Fair Trade Friday - Oh, baby!

Hey guys, happy (snowy) Friday!  Can I just say how much I love having two little girls to get dressed?  It's just this flurry of pink and ruffles and anything sparkly or emblazoned with an owl or elephant (or giraffe, or hippo.....).  I do have to say, though, after seeing all the cute little boy stuff come through my workplace, a little gentleman would be a lot of fun to get dressed as well.  He'd be rocking suspenders and/or cardigans on a pretty regular basis!  In the spirit of all things baby, here's some great products for the littlest of little ones that I've run across lately:

First up is this sweet little hoodie from Origany:

Origany Double Layered Hoodie

I just love the sweet little details on this little hoodie, which is made in Peru from organic cotton that adheres to some pretty rigorous standards.  Origany makes it a point to only use organic cotton that's been grown in fields that have been pesticide free for at least three years, not only for the impact to the wearer, but also because of the environmental impact on the people living and working near the fields.  Plus their stuff is adorable on top of all that!

If you're planning on decorating a kiddo's room, or even a room for a grown up, check out these awesome rugs from Node.  They are handmade by artisans in Nepal who are taught literacy and skills on top of being paid a fair wage, plus the sale of the rugs also support a school of 260 children and an orphanage of 19.  You can also send a photo or other design to the company, and have a rug custom made for you!  Out of the rugs already made, this one's my favorite:

BEAR

I just love little cuddly animal characters!  Speaking of which, check out this hoodie and blankie from a company known as Joobles:

Joobles Jiffy the Giraffe Cardigan

Joobles Roar the Lion Blankie

Aren't those the cutest?  I just love the vibrant colors and happy animal faces on Joobles' products.  Plus, everything is hand-knit in Peru, where the employees are paid fairly and receive breakfasts and school supplies for their children through the Fair Indigo Foundation.  The home site that carries Joobles also carries some great adult clothing as well, such as these ballet flats for mama.  Mother's Day is coming up, after all...*cough cough*  *wink wink*

Last up on my baby wishlist is this amazing diaper bag/purse from Better Life Bags:

BLB Molly

Now, I already have a beautiful diaper bag that I received as a gift, and I love it!  However, if I were ever in the market for another, this one would be at the top of my list.  Not only is it beautiful, these bags are completely customizeable, and the story behind the company is even better.  I'd prefer not to paraphrase, so here's what the About Us section of the website says:

"Welcome to Better Life Bags!  I'm Rebecca.  A mom to an adorable little boy {Jonah}, a precious baby girl {Clara}, and a wife who is still in love with her husband.  To say that I sew and sell bags is simply not the entire truth.  I sew and sell bags with the intention and desire that each bag would make lives better.  Not the lives of my customer {although I do hope that you LOVE your bag}, but the lives of those who could never even dream of affording a Better Life Bag.

Here's our story:

I was expecting my first baby in the summer of 2009.  Disappointed with the diaper bag styles and choices in my price range, I set out to make my own.  After posting pictures of the bag on Facebook, I got a never ending string of orders and custom requests.  People were designing and creating the bag of their dreams {and not just diaper bags}.  I had hit a hot button... CUSTOM BAGS.

But the bags are not the focus of my business.  I desire to use my business and the platform it gives me to help others.  Since Better Life Bags started, I had been giving a percentage of the profits to low income entreprenuers in developing countries through Kiva.org.  I still plan on doing this in moderation.  However, I also want to invest in the community God has placed us in currently.  We moved to Detroit in April 2010 to invest in a small community here called Hamtramck.  With 27 different languages spoken, a median income of $23,000, and housing values falling by 80% there is much need here.

We hire women, who otherwise could not work, to work for us.  We pay them a living wage and watch them gain dignity, honor, and respect.  Watch our video here.  We also give 10% of our monthly GROSS income to low income entrepreneurs in developing countries through Kiva.org.

Thank you for visiting my shop.

xoxo,

Rebecca"

Is that not the coolest thing ever?  They also have a ton of other options on the site, including laptop sleeves and crossbody bags.

Well, that about sums up everything I wanted to share with you guys.  I'll see you back here in a couple days for another edition of Sensory Sunday, where I share what I've been listening to/watching/thinking about with all of you!  Enjoy the weekend!