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!

a New York summer and a tote with a conscience - better life BAGS

be bold - The Lipstick Lobby

I like to think of my lipstick as my everyday war paint. And their Kiss My Pink shade from The Lipstick Lobby is just that and more. It’s made in the U.S., cruelty free, long-lasting, and flatters every skin tone. The biggest payoff? 100% of all net profits go to Planned Parenthood to help men and women have access to healthcare and sex education. 

Davida Hall is the activist behind The Lipstick Lobby. She created a brand that stands for social justice. Featuring campaigns that target different social issues and injustice, each one has their designated lipstick shade. The bolder, the better.

How smitten <3

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!

positively speaking - Palabra

Palabra's eco-friendly graphic tees, tanks, crop tops and hoodies are made from sustainable textiles that do not hurt the planet or the people who produce it. “We use organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, recycled cotton and RPET.”

“For every item sold, we purchase a book or make a donation to global education & literacy programs.” 

Palabra lets their shirts do the talking. They feature English and Spanish phrases like Verdad (truth), and Cuéntame (tell me). Available in eight colors, the materials are ethically sourced—and the shirts have sass!

Founded by Susan Boyar, the idea behind Palabra is to provide the public with sustainable, ethical, high quality clothing. For every purchase, the company buys a book and donates it to the Chispa Project, an organization dedicated to providing literacy opportunities to kids in Honduras. 

be fearless - Cora

Period shame is really cramping our style (pun intended). Cora’s Fearless Necklace stands for period equality among women all over the world. With each purchase, Cora donates a year’s supply of pads to a girl in Kenya. Because let’s face the cold, hard fact: Girls run the world. Period.

After years of travel Molly and Morgen, founders of Cora, witnessed girls in Kenya leave school because they couldn’t afford to buy pads. Thanks to every purchase, Cora is able to provide those girls with pads so that they can continue their education while on their periods.

no to plastic waste - PathWater

Can you remember how many plastic bottles you’ve used in your lifetime? Me neither. With plastic pollution becoming a bigger threat to our environment, PathWater has stepped up to change that. Their aluminum bottle is not only reusable but its sustainable too. 

PathWater was founded to help you make the switch from single-use plastic. It’s estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. Due to this scary and sad reality, PathWater has worked tirelessly to beat those odds with their aluminum bottles. Their water is also locally sourced, having gone through a whopping seven step reverse osmosis filtration process. Better for you and better for the environment. 

How wonderfully 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.

put your yogi tank on - People Tree

made with love - Be The Good

Be The Good’s bracelet, also called Be The Good, is nostalgic for so many reasons. It’s handcrafted with an adjustable strap, which is perfect for my petite wrist. Each bracelet features an adorable brass heart and only comes in red. For each bracelet that’s purchased, the company donates an accessory to Dress For Success. 

Be The Good’s founder Barbara Gram believes in empowering women all over the world. She partners with Dress For Success, a nonprofit that’s dedicated to helping women attain financial independence by providing them with professional attire. 

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!

April showers - Roma boots

spring has sprung, time for fresh frames - Warby Parker

gifting and recycling - Brilliant Earth

soap as pebble - Soap Co.

let's save our bees - Altruette Honey Bee Charm

a posh valentines clutch for her - Kayu

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."

love potion #9 - Brooklyn Candle Studio

Brooklyn Candle Studio’s candles are the closest thing to perfect that we’re willing to set on fire. Their design is gorgeous and minimalist, their scents are rich with memory, and their ingredients are American-grown and eco-friendly.  Each 100% vegan candle is made from American-grown soybeans, led free cotton wicks, and a blend of essential oils and phthalate-free perfume oils. They each hold 60 hours of burn life, which translates into some major relaxation time.

After the horrible events led by hate groups in Charlottesville in August 2017, founder and designer Tamara Mayne decided to donate 10% of every Love Potion #9 candle to the ACLU in an effort to support the legal fight for equality.  She notes she was called to share profits with the ACLU “as a woman, a mother, an Asian-American, as an employer of women and minorities, and, frankly, as a human being”.  We must have fallen under the Love Potion spell, because we love these candles as much as we love this cause.

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!