Sustainable Living

By Ana Cahill 30 Mar, 2022
'Tis the season for resetting, organizing and and getting rid of all the things that no longer serve you - physically and metaphorically. A recent study actually found that 78% of people notice a boost in wellbeing when their home is tidy, and 53% say a clean home helps them feel productive. I put together a checklist that includes a complete list of things you clean in your space + in your virtual world over the next few weeks - grab it for free below!
By Ana Cahill 04 Aug, 2021
Today's National Underwear Day, and it's got me reminiscing on one of my favorite jobs ever - a bra specialist at Victoria's Secret. When I started working there at 18, it was a dream job. I adored the brand, worked with some amazing girls, and the company took great care of us in terms of competitive pay and all the free things. At this point in my life, I didn’t really know anything about sustainability or fast fashion, but I remember the first time I was asked to cut a garbage can full of “damages” (merchandise with small holes, minor stains or other imperfections) to shreds before tossing them in the dumpster, like it was yesterday. I asked my manager why we couldn’t just bring them home or donate them and she said “because the company doesn’t want anyone wearing an imperfect version of their product.” Excuse me?! I was shook by this statement, and it inspired me to start asking questions and doing my research on things like what other companies were doing with their damaged goods, who was making them, why we were getting so many imperfect items we could afford to just throw away. And so began my pursuit into sustainable fashion, supporting brands who do good for people and the environment, and educating others on how to be conscious of the brands they’re buying from. Does Victoria’s Secret still make some dang cute clothes + lingerie? Heck yeah they do, but at what cost? Good On You (my favorite app for learning about brands ethics) rates them “not good enough” in both labor and environmental impact. Thankfully, there are so many INCREDIBLE alternative brands available now that are doing good for both people and the planet. And nothing makes you feel good like looking good AND doing good. Here are a few of my favorites: Third Love Third Love was founded by women, for women, with the goal of celebrating every body type, every dimple, scar, and blemish. If they are unable to sell a product for any reason, it's donated to charities or to other causes where it can be repurposed. The founders believe in giving back to the community, and are actively donating to women’s charities across the nation. You can use the code " TL-UNDIES " to get 10% off 3 for $30 or 10% off any undie packs on your first purchase! 2. Azura Bay Azura Bay is the first sustainable undie brand I ever shopped, and I absolutely adore them. They're a small, female-owned business dedicated to providing a variety of cute and comfortable options for loungewear, bras, undies and more! You can use the code " ANA10 " for 10% off your purchase! 3. Organic Basics "Basically Better Made” is Organic Basics motto, and they live up to it with their super comfy everyday underwear from high-quality organic materials, They even weave silver into the organic cotton for their SilverTeach pieces which makes them antibacterial and heat regulating! 4. Boody Wear The most comfortable bras and bodysuits I've ever worn, and they make everything from activewear to loungewear and more, all crafted from organically-grown bamboo viscose for comfortable, sustainability, and health. Use code " ANA15 " for 15% off your first purchase! 5. Cuup Cuup is a great option for sustainably-made underwire bras. They offer forty sizes ranging from AA to H, and they partner with a vertically integrated production facility to ensure that every bra is of the highest quality. 6. Wama Underwear Wama Underwear is on a mission to "pioneer the hemp underwear industry by making the best hemp undies in the world and constantly improving the fit, function and design." Hemp fabric has many benefits like being naturally anti-bacterial , super soft and breathable, and of course it's environmentally-friendly - and unbelievably comfy! 7. Pact Their cotton basics are perfect for building a sustainable stable wardrobe. They go to great lengths to make sure their entire supply chain, from the growing and harvesting of the organic cotton to the final sewing and all the processes in between, is as clean and responsible as possible. I hope you love these brands as much I do! xx, Ana
By Ana Cahill 15 Feb, 2021
So, we're snowed in in Nashville today, and I'm really over being cold, so I'm spending the day dreaming of all the warm places I'd like to be. Even in the winter, I get ads almost every day for swimsuits from brands like SheIn and NastyGal, and I won't pretend like I'm not tempted by all their cute styles, but nothing annoys me more than cheap suits that pill and stretch after a few wears or washes. Not to mention, I want to know my money is going towards businesses with ethical practices who take care of their employees and the environment. So many incredible sustainable swimwear brands have emerged over the last few years, and I put together a list of my favorites for you to shop as you prepare for spring break or summer. 1. Londre "Keep your mind dirty and the ocean clean" - my kind of people. Londre has collected over 100,000 plastic bottles from the beaches and streets of Taiwan and used them to create their swimwear, with a minimum of 6 recycled plastic bottles in every swimsuit. I just got The Multiway and it's probably the most versatile, flattering suit I've ever worn! 2. Swoon These suits are handmade in the US - and most of them are reversible! I have one of their suits I've been wearing for years, and it still looks and feels like the day I got it. 3. Swell Obsessed All of Swell Obsessed's cute suits are made to order and they offer such a variety of styles and sizes! The Rope Kini is my personal favorite of theirs. 4. L Space L Space has one of the widest collections of sustainably-made suits that I've found - and they're all made with up-cycled nylon or plastic bottles. 5. Toast Toast offers some of the cutest, minimal basic pieces that will last in your wardrobe for years! 6. Honey Lemon These suits are ethically made in Bali from Oeko-tek certified Econyl fabric. Post-consumer materials like fishnets and plastic water bottles are collected from ocean waste, cleaned, and regenerated into small pellets into fibers and eventually into fabric for their swimwear. This saves 70k barrels of crude oil and avoids 57.1k tons of CO2 emissions compared to virgin nylon (what many other suits are made of). 7. Coco Kini I've been following the founder of Coco Kini for years on Instagram, and love the heart and soul she puts into all these suits she makes! The sizing is super customizable, along with the styles and prints! 8. Inbodi Inbodi offers swimwear in a range of fabrics including recycled and sustainable ECONYL, and offer super affordable, great quality suits! 9. ARO Flattering fits, recycled textiles, sustainably produced and ethically made - what more could you ask for? 10. Reformation Reformation is basically the sustainable alternative to all your major fast fashion brands - think H&M meets Zara, but with a mission to educate people on sustainable fashion, and make it accessible to all. They offer a ton of great resources on their site - as well as some super cute swimwear options!
22 Mar, 2020
You know you're bored when cleaning out your closet actually starts seeming like a fun idea. But now that so many of us have all this extra time, it's the perfect opportunity to start cleaning out clutter - in our homes, our phones, our lives in general.I did a huge closet clean out a few weeks ago and I wanted to share a few tips for all of you finally tackling your closet this week! Whether you've already cleaned it out and are looking for the best ways to sell your items, or are getting ready
02 Jun, 2019
Last year when I decided to start swapping out my beauty products for non-toxic versions, one of the first things I swapped was my deodorant. I had read about the long-term health issues that have been linked to conventional deodorant, and for me it just wasn’t worth the risk, especially with so many natural options on the market.I’ve never been picky about my deodorant, so I figured the transition would be as easy as running out of my current deodorant, and switching to a natural one.
04 Feb, 2019
If you're anything like me, you're a sucker for good marketing and cute packaging. Over the years this has led me to buy more beauty products than I could ever need, and as I've become more educated on sustainability and the environmental impact of plastics, I've started to feel real guilty about the countless containers I didn't even think twice about tossing into my trash bin. Dwelling on the past never got anybody anywhere, but as I've made strides to become a more conscious consumer and buy
23 Nov, 2018
It's officially shop-till-you-drop {or run out of money} season! Despite the chaos, I love the holidays, and one of my favorite parts of the season is picking out thoughtful gifts for my loved ones. Last night after we did our best to recover from our food comas, my family talked me into joining them for my first ever Black Friday shopping experience. I'll be honest, I've always been afraid + anxious just thinking about people fighting over TV's, shoving their way through crowds, and acting
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