AlterNatives Boutique

Sister Spirits: One Billion Rising We need you to lend your...

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:09:00 -0500

Sister Spirits: One Billion Rising

We need you to lend your support to our sisters in need! Join us on Sunday, February 3rd from 12-6pm for a profit-share sale with One Billion Rising RVA, an organization working to empower survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. 20% of our profits will go to One Billion Rising, and volunteers will be on hand to gift-wrap your purchase for a nominal fee. Hors d’oeuvres and wine will be served.

On Sunday, February 3rd, your purchase at AlterNatives Boutique can make even more of a difference in a woman’s life: we’re pairing with One Billion Rising RVA to raise funds for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Volunteers from One Billion Rising will be on hand to gift wrap your purchase for a small fee and we’re serving hors d’oeuvres!

This is the first part of our Sister Spirits initiative in which we work with a woman’s organization to help our sisters in need: making a good cause great!

3320 West Cary Street
804.342.5886
alternativesonline.com
facebook.com/alternativesboutique
twitter.com/alternativesrva

Guatemalan jade & sterling silver. Handcrafted in Guatemala.

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:57:47 -0500

Guatemalan jade & sterling silver. Handcrafted in Guatemala.

Limon Piel bags, Colombia. Leather, textiles, metal/wood.

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:43:52 -0500

Limon Piel bags, Colombia.

Leather, textiles, metal/wood.

Annual 50% off sale tomorrow from 2-7pm.

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:37:00 -0500

Come and enjoy the savings!

Peacock ring, Joli Jewelry. $30

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 10:26:16 -0500

Peacock ring, Joli Jewelry. $30

This garland is made in the Highlands of Guatemala by members of...

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 10:22:35 -0500

This garland is made in the Highlands of Guatemala by members of the Women’s Circle in the indigenous community Llanos del Pinal. These handmade decorations promote the desire of the women to build and maintain their own greenhouses of organic vegetables.

You can buy it online here.

laureola: Haiti Doesn’t Need Your Yoga Mat (via Shah,...

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:42:10 -0500

laureola:

Haiti Doesn’t Need Your Yoga Mat

(via Shah, caraobrien)

October is Fair Trade Month!

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 12:21:01 -0400

How has fair trade impacted your life?

Good article on Slave-Free Chocolate

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 01:48:43 -0400

Good article on Slave-Free Chocolate

freedomandjustice: I love Global Mamas! Global Mamas transforms...

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:03:36 -0400

freedomandjustice:

I love Global Mamas!

Global Mamas transforms the lives of women in Ghana, Africa by creating sustainable income opportunities which lead to financial independence. Global Mamas reduces the economic inequality of women by significantly increasing wages and generating new jobs through the production and export of fair trade products. This in turn improves the standard of living for women, their families, and the larger community. We believe that helping women gain financial independence is the most effective way to create prosperous communities.

I just bought these products for Global Mamas and absolutely love them! I love supporting businesses like this and besides that, their products are amazing. The colors are fabulous and everything is very well made. On each tag there is the name of the woman who made it. Once you have the name you can go online at tradeforchange.com and see photos and a bio about the woman, sometimes even a video! It makes it really personal.

Info- globalmamas.org

Shop- tradeforchange.com

AlterNatives Boutique

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 15:22:44 -0400

AlterNatives Boutique

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 15:17:40 -0400

AlterNatives Boutique

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 15:17:13 -0400

AlterNatives Boutique

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 15:16:40 -0400

AlterNatives Boutique

nuandao: Today, Nuandao wants to share with a tiny find in...

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:15:35 -0400

nuandao:

Today, Nuandao wants to share with a tiny find in Taipei that values fair trade products. The store was first established in the creative hub of Shanghai’s Tian Zi Fang, an old neighborhood now full of culture and art. Down the line, the store owner decided to leave Taipei to be with her husband, hence giving us the opportunity for us Taipei folks to experience the store. The store is currently located in a small space in the Yongkang Lane; although not much room for much, architecture and decoration has created a simple, natural atmosphere for the browsing experience. What we particularly like is the recycled wood furniture throughout the space - how green!

In Taiwan, fair trade and design rarely come together. Twine here, is one of those rare operations.

In many situations, fair trade or organic products tend to be more expensive, but the owner is trying to partner with manufacturers and creators from around the world to make fair trade products within reach of all people. Twine believes that the goods sold only will enhance a person’s life from both vendor and consumer side.

Within the store, products are almost all unique handmade creations with the majority of these commodities, mostly from Africa, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam and Cambodia and other countries who are affiliated with the World Fair Trade Organization. At Twine, you can also find some works from Taiwanese designers, and the store also creates its own collection of clothing and accessories made from felt and wool.

If one day, you were stranded on an island what 3 things would you want to bring?

TWINE: scissors, knitting equipment, wire

Thank you Francis and Chloe for the reporting efforts！

For more information, visit:

www.twinestudio.net / facebook: www.facebook.com/twinestudio

台灣台北市大安區永康街二巷3號1樓

twine2006@twinestudion.net

We’ve been eagerly anticipating the online debut of our...

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:53:19 -0400

We’ve been eagerly anticipating the online debut of our Summer/Autumn 2011 transition lookbook. Special thanks to the photographer, Zach Ranson, and our beautiful models!

For pricing, please email alternativesboutique@gmail.com

Primordial Eye: You probably own a pair of TOMS, don't you? [Then keep reading]

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 12:08:57 -0400

Primordial Eye: You probably own a pair of TOMS, don't you? [Then keep reading]:

astronautssleepinspace:

While I have yet to figure out if this was an attempt to flirt with me or to offend me, this is part of a conversation I had at my dentist’s office today.

Me: Yeah, I study literature.
Man: You study literature and you wear fancy scarves? Hah, you probably own a pair of TOMS, don’t you?

This…

This is the biggest problem with “charitable” organizations. They do not inspire change or create sustainable programs to combat poverty. A common first world assumption is that people in developing countries “need” our help and will gladly accept it. This is both presumptuous and pretentious. As citizens of first world countries we comparatively have an unthinkable amount of privilege. Using this privilege to perform “charitable” work may seem noble, but this fosters dependency. You are probably aware of the old adage, “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime.” The key to fighting poverty is education. Why doesn’t the TOMS company do something a bit more helpful and sustainable for every pair of shoes sold?

WHERE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO VISIT ON YOUR PLANET?

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:46:48 -0400

India, one of the most culturally rich & diverse countries.

So...what's not fair trade?

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:34:00 -0400

The items that are most commonly made in sweatshops are:

Sneakers. Generally these are made in Asian countries and have high instances of child slavery. New Balance sneakers are made in the US, and are therefore fair trade (if you’re interested in an alternative to Nike).
Clothing. Garment workers are often children as well. In the United States, workers are usually immigrants working overtime for little pay. Sweatshops overseas have even worse conditions.
Rugs. Many children are illegally employed to create rugs.
Toys. Toy factories are primarily located in Southeast Asia and workers earn $0.30/hr while American toy makers earn $11/hr.
Chocolate. Much of the chocolates we consume come from the Ivory Coast of Africa, notorious for its use of child workers. Even Hershey, a company founded in the United States, imports workers from overseas & exploits them, paying them between $40 & $140 a week for 40 hours of work.
Bananas. Besides working unthinkable hours in extreme conditions, workers are also constantly exposed to dangerous pesticides.
Coffee. Coffee workers are forced to sell their product to companies for less than it cost to produce, trapping them in an endless cycle of poverty. Even large companies like Starbucks, who claim to be beneficial for the world, offer very few fair trade coffees and instead make the majority of their profits on the backs of impoverished workers.
Flowers. Believe it or not, if you buy flowers from large companies like 1-800-FLOWERS, you’re supporting long hours, minimal pay, and dangerous exposure to pesticides. Many female workers are subjected to sexual harassment, and the pesticide exposure causes many to miscarry.

Of course nearly every product has a shadowy sweat shop side to it, but these are just a few. Do what you can to prevent worker mistreatment, slavery, and harassment.

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Why buy fair trade?

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:15:51 -0400

And what is fair trade anyway?

Fair trade is more than an item you can buy; it’s a mode of thought. For something to be fair trade, it means the craftsperson is being compensated fairly for their time & efforts as well as working reasonable hours. It creates a sense of equality between marginalized producers and Western buyers. Fair trade creates sustainability and betters the lives of many families.

There are many wholesale companies that provide private merchants, like us, with fairly traded goods. However, we also receive many items that are direct trade, which eliminates the middleman and allows us to have direct contact with the producer — bringing you a lower cost & higher personalization.

Fairly traded goods are more expensive, yes, but we believe the benefits are worth far more than the financial cost. Buying fair trade means at least one family in a developing country isn’t going hungry tonight, and workers aren’t being exploited or penalized for their geographic location or their social class.

Fair trade is about equality. It’s about sending the message that we as consumers appreciate the time and energy it takes to create the things we need/want in our lives. It means consumers care about the producers and don’t want products that are cheaply produced at the cost of others’ lives.

It’s about imagining yourself in a hot, sweaty, dirty factory where you’re underpaid and overworked. It’s about imagining not being able to feed your family nutritious food or sending your children to school. It’s about imagining the chance to have the same opportunities as those in privileged positions and the knowledge that you should be compensated fairly for your hard work.

Buying fair trade means you care about sustainable economies. Generally, it also means you oppose industrial imperialism. Everyone deserves a fair chance at success, don’t you agree?