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Introducing One of Our Team Members

Meet one of our team members - Sonia! Originally from Los Angeles, she now calls San Francisco her home. When not working, you can usually find her traveling, trying out new cuisines, enjoying live music, or cheering on her favorite sports teams!

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Introducing One of Our Team Members!

Meet one of our team members - Andrea! A native San Franciscan, some may refer to her as special unicorn in this crazy city. One of her favorite pastimes is traveling. Her two memorable trips have been immersing herself in Roman culture for 7 months, and traveling throughout 7 different prefectures in Japan.

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Fair Trade Shopping Guide

So you’re interested in learning how to buy Fair Trade Certified?  Look no further!  You will find Fair Trade Certified products in many categories, from coffee and tea to the everyday produce you eat.  With the food you consume on a daily basis, you can ensure that you are purchasing only high-quality products that are contributing to improved lives, supporting communities in developing countries, fairly compensating farmers and workers, and protecting the environment.  You will be making smarter choices while contributing to a more equitable global system.  So what are some of the categories of Fair Trade Certified products?  Let’s look at a few below:

Coffee & Tea

Coffee was the first Fair Trade Certified product, and it is still the product that is most commonly associated with the Fair Trade Certification.  Tea is also one of the more popular Fair Trade categories.  From bagged and loose leaf tea to ground and whole bean coffee, the possibilities are endless and you are sure to find a variety that suits your liking, whether you are a coffee connoisseur or a tea person! 

Sugars & Sweeteners

Sugars and sweeteners that are Fair Trade Certified are relatively easy to find. With Fair Trade Certified sugar, you can add a touch of sweetness to your life while supporting improving lives and the environment.  Additionally, Fair Trade sugar can be found in many products such as ice cream and cookies.

Chocolate

Chocolate is another well-known Fair Trade Certified product.  They tend to be high-quality, make great gifts, and there are many varieties to choose from! You definitely can’t go wrong when choosing Fair Trade chocolate.

Produce

Fair Trade Certified produce is increasing in popularity.  Bananas are the most common and are widely available.  There are also other options to choose from, including pineapples, mangos, peaches, bell peppers, and cucumbers, among others.  This produce is high-quality and very fresh.

Photo Credit: Fair Trade USA

Herbs & Spices

Lesser known Fair Trade Certified products are herbs and spices.  With these, you can add a touch of Fair Trade to everything you eat - and feel good over and over again in the process!

Clothing

Fair Trade Certified clothing is a newer phenomenon.  Since this is relatively new, it is easiest to find Fair Trade Certified clothing online.  This clothing benefits everyone in the process, from the farmers who produce the cotton to the workers who stitch the clothing.

We hope this helps you to make smarter purchasing decisions and start buying Fair Trade Certified this month.  Happy shopping!

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Hey Sustainable Space Nerds, Listen Up!

Shout out to all our space nerds! Take advantage of this astro-excitement by answering the Mars trivia below. Those with correct answers will score a $10 gift card from us and we'll pick one winner to receive a $20 gift card!

Ready? Blast off!

1. What are the names of the two rovers that are currently working on the surface of Mars? 2. True or False: Mars is the fifth planet from the Sun. 3. Fill in the blank: Mars was named after the Roman god of ____.

Send us your answers to [email protected].

Winners will be announced on Tue at noon PDT and will be highlighted in our next newsletter. Good luck, folks!

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This Week’s Sustainable Tips!

Our Hero Sara H. shared her tips about eating out, shopping ethically, and supporting local businesses around her! 

We highlight tips from our community on how to be more socially conscious and make the world a better place. Send us your tips/story to [email protected]. Every published story gets a $20 Gift Card from us!

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Socially Conscious Tip From an Actor/Director

Our Community Hero Kestrin gave us a tip how she’s socially conscious. 

If you're curious about worm bin composting, click here. To build your own worm bin, here are the steps. Enjoy!

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Dear Heroes, Tell Us Your (Socially Conscious) Story!

Orange Harp is a community of like minds and like hearts who are not afraid to voice their values. We regularly speak with our users and they tell us how they are socially conscious in their own way. Every single socially conscious act leads to a better world. We decided to share the tips, tricks, and stories from our community with the world. Once every week, we will feature them in our newsletter and/or social media channels. We are kicking the series off with tips from some folks on our team — join the conversation by sending your own stories to [email protected] so we can feature you and your story! Every story we publish gets a $20 Gift Card from us :) 

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Fashion Revolution Day: #WhoMadeMyClothes

Let's take a moment to think about the role our clothes play in our lives. We wear them every day, it's a way to express ourselves and they are a part of how we remember important moments of our lives.

Now let's think about the people who contributed to this part of our lives: not the brand, but the human being who sewed together our favorite garments we live in every day.

April 24th is Fashion Revolution Day (FRD), and we're joining the movement to demand transparency in the supply chain and manufacturing process and for fair working conditions. FRD marks the anniversary of Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh. The victims were the people who slaved away for our fast fashions, compensated with barely livable wages, and poor working conditions. 

We all want to be a part of the solution, and for more than just this Day. We started Orange Harp to create a curated fashion marketplace of artisans and small, independent brands that respect the planet and its people, to combat the fashion industry injustices like Rana Plaza.

We encourage all members of the Orange Harp community to add their voice to the FRD movement. You can take a selfie with the label of your favorite piece of clothing and post it for the #whomademyclothes campaign, but we want you to do more than that. We encourage you to think before you buy, think about the human connection behind the clothing you have on your back.

So who made the clothes we curate for you on the Orange Harp app? Check out our photo gallery of the workshops of 3 of our brands: Mitscoots, David Peck, and Show The Love. These smiling faces bring you your favorite products with a deep commitment to people and the planet.

Mitscoots

Founder Tim (second from right) with his tight-knit team.

Founders Agata and Tim personally stock the stores that carry their socks.

Team members packaging the socks at a communal table in their Austin, Texas, workshop.

David Peck

Founder David rolls out fabric in the same room as his sewers.

The David Peck workshop located in Houston, Texas.

Show The Love

The outside of their workshop and showroom in Portola Valley, CA.

We are here to help you make choices that are great for you, the communities involved, and the planet. Join us -- let’s create a happier planet!