Father's Day is upon us, and while we're all about championing the women of the world, we want to hand it to our dads, too. No need to feel the frustration of deciding between socks or ties for the father figures in our lives, we've got the perfect gifts that give back to purchase with pride.

Whether you want recycled tire products that give back to Cambodian communities, or cufflinks made from Vietnam-era aluminum bomb scrap, these sustainable and thoughtful picks will make this years' gifts all the more meaningful and useful for our fathers! 

Here's to appreciating our Fathers while also giving back!

Recycled Tire Tri-Fold Wallet
Embossed Leather Journals
Story Bomb Cufflinks 
Men's Leather Wrap Bracelets
Aqua Bumpy Glass Tumblers
Whiskey Horn Tumbler Set
Men's Recycled Tire Travel Kit
Men's Denim Bracelets 
Recycled Tire Card Holder
Men's Leather Braided Bracelet

It was Wednesday, May 17th and Yankee Stadium was filled with hues of purple to represent NYU's violet pride. Also, it was a glorious day in the sweltering heat. I could feel a great deal of sweat dripping down my cheeks. As we all sat wearing the same cap and gown waiting for Pharrell's commencement speech, I felt a mix of vibes. I was overwhelmed with happiness, but a little nervous and uncertain about my future. Mid-way through my worrying and transition-related anxiety, I heard the crowd cheering on Pharrell.

He took the stage gracefully and looked as youthful as ever; I still didn't understand how he possessed such amazing genes and how never appears to age. But what he said that resonated with me the most was about our roles as leaders in society and change-makers, to always remain a student in life, and his comments about uplifting women.

Pharrell's advice was truly moving. We (millennials) are the generation of change- makers, we are intentional in our actions, we live life with a purpose, and we navigate the world with confidence and optimism about the future. He wanted us to imagine the possibilities if women are not held back and when we could truly live in an equal, inclusive and equitable world for everyone left on the margins.

I was deeply grateful and honored to experience such a memorable moment; it was the culmination of all of our undergraduate careers. When he said, "your generation is unraveling deeply entrenched laws, principles, and misguided values that have held women back for far too long, and therefore, have held us all back the human race." In that instant I felt most proud of myself that I, a black women graduating from New York University would be the first women and not the last in my immediate family to graduate from college.

Photo credit: Billboard, Time

"Mind your manners," and "Never get on the back of a motorcycle," are just some of the things we hear from our moms, but as we lead up to Mother's Day, we couldn't help but think about all the great advice we've received from our moms.

Sit back and enjoy these gems.

Catherine: 
Mom's advice since I was a young girl. "When you try your best, you can't ask for anything more."

Josh:
"Lazy man works twice as hard."

Chrissy:
"At the end of hardship comes happiness." She always encouraged me to never give up and keep fighting.  In Korean, "fighting" (hwaiting) is a commonly used word of support and encouragement. She reminded me that with hard work comes great reward.

Jenn:
"A book holds a house of gold.  Knowledge is rich.  Health is money." I'm sure she quoted Confucius..

Johanna:
"The forest will answer you in the way you call to it." Meaning the way you treat others will dictate how they treat you, also related to how we treat the world. Very Finnish with the forest theme.

Steph:
My mum* always said, "God helps those who help themselves." Often in response to, "What's for dinner?" and, "Can you pass me that?" In a roundabout way, she taught me to put in the hard yards for what I wanted.
* Australian

Linda:
"If you are looking for something, start cleaning up”. I always took this literally and so when I lost something, like my wallet or keys, I would start picking things up and most of the time whatever it was that was lost I would find. One may also interpret that as "cleaning up" your mind, i.e. sorting through the noise to allow for more clarity in the decision making necessary to find what you are looking for.

Image credits: Huffington Post

 Happy Earth Day to all!

Who said we couldn’t save the earth in style? Sustainable, eco-friendly, and fashionable are no longer mutually exclusive. Shop ethical fashion from our artisan partners in repossessing power to heal their land. Let’s start making strides to enact change, appreciation, and respect for the environment!

We all depend on the nourishment we receive from the environment; therefore, we must all play our part and raise awareness on issues impacting the environment, as well as take action to improve and sustain it.

This year’s Earth Day campaign is Environmental and Climate literacy. Our goal is to raise awareness about the most heavily-bombed country in history per capita, Laos, to raise awareness, spread peace, and keep our environment healthy and sustainable for the future.

Artisan Highlight: Article 22

The legacy of the “secret war” has negatively affected the country’s environment. Two million tons of ordnance was dropped on Laos, contaminating the soil and vegetation, schools and roads, forests and rice fields, as farming dominates the country’s economy. However, as environmentalists - not just today, but every day - each customer can buy back the bomb when artisans up cycle Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) into jewelry. PEACEBOMB is an impactful line of jewelry handcrafted in Laos from war scrap and unexploded bombs.

The ways through which people narrate the past can transform people and places. Article 22 designs and helps make Xieng Khouang, Laos (infamously known as one of the most heavily bombed provinces) land safe by reminiscing on history and place, and what these necessary narrations mean for the future of the country and their livelihoods. Each handmade piece (one bracelet = three square meters cleared) helps clear unexploded ordnance, making land safe and providing new metal to artisans.

Biggest Bombing in History:

During the 1960s and early 1970s, to contain the spread of communism, American B-52’s dropped an average of one bomb-load every eight minutes, 24 hours a day, for nine years. The bombing of Laos is referred to as America’s “secret war.” Even after 50 years since the first US combat troops went to Vietnam in March 1965, the country is still dealing with the aftermath of this tragedy. One-third of the bombs failed to explode on impact harming people’s health and environments.  Furthermore, communities of women, children, and farmers are forced to work in their contaminated fields to provide for their families. It will take almost two millennia to clear the country.