Sustainable Products – Peculiar Porter

What the Heck Does Organic Cotton Even Mean?

Published on May 10, 2018 by PeculiarPorter3 Comments

When you first start diving into the world of “sustainable and ethical fashion” you instantly become overwhelmed. There are so many factors that go into being a sustainable and ethical product and come to find out it’s almost impossible to find something that has the whole package. When it comes to shopping more ethically I’ve had to evaluate what parts of ethical fashion I find the most important. For example, an item can be sustainably made (with organic cotton and dyes) but not be made ethically (fair wages and normal work hours). The five most common factors in sustainable and ethical fashion are ethical production, transparency in the company, made with natural fibers/earth-friendly dyes, gives back to a cause, and local manufacturing. I happen to care about these factors in the order in which they are listed. What do you think is most important?

With that said, let’s dive into the reasoning why it matters to have natural, organic fibers such as cotton.

Although cotton takes up less than 2.5 percent of global cropland, 10% of all pesticides are used.

Remember learning about organic food in high school and how bad GMOs were for your body? Come to find out that we’re all wearing something that is way worse than consuming GMOs. Your skin is your largest organ yet we allow a plethora of chemicals lay on our skin… well unless you’re a hippy and don’t wear clothes. The constant contact of pesticides can cause you to have irritated skin, rashes, and even can cause headaches and dizziness. Umm… no, thank you!

These chemicals are up and personal with your goods every day and night. Ever forget to wash your jeans before you wear them and end up with blue/black hands from the dye? I’m super guilty of this and have plenty of blue/black hands before. Although pesticides aren’t as visible as the dye rubbing off on your hands, the same amount gets stuck onto your skin and rubs against sensitive areas. So if you don’t buy organic cotton make sure you wash your item before you wear it so that it removes some of the pesticides before you wear it.

The Cotton Industry is notorious for human rights violations in India, the world’s largest cotton producer.

The problem with cotton that as soon as you start to treat it with pesticides it only needs more and more pesticides. As soon as the farmers start to use the pesticides, they need more and more in order to keep up with the crop. This causes them to be in tremendous debt and sell some of their land to the people who sold them the pesticides, Monsanto. All while these transactions are going on, local communities near the farms are born with birth defects and mentally deficient as a result of the extreme pesticide exposure. When pesticides are sprayed they can actually travel two miles from the air and waterways. If that wasn’t worse enough, the same people who are selling the pesticides, taking the land, and allowing neighboring towns to get sick are also selling the medication to help with the illnesses. It is one big money scheme.

This isn’t only happening in India. The Environmental Protection Agency considers 7 of the 15 pesticides used on conventional cotton as possible or known carcinogenic (cancer-causing) agents. Farmers in the United States are also suffering from the harsh pesticides and are dying from cancer.

What are the requirements to be considered organic cotton?

No pesticides, fertilizers or other chemicals are used when growing organic cotton
To be certified organic the soil must be free from chemicals for at least 3 years
The land, and soil, benefits from crop rotation
Organic cotton gets a GOTS certification (Global Organic Textile Standard) to make sure that it is organic.

So how can I help this issue?

Cotton is in so much that we consume even away from our clothes. Our bedding, towels, money, tampons, make up wipes, q-tips, and so much more. So how can you help the cotton industry? By buying organic! So many companies are coming out with organic lines each and every day. Keep your skin and the environment happy by choosing to buy organic cotton. Here are just six of the many companies that have an adorable line of organic items:

Pact (Basics)
Patagonia (Organic cotton line)
Thought (Timeless Pieces)
Synergy (Currently eyeing everything at this store)
Groceries Apparel (USA Made)
Noctu (Cute loungewear)

You can even find some organic cotton in the sea of clothes at TJMaxx and Marshalls! I found these perfect casual t-shirts at Marshalls. They have been my go-to when I’m rushing to get out the door in the morning.

Do you own anything that is made out of organic cotton? Did you know that cotton was such a demanding crop? Let me know in the comments down below.

As always,

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7 Sustainable Products That Will Rock Your Socks Off

Published on April 19, 2018 by PeculiarPorter4 Comments

This month I’ve been really trying to incorporate healthier products into my life. Whether that is a better dry shampoo, an organic deodorant, or a fresh pair of socks I’m trying to tackle the intimating subject of sustainability. Scroll on to find out what sustainable products worked and not worked for me.

Bombas: Socks that Give Back

The most requested item in homeless shelters is socks, which is why two guys set out to make it their mission to provide something as simple as socks to thousands of homeless shelters. For every purchase of Bombas socks, you also donate a pair of socks to a homeless shelter. So far, Bombas has been able to donate 7 million pairs of socks. Plus, these adorable socks come in so many fun patterns and incredibly comfy. Forget Nike elite socks and hello Bombas socks.

Renpure: Coconut Argan Dry Shampoo

After my hairdresser told me I shouldn’t be washing my hair so frequently, I’ve been trying to incorporate a dry shampoo into my life. Since I really liked Renpure’s shampoo and conditioner, I thought I would try out their dry shampoo. Unlike most drugstore dry shampoos, this one doesn’t include sulfates, parabens, dyes, gluten, phthalates, or propylene glycol. It also smells like a delicious blueberry treat. Note: the smell is pretty strong so if you are worried that you might eat your hair from this you might want to stay away. Other than that, I think it smells amazing and really does the trick for second-day hair.

Simply Gum: Natural Mint

This was definitely an impulse purchase and I totally regret it. Not only was it ridiculously expensive for a little pack of gum, it tastes terrible. You know when you brush your teeth and then drink OJ? That is exactly how this tastes. The texture also looks and feels like fish food pellets. I’m all for trying to go organic but this gum was not the answer.

Burt’s Bees Chapstick

I’ve been a huge fan of Burt’s Bees for the longest time but never knew that they made chapstick flavors other than peppermint. Yes, I may hide under a rock. I’m addicted to the Pink Grapefruit because it smells and tastes like breakfast throughout the day. The Vanilla Bean is also lovely because of how subtle it is compared to the peppermint chapstick that I love so dearly. Burt’s Bees actually plants urban gardens to help recover bee populations. Find out more information on that by clicking here.

Soothing Touch Lip Balm

When I was wandering through Whole Foods, I found these two chapsticks 2/$5. I’ve been obsessed with iced chia tea so the vanilla chia chapstick was practically jumping off the shelf and into my pocket. 85% of the chapstick is organic which sometimes worries me because I’ve had some organic chapsticks that are extremely creamy and slip right off. Luckily, these two stayed put and smell amazing.

LaVanila Natural Deodorant

At first, the thought of natural deodorant scared the crap out of me. Was I going to smell? Am I going to sweat a lot? Does it apply weird? The list went on and on. As I was scrolling through Instagram one day I saw an ad for the Lavanila deodorant and I put it in the back of my mind that one day I would finally get it. I was super hesitant because A. I didn’t know if it would work and B. $14 for deodorant sounded outrageous to me. After countless YouTube reviews, I decided to finally bite the bullet and finally purchase the coconut one. Ugh, it smelt terrible to me. I excepted it to smell sweet and floral but instead, it just smelt like old, wet baby powder. I almost wrote off the natural deodorant idea completely until I saw a new pesky ad for their vanilla + earth deodorant. A deodorant that contains patchouli? Count me in. I bought it then and there and was incredibly happy with the delicious smell. It smells like a sweet mix of spring rain, flowers, and baby powder. The deodorant is applied just like a dove deodorant but it doesn’t contain all of the harsh chemicals. Lavanila’s website that when you’re switching over to natural deodorant that you may go through a week where you smell because your pits are getting rid of the toxins. Luckily, I never went through that week. My pits smell like I’ve been frolicking in the woods and I couldn’t be happier. If you’re going to try one thing on this list… try switching out your chemical deodorant for something cleaner.

Raw Sugar Shampoo: The Bounce Back

Target is becoming my go-to for finding natural products like Raw Sugar. Their incredible isle helped me find all of these incredible products. This incredible shampoo and conditioner combo are made with ColdPres Technology. This means that the shampoos and conditioners preserve more of the whole fruit and plant so that it can deliver pure, rich essential oils, vitamins, enzymes and nutrients that nourish and vitalize your skin. If that didn’t convince you, Raw Sugar also donates a bar of soap to a family in need. Note: You can only buy this product at Target.

This particular shampoo reminds me of the Amalfi Coast for some reason. It has a sweet mango smell with a hint of vanilla. It is very subtle once you wash it out of your hair. I’m definitely going to be looking for more of Raw Sugar next time I wander through Target.

Have you tried any of these products or any natural products I should try? Let me know in the comments down below.

As always,

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Why the Blog Name “Peculiar Porter”

Published on April 12, 2018April 12, 2018 by PeculiarPorter3 Comments

It’s been four years since I started my own blog. That seems wild to me. Thinking back to my first posts, I get a little embarrassed. I posted blog posts with pictures of me randomly posing next to graffiti and no text. Yes, it was just pictures with no information or point. Seriously, check out this one for an embarrassing reference. I even remember posting an Oscar red carpet critique back in 2015 and being super excited that 82 people viewed it. My words are jumbled all over the place and I provide no information whatsoever.

It took months to gain enough courage to tell people what I was doing in my spare time. I remember awkwardly asking Robert to take pictures of me in an abandoned factory near our school because I thought it would be great for some “edgy” photos. As time went on, I became more and more comfortable writing more about my life and things I’m passionate about. I blogged about my study abroad experience, my passion for bees, and now I’ve been trying to dive into the world of sustainable fashion. Although my creativity for my blog and my followers have grown, one thing that has always stayed the same was the blog name: Peculiar Porter.

Necklace | Shoes | Jeans | Cardigan (Similiar) | Shirt (Similiar)

Why Peculiar?

If I’m being honest, I would have picked a word that was easier for people to spell. You would be surprised how many people cannot spell peculiar. I usually get it spelled “peculair” or “peculer” and a select few actually think there is a “q” in the word. Nonetheless, I love the word peculiar because of how different it is. According to Webster dictionary “The word peculiar first meant “a person’s own.” You may have some quality that is just your own. No one else has it. That surely makes it unusual. This is how peculiar came to mean “unusual” or “odd.””

I really resonate with the idea that peculiar means that you have some quality that is your own. Instead of holding all of my different passions hostage, I wanted to share these unique ideas with the world. I’m someone who has an insane amount of passions and in a variety of different things (hence why I changed my major four different times). This blog has and still does act as an outlet where I can talk about these different ideas and share them with the world. Whether it is talking about my commute to work, travel, or sustainable fashion, I get to share my unique experience with you twice a week.

I’m so happy I started this journey four years ago and have meant some incredible people on the way. Blogging has become something that is so special to me because of how I can interact with people from all across the country and even world. Find out all the other reasons why I blog in this post.

Why include my last name in my blog name?

My last name is something that very important to me. Okay, I get everyone’s name is important to them but it’s something that has always stuck with me. In high school, I was always referred to by my last name because my brothers were always referred to by our last name. As someone who grew up with a boys name, I was really happened to be called something other than Logan. As time went on, I started to love both my first and last name more and more. I realized that having a boy’s name is something kind of special. I no longer get super awkward when people say “wow, I love that name for a girl” or rudely ask “why would your parents name you that” (yes, people actually say that)! Instead, I learn to take the compliment and always joke that I’m more likely to get a job with a boy’s name. Thank you cover letter scanners!

Five tips for coming up with a blog name:

Make it easy to spell.

This is something I deal with time after time when I’m telling people how to spell peculiar. Even when I need to give my email to a clothing store I always spell it out. If I were to do it again… maybe I would change the name to something easier to spell but if you really like the word that is all that matters.

Make it memorable.

Since there are so many blogs out there you really need a name that is memorable so that when people are searching for your name that it is easy to think of. Alliteration is a great way to make this easier or even something funny.

Short and sweet is better than long and bitter.

Let’s face it, we are all lazy! Make a blog name that is super easy to search and super easy to type. No one would ever remember “LoganPortersSustainableFashionBlog.com” instead they’ll remember that is short and sweet.

Your blog is about you so many sure that your name is personable towards you!

Don’t follow the blog trends that are out there but instead try something different! The best blogs I follow have unique names that have some personality in them.

Make it relate to your topic/niche.

When I started my blog, I had no idea that I wanted to switch gears and start writing about sustainable fashion. By incorporating the idea of your niche or topic in your blog name, it will be easier to get a better SEO ranking. This one obviously isn’t something that I did but it woudl be a great idea for new bloggers.

So if I’m unusual, I’m okay with it. I’d rather embrace it, take some weird pictures in a movie theater parking lot, and make friends with strangers on the internet. Why suppress something that makes you happy anyhow?

If you’re a blogger, why did you name your blog what it is today? If you don’t have a blog, why is your Instagram handle what it is? Let me know in the comments down below.

As always,

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Half United: 7 Donated Meals for Every Purchase

Published on April 3, 2018 by PeculiarPorter12 Comments

Do you ever fall so hard for a company that you just want to scream from the rooftops so everyone knows about them? That is how I feel about Half United. In 2009, two siblings made an incredible company out of only $200. Their mission is that for every product a customer buys they will also be purchasing seven meals for children in the USA, Haiti, Fiji, and Cambodia. After running the company for almost 10 years, the company has donated over 800,000 meals to children in need.

I recently picked up two new items from Half United and wanted to share with you my little Half United Haul.

Bracelet | Necklace | Shirt

The way Half United helps these areas in more detail:

USA: Helps implement farming programs into schools. This allows meals to be packed for the hungry, food to be planted, and community gardens maintained. Half United works with the local communities to help improve daily lives.

Haiti: Each beaded item from Half United is supporting the livelihood and well being of artisans in Haiti. Each beaded item is created by men and women in Papillon. The beaded item is then hand-signed and completely unique.

Fiji: The funds sent to Fiji go towards supporting sustainable, thriving feeding projects at the “NCTC” primary school. Half United has funded sweet potato farms, student garden projects, honeybee farms, chicken coops, and more.

Cambodia: Half United has teamed up with the EAI orphanage in Phnom, Penh Cambodia. EAI focuses on empowering children emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

Necklace

Half United sells different products ranging from slogan tees to jewelry. The big attraction is the necklace made from recycled bullet casings to represent the fight against hunger. I love the idea of using something negative and turning it into something good. I talk more about my necklace in my first Half United post.

Bracelet

The bracelet pictured is supposed to represent Half United’s connection with Fiji school NCTC. Half United provides meals to these children in need as well as fund the school for long-term sustainable employment. The Fijian people work on beehives to create wax and honey for profit.The brass hex nuts and washers on this leather bracelet represent the rugged farm tools needed to grow healthy food. The symbol of the hexagon represents the shapes in beehives. The leather in this bracelet is from Georgia and the bracelet itself is assembled in Wilmington, NC at the Half United headquarters. I absolutely love the idea of working with beehives because of how necessary it is to have bees in our ecosystem. Saving the bees was actually one of my first “socially responsible” posts I’ve done on Peculiar Porter. You can check out that post here. (I can fully admit now that the dress in this post is waaaaaay too short)

Slogan T-Shirt

As someone who travels and is really diving blindly into the line of sustainable/eco-friendly fashion, I was thrilled when I saw this adorable slogan tee. I’m a sucker for any white graphic tee and this one really poked the inner wanderluster in me. This same shirt also comes in black and they have other adorable slogan tees that say “Giving Back is the New Black” and “Fighter”. Stay tuned on a few posts coming up because I’ll be styling this shirt ASAP.

Have you ever heard of Half United? What do you think about repurposing bullet shells and using them for good? Let me know in the comments down below.

As always,

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Clean Reserve’s Citron Fig: an Ethically Made Perfume (Review)

Published on March 8, 2018April 3, 2018 by PeculiarPorter4 Comments

If you saw my post from Tuesday, you know I’m pretty much diving into the world of sustainable, ethical goods blindly. No actually, you could probably put a blindfold over my clueless head and I’d be in the same exact spot. But one thing I do know is that I need to start researching more and more about what and how I’m consuming products.

During the Christmas season, my boyfriend gave me Clean Reserve’s Citron Fig perfume and not only did I fall for the delicious smell but I fell for the company itself. (Props to Rob for really knowing how to give good gifts). The more I researched Clean Reserve and their sustainability practices, the more I started to love the company. They not only use reusable materials, clean energy, eco-friendly oils, but they even pay their workers fairly. Literally, what more could you love about a company?

Citron Fig by Clean Reserve

Fragrance Notes: Ginger, lemon oil, cardamom, mandarin, mint, copaiba, sandalwood, cedarwood, and musk.

What it Smells Like: Having a really good dream and then waking up to the soft glow of the sun on your cheek. It also has the possibility of taking you back in time to the moment where you were first able to ride a bike without training wheels. Hey, I warned you.

The Perfume’s Inspiration: Inspired by a free-spirited confidence that awakens when you realize your true potential.

Perfect for: The up and comer (aka totally me because I’m still trying to figure out the big, bad adult world).

How long does it last: 6-8 hours

Sustainable Ingredients: They procure Cardamom from a local supplier in Guatemala who works directly with native Guatemalan farmers. This allows Clean to guarantee that the local farmers receive a higher profit for the essential oils and a steady income. Working directly with the communities in the Amazon and providing them with technical and financial support ensures the sustainable sourcing of Copaiba Oil and an increase of income for the farmers.

There are so many reasons why I think this is such an incredible company but the main one is that they are actually paying their farmers a living wage. My mom grew up on a dairy farm and from this, I know how hard farmers have to work in order to get the job done. Most of the time farmers are undercut by big corporations even though the farmers are doing all of the hard work. You often see this in any type of farm work from cotton farming to milk production to even essential oils. Companies like Clean Reserve are putting a stop to this unfair practice. I couldn’t be happier to wear their playful scent because of this.

For more information about their sustainable practices including their packaging I decided to pull this super informative picture from their website:

Now that I know more about their company I literally want to try them all… is that bad? If I had to try another one next it would definitely be the Sueded Oud because we all know how I feel about patchouli (if you don’t definitely check out my weirdly obsessive blog post on this candle. But Sueded Oud is apparently for “the boss” so I might have to wait a while until I get to that level!

Have you ever heard or smelled perfumes from Clean Reserve? Let me know in the comments down below.

As always,

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Gift Guide for the Socially Conscious (Part One)

Published on November 30, 2017April 3, 2018 by PeculiarPorter7 Comments

The holiday season is by far my favorite time of the year because of how kind and genuine people are. On Tuesday, I was amazed by how many people were donating to amazing causes. With that in mind, I decided to come up with 20 of my favorite companies that support causes that are near and dear to my heart. There is something so special and personal when you know more about the company you’re buying from. Every day I wear some of these items and I get this warm, fuzzy feeling that I’m making some kind of difference. The best part about all these companies is that they create unique, one of kind items that will instantly create a conversation about not only the item but the cause you’re supporting.

Let us start this big conversation with my first ten companies:

Feed

Cost: $$

With every purchase from Feed meals are built into the item. When you buy each item you know how many meals you are giving to a child in need. Sometimes that number is even stamped on the vegan leather. Feed provides sustainable livelihoods to underserved populations in Colombia, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Kenya, El Salvador, and Peru. I’ve been saving up to get the first bag pictured. I also will buy this tassel when I do. This is the perfect gift for the fashionista who wants to make a statement while giving back. Plus, the middle clutch is perfect for the Girl Boss in your life.

One, Two, Three

Half United

Cost: $

The idea behind Half United is that customers are doing their half by uniting together to make a lasting change in children’s lives. Each product has seven meals built into the cost. These meals go to children in the USA, Haiti, Fiji, and Cambodia. After every three months, Half United divides the funds into four charity partners. I own the first necklace and have been wearing it constantly as seen in this post. Half United is perfect for someone who likes to style edgy, masculine pieces.

One, Two, Three

United by Blue

Cost: $-$$$

United by Blue is a new store that has just started to catch my eye. I found them on Instagram a few months ago and fell in love with their adventure lifestyle. For each product sold United by Blue removes one pound of trash from oceans and waterways. Some of the items are sustainably made out of that trash. They also have a men’s line that I’ve been eyeing for gifts.

One, Two, Three

The Giving Keys

Cost: $

This is by far the most worn item in my life. I currently wear the small necklace in the middle almost every single day. It serves as a reminder to keep my head up and dream as big as I can. The Giving Keys is my favorite company because of how they affected the Los Angeles community they are based in. The company hires homeless people to give them an opportunity to change their lives. They give people a second chance. These necklaces are perfect for any person who needs that extra reminder to love, laugh, dream, believe, hope, be brave, let go, be fearless, inspire, have strength, create, and breathe.

One, Two, Three

Bombas

Cost: $-$$

Okay, socks may sound like the lamest of lame gifts (unless your my mother or dog but that is another story), but socks make perfect stocking stuffers. Yes, stuff your socks with some more socks. This company is near and dear to my heart because for every sock you buy the company donates a pair do a homeless person. One of the most requested item in homeless shelters are socks. Plus, they have such fun, colorful pairs.

One, Two, Three

FashionABLE

Cost: $-$$

As a strong woman, I get this intense feeling of hope when a company goes out of their way to change the lives of women. FashionAble is a brand that employees women directly in communities that they wish to impact by creating jobs and ending the cycle of charity dependency. Instead of donating to communities that need help, FashionABLE is trying to create a system where women can drastically change their lives for the better. Through working with women, FashionABLE is moving one step closer to the end of generational poverty. These high-quality pieces will fit in well in a feminist’s home who aims to help women overcome extraordinary circumstances.

One, Two, Three

Serenge Tee

Cost: $

Don’t be fooled by this simple tee, it has a huge impact. Serenge Tee supports 32 different causes ranging from education to ending sex trafficking. Each shirt comes with a different pattern that is linked to a specific cause. This is perfect for someone who is very outspoken about a particular cause. Chances are Serenge tee has a shirt for them.

One, Two, Three

Krochet Kids

$-$$

Krochet Kids employees women in vulnerable environments so that they are able to care for their families and send their children to higher levels of educations. Each item that Krochet Kids produces hand signed by the person who created the item. On their website, you can visit each employee’s online profile to learn more about her and her family. This unique idea of connecting the consumer to the actual person making the garment is something that has been lost in the rise of fast fashion. Gifts from Krochet Kids is perfect for anyone who wants to know more about what goes into their item.

One, Two,Three

Noonday Collection

Cost: $

Noonday sells handmade products from all around the world giving artisans opportunities to make a livelihood off the products they create. By connecting artisan businesses to a growing market for their goods, Noonday Collection enables them to create more jobs for people in their communities who need them. The products sold by Noonday are perfect for anyone who wants a unique, eye-catching statement piece.

One, Two, Three

Cause Box

Cost: $$

Cause Box is a subscription service I’ve been wanting to do for the longest time. The boxes are around $50-55 depending on which subscription you pick and they come with $150 with of socially conscious products. Cause Box comes out with a new box every season with all brand new items. Some of the items on this list have been featured in these boxes in path months. This would be a perfect gift for anyone who loves giving back and getting mystery items in the mail.

What do you think about these companies? Have you ever purchased from them or will you in the future? Let me know in the comments down below.

As always,

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Half United: Sustainable Fashion that Gives Back

Published on November 17, 2017April 3, 2018 by PeculiarPorter6 Comments

I hope your day is going wonderfully. The holiday season has been on my mind all week. I even filmed a holiday video for work on Tuesday. With that said, I wanted to talk about a great gift that not only is cute but gives back. The last time I was in Albany, I stumbled upon La Luce Boutique. It was an adorable shop filled with sustainable fashion projects and they even had products from few companies I talked about last year. I was thrilled to find a Half United necklace hanging in all its glory. When I saw it, I knew I had to have it.

The partners and locations explained in more detail:

Cambodia: Half United has teamed up with the EAI orphanage in Phnom, Penh Cambodia. EAI focuses on empowering children emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

Half United sells different products ranging from slogan tees to jewelry. One item they sell the most is the necklace I’m picturing in this post. The necklace is made out of a recycled bullet casing to represent the fight against hunger. Every time a customer purchases a ‘Fighting Hunter’ necklace, they are peacefully fighting hunger all over the world by providing seven meals to a child in need. Personally, I love this idea of using something that is usually aggressive and harsh and showing it used in a way that can help others. Plus, Half United is recycling metal that would otherwise be thrown away.

This holiday season, when you’re filling up your bellies and dragging yourself out to the madness of Black Friday, think about how you could help others with your gifts. Be on the lookout next week for a full list of sustainable fashion that gives back to communities in need. Afterall, isn’t part of the holiday season helping others? I’ll also be showing how I style this necklace soon.

What do you think about Half United? What do you think about wearing a bullet casing? Let me know in the comments down below.

The Giving Keys

Published on November 7, 2017April 3, 2018 by PeculiarPorter9 Comments

Hello friend! Hope your week is going well! I had a busy weekend in Boston. Tomorrow will be traveling to New York City for a Copywriter’s workshop. I’m very excited to see what kind of skills they will be highlighting.

Packing for New York City got me thinking about the necklace I constantly put on. You may have noticed this dainty necklace in many of my outfit of the day posts. For example, here are four of my most recent outfits where I wore this necklace:

Outfit 1, Outfit 2, Outfit 3, Outfit 4

This necklace is from The Giving Keys, a small company based in Los Angeles. The Giving Keys is a pay it forward company that employees people who are transitioning out of homelessness. They live with a three-word philosophy: dream, create, and inspire.

Each key is labeled with words such as, “dream”, “believe”, “brave”, “hope”, “let go”, and “love.” These words are meant to be a reminder that you can carry with you throughout your daily life. Personally, I decided to pick a small, tiny necklace that reads “dream.” I picked this word because I believe that one day I will be able to make an impact in this world whether that be through my words or my actions. I want to dream of endless opportunities and situations where I can achieve that goal. Wearing this necklace is a constant reminder to make an impact on today, tomorrow, and all the days to come. It’s a touch of inspiration every day.

They have many necklaces and some are a little bit more of an eye-catching statement. I personally want a big silver necklace like the necklace one or the exact same necklace I have in silver. Some of my personal favorites that I’ve been eyeing are the following:

BREATHE_Gold_BallChain_Classic_001.progressive

Necklace 1, Necklace 2, Necklace 3

As you may have noticed, I’m starting to write more about pay it forward companies that help other people in their daily lives. I recently did a post on socially conscious tees and want to continue bringing this idea into the fashion world. Fashion can be so much deeper than a pretty pair of clothes or jewelry. With the right plan or idea you can help so many different people just as The Giving Keys. I hope to take you on my journey of finding more and more products that help give people opportunities to thrive in this world.

What is your opinion on companies that pay it forward? Do you know any companies in mind I should look into? Let me know in the comments down below.

P.S. Dream on.

As always,

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5 Graphic Tees that Give Back

Published on October 24, 2017April 3, 2018 by PeculiarPorter8 Comments

Disclaimer: Running for Rescues contacted me to review their organization. They personally sent me this graphic tee. Every thought and opinion expressed on Peculiar Porter are entirely mine alone and do not reflect the views or opinions of Running for Rescues.

Style can do so many great things for your confidence, but it can also help others in need. Running for Rescues, a local Connecticut organization, recently reached out to me and asked if they could send me one of their shirts. Since I’m a huge animal lover, I immediately said yes.

Running for Rescues is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization that raises money through races, donations, and products to help rescue animals from high-kill shelters. Runners from across the country can pick a race they want to run and fundraise independently for Running for Rescues. This money then goes to small organizations that help fun the rescuing animals and the associated costs.

As some of you may already know, I’m that obnoxious person who talks in baby voices to dogs. I know, it’s embarrassing and I cannot help it in the slightest. With that said, I don’t know what I would do without my two dogs. Butch and Daisy are like weird, goofy humans. They both have their own personalities compact with weird poses, obsessive habits, and funky sounds. We picked up my dogs from a farm in the middle of a huge blizzard. With that said, Butch and Daisy were not rescued from a kill-shelter. However, I can only imagine what it would be like if my dogs were behind bars, constantly waiting for a warm home, hugs, kisses, and above all… love. No animal should be put down just because they simply exist. If you have the ability to run, donate, or purchase a shirt from Running for Rescues, I’m sure each and every dog and cat would be thankful with warm, slobbery kisses.

Buying socially conscious goods opens an opportunity to start conversations and develop awareness to values you believe in. It is one thing to be stylish and another thing to be able to convey messages you’re passionate about. By wearing a t-shirt that captures the values you believe in, you can create a conversation that wouldn’t have been able to happen otherwise. Plus, you’ll look good doing so.

Graphic tees are incredibly easy to style with any outfit. You can throw on a fun skirt like I did in this post or put on a bold pair of colored pants like I did in these pictures. Lately, I’ve been really into trying the graphic tee into a knot and rolling up the sleeves. Just throw a fun jacket over this look and bam a whole new look. You’re making an impact while having an incredible outfit.

I admit it is pretty hard to find socially conscious t-shirts unless you look hard for them. That is why I developed a little list of five companies you can buy shirts from. You can buy a Running for Rescue shirt here or you can buy one from these four other companies:

1, 2, 3, 4

Feed Shirt ($16.50). For every purchase from Feed, a portion of the money goes to school meals. This particular shirt provides 10 school meals to children in need. Feed has a wide selection of bags and accessories. I’ve been saving for one of their beautiful, leather bags.
Arm the Animals ($21.99). Similar to the company I’m sporting in this post, tArm the Animals’ mission is to spread the word about animal welfare. They have a long list of witty t-shirts that bring awareness to neglected animals.
Krochet Kids ($48). Every product that is made from Krochet Kids is hand signed by the person who made it. They do this in an effort to make you realize where your products come from. This particular shirt states “Wear for Hope.” Their business is established on the principle that people in developing countries should be paired fairly and equality.
Serengetee ($32). Serenge Tee supports 32 different causes ranging from education to ending sex trafficking. Each shirt comes with a different pattern that is linked to a specific cause. If you want to incorporate abstract patterns in your every day look while helping out great causes look at this company.

What do you think about graphic tees that give back? Do you think we’ll be seeing it more in fashion? Do you know of any similar companies? Let me know in the comments down below.

As always,

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5 Awesome Stores That Give Back to Others

Published on December 16, 2016April 3, 2018 by PeculiarPorter5 Comments

Hello darling! Christmas time is the perfect time to help others. By shopping at any of these five stores for your gifts you’re not only giving someone you care about an awesome gift but your helping someone else in need. I’ve listed five amazing companies that sell beautiful products while giving back to others. Not only can you find amazing products from their websites, but you can help someone who needs help during this joyful time of year. There is nothing more stylish than giving back.

Tribe Alive

Tribe Alive employs impoverished women and gives them the opportunity to make a sustainable, living income and chance to make their own future. Each product is handcrafted meaning that none of the products are the same. Each product not only changes a life but is also environmentally friendly. Any of their jewelry pieces would be a perfect gift, but I particularly adore the necklace in the third picture.

Half United

Half United started in 2009 by a brother and a sister. They had little to no money but they knew they wanted to help people in need. They decided to sell graphics and jewelry in order to feed people in need. With each purchase you are helping feed 7 meals for a child in need. They have a wide selection of bullet necklaces because it represents the fight against global hunger. They state that they have taken something that is us usually seen as “a symbol of harm, and turned it into a positive symbol of hope.” If you think gifting jewelry is difficult I would definitely look at their graphics because they’re incredibly witty.

Feed Project

When Lauren Bush Lauren was traveling the world, she noticed all of the impoverished children in many countries. She then created this brand in 2007 in order to feed the children of the world. The Feed Project creates unique pieces that state how many meals the item provides on the bag. For example, the brown cross body has a “75” imprinted on the back of the bag. The 75 represents all of the meals the bag feeds. These products are incredibly elegant and useful. Not only are these products beautiful, but they also help people from countries like Colombia, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Kenya, Mexico and Peru to provide sustainable livelihoods for themselves.

Sseko

Sseko hires young women who want to go to college. Every woman who had graduated from Sseko has either graduated from university or is pursuing her college degree. Since most women in impoverished countries lack the necessities to go to college, companies like Sseko can help change their lives for the better. By purchasing these unique gifts you can also help females go to college.

Branded Collective

The Branded Collective employs survivors of human trafficking and helps them spread their story. What some people may not know is that many victims of human trafficking are often branded by the people who capture them. They are often marked forcefully through a branding iron, tattoo, or a knife. Each of the pieces are given a different number meaning that you are branded when you wear the piece. As you wear the piece you are spreading the message that these women are not alone because we stand by them. Branded’s slogan is “Together we wear the story, share the story and change the story.” By informing others about the horrors of human trafficking you can help change the story and hopefully make others aware.

Let me know what you think about these 5 different brands or if you end up purchasing anything in the comments. I definitely see a bangle from Branded and a bullet necklace from Half United in my future…

As always,