Sustainability is the way to go!

My dad used to tell me stories (and still does!) of his life in China. Due to Communism, he said it was very hard to find food to eat. Instead, people in his village cultivate their own food such as rice and vegetables, but also chicken and fish. Everything grew in an environment without any form of pesticides, and since villagers try to save as much money as possible they used animal feces as fertilizer and food to feed the fishes. Now, I know it might sound disgusting to you, but you don't even taste it when you eat the fish, trust me, I had some when I was visiting China in 2007! Here is a picture of rice plantations that I took during this trip:

It looks so pure and colors look so refreshing yet no pesticides were involved in this. I was wondering if this sustainability could work for cotton underwear, and found this video on Youtube:

Basically, the most toxic synthetic pesticide has been widely used in cotton fields, and this particular eco-friendly cotton farm in California has refused to use it. Therefore, the farmers have to monitor closely each plant and choose natural pesticide instead.

Dylan Ribkoff Apparel does mention sustainability in their products. They produce their underwear locally and they try to bring their materials into their factory in the most ecological way. This is another type of sustainability that could help improve our planet Earth.
I hope clothing manufacturers could emphasize on sustainable materials in the future because I would not mind spending a couple extra dollars for something that was grown in a 'healthier' way. Also, I hope this blog post would make you reflect on your purchasing decisions next time.

-Annick

Jewellery, Flowers and Underwear?

Hey guys,

This post is about statistics and numbers that Statistics Canada published concerning Valentine's Day. The thing that surprised me is the amount of money spent on V-day gifts. Without looking the website, if I asked you which gift items were purchased the most, you would say.. flowers, jewellery, teddy bears or chocolates. Wrong!!

According to Statistics Canada, people spent $580 billion on men's underwear, sleepwear and hosiery in 2009. Second highest was $3.1 billion for the total value of stationery, office supplies, card, gift wrap and party. Finally third place was for jewellery and watches sold - $2.8 billion. Those who received sleepwear and underwear might have a great night on Valentine's Day. 

I am surprised that Canadian citizens spend more money on gift wraps and cards than expensive rings and necklaces. I believe that it is a good idea to give underwear because they are not so expensive compared to jewellery. Plus, unlike bouquets of flowers, those products are very useful and durable since we need to use them every day.

Therefore ladies, I suggest to offer your man a fresh pair of underwear for Valentine's Day. Maybe you can try to invest a bit more into soft, high quality boxers. Just saying :)

Which gifts would you give to your loved one? Leave your comment below.

Please check out Dylan's website for more product details
Their Facebook page

- Annick