Uncovering the BITS

Those of you who at least sort of know me, know that I am all about the BITS. I could preach the good word about the BITS all day long, and then some. They are my main motivation behind this blog, as well as the inspiration to other aspirations. So, needless to say, I am quite excited about putting together this little ditty on 31 BITS.

The BITS are multifaceted and multicolored. They are made from 100% recycled paper by women in Northern Uganda. The end product is beautiful; a colorful, light-weight, and (might I add) quite fashionable piece of jewelry. Oh, hey!

 

(My photos do not even compare to the crazy-beautiful ones on their website by Trever Hoehne, so check those out if you get a chance. You won't regret it.)

As with other products I've mentioned in this blog, the BITS have depth. If it were just about the beautiful jewelry, that would be enough. But, as it turns out, there is more to it than that. The company was kicked off by a young girl in her twenties who, while on a trip to Uganda, met a group of women. At that time, these women were making paper beads but they lacked a market in which to sell them. With the help of a few friends and a little time, the BITS was born.

They began by selecting a small group of women to make the jewelry in Uganda, which eventually would be sold on the international market. Not only did this provide a steady source of income for these women, it also began their journey of rising above poverty, and becoming educated and empowered through various programs like financial training, English lessons, community groups, and vocational training. Today, there are 115 women being empowered through 31 BITS.

So many people are moved by this story. How could you not be?! It's a program that people support, and it's a product that people love. It doesn't get any better than that. On top of everything, they are having HUGE success. Ferreal. Their location list is growing to a length that I refuse to take the time to count right now, but just believe me when I say: it's big. And it's growing like crazy.

So go get some BITS. Make your soul smile. Change someone's life. And call it a day.

Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve

Collaborative World is a self-titled "co-profit" company, selling sweet t-shirts made with (almost) as much love as mom's chicken noodle soup. How is that possible, you ask? They give 50% of all profits to partners who are doing good in the world. It's as simple as that.

The business is built on giving, and encouraging others to do the same. Imagine that.  For about twenty bucks, we are giving back - maybe to a soup kitchen and tutoring program, or maybe to poverty-stricken women in Uganda - while still getting our greedy paws on a pretty cool t-shirt.

Count me in.

I love this kind of stuff; a company doing what it loves, based solely on giving, making some money in the process, and doing a damn good job at it.

So, where do you get this stuff? Your best bet is probably their online store, which can be found here. Or, if you live in/around/near/about/somewhat close to Orange County, check them out at their Summer Thing during the months of July and August.

Happy giving, party people. Peace.

The Best Bar in Town

RubyBlaise Essentials was created just a few years ago, in 2007. The company provides products that showcase the benefits of essential oils and aromatherapy. Now, I know what you're probably thinking: what the hell kind of hippie shit are you going to write about now? Stay with me, here. You are about to be Blaised away.

To start, let's take a look at their product line: Bars, Jars, and Mists (oh, my!). The Bars are their soaps and are made from goat's milk. Goat's milk contains a similar pH level as our skin, which means you aren't left with that taut, dry feeling most soaps (like Dial) will leave you with. This may sound silly, but it makes a HUGE difference. Not only that, you will be hard-pressed to find a soap that smells better. My personal favorite is their Thai Bar (in the photog below), which is a blend of lime, basil, lavender, and vanilla. Depending on your personal flavor, you can also choose from Happy, Wide Awake, or Hippie. That's right; I said it! Hippie.

Their Jars (candles) and Mists are equally fantastic and include a wider selection of delicious scents. And, seriously, when I say delicious...It's that kind of scent that you just want to smash into your face like a pillow and breathe in all day. 

The company was created by a mother of twins, living in Orange County, and sharing her love for the good stuff in life. The stuff that she has a passion for. The stuff that smells good and is kind to your body. That's really all it comes down to.

The result is a small bar of soap that can turn your frown up-side-down, and I'm all about it.

You can read more about the company here.

Neighborhood Boozers and Reusers

Recycled booze bottles?! Don't mind if I do! Bottlehood is an awesome company I learned about while cruising around the Patchwork Festival in Santa Ana this spring. They call it "recycled glassware," but let's get real: they are reusing old booze bottles, and I am all about it. The booze products (let's call them boozeucts) come from local restaurants, bars, and homes and are made into everything from tumblers, to jewelry, to lighting. The end boozeucts are both creative and affordable.

This is love.

In fact, their wine light pendant reminded me of a much more toned-down version of Pottery Barn's wine bottle chandelier. By "toned-down" I do mean one wine bottle as opposed to 12 on a chandelier, but you catch my drift.

There is something to be said for creative companies who figure out ways to use what they've got. To add value to what seems like waste. These are the companies that inspire you to look at your own life and go, why didn't I think of that? Maybe some of us did, but these are the guys who weren't too lazy to go out and do it. And these are the products that make my soul smile.