox, so I didn’t really need to use a hanky to wipe my fingers after eating. Also, because I used my hankies for nose-blowing, I wasn’t in a big hurry to use them for other things and cross-contaminate. If I was going to use a handkerchief as a napkin, I would definitely want a separate handkerchief from my nose handkerchief.

I prefer the one-ply handkerchief to the two-ply. For me the two-ply is a little thick for general nose-blowing usage. It still works, but it feels a little bulky. I can see how it could be useful for wiping up spills or wet hands, though, or to use if you have a serious cold. Initially I was just going to try out a two-ply handkerchief, so I’m glad Marion sent me the one-ply as well!

The one-ply polka-dotted Henri and two-ply Dwight handkerchiefs

The one-ply polka-dotted Henri and two-ply white Dwight handkerchiefs

The only downside of the experiment was that I didn’t have more hankies to rotate. Since I only had two, I used each one for several days longer than I probably should have. It wasn’t always easy to tell which parts of the hanky I had already used, which probably isn’t the greatest from a hygiene standpoint. I also kept forgetting to throw them in the laundry since I kept them in my purse. On the bright side, I discovered that they are very easy to hand wash and quick to dry.

TSHU just released a new organic hanky multi-pack (aptly named Hank) that could solve my problem of too few hankies. Having one for each day of the week would be ideal—I would use one for the day then throw it in the wash and get a fresh one for tomorrow, like a pair of socks.

Eight natural handkerchiefs with red corners

Note for my fellow Americans: TSHU’s prices are in Canadian dollars, so a three-pack of Hank hankies actually costs about $40, not $48. TSHU also offers free shipping on all orders worldwide.

I’m excited to continue using my handkerchiefs and eventually add to my collection!

Disclosure: TSHU gave me two handkerchiefs to try for free. All opinions are my own.

Handkerchiefs: An Eco Throwback

Handkerchiefs: An Eco Throwback over photo of two hankies

Handkerchiefs have never really been a thing during my lifetime. My experience with them is pretty much limited to what I’ve seen in historical dramas and Looney Tunes, and my vague understanding of hankies is that they’re non-disposable Kleenex, which seems kind of icky.

However, as people (including me) look to reduce their use of disposable paper products, handkerchiefs are making a comeback. I’m completely in favor of hankies in terms of reducing waste, but given my recent perception of handkerchiefs as basically snot rags, I was skeptical of their practicality and hygiene.

I reached out to Marion Poirier, co-founder and CEO of Montreal-based handkerchief company TSHU, with my questions about how well handkerchiefs can really work on an everyday basis.

Fair for All: What are some of the ways to use a handkerchief?

Marion Poirier: There are many different ways to use a handkerchief and funnily enough, lots of them don’t include blowing or wiping one’s nose!

A handkerchief is a very useful accessory to carry on one at all times and can come in handy in various situations. For instance, there is nothing like a soft, absorbent cotton handkerchief to wipe the sweat off one’s brow after an energetic workout, a bike ride or simply to deal with the heat or excessive sweating due to anxiety.

It’s also a great fix for oily hands after digging into finger food or wiping your child’s cheeks after a snack. Bearded and mustachioed men also find our hankies quite useful after enjoying a beverage! Crying or emotion can also be dealt with in style. Wiping your screen or your glasses with a handkerchief is also appropriate. Some of our clients even groom their pets with the handkerchiefs. And, for practical reasons, there is nothing like a cotton handkerchief to really blow your nose when practicing outdoor winter sports – without ending up with little debris of wet paper-tissues in your pockets.

Teal, yellow and gray geometric patterned handkerchief

Are handkerchiefs a practical solution for people with serious nasal congestion, or are they only for those with a dainty nose drip?

Cotton handkerchiefs are definitely appropriate for real use! They are truly fantastic for people who suffer from seasonal allergies or severe colds as their noses are frequently irritated and their skin more sensitive due to excessive blowing. After all, hankies are way softer and more absorbent then regular paper tissues!

However one chooses to use their handkerchief is absolutely personal though. The idea is to try it and see what works for you! If germs are a concern for you, the same rules as using paper tissues apply: wash your hands often! And, for extra precaution, leave your handkerchief in our practical case (Casey) for hygiene and transport, wash both the handkerchief and case often and/or have a few hankies in stock as backup.

Personally, I can go through 5 or 6 two-ply hankies in a day when sick, or one every day or second day when healthy. I’ve seen people wash their hankies once a week though (or even less!) – so everything is a question of comfort and use!

How do you wash a handkerchief? If you use it to blow your nose, does it make your other laundry gross?

Caring for your handkerchief is extremely simple. Simply toss it in the machine with your laundry – cold water preferably, and lay flat or hang to dry. Bonus points for drying in the sun, as the sun naturally fades stains!

As per “contamination” with the rest of your laundry – again it’s a question of comfort. Most parents will agree that their loads have seen worse things than handkerchiefs…

Several handkerchiefs hanging on an outdoor clothesline

How do you handle carrying around a dirty or wet handkerchief all day if you happen to use it early in the day?

How many times you use one handkerchief is really up to you! There are several tricks to get the most out of your hanky. For instance, you can fold it where it’s been used and move on to another section, piece by piece. The surprising thing about cotton handkerchiefs is that it “magically” dries in your pocket. So, the folded part of the hanky you were using this morning may be dry by late afternoon, the water having evaporated! If it’s beyond re-using, you can also use our little case to store your dirty handkerchief. It’s always good to have a backup handkerchief, too. There’s an old saying that I like to quote: “Always carry two handkerchiefs: one for show and one for blow.”

What are the differences between a handkerchief, a pocket square and a cloth napkin?

A handkerchief is usually made out of cotton and is particularly useful when soft and absorbent. A pocket square is often made from more delicate materials such as silk and wool and boast a hand rolled edge, which makes them more decorative than practical. Cloth napkins are usually way larger in size than handkerchiefs or pocket squares and are sometimes made with linen, which is not as soft on the nose.

Assortment of colorful handkerchiefs

Do you carry multiple handkerchiefs, or is one usually enough?

Most people carry one or two (one for show, one for blow). I personally like to have at least one on me and I leave some everywhere for emergencies (the car, the office, my laptop case, in the pocket of the jacket I use to run, etc.).

Since starting to use handkerchiefs, how has your life improved?

In many ways! With three kids in the house, we waste considerably less. We’ve also converted to cloth napkins so we basically don’t use paper tissues or towels at all anymore.

Aside from the environmental impact, I’ve absolutely converted to the habit and don’t find the use of paper tissues to be agreeable any more. In comparison, they are way too thin & fragile and not as soft as our cotton handkerchiefs!

I’ve also found that having a TSHU on you is incredibly practical for every day life and use my handkerchiefs to deal with the unexpected frequently. I’m always proud to pull out a beautiful, colourful hanky to save a situation or politely refuse paper napkins at a deli when ordering a sandwich!

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Marion sent me two TSHU hankies to try out: the one-ply polka-dotted Henri and the two-ply organic Dwight. TSHU handkerchiefs are handmade in Montreal, and the company plants a tree for each handkerchief adopted (TSHU calls each purchase an adoption—cute!).

Two TSHU handkerchiefs in cardboard sleeve packaging

As a cloth napkin user, I like the idea of a pseudo-napkin I can take with me anywhere. And with the weather (hopefully) warming up soon, it will be nice to have something to wipe the sweat off my face with after a run or a particularly energetic swing dance. I plan to use the hankies for at least 30 days, then I’ll report back about the practical ins and outs.

Have you ever used a cloth handkerchief? What was your experience?

Disclaimer: TSHU provided me two free handkerchiefs to review in a future post.