Saturday, October 20, 2012
It's not too late to get into one of our eco-friendly fall jackets for women by Jonano. 

These designs are nothing short of fabulous, and they've all been marked down for the remainder of the season! Available in a range of luxurious 'green' fabrics, including silk, organic cotton, organic hemp and organic bamboo. Wear them on their own or layered over a sweater for extra warmth.

Click here to see more sale items in women's fall fashion.









Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Do you have a kiddo in your life that loves shoes? Well then they're in for a treat with these new styles from Pedoodles. My niece is only two but I fear she's already developed a life-long obsession with fashionable footwear, or 'shoosh', as she likes to say. 

As with most children, she loves anything with bright colours so I know she'll absolutely adore the Green Zoomers, which are on sale from now until Christmas for $39.00 (USD).

We also carry some adorable styles for your little guy, such as the Blue Bowlers, which are available in sizes for children aged 0 – 22 months. In addition to being super cute, this entire line of children's shoes is constructed from eco-friendly premium leather remnants which are safety tested for kids. This means that they're free of lead, antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, mercury, selenium and harmful amines. The less exposure to these harmful chemicals, the better.


If you're wondering about sizing, I've attached the chart below to help you get the right fit. As we all know, every child grows at their own pace so they may be a bit bigger or smaller than the average. If possible, measure their feet before choosing a size. For additional baby and toddler shoes, click here. Happy shoe shopping!


Pedoodles Eco-Friendly Shoe Styles
Approx AgeInchesCentimetersUS Size
0 - 4 Months4.2"10.70 - 2
4 - 8 Months4.6"11.72 - 4
8 - 12 Months4.7"124 - 5
12 - 16 Months5.1"135 - 6
16 - 22 Months5.5"146 - 7
22 - 28 Months5.9"157 - 8
2.5 - 3 Years6.3"168 - 9.5

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

The Stealth-Pocket Ball Cap made from 100% hemp has been gaining in popularity since I posted it on Pinterest a couple of days ago. It has been re-pinned onto boards such as 'The Hubby', 'Contemporary Man', and my personal favorite, 'Manly Necessities'. Personally, I think it's really sharp looking and extremely versatile so I'm not surprised.

According to Ben Jones, a contributing feature writer for FashionBean, the baseball cap is making a big splash this fall/winter season on the catwalk. He noted that popular designers, such as DKNY, Acne and Woolrich Woolen Mills all featured ball caps in their collections at the various global Fashion Weeks for AW12. Many of them chose to pair solid colored caps (note: olive green was a popular choice) with tailored suits to bring about a slightly more casual look. 

But if that's not your style then don't worry, the classic ball cap still works with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Actually, it seems to work with just about anything! Maybe it really is a manly necessity... Order yours here for just $28 (USD).   
Wednesday, October 10, 2012

The following product reviews were posted on Hempy's website by very satisfied customers. It looks as though Hempy's wallets are a hit! Click here to shop for your very own Hempy's wallet and see how great they are for yourself!

Product Reviews:

On Saturday, February 25, 2012, Wallace Stewart wrote:

“My Hempy's wallet that I've carried daily for over 10 years finally needed to be replaced. I go to the site and order a new one, Bi-fold, dark brown and it's in my mailbox the next day! I will never carry another wallet. You guys ROCK!”

On Thursday, April 26, 2012, Denis Piazza wrote:

“I just ordered a second Mesh UtilityWallet. The first one finally gave out after 10 years of use. I would highly recommend this product to anyone who needs a new wallet.”

On Monday, August 6, 2012, Rachel Snow wrote about the Keychain Hemp Wallet:

“I bought this wallet back in the fall of 2008. I am finally replacing it, not because it has fallen apart or lost any functionality, but purely for aesthetic reasons--that is just how durable this thing is. I would highly recommend this wallet to anybody.”
Tuesday, October 09, 2012
We are really excited to announce our new line of organic toddler t-shirts, designed and manufactured by bioME 5! These tees are great for kids with allergies or sensitive skin because they're made from unbleached 100% certified organic cotton and printed with water-based inks. They are also tag free for your child's comfort and pre-shrunk for your convenience.

There are 26 colorful designs to choose from, one for each letter of the alphabet with a corresponding animal – 'A' is for 'Aardvark', 'B' is for 'Badger', so on and so forth. There is even a Vampire Bat design which would be great for Halloween!


On sale from now until February 1, 2013 for just $24, these t-shirts are the perfect thing for under a cardigan or hoodie. The only bad news is that this item can only be delivered to US addresses. 

Sorry, my Canadian friends. We're looking to add some Canadian designers and manufacturers in the near future!
Thursday, October 04, 2012
As I've highlighted before, many of the manufacturers that we carry through Stylish Organic Family Living operate based on a closed loop production system, or are currently working towards this goal. I fully support the work of companies that aim for less waste and less environmental damage because I believe that the future of our planet depends on it.

Very often I hear people argue that sustainable manufacturing processes are unrealistic and/or cost-ineffective. But this simply isn't true. It always helps to have an example, so during these debates I reference the work of Ray Anderson, the founder and adored chairman of Interface, Inc.

Interface is a modular carpet manufacturer that went from being extremely oil intensive to extremely environmentally friendly. Remarkably, they achieved greater success as a result. In his book titled Confessions of a Radical Industrialist, Anderson explained that in 1994 he steered Interface towards sustainability while increasing the company’s profits. 

The motivation to ‘go green’ came after he finished reading a book by Paul Hawken called The Ecology of Commerce. After this experience he developed an entirely new vision for his company based on achieving sustainability – a concept that had never factored into the organization’s way of business prior to this time.

Step by step and through some trial and error, he managed to lead the entire organization on what some would call an impossible mission to achieve the ultimate goal of producing zero waste. Unfortunately, Ray Anderson passed away in 2011 but he accomplished a massive reformation of his company (with the help of a great team) before he died.

I love this story because it proves that sustainability and profitability do go together. I highly recommend Ray Anderson's book for a more detailed account of how Interface came to be known as the worldwide leader in design, production and sales of environmentally-responsible modular carpeting.  For a preview of what to expect, I've included this short video of Ray Anderson, himself, talking about Confessions of a Radical Industrialist:    



Monday, October 01, 2012

My love of hiking began just under a few years ago when I moved to Hawaii to do my Master's. Who wouldn't love a morning spent traveling up the side of a dormant volcano or an afternoon adventure in the lush Hawaiian rainforest? These are some of my favourite memories of my time spent in Paradise and I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to live in such a beautiful environment.

Now that I'm back in Canada, I'm looking forward to getting out and enjoying some fresh fall air and the magnificent colours of the changing leaves. It will be a completely different experience than hiking in Hawaii but beautiful all the same. To help prepare, I've shortlisted a few items that I'll want to bring along to ensure the best hiking experience possible. Feel free to use my list for your next hiking trip or to adapt it to your own needs.

Day Hike Essentials:
  1. Water: I don't plan on any full day hikes so one bottle should do it. If you're more ambitious than me, make sure you bring enough liquid to get you through your trail and then some. Depending on where you go there won't necessarily be water fountains available.
  2. Snacks: My favourite hiking snack is trail mix because it's light weight and high in protein. Add a piece of fruit to the menu and I'm good to go.
  3. Extra Socks: At this time of year hikers are likely to come across a few puddles. There's nothing worse than cold wet feet so extra socks are an absolute must.
  4. Rain Gear: Not the most flattering look, but if you get caught in a downpour a hooded poncho is the way to go.
  5. Layers: Dressing in layers is important because you're not likely to stay the same temperature throughout your entire hike. I try to stick with breathable clothes made from fabrics using natural fibers such as organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, or modal. Bamboo and modal are especially great for moisture wicking and thermal regulation.
  6. Hat: Even if you don't use it it's a good idea to bring a hat along in case you get cold or need to keep the sun off your head.
  7. Comfortable Footwear: It goes without saying that comfortable and supportive footwear will greatly improve your hiking experience. So far I've managed to get away with a good pair of sneakers but for avid hikers hiking boots are a wise investment. 


Depending on where you live and what time of year it is, you may also want to consider bringing sunscreen and bug repellent. Most hiking experts also recommend that you pack a basic first-aid kit and some bear spray (depending on the area) in case you come across a bit of bad luck on your trip. Other than a camera and lots of energy, I think that about covers it.

If you're a hiker I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to let me know if I've left out any important items from my list!