Victoria’s Secret Responds to Bloomberg Allegation
Victoria’s Secret responds to the Bloomberg allegation released earlier this week about this high-end undergarment line using organic fair-trade cotton in their garments that come from a farm in Burkina Faso
Their response was published by USA Today. Read full article at: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/12/child-labor-allegedly-used-in-some-victorias-secret-cotton/1
“If this allegation is true, it describes behavior that is contrary to our company’s values and the code of labor and sourcing standards that we require all of our suppliers to meet. These standards expressly prohibit child labor,” Limited Brands said in a statement. “… Depending on the findings, we are prepared to take swift action to prevent the illegal use of child labor in the fields where we source Fairtrade-certified organic cotton in Burkina Faso.”
Clarisse Kambire’s labor “exposes flaws in the system for certifying fair-trade commodities and finished goods in a global market that grew 27% in just one year to more than $5.8 billion in 2010. That market is built on the notion that purchases by companies and consumers aren’t supposed to make them accomplices to exploitation, especially of children,” the Bloomberg report says.
MantraMeds sustainable medical apparel uses Texas Organic Cotton in our eco-friendly 50/50 poly-cotton blend. To learn more about Texas Organic Cotton, go to: http://www.texasorganic.com/ (more…)
School Turns Abandoned Field into Organic Farm, Growing Ton of Produce for Cafeteria
Just eight months ago, a one-acre plot at the Denver Green School was an unused athletic field, but now that land has come to life with food-bearing vegetation.
“We have harvested over 3,000 pounds of produce from this ground,” said Megan Caley, a coordinator for Sprout City Farms, which partnered to create the garden.
“Kids are eating healthier,” said Frank Coyne, of the public school. “They are excited to eat the tomatoes on the salad bar, they are excited to eat the cucumbers.”
(WATCH the program’s video below, or READ the story in News-7 Denver)
http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/most-popular/denver-green-school-grows-ton-of-produce.html
Not-so fair trade – Victoria’s Secret Revealed in African Child Labor
As Victoria’s Secret’s partner, Guebre’s organization, the National Federation of Burkina Cotton Producers, is responsible for running all aspects of the organic and fair-trade program across Burkina Faso. Known by its French initials, the UNPCB in 2008 co-sponsored a study suggesting hundreds, if not thousands, of children like Clarisse could be vulnerable to exploitation on organic and fair-trade farms. The study was commissioned by the growers and Helvetas. Victoria’s Secret says it never saw the report.
Clarisse’s labor exposes flaws in the system for certifying fair-trade commodities and finished goods in a global market that grew 27 percent in just one year to more than $5.8 billion in 2010. That market is built on the notion that purchases by companies and consumers aren’t supposed to make them accomplices to exploitation, especially of children.
Read full article here: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-15/victoria-s-secret-revealed-in-child-picking-burkina-faso-cotton.html
Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
Clarisse Kambire, 13, a child laborer, begins her daily task of picking the crop from her farmer’s field of fair trade organic cotton near Benvar, Burkina Faso, on Nov. 10, 2011.
A Minimalist’s Guide to Holiday Gifting
Written by Jill Ettinger
You think tchotchke is a Russian novelist. You’ve never bought a souvenir, a bauble or a trinket. Clutter makes you hyperventilate. There’s something to be said for the Zen-like state of living without encumbering things all around us. Even studies have shown that a de-cluttered living environment can be more conducive to creativity, focus and happiness. But being anti-thing can make the holidays a little rough and confusing.
Whether getting a gift for a minimalist or you happen to be one yourself struggling with holiday gift ideas, perhaps some of these will work for you.
Find these great gift ideas here: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2bP2wY/www.organicauthority.com/sanctuary/how-to-volunteer-opportunities-during-the-holidays.html
Thanksgiving & Christmas Cacti
How many of you have these awesome winter-blooming plants in your home?
Thanksgiving cactus with peach-colored blossom.
James Blake, ©2011 HGIC, Clemson Extension
Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter cactus are popular gift plants. Growing holiday cacti as house plants. Light, temperature, watering, fertilizer, potting soil. Insect pests, root rot, lack of flowering problems.
Read full article here: http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/indoor/flowering/hgic1554.html
10 Stocking Stuffers for Under $10
This article has some great eco-friendly gift ideas that won’t break the bank! Water conserving shower timers, organic fair trade candy, reusable sandwich bags (picture below), and recycled notebooks for your to-do lists etc. These are just 4 out of the 10 great stocking stuffers. Check it out!
LunchSkins Sandwich Bags
Article by Alexis Petru. Read full article at: http://earth911.com/news/2011/12/13/10-stocking-stuffers-for-under-10/
DIY Scents Smell A Lot Like Christmas
DIY Scents Smell A Lot Like Christmas
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Holiday aromas are everywhere we go this season: in department stores, grocery stores, malls and especially craft stores. Pine, ginger, cinnamon, citrus and spice seem to fill the air this time of year, inviting us into that cozy spirit. Unfortunately, it often takes a load of artificial candles, sprays and chemicals to actually produce those intoxicating aromas. Instead, recreate holiday scents using all-natural ingredients. Here are four great DIY tips for making organic holiday scents for the house.
For these great tips on making your house smell delicioso, go to: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2biUkG/www.organicauthority.com/sanctuary/diy-organic-holiday-scents-for-the-house.html
Sprout Watches – green stocking stuffer
Looking for last-minute holiday gifts? Don’t stuff your loved ones’ stockings with junk! At MantraMeds, we encourage you to gift eco-consciously during this season of giving.
Just discovered Sprout!
Sprout makes wrist watches out of materials like corn resin (99% biodegradable in a compost environment), organic cotton (pesticide free), Tyvek® (a high-density fiber which is strong, water and tear resistant and is recyclable), bamboo (which doesn’t require pesticides or fertilizers to grow) and fish skin (an eco-friendly alternative to animal leather). These watches come in several styles for men and women – bright colors, funky designs, and fully functioning for the bargain price of $30! Check out this eco-friendly brand and save yourself some green!
Check out their website at: http://www.sproutwatches.com/
MantraMeds Insider Program
This is Jessica – a MantraMeds Insider. She signed up for our Insider Program and received this FREE pair of sustainable scrubs. All she had to do was give us her feedback on the style & fit. Thank you for sending in the cute picture!
So, what is the Mantrameds Insider Program?
If you love our product the way we think you will, you’ll pass on the word! It’s pretty simple. The program is our way of saying thanks and asking for your help at the same time. As a Mantrameds Insider you will enjoy the following benefits:
- 30% Personal Use Discount
- Personalized Welcome Packet
- Free Scrub Top or Bottom Annually
- “Scrub Love” Cards To Introduce Your Friends To Mantrameds At A 30% Discount – (Recipients must be a new customer to be eligible)
- Participation in the Product Design And Review Process
- Ability To Host Your Own Income Generating Scrub Sale
- Fun SWAG for you and your friends
- Advanced ordering for new styles and colors
Sounds great, what do I need to do?
1. Apply here now http://www.mantrameds.com/insider-signup
2. Get Approved
3. Receive your Welcome Package
4. Enjoy the Benefits.
If you want to know the Guidelines Read moreInsider Program Guidelines
As a Mantrameds Insider you will have the privilege of all the Insider benefits listed above. Currently to establish a group of Insiders we are inviting individuals to join until the program is full. Insider status can be kept indefinitely but it must be earned yearly. We don’t ask for much, keeping Insider status only requires your participation and brand support. Privilege does come with some responsibly but we do make responsibility fun. We only ask you to use the tools we give you and interact with your community and ours. That’s it give things away and help us spread the word about our brand and products, how cool is that for responsibility!
The Insider Program is currently limited annually. The number of eligible Insiders per state is based on state population.
The Insider Program Coordinator will review ever Insiders participation yearly. Keeping active status as and insider will be up to you and based on what you give away and how you interact with the brand and community via the program coordinator, social media, surveys, etc.
Apply here nowhttp://www.mantrameds.com/insider-signup
Peace, love, iPod
Peace, love, iPod
Shanthini Naidoo | 04 December, 2011 02:06
Hippie-ism started to fade like a bad tie-dye at the tail end of last century. Then we focused on making money quickly. It was cool to own stocks and bonds, to build empires in grey suits and to have stress-related heart attacks. Now hipsters, ancestors of the hippie, are everywhere. The Bohemian has woken up from a 30-year slumber. But this time, dreadlocks and mind-evolving drugs are not a prerequisite.
From the soccer mom to the socialite, we all carry a bit of the inner hippie and the world is a better place for it.
Find your inner hippie! Are you a food hippie, an activist, a benevolent boho, a nomad, or (our personal favorite) a shopper hippie? Read full article: http://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2011/12/04/peace-love-ipod
Like the t-shirt above? It’s made of recycled X-ray film & recycled cotton – Check out Earthspun Apparel on Facebook!
Cyber Monday is All Week Long!
Last day to enjoy our week-long extension of Cyber Monday! Buy some sustainable scrubs for the green nurse in your life! These make great Christmas presents!
CYBER MONDAY IS ALL WEEK LONG on MantraMeds Market!
FOR EVERY $75 YOU SPEND GET $25 OFF
One Clothing Company Removed 82,527 Pounds of Trash from Waterways
One Clothing Company Removed 82,527 Pounds of Trash from Waterways
Jaymi Heimbuch
Living / Sustainable Fashion
December 1, 2011
© United By Blue
Last year when we wrote about United By Blue, a clothing and jewelry retail company that puts the ocean first, the company was just a tiny start-up getting its sea legs. But now it has proven itself as a sustainably-minded company that makes a serious difference. It has already removed 82,527 pounds of trash from the ocean as of this writing.
The company accomplishes this fantastic task by removing one pound of trash from oceans and waterways worldwide for every product sold, through company-organized cleanups.
The Green Cheapskate
Love this blog! The Green Cheapskate, written by Jeff Yeager, is a funny twist on typical greenie blogs. Jeff gives tips on being green and saving some green $$ in the process.
“Being a Green Cheapskate is about saving money while living lighter on the Earth, from frugal tricks to thrifty planning.” – brought to you by TheDailyGreen
Jeff’s latest blog: The Snobbish Wine Guest Switcheroo and Other Cheapskate Wine Tips
Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/save-money/#ixzz1fOIN9KE7
Green Gifts for Every Occasion
This article is brought to you by The Daily Green – a consumer’s guide to green from GoodHousekeeping.com
Whether it’s holiday time, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s or Father’s Day, or a green wedding, look here to find ideas for unique green gifts.
The Daily Green’s gift guide features the season’s best green gifts — including many unique items made by independent artisans that you can’t find in any shopping mall. Even if you’ve only got a few dollars to spend, you’ll find incredible green gifts for under $20 that you can be proud to give. And, because we know less is more, we’ve highlighted creative ways to give without giving stuff at all.
Go to the link below to find some creative guides to green gifting!
Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/green-gifts#ixzz1fO3OyFWS
Animals love Environmentally Friendly MantraMeds Scrubs!
Animals love our environmentally friendly MantraMeds scrubs! Thank you veterinarian Christy B. for sending in this picture! Christy is a MantraMeds Insider. Read more about the Insider Program below!
So, what is the Mantrameds Insider Program?
If you love our product the way we think you will, you’ll pass on the word! It’s pretty simple. The program is our way of saying thanks and asking for your help at the same time. As a Mantrameds Insider you will enjoy the following benefits:
- 30% Personal Use Discount
- Personalized Welcome Packet
- Free Scrub Top or Bottom Annually
- “Scrub Love” Cards To Introduce Your Friends To Mantrameds At A 30% Discount – (Recipients must be a new customer to be eligible)
- Participation in the Product Design And Review Process
- Ability To Host Your Own Income Generating Scrub Sale
- Fun SWAG for you and your friends
- Advanced ordering for new styles and colors
Sounds great, what do I need to do?
1. Apply here now http://www.mantrameds.com/insider-signup
2. Get Approved
3. Receive your Welcome Package
4. Enjoy the Benefits.
If you want to know the Guidelines Read moreInsider Program Guidelines
As a Mantrameds Insider you will have the privilege of all the Insider benefits listed above. Currently to establish a group of Insiders we are inviting individuals to join until the program is full. Insider status can be kept indefinitely but it must be earned yearly. We don’t ask for much, keeping Insider status only requires your participation and brand support. Privilege does come with some responsibly but we do make responsibility fun. We only ask you to use the tools we give you and interact with your community and ours. That’s it give things away and help us spread the word about our brand and products, how cool is that for responsibility!
The Insider Program is currently limited annually. The number of eligible Insiders per state is based on state population.
The Insider Program Coordinator will review ever Insiders participation yearly. Keeping active status as and insider will be up to you and based on what you give away and how you interact with the brand and community via the program coordinator, social media, surveys, etc….
- Abuse of discount privileges will not be tolerated and can jeopardize your Insider status.
- Personal discounts are limited to the Insider themselves.
- Scrub Love Cards extending a 30% discount to friends and family will be provided on a limited basis to spread the love.
- Periodically Manrtameds may choose to allow your discount to be extended to others on a limited basis.
Apply here nowhttp://www.mantrameds.com/insider-signup
Patrick Yarns’ Solar Powered Plant Produces Eco-friendly Yarns
MantraMeds Sustainable Medical Apparel offers Earthspun Apparel Tees made from recycled polyester and recycled cotton. Patrick Yarns supplies Earthspun® yarns for Earthspun® Apparel t-shirts.
Patrick Yarns, a premier specialty yarn spinner in Kings Mountain, NC, is proud to announce the commissioning of the largest privately owned solar installation in the Charlotte, NC Region. It is another example of Patrick Yarns continuing commitment to environmental stewardship and to our community. With the addition of these photovoltaic panels, Patrick Yarns environmentally friendly yarns are truly: SPUN BY THE SUN®
Located on the roof of our Clevemont Facility, the system features:
- 140,000 kWh/year clean photovoltaic power
- Enough to power 14 average homes
- Equivalent to 11,310 gallons of gasoline, 234 barrels of oil and 2578 trees planted
- Manufacturer of Earthspun® recycled & renewable yarns and products
- Utilizes modern efficient lighting and motors
- None of the facilities produce any green house gases in our manufacturing processes
- Zero landfill goal
MantraMeds tees by Earthspun® Apparel
Mantrameds‘ tshirts are made by Earthspun® Apparel, a sister company that creates shirts from a blend of recycled cotton and recycled polyester. Earthspun shirts are free of dyes. The shirts’ color comes from the post-consumer plastics that are broken down into fibers for the recycled polyester. Earthspun® Apparel currently offers shirts in the following colors: Beer Bottle Brown, Soda Pop Green, Water Bottle Blue, X-ray Gray. Coming soon is Food Tray Black – made from microwave dinner trays. 
For more information on Earthspun® Apparel t-shirts, visit www.earthspunapparel.com or email info@earthspunapparel.com
Support your local farmers!
This holiday season, Mantrameds encourages you to support your local farmers! One of the biggest crops in the mountains of North Carolina is… Christmas Trees!
The North Carolina Christmas Tree Association NCCTA
How to Have a Green Christmas
How to Have a Green Christmas
LCD lights from Brookstone.com.
Great article on tips for a GREEN holiday season. From the tree and wreath to gift wrap, there are plenty of ways we can have a more eco-friendly Christmas.
Read green tips at: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1568489,00.html#ixzz1fDQGVEqr
Become A Mantrameds Insider Today.
So, what is the Mantrameds Insider Program?
If you love our product the way we think you will, you’ll pass on the word! It’s pretty simple. The program is our way of saying thanks and asking for your help at the same time. As a Mantrameds Insider you will enjoy the following benefits:
- 30% Personal Use Discount
- Personalized Welcome Packet
- Free Scrub Top or Bottom Annually
- “Scrub Love” Cards To Introduce Your Friends To Mantrameds At A 30% Discount – (Recipients must be a new customer to be eligible)
- Participation in the Product Design And Review Process
- Ability To Host Your Own Income Generating Scrub Sale
- Fun SWAG for you and your friends
- Advanced ordering for new styles and colors
Sounds great, what do I need to do?
1. Apply here now http://www.mantrameds.com/insider-signup
2. Get Approved
3. Receive your Welcome Package
4. Enjoy the Benefits.
If you want to know the Guidelines Read more (more…)
Green Tuesday – shop green & shop small this holiday season
Green Tuesday a twist on holiday name game
Consumers are encouraged to “shop green” and “shop small” during the holiday gift-giving season
BY SARAH SKIDMORE, The Associated Press
Shoppers who want to save green – and be greener – during the holiday season are the focus of a major new push by the nonprofit Green America to make the Tuesday after every Thanksgiving “Green Tuesday.”
To kick off this new annual holiday shopping tradition, Green America’s GreenDeals.org website will be offering special deals for the week starting on the first “Green Tuesday” (November 29, 2011).
Much like Groupon does for general shoppers, GreenDeals.org offers discounts and deals from local and national green online businesses that are approved by Green America. GreenDeals.org features a new deal or discount every 24-48 hours.
Read full article at: http://www.registerguard.com/web/business/27244882-41/green-says-shop-tuesday-america.html.csp
15 Ways to Go Green at the Holidays
Green holiday ideas for Christmas, Chanukah, and more
SOURCE: GETTY IMAGESBoulder-based Best Organics launches America’s Best
This holiday season, Best Organics Inc. is giving local shoppers three more reasons to spend. Two weeks ago, the Boulder-based company launched a new product line, called America’s Best Organics, featuring three gourmet gift baskets overflowing with artisan foods, organic personal care products and other eco-friendly items all made in the United States.
Co-Owner Steve Hoffman, left, and CEO Seleyn DeYarus of Best Organic Inc. in Boulder. The company has just launched a new America s Best Organics line of gourmet gift boxes. ( MARK LEFFINGWELL )“With the new product line, DeYarus said, “I think we’ll appeal to patriots who want to support ‘Made in the USA,’ and we’ll also attract those who really care about the Earth and making a difference with how they spend their dollars.”
We couldn’t agree with you more! Great to see more companies offering goods that are sustainable and made in the USA. Best of luck this holiday season to Best Organics Inc.
Read full article at: http://www.dailycamera.com/business/ci_19411592
Green Monday: 2011 gift guide
Matt Hickman
Manage to emerge unscathed from — or completely avoid — last week’s frenzied display of retail ickiness? Shop responsibly and less aggressively for eco-prezzies with the help of this year’s Green Monday gift guide.
View the gift guide at: http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/green-monday-2011-gift-guide
“You’ll find an assortment of items… that are durable, handmade, ethically manufactured, and/or made from recycled/recyclable/sustainable materials. There’s something for everyone on the list, from space-strapped urban gardeners to energy usage-obsessers to design-savvy cat owners.”
MANTRAMEDS - Scrubs Reinvented 