Did you know that an estimated 14 BILLION pounds of garbage is dumped into the ocean annually, 80% of which is some form of plastic?! This plastic is killing off marine life and polluting a once healthy, thriving ecosystem. 

Plastic-Free July is a global movement created by the Plastic Free Foundation to reduce plastic pollution worldwide. For the entire month of July, participants pledge to refuse single-use plastics and use more sustainable alternatives instead. Looking for a way to support and create awareness for this movement, we are happy to announce that we have launched a Plastic-Free July Giveaway on our Instagram with some pretty amazing sustainable brands. Our giveaway includes the Fractal Yoga Top and Leggings from Wolven Threads, Bamboo toothbrush, cotton facial rounds, tote bag, loofah scrubber, shampoo and conditioner bar from the Zero Waste Store, a Black Obsidian Water Bottle by Glacce, Crystal Grid Gemstone Palette Eyeshadow from Aether Beauty Co, Reusable Grocery Bag by Chico Bag, Rose Gold Razor by Bareaya, and our Water Bottle Bag in Poppy Pinatex. As part of our giveaway, we asked our customers to share how they’re planning to be plastic-free this month and we were so impressed with their answers that we wanted to share a few here.

In light of the recent news regarding President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, we decided it was time we take things into our own hands as citizens and stewards of our planet. No matter what our country does on a governmental level, we have the power, ourselves, to create the world we want to live in-- and that's by making choices that will help us get there. We must continue to fight for our rights and those of our planet. Here, we've rounded up six easy and effective things you can do today to help fight climate change.

Hipsters for Sisters founders Debra and Rachel Denniston at the Mercy for Animals Gala 

"Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages." – Thomas A. Edison, inventor and scientist

As you may know, we donate 5% of the purchase price of every belt bag sold online to organizations that either help empower women, protect animals or save the planet. This month we are adding a new organization, Mercy for Animals, to the mix of organizations we support. Mercy For Animals (MFA) is an international, non-profit organization, founded in 1999, dedicated to the prevention of cruel and inhumane treatment of farm animals. Their mission, as described on their website, states: “We are committed to reducing the greatest amount of suffering for the largest number of animals. Our efforts focus on protecting farmed animals—the most abused and exploited animals on the planet—and utilize a broad range of strategic approaches that seek to expose cruelty, prosecute abusers, and inspire consumers to make compassionate food choices.” MFA believes, as we do, that a non-violent, humane society is not only possible, but as Thomas A. Edison pointed out almost 100 years ago, it is necessary for our own evolution.

Sometimes I feel hopeless about our ability as human beings to stop, let alone reverse, global warming or “climate change.” How we have failed to honor our sacred stewardship of the earth is well depicted in this animated short called Man (2012) by Steve Cutts. Even if you've already seen it, it's worth watching again. Do we really need a “higher life form” to step in to save the planet from ourselves?

Just when I started thinking we actually might, a surprising number of people began inquiring about the eco-friendly, cruelty-free aspects of our belt bags / fanny packs. They were curious as to why we choose to use vegan leather instead of “real” leather and wanted to know which was better for the environment. Even though we are a small company, we have access to the same suppliers as most of the major designers...not to mention, most of the vegan leathers we source are actually more expensive than real leather or animal hides. So, why do we choose to use vegan leather?