#BoMaLiving / Fair Trade Fashion

Sustainable Style Series: Mate the Label

If there’s anything that we hope you know about us, it’s our dedication to sustainable fashion. We strive to continue finding the best in ethical brands for you, but we also want to take time to celebrate the incredible brands that we are lucky enough to partner with. So now that we are in the new year, we decided to start a new series to highlight how our favorite brands are focusing on creating the cleanest, most sustainable styles for you, starting with MATE The Label.

You’ve heard some of the horrendous statistics before — the fashion industry is the second-largest contributor to pollution in the world, just after oil. It contributes a whopping 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. And even more upsetting, 24% of insecticides and 11% of pesticides are produced through cotton farming. And beyond the global impact, there are also direct health concerns, like the more than 8,000 synthetic chemicals used in producing clothing. That’s where MATE The Label comes in.

This Los Angeles-based clean fashion label makes it easy for you to find chic essentials that you can trust. Everything is made out of certified organic, non-toxic fabrics, and this isn’t just an empty claim. They only use GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified organic cotton, which is the highest standard in the world. In the interest of full transparency and education, they even have a page dedicated to all of the fabrics that they use, so you can know exactly what you’re putting on your body.

Let’s bring it back to a large, global scale and toss in a phrase that we all know so well … carbon footprint. And the fact that MATE keeps theirs as small as possible. Based in LA, they keep every part of their production chain right in LA, and better than that, all of the warehouses are within 10 miles of each other. That’s right. Cutting, sewing, dyeing, shipping, you name it, and it all happens right there, and it happens up to fair trade standards to top it all off.

Mate The Label

This is the part of your clothing’s journey where you come in. After you purchase all of your favorites, they package them up with care in 100% recycled materials (and are working on creating a 100% compostable plastic bag as well). They are also in the process of creating a program where you can return your well-loved MATE goodies so that they can be turned into new products.

This female-founded fashion label is also predominately female operated, which is just one more reason why we are so glad to have them as part of our team and to bring their stunning styles to you. Keep an eye out for the newest MATE products and stay tuned to learn about more of our favorite sustainable fashion brands and comment below to share with us why you love shopping sustainably!

Taking Things Beyond Sustainability

In the world of fashion, “sustainable” is a term that’s tossed around about as loosely as “trendy” or “unique,” and we’re usually left wondering what it really means. That’s not to say that sustainability is a concept to be taken lightly since the earth needs our protection more than ever. To make your ethical and environmentally conscious shopping even easier, we decided it was time to toss out sustainability as a basic label and explain to you exactly how our favorite brands are doing their part to help the planet and the people who live here.

Moon Water Co.

Moon Water Co. is a line that was created by an aunt and niece team who wanted to turn their passion into a global mission. They work with artisans around the world to bring gorgeous handmade designs to you. By working directly with those who are creating the products, they are able to ensure both safe working conditions and fair pay. By adding these eye-catching bags and accessories to your wardrobe, you can feel good knowing that each purchase directly impacts the lives of those who created them.

Quincy Mae

Every mama knows that when it comes to your little ones, you won’t compromise on quality, which is why we are thrilled to carry the sweetest baby clothing from Quincy Mae. It doesn’t matter if it’s a simple accessory like the long-sleeve baby dress and ribbed leggings, each item is made from certified organic cotton. This means that not only will it be safe for baby’s sensitive skin, it’ll also keep them as cuddly as can be.

Little Shop of Oils

We will be the first to admit that we take self-care very seriously around here, but also if you aren’t treating yourself to the very best, what’s the point? And when it comes to your skin and mental health, it's vital to go as pure as you can. Little Shop of Oils makes this easy by giving us organic body products that are made in small batches in California, so you can self-care Sunday easily knowing that you are keeping the earth (and your skin) protected. If you want to create an entire routine to keep your life in balance, start things off with the Aura Cleanse Soap, add three or four drops of the organic cold-pressed Prickly Pear Anti-Aging Serumto your face, and then keep your calm all day with the Anxiety Sucks essential oil blend (our personal favorite).

Anxiety Sucks gemstone-infused essential oil blend for anxiety from Little Shop of Oils

Boyish Jeans

When your go-to outfit is always centered around your favorite jeans, why not make them eco-friendly jeans (that also have the perfect fit every time — we aren’t joking). In case you never looked into it too much, the average pair of jeans takes 1,800 gallons of water to make, and that’s not even taking into account the harsh chemicals that are used (and then dumped back into the environment at the end of the process). That’s where Boyish comes in to save the world. Besides using ⅓ the amount of water (that they then recycle), they don’t use any harsh chemicals, they use recycled cotton and other deadstock/vintage fabrics, and to top it all off, they give one-percent of their annual profits to organizations they believe in. Now that we’ve covered the basics of what makes Boyish stand apart, we can’t ignore the fact that they're also focused on the highest quality and the best fit, whether you want a pair you can wear every single day, like The Zachary high-waisted skinny jeans, or you’re looking for some statement denim, like The Toby high-waisted distressed boyfriend jeans.

Welcome to the Jungle

Learn more about the oldbazaaristanbul x Moonwater Co. Unique Collaboration handcrafted by artisan women in Guatemala. Your fair trade purchase supports these women.

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