Giving Back: Accessories You’ll Love to Love
What you wear makes a statement, whether you want it to or not. It sends the world a message, of course — and what I love about fashion in general is that it gives you the option to craft that message to be exactly what you want it to be — but it can send an inner message, too, which is what this post is all about.
You know we’re all about sending yourself a lotta love — not only did we dedicate a week to it, but we’ve geared our whole February Fit Bottomed Challenge (with t-shirt!) around the concept! — and we’ve come across a few products and companies that help you do just that. How, you ask? By giving back!
The way we see it, the first step is putting on something you love — when you feel beautiful and special, you are beautiful and special. When that item also benefits others, it creates a whole feel-good-everybody-love-everybody (but not in that way — keep it clean!) type of cycle. You feel good that you’re helping out. Companies feel good that they’re making it possible. And the individuals benefiting from the sales of the products feel good because they know that people care. It’s a win/win/win.
Accessories That Give Back
The Neshama Project: My pick from this brand is the Nikki Necklace ($108), although there’s no wrong choice here. Through both the design (the signature Hamsa is an ancient Middle Eastern amulet symbolizing the Hand of God, and or Universal Spirit, and is a protective sign in all faiths) and its charitable aspect (10 percent of proceeds benefit one of the charities Neshama Project supports), it’s got some goodness going on. And, let’s be real — it’s gorgeous, so it’s not like you’re really taking one for the team by letting this gem light up your neck, right?
Erica Sara Designs Awareness Collection (prices vary): Want a piece of jewelry that’s personal and meaningful and also gives back? This collection is it. She includes the symbol of the single ribbon on a wide variety of charms (Love, Strength, Courage and more), which can be worn on bracelets or necklaces by themselves or paired with another charm to celebrate an accomplishment, like running a marathon after beating cancer, for example. She’s worked with customers to create custom pieces, too, like this one. “[That] bracelet was a gift for a woman who’s mother had passed of breast cancer a year earlier. She took up running as her therapy and ran 1,000 miles in a year,” Sara tells us. The company gives back 10 to 20 percent of net proceeds from the awareness charms and necklaces to one of the Awareness partner charities, which currently include The Pink Agenda, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team in Training, and Gods Love We Deliver.
fashionABLE: The ABLE scarf ($48) celebrates the fact that we are able, and that’s something I think every woman I know could stand to be reminded of now and again (including myself, which is why I just bought one!). The scarf is handwoven in Ethiopia and, like all fashionABLE products, creates sustainable business and opportunities for vulnerable women in Africa. They both work with women to help them start small business cooperatives, and then partner with and require manufacturers to also employ women with fair wages and fair hiring practices.
Other fab companies we can’t leave out include 31 Bits, Rethreaded, Noonday Collection, Ten Thousand Villages and The Mala Collective.
Got a company you think deserves some love? Shout it out in the comments! It sure makes us feel good to know there are so many worthy companies out there! —Kristen