I'm bursting with pride because for the last two weeks, I have been the proud owner of Ethos Kolekto, LLC.
Yes, Green Bees, after attending undergrad for fashion and fashion merchandising, moving to NYC to intern for a large online retailer, and then spending the last decade working in education and blogging on the side, I finally took the plunge and started my own online store. It's something I've dreamed of since college, talked myself out of a zillion times, and felt like I just couldn't do along with working and blogging. It turns out that I CAN do it and I even have a baby now, on top of everything else!
I've spent the last 6 months quietly curating a small introductory collection of jewelry, bags, and scarves from some of my favorite, vetted, fair trade brands. I have done lots of research, talked to some of the CEOs of the companies I decided to stock, and have asked lots of questions so that I could be sure that what I'm putting my new brand name on is not only fun to wear, but helps others and has minimal impact on the planet. This means that everything in the shop is made under fair trade conditions and has also been created from up-cycled or locally/ethically-sourced materials like wooden furniture, fabric scraps, bullet casings, recycled brass, and cow horn.
I have also put quite a bit of thought into making sure that the pieces in this first collection can be mixed and matched across brands, which is especially apropos with the world being what it is today with diversity taking such a central role in what we see on the news. I love the idea that a hand-woven scarf from Vietnam can be easily paired with sari scrap earrings from India and a necklace that was once a pile of bullet shells in Africa.
Tons of thought also went into naming this shop. Since my own personal interests aren't just with human causes, but lie largely with helping to preserve the planet (i.e. keep plastic out of the oceans, plant trees, etc.), I knew that the name had to somehow encompass all of these interests. I also knew that the name had to be a bit catchy. It took me several years to come up with Ethos Kolekto, but I think that those words (see more below) do a lovely job of communicating what I'd like to get across about the shop!
Without using too many more words, I just wanted take today to make an official blog announcement, share my joy, and showcase a few photos that show how easy it is to mix and match products from all different countries into one cohesive look!
I would love if you would follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and if you're looking for a little wardrobe update or are searching for a gift, please consider my tiny little fair trade shop!
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