Back to School Fun!
We all have slightly different reactions to this time of year. Some can't wait for school to begin again, while others recoil at the thought... when we're still in the thick of our glorious summer. But there's always a lingering feeling that it won't last forever and we will have to start thinking about packing lunches and all the things soon enough.
We want to make this transition easy and fun for everyone! So we've brought in a couple new vendors we love, who are doing incredible things, and restocked on everyone's fave brands (with a few great newbies!).
We're going to geek out on our awesome vendors here, because we put so much thought into which products we feel good carrying, and because they're so great, they all deserve a shout out! But... this also makes it a bit of a read, so feel free to skim, or just look at the pretty pictures. =)
FIRST UP: FLUF
What started as a niche pillow company soon evolved into a creator of some of the cutest lunch & tote bags around! The fabric is soft yet sturdy, the lunch bag straps feel great in your hands, and the totes have SO many useful pockets, snack bags are a great size… these bags have definitely exceeded our expectations! 🤩
Here’s why we chose Fluf Bags:
🌿 women owned + operated
🌿 100% carbon neutral as of 2022
🌿 exclusively organic + recycled materials
🌿 all inks and dyes are GOTS-certified, water-based and non-toxic
🌿 bags are handmade in India in a small, family-owned and run facility where tailors work in a safe environment, and are paid living wages to support themselves and their families.
🌿 from farm to finish, all fabrics are woven, dyed, cut and stitched at independently accredited factories that meet rigorous social and environmental criteria
💗 Fluf is a Canadian company
Fluf also supports several organizations whose daily mandate is to improve the lives of those who need it most.
NEXT UP: LASCLAY (coming soon!)
Ever heard of milkweed silk? These new @lasclay bags are insulated with it!
We're so excited to bring in these lunch bags, which help keep your food cool while also helping struggling monarch butterfly & other pollinator populations! 🦋
🐰 Vegan
🥰 Ethical
🌸 Natural Material
❤ Harvested, designed & made in Quebec
Milkweed silk is a plant-based material warmer than down, naturally waterproof, and hypoallergenic. It also helps capture CO2, reducing greenhouse gases on otherwise unused marginal land.
These bags have an easy-to-clean dry-bag interior and are also machine washable (cold water, delicate cycle).
We're so excited to have found this incredible company & to be adding more cool items to our to-go/back to school section that give back to our beautiful planet! 🌎❤
3RD NEW VENDOR: ECOVESSEL
EcoVessel is a great company that sources high quality materials, guarantees their product free from defect for 100 years, is a member of 1% For the Planet, and partners with Water for People. 🌎 💦 👍
Now, a bit about the bottles:
💧 TriMax® Triple Insulation, keep drinks cold up to 36 hours
💧 Tilt-free drinking with silicone straw
💧 Easy, comfortable flip spout
💧 Soft touch carrying handle
💧 Protective silicone bumper (74mm)
💧 Fits most lunch boxes and bags
💧 Easy cleaning, hand wash recommended
💧 BPA-Free, BPS-Free, and Pthalate-Free
We love cute products that are made well by companies who care for the earth, and these definitely fit the bill! 😁
RESTOCKED VENDORS W/SOME NEWBIE ITEMS:
U-KONSERVE: U-Konserve has been a favourite of yours and ours for a long time. They know what's needed for lunchtime (& food on the go in general), along with what's needed for the earth. They showcase this by using high-quality, non-toxic materials that are built to last, minimizing waste throughout each product's life cycle. Their products are free of BPA, phthalates, and lead. AND they're a Certified B Corp who donates 1% for the Planet. So many reasons to love this vendor and why we brought in more of their wonderful wares!
LUNCHBOTS: A great product created by a mom with two young boys in 2008. She was concerned about the chemicals in plastic affecting our health and troubled by the impact disposable food packaging had on our environment, especially our oceans. LunchBots premium stainless steel containers are designed to make it easy for you to pack healthy food to-go, they’re easy to clean, and this company is a proud member of 1% For the Planet.
ONYX: Another wonderful company started by parents who wanted better for their kids! Onyx is a Canadian company creating airtight food storage containers using the highest quality stainless steel, manufactured responsibly in Korea, and fairly priced. You can always recognize their items by the round, often stacked containers they produce. Onyx is another vendor that loves to help with fundraising.
COLIBRI: This fabulous company has been offering long-lasting, reusable snack bags for some time now! Founded in 2008 in the small town of St. Adolphe, Manitoba, Colibri began as a family-run business. It was started by two sisters, Sandra O’Malley and Lori Hawkins, (originally known as The Sling Sisters). In the beginning, they crafted baby carriers and eventually shifted their focus to eco-friendly, durable, and practical reusable bags designed to reduce plastic waste. We love that they partner with schools to help with fundraising on a regular basis, and they never cease to amaze us with all their cute new prints, made of 100% cotton. We've got some new ones now worth checking out!
CHEEKS AHOY: Cheeks Ahoy began with a mom who wanted fewer single-use items in her home after her child was born. What started with a simple move to cloth diapers soon developed into a passion for creating reusable cloth alternatives to things like paper towels, napkins, wipes, and even toilet paper! All of the products they make are made in Peterborough, Ontario. They’re a 100% Canadian-owned and operated company.
MIIR: We love this company and their products so much! They use great materials, the style of their drinking vessels fits your needs (and your hands!) so well, all their drink containers are durable & keep beverages well insulated for extended periods of time, and they give back to various charities with each bottle purchased. On the bottom of each drinking vessel, there’s a “Give Code” that you can enter on their website and see how the money from your purchase is helping others!
GOLDILOCKS: Founder, Amy Hall - art historian and ocean lover - volunteered with a shark conservation program in the South Pacific some time ago, where she was devastated by the ocean plastics problem. This led her on a path towards zero waste, and eventually this business, where she could combine her two passions and create beautiful, useful products that also reduce plastic consumption. She makes the most beautiful beeswax wraps (and bread bags!), perfect for wrapping sandwiches, snacks, and more. Handmade right here on Vancouver Island with local beeswax.
BAMBU: Being from the Pacific Northwest, the founders of Bambu have a strong connection to and respect for the natural environment. They wanted better alternatives for to-go cutlery & cookware, so in 2003, Bambu was born. Why we love them: they’re a Certified B Corp, they give 1% for the Planet, they’re a Carbon Neutral company, their products are made from FSC-certified bamboo, they’re women owned & operated, promoting diversity & inclusion. So many things to love, and they’ve created products to fit so many needs - especially in the to-go lunch department!
LET’S TALK STRAWS...
…due to the fact that we had plastic straws for so long, we often don't think too much about where they come from, but there's a lot of care that goes into the alternative. Here are the vendors we love & carry.
ENVIRO GLASS STRAWS: Enviro Glass Straw emerged from a concern for the environment and our desire to teach their children to tread gently on the Earth. It's a family-run business on Vancouver Island, which started when Tyler Hayes started making glass straws for his children, Autumn and Morgan. Of course, friends and family loved the plastic-free glass straws that Tyler was manufacturing in his home studio and Enviro Glass Straw was born. Together, Tyler & Leah have created a small passionate team that continues to create durable & planet-friendly straws (and mason jar lids to hold the straws!).
LIFE WITHOUT WASTE: Made in Quebec, this company produces high quality stainless steel straws, beautiful glass straws, as well as cute striped paper straws - for when stainless steels just aren't a fit! Their stainless steel straws are non-toxic, BPA & BPS-free, while the paper straws are made of food safe raw materials, are 100% biodegradable, and are compostable in commercial compost. Life Without Waste is also another vendor who give 1% For the Planet. 🌎❤