white summer - Tribe Alive

As temperatures rise, it’s important to wear clothes that are light weight. Tribe Alive’s Everyday Top is handmade in India and 100% cotton. The shirt is perfect for summer weather and it is available in sizes extra small to extra large. Your purchase will help the artisan who made it by providing employment opportunities with fair wages.

Tribe Alive partners with artisans in order to make a huge impact. Founded by Carly Burson, she has created a way to help mothers in poor communities earn a fair wage in order to provide for their children. She provides them with safe working environments, fairs wages, and empowerment.

beaded love - Sashka

Wear your love on your wrists with Sashka Co.'s handmade collection of bracelets. Each bracelet was handmade by an artisan located in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Their Rise Bracelet features white and gold glass beads, fitting wrists from 8 to 10 inches. Each purchase supports and empowers the artisan by helping her rise for poverty.

Sashka Co. was created in 2013 to help the artisans in Nepal make a fair wage by creating job making beautiful bracelets. Each bracelet is handmade with the finest glass beads, helping to create jobs that pay above minimum wage. 10% of their profits are also donated to charities to help spread the love

We are Smitten!

a magic eraser - Farmacy

Melt away all of your makeup at the end of a long day. Thanks to Farmacy Beauty, their Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm gets rid of every single drop of makeup. It’s a hundred times more gentle on your skin than makeup remover wipes and it contains sunflower and ginger root oil, moringa tree extract, papaya extract, and echinacea greenenvy. It’s 100% clean as it is only made with simple, pure ingredients.

Farmacy Beauty was founded by Mark Veeder. The sustainable company prides themselves in their farm – to – face skincare line featuring a unique Echinacea GreenEnvy, a plant containing more than 300% natural antioxidants. Their ingredients are both locally sourced and produced, making sure the company does its part in being environmentally responsible. Their packaging is made from FSC Certified Paper and their jars are 100% recyclable.

How Smitten!!!

the golden compass - The Brave Collection

Never get lost again with The Brave Collection’s Compass Chain Necklace. The beautiful piece is handmade in Cambodia with gold vermeil. The artisans are mothers and people with disabilities that work in exchange for fair wages and access to healthcare.

Jessica Hendricks Yee founded The Brave Collection after witnessing a small Cambodian country struggle to rebuild after genocide. By launching her company, she gave many local artisans a chance to create beautiful pieces of jewelry in exchange for fair wages. In addition to that, the company donates 10% of their profits to fight human trafficking in Cambodia. 

We are so Smitten!

baby blues - Angela Roi

Angela Roi combines beauty and compassion with their range of bags. Their Grace Mini Cross-Body bag was made to be the perfect everyday bag. Available in five colors, the bag is handcrafted, cruelty – free, and sweatshop – free. Both the leather and chain straps are detachable, allowing you to change up its look to your liking. 

Angela Roi was founded in 2013 by Angela and Roi Lee. Together, they created a brand with a vision to bring ethical, luxury pieces to life. Each bag is handcrafted, consisting of high quality and durable materials. With each purchase they support local humane shelters and charities to help injured and mistreated animals. They built their brand to inspire kindness and compassion towards animals.

make a statement - Cambio & Co.

A pair of statement earrings can really change the way you look and feel. It adds that extra spark to any outfit. The Renata Capiz Earrings from Cambio & Co. are both beautiful and elegant. Made out of sustainable Capiz Shell, each piece is individually cut and coated with resin so they’ll last you a long time. 

Cambio’s mission is to offer ethical pieces made in the Philippines. With your support, the company is able to employ local artisans and provide them with fair wages. In doing so, they’re able to help their artisans become economically successful while celebrating Filipino culture at the same time. 

the perfect accessory - Society B

Just like shoes, a girl can never have too many totes. Society B offers the Mamuye Tote. Handcrafted in Ethiopia, it’s made from real leather and is available in three colors. 10% of the final sale will be donated to a nonprofit of your choosing.

Society B was founded by Kelli Byers and Lindsay Byers-Hirth in 2015. They strictly wanted to only offer products that will benefit society in the long run. They partner with multiple nonprofits that include Water.Org, Action Against Hunger, and Kids in Need Foundation, and Preemptive Love Coalition in an effort to change the world and make a difference.

pure energy - Uma Oils

Uma’s Pure Energy Wellness Oil might just put an end to my daily Starbuck’s runs. Made in India, the oil contains ingredients, peppermint and frankincense, which are known to energize and awaken you. It’s like coffee without the crash. 100% organic, zero synthetics, or preservatives. 

Uma was founded by Shrankhla Holecek. The ingredients are sourced from her farm in India. The brand upholds their Ayurvedic beliefs—which is to give back. Uma donates a third of profits to their community in India, where they fund health clinics and offer academic scholarships to young girls. 

Smitten!

made to empower - Krochet Kids

I like to carry A LOT with me. Minimalist? What’s that? But really, not everything fits inside my small purse. Krochet Kids’ Ridgeview Backpack provides the perfect solution. Made with vegan leather, it’s durable and available in multiple colors. Each piece is handmade and signed by the women who makes them. 

Krochet Kids was founded by Kohl Crecelius in 2007.  Since then, he has committed to help provide jobs and fair wages to poverty-stricken women in Uganda and Peru. Along with providing employment opportunities, each purchase also gives these women the empowerment they didn’t know they had.

Smitten!

beautifully compassionate - Rosena Sammi

For someone who’s constantly wearing black, a pop of color makes the biggest impact. The Nirvanam Bangles from Rosena Sammi are a true beauty. Made from sari fabrics, the bangles make a big statement and support a cause. Nirvanam is the Sankrit word for bliss, and each piece is handmade by a woman rescued from sex trafficking.

 After relaunching the brand in 2017, Rosena Sammi made the commitment to make the world a better place for the sake of her two daughters. She partners with Apne Aap, a charity dedicated to rescuing young girls from the redlight districts located in India.

We’re Smitten!

Tote Project

Plastic is earth’s true enemy. Tote Project’s Free to Soar tote is perfect answer to reducing our plastic use- especially when grocery shopping. Made in India, the company offers a variety of designs and it’s made with fair trade cotton. Their artwork is printed with water-based inks so they’re made to last.

Tote Project was founded by two friends, Faye Grant and Michelle Chavez. Together, they work to help and empower victims of modern-day slavery. 10% of their profits is donated to Two Wings, an organization that helps sex trafficking victims pursue their dreams through mentorships and career training workshops.

Olori

Olori is a company that finally agrees with my royal status (I’m extra, I know). They offer crossbody bags made from durable leather, featuring adjustable straps and a flap made from a special Nigerian textile. Olori is the Yoruba word for Queen, which is why they state that each piece is made for a queen- how fitting! The bags are available in nine different colors and textures.

Founded by Tomide Awe, she believes every girl is a queen. Education is expensive in Africa. Unfortunately, many girls cannot afford school which is why each bag that’s sold provides tuition fees for a girl living in Africa.

Smitten!

large beaded hoops, never a bad idea - Global Goods Partners

These hoops are noteworthy, uncomplicated, not quotidian in any way! Made in Tanzania, they are simply stunning - versatile, from sneaks to pumps...the perfect hoop!

• 2"D 14k gold hoop
• Glass beads
• 24k gold plated glass beads

Global Goods Partners is a not-for-profit enterprise, creating sustainable jobs for women to help the development of their communities, as well as the prosperity of families.

GGP partners with women-led, community-based organizations, and invests all proceeds from product sales back in to training and funding, enabling their partners to prosper and thrive well into the future.  

Since 2005, GG has partnered with over 60 artisan groups in more than 20 countries throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas. "Each artisan that creates products for GGP earns reliable, fair living wages and gains experience that can add benefit to all aspects of her life."

beauty and the beach bag - Indego Africa

Indego Africa is a non-profit that pairs a NYC-based design team with female artisans in Rwanda and Ghana to create stylish and expertly crafted goods.  All of their goods are created by hand using traditional techniques of weaving, block printing, beading, embroidery, wood carving, and metal shaping. A classic example of the highly-skilled sweetgrass weaving technique can be found in the gorgeous and versatile Palm Tote! Perfect for beach days or a trip to the market, the Palm Tote is a beautiful way to make a statement with your accessory while renewing your commitment to help break the cycle of poverty.

Founded in 2007, Indego Africa believes that education is the key to long-term empowerment.  To that end, they are committed to providing fair wages as well as leadership training, business classes, technology workshops, and public health programs to the artisans they partner with to create Indego Africa’s designs.  100% of their profits, combined with grants and private donations, go back to the artisan’s communities. As of 2017, they have positively impacted 1,100 women in Rwanda and Ghana.

Indeed Smitten!

adorn those ears - Purpose

These gorgeous lithe ornaments for the ear, deserve our applause. These sit 2 ½” long off the ear. Come plated in 14k Gold or Rhodium (tarnish resistant.) They also come in a lovely box in case you're gifting these beauties.

Purpose jewelry is brilliantly handcrafted by young women escaping human trafficking. Your purchase helps provide them with the hope and opportunities they deserve while transitioning back into a free and safe future.

100% of proceeds go to International Sanctuary: a safe, loving, holistic community, with an incredible an sustainable model. Addressing income, education, healthcare, and community, the women are able to find their true identities and worth once again. 

Smitten!

always know your way, deep blue compass bangle - Brave

The Brave Collection’s motto is clear and effective: Courage is Contagious. Each piece in their collection is made by hand in Cambodia, using traditional carving and weaving techniques. The Deep Blue Compass Bracelet is a gorgeous example of The Brave Collections’ simplicity: hand woven cotton and carved brass, the charm reads “Brave” in Khmer.

While still a student at NYU, founder Jessica Hendricks Yee traveled to Cambodia to teach English. While there, she was moved to create a business that would give back to the victims of human trafficking and genocide.  The artists who create the jewelry are all Cambodian women - mostly mothers - who work in dignified conditions and receive above-market wages, stipends for childcare, and health insurance. In addition, 10% of each sale is donated to local organizations to fight human trafficking and empower young girls.

sweet chic sandals - Nisolo

Nisolo’s wooden wedge sandal is a perfect balance between style and sustainability - made from solid wood and hand-cut leather, they are a long-lasting addition to any closet and have an equally long lasting impact on the artisans who created them. Founded in 2011 by Patrick Woodyard after seeing the immense talent for shoemaking in Peru and wanting to be a problem solver in the global market, Nisolo is now based in both Peru and Tennessee, and employs over 50 people.

Nisolo is a leader in ethical fashion production, providing workers with wages 27% higher than fair trade wages, consistent work with yearly salaries, and “holistic learning” that includes trade skills as well as healthcare, english classes, and childcare.  The word Nisolo means “not alone”, and the most visible effect that credo has on the local community is the next generation - 100% of employee’s children are enrolled in school full time, with six on track to be the first in their families to graduate college.

mini keys of goodness, with maximum effect - The Giving Keys

I can never get enough of The Giving Keys. Their message, the keys, their faithful purpose and dedication, are completely on point. They were the gift that started notablySmitten - and I have followed their growth faithfully ever since that first purchased key. And now mini keys - perfect.

They are an extraordinary company doing good things for the homeless here in Los Angeles. If you've not heard of them, please read about them in the very first article I ever penned for nS.

And if you've not purchased a key for someone yet, please do - pass it on.

Ever Smitten!

ethical earrings celebrating Spring is here! - Mata Traders

These Daybreak earrings are artfully graceful and luxurious at the same time. Handcrafted and hand painted in India...these are your perfect ear ornaments! 

Mata Traders is a partnership between three female founders, a handful of fair trade organizations, and local Indian and Nepalese women working in artisan cooperatives. On a basic level, Mata Traders’ coops provide fair wages, healthcare, paid maternity leave, pensions, daycare, and workplace mobility to women who otherwise might not have the opportunity to work outside their home at all.  On a larger scale, however, the women working in artisan coops are simultaneously learning from social workers to become independent thinkers and activists: they gain confidence, break cycles of child labor and poverty, and provide stability for their families and communities.  

The word Mata means “Mother” in Hindi - it is a tribute to Shakti, the female creative power in all of us.  After learning of Mata Traders’ business model and seeing their gorgeous goods, we couldn’t agree with their mission more.

Smitten with Mata.

the art of the scarf - Bloom & Give

Named as a homage to one of the oldest dyeing techniques, Ikat is delicate, elegant and made from beautifully fine wool.  At Bloom & Give, each item is made by local artisans, steeping the ancient Southeast Indian culture into each design.

With each item purchased, 50% of the price goes directly to fund girl’s education programs in India.  Bloom & Give notes that girls who have even a middle school education will “marry 4 years later, have two fewer children, and double her income” compared to girls who are kept out.  With the help of their partner organization, Educate Girls, Bloom & Give’s mission is simple but complex: keep girls in school.  

That’s one powerful scarf...Smitten!