Disclosure: This post was sponsored by BRAVE Leather We only ever add brands & products we truly believe in. Thank you for supporting the brands who are making the fashion industry a better place!

BRAVE Leather

Fringe, chokers & waist-fitting belts... It doesn't get any chicer than that ;) I've always appreciated a good leather product, but not all leather is created equal. This Canadian brand is making sure it handles the material the best way possible. Therefore, this leather is veggie-tanned, meaning those usual chemicals used to create the majority of leather goods you see today aren't put anywhere near their products. BRAVE Leather wants to offer us the best quality possible while holding to ethical business. 

Why I Love Brave Leather

1. The craftsmanship. To say a lot of hard work went into each piece is an understatement. It's more than just becoming exceptionally good at a craft. It's about pride and creating products customers can love for the rest of their lives. Scott Irvine has been designing BRAVE Leather goods for 25 years, and his attention to detail is on point. Every piece {they've made over 2 million at this point} has been ethically designed & manufactured in Canada. Irvine has some serious talent on his artisan team! You can meet all the makers here. 

2. The tanning process. After becoming more conscious about my carbon footprint several years ago, I've been searching to find alternatives to my favorite materials. I've always loved leather because the thought of waste or a plastic faux leather jacket made me cringe. Unfortunately, not all leather is created with resources in mind. BRAVE Leather doesn't fall into that trap. The leather used is a by-product of the meat industry and is only veggie-tanned, so no harsh chemicals are ever used. Even their water-based adhesives are Zero VOC.

3. The selection. BRAVE Leather isn't just for women, so you can get your boyfriend excited about it now, too! Their extensive collection of handbags, jewelry & belts is quite impressive {have fun picking out your favorites - it's a challenging task!}. Even the leather range is amazing. You can find their complete list of leathers here. I'm partial to the Rugby one!

What I'm Wearing

Jurgen Fringe Rugby Leather Crossbody: I bought this suede leather fringe purse from AE in middle school. I seriously loved the heck out of it throughout 6-8th grade, but it, unfortunately, fell apart {thanks, fast fashion}. This crossbody is like the old one who went to get their master's degree. It has a richer color, a lot sturdier, and the fringe grew to the perfect length. It's everything I wanted my original one to be, and what's so great is that I won't have to worry about losing the bag to the trash as long as I take good care of her. She's a beauty!! 

Ulyana Double Buckle Leather Belt: Okay, officially, my new favorite belt!! Not sure how I've gone this long without a skinny black belt, but I'm glad I waited for the best. You can find it paired up in yesterday's Slow Fashion Staples post. 

Leja Leather Choker: I've been wearing this choker a ton, and both ways, actually {I wonder if I made it reversible on my own, but I love that I can do that!}. I have an upcoming post where I have it on the 'right' way ;) Always breaking the rules, natalie... oh & it comes in silver!  

Where to Purchase

You can find BRAVE Leather in over 14 countries, but their complete collection is available online - here - 

Don't forget to get social, and follow for up-to-date news on social media.  

featuring All the Wild Roses & Songa Designs

Two months later & I'm still editing photos from my France road trip! We stopped in Manosque for one night and ended up in a beautiful garden/museum. Not sure what it was called, and after a few 1664s, I wasn't really paying much attention. I just saw jasmine walls and ran over to smell :D Most of the places we visited in France were a shot in the dark. We didn't know what places were a must-see... I drew a circle around France and tried to break it up a few hours in between for driving purposes & voila - that would be the town we stayed at! I mean.. you can't go wrong with finding beautiful backdrops in France. It made my Fair OOTD photoshoots relatively easy ;)

All the Wild Roses

I just found out this Australian brand now offers Free International Shipping for orders of $100+ {which this dress qualifies for}!! There are so many reasons to love All the Wild Roses & I had laid them out in my post a few weeks ago. The aesthetic, mission, philanthropy & versatility make this romantic, free-spirited line easy to gravitate towards. It's also one of the first when people are just starting to switch to ethical fashion. It has that boho look so many of us like! 

The Jane Dress I'm wearing here has a lace-up bodice that is sexy, chic & sophisticated - I'm obsessed with the design! Oh & did I mention it has pockets?! It's an effortless LBD. 

 Songa Designs

Even more boho-chic designs are coming at ya! The Orenda Handbag by Songa Designs is eco-luxury. Each bag is handcrafted in Rwanda and takes a skilled artisan three days to complete. They are made from banana leaves & the sisal plant, and the women behind the creation can invest profits into purchasing land with goats that make milk their family can then sell. Total women empowerment and entrepreneurship right there!  

Shop the Look :::

Jane Dress, All the Wild Roses $153

Orenda Handbag, Songa Designs $130

Colorines, Mamahuhu $140 

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Mila.Vert. We only ever add brands & products we truly believe in. Thank you for supporting the brands who are making the fashion industry a better place!

Mila.Vert

One of the most important things I look for when purchasing a new garment is its design. Will I want to wear it 10-20-30 years down the road? It may seem like a far-off time to think of, but I plan to still dress 'sustainably chic' at the age of 60 & so on. These three words: Timeless, Minimalist & Sophisticated, drive many of my purchases. While I sometimes love a trend, I don't love it because it's what's hot at the moment; I love it because it fits my style. I want my closet full of items that don't have an expiration date in fashion & quality. I think Mila.Vert is for women who wish to value a piece of clothing for years and who care where & what it's made from.

Why I Love Mila.Vert

1. The aesthetic. I'm drawn to a 'clean' look and Mila.Vert does it so effortlessly. Their timeless designs have added detailing, giving them a modern-day feel, and the fabrics are always so crisp & fresh. I love that they keep a minimal palette focusing on shades that are easy to wear and pair with your existing closet. 

2. The local design. Transparency is a big deal to Mila.Vert. They want you to feel confident your clothing was produced ethically with the smallest carbon footprint possible. For a brand to keep track of how something is produced, they need to be near it. Therefore, Mila.Vert collaborates with two family-owned sewing companies, both located in their home base of Slovenia. As a result, they can visit the companies often and form a great relationship with the makers. The local advantage ensures the product is made under fair working conditions and the quality is constantly met. 

3. The fabrics. Mila.Vert knows you can't have slow fashion without an eco-minded textile. Their material of choice is organic cotton! They even use a lovely linen, one of my favorite natural fibers. I wish you could feel the clothing I'm wearing here! The quality of the fabric is top-notch. It's all about the minor detailing, too ;)

What I'm Wearing

Trench Shirt Dress in Blue Denim: Made from 100% GOTS organic cotton, this dress was a massive hit amongst you conscious ladies on Instagram the other day! The classic trench coat inspires it, so how could you not love it? The sleeves can easily be rolled up like on their site, but I loved the length. I'm sure you'll see future photos with them rolled up! This is a dress that will stand the test of time.

Linen Shirt: Oh, I wish you could see this fabric up close. The detailing is lovely, and the cream color is so fresh & clean. I love rolling the sleeves up when wearing a pair of denim shorts. It's one of those shirts you can easily dress up or down {like I've done here!}. 

Where to Buy

Shop Mila Vert's entire collection - here - & if you live in Slovenia, you are lucky enough to find them in two concept stores! For other European residents, stay tuned because you may find them in your city soon thanks to the Ethical Fashion Show in Berlin helping spread sustainable fashion all over :)

Oh & don't forget to stay up-to-date with new products and beautiful photos on Instagram. 

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Sustain by Kat. We only ever add brands & products we truly believe in. Thank you for supporting the brands who are making the fashion industry a better place!

Sustain by Kat

You may remember seeing this brand a few months ago - Sustain is unique in its choice of materials, making them difficult to forget. The Indi-go Shirt I shared before was made from 100% ayurvedically dyed organic cotton. This means the shirt was dyed using a form of ayurvedic medicine called Ayuvastra, the notion your skin absorbs the chemicals {good or bad} within your clothing. Sustain understands what we decide to wear impacts our health. So why not wear fabric that is beneficial to your health or at least safe? Plants seem to always be the right choice when wanting to make a product more natural and sustainable, and that's exactly the route Sustain kept for their new products this month. 

Side note: just because a shirt is called 'organic,' it doesn't mean it uses natural dyes. If you want to avoid petroleum-based dyes {I'm sure you do}, you must look for natural dyes {which are mostly derived from plants}. 

So What's New at Sustain?

Ayurvedically-dyed Shorts: Okay, I've officially found my favorite summertime shorts! Like the Indi-go shirt, these shorts are dyed with over 20 medicinal herbs on organic cotton. Since the fabric is hand-dyed and hand-loomed, no pair is identical. Even the notions are thoughtful with natural tagua nut buttons & a YKK undyed, natural cotton zipper. The natural khaki shade makes it easy to pair with any color top, and the length gives you the perfect coverage. I seriously can't brag enough about the fit! I'm super picky about my summer shorts, and these check everything off my list. 

Plant-dyed Muscles & Lace Tank: I love a good contrast in style - muscle cut with lace side seams gives your everyday tank an updated look. The grey color is achieved using pomegranate, oak & iron on 100% GOTS Certified Organic Cotton. Pomegranate peels are anti-inflammatory & anti-microbial, and oak galls help reduce skin irritation because of their natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Plant-dyed Racerback: I am obsessed with this mauve color. It's one of my favorite colors to wear, and it's achieved by using madder root and the heartwood of a logwood tree. Like the Muscle tank, this racerback is also made from GOTS Certified Organic Cotton. Madder root is one of the oldest natural dyes, and you can find this resource used as far back as ancient Egypt, where a cloth dyed with madder root was found alongside the possessions of King Tut! Logwood dye also has a long history and dates back to Europe in the 1500s and was used by the Mayans hundreds of years before that. 

Shop the entire Sustain collection - here - & don't forget to stay up-to-date with new products on Instagram. 

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Mayamam Weavers. We only ever add brands & products we truly believe in. Thank you for supporting the brands who are making the fashion industry a better place!

Mayamam Weavers

By now, you know I'm a sucker for some gorgeous textiles {but who am I kidding, aren't most of us reading this blog?!}. So the first time I saw Mayamam Weavers, I knew they were a perfect fit for Sustainably Chic. The colors, the patterns, the sustainability - a match made in heaven for me!

Why I Love Mayamam Weavers

1. The Tradition. There is nothing I appreciate more in a garment than the tradition behind its creation. I've always been drawn to textiles, and if they have a story, all the better! The Mayamam Weavers use weaving techniques of Mayan culture. The cooperative making up Mayamam Weavers was founded in 2008 in Cajolá, a Mayan town in the western highlands of Guatemala. 

2. The Sustainable Jobs. The women came together to form this cooperative to overcome poverty while not having to migrate to the U.S. & leave their families behind. They have grown to 20 weavers, all of whom are making a fair wage and learning how to run a business. They even have on-site childcare & adult literacy classes for the community. These women are quite the inspiration!

{Mayamam Weavers are based in Morriston, NJ & are proud members of the Fair Trade Federation.}

3. The Collection. From home goods to clothing goods, Mayamam Weavers collection is full of bold colors and beautiful patterns. They carry aprons, kitchen towels, tablecloths, coasters; you name it... you can deck your home out in vibrant colors! For accessories, they create wraps {like I'm wearing}, scarves, bags, belts, and even a few little things for the men in our lives! 

4. The prices. I found another affordable, fair-trade brand for you :) The wrap I'm wearing is $44!!! Pretty amazing, right?!

What I'm Wearing & Using in my Home

Soft & Neutral Wrap in Champagne & Blue Grey: Is this not the perfect background for these colors?! They even create a unique visual effect with the woven pattern. Since it is made from 100% cotton, you can get away with wearing this for most of the year. It's long enough to even lay out on the sand and catch some rays.. which I will be doing soon! 

Celebration Coasters: Made on a traditional backstrap loom, these guys will surely add a nice burst of color to your living room and dining room. I've got a lot of wood furniture, and I hate rings from cups {my Grandmaman has always gotten after me if I didn't use a coaster. Now, I have zero excuses!}. So many fun colors to choose from, too :)

Where to Purchase

Shop Mayamam Weavers entire collection online, and don't forget to follow all the beauty on Instagram!