No sweat
Guilt-free, cruelty-free gifting
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Holiday shopping is horrifying enough as it is: the traffic, the crowds, the avalanche of tacky junk hung in the malls. If that weren’t bad enough, many of the products being pushed on the weary consumer during the Christmas season aren’t produced by happy elves in Santa’s workshop—they’re made in sweatshops. But as with many of the world’s problems, it’s not that hard to be a part of the solution, especially if you end up finding some gifts in the process. Decider rounded up a few of the retail outlets in Denver/Boulder that think fair trade and humane labor practices are just as merry as cheap mistletoe.
Ahimsa Footware
Not only are Ahimsa's shoes sweatshop-free, they’re produced without materials derived from animal products. It’s the perfect combination for any politically engaged vegans on your list who might like a pair of boots, sneakers, or sandals, but who just can’t bring themselves to compromise in this Nike-dominated world of ours. Ahimsa opened its uptown shop last year, and has since turned the funky little freestanding storefront—it occupies an old house off Park Avenue, easy to miss if you’re not paying attention—into a haven for those who prefer hemp, organic cotton, or even recycled tires over the usual leather and suede. At Ahimsa, even the glues in the shoes are free of animal products—and there are plenty of cruelty-free accessories like belts, wallets, and bags to go with those kicks.
Not only are Ahimsa's shoes sweatshop-free, they’re produced without materials derived from animal products. It’s the perfect combination for any politically engaged vegans on your list who might like a pair of boots, sneakers, or sandals, but who just can’t bring themselves to compromise in this Nike-dominated world of ours. Ahimsa opened its uptown shop last year, and has since turned the funky little freestanding storefront—it occupies an old house off Park Avenue, easy to miss if you’re not paying attention—into a haven for those who prefer hemp, organic cotton, or even recycled tires over the usual leather and suede. At Ahimsa, even the glues in the shoes are free of animal products—and there are plenty of cruelty-free accessories like belts, wallets, and bags to go with those kicks.
Sevya
Sevya is one of those shops you’d feel good about supporting even if it didn’t sell anything you wanted. It’s a fair-trade, nonprofit company that uses all of its revenues to support the Indian artisan communities—among other need-based programs throughout that country—that handcraft all its products. Offering everything from jewelry to rugs, the store is brimming with ideal presents, stocking stuffers, and even exquisitely hand-painted ornaments for the tree. They also sell natural toys—that is, ones that don’t require batteries. Remember those?
Sevya is one of those shops you’d feel good about supporting even if it didn’t sell anything you wanted. It’s a fair-trade, nonprofit company that uses all of its revenues to support the Indian artisan communities—among other need-based programs throughout that country—that handcraft all its products. Offering everything from jewelry to rugs, the store is brimming with ideal presents, stocking stuffers, and even exquisitely hand-painted ornaments for the tree. They also sell natural toys—that is, ones that don’t require batteries. Remember those?
American Apparel
American Apparel is without a doubt one of the most eccentric companies in the clothing industry. It’s one of the few that advocate comprehensive immigration reform—even going as far as comparing U.S. immigration policy to apartheid in its ads. Of course, American Apparel’s better-known ads—the ones stocked with scrawny, scantily clad scenesters posing suggestively—border on amateur porn. Warts and all, though, American Apparel actively avoids promoting sweatshop labor by manufacturing all of its clothes in a Los Angeles factory. Whether those clothes are fashionable is another debate: Do people outside of Brooklyn actually wear a “Shiny Suspender Swimsuit” or an “Acid Wash Jersey Deep V-Neck Short Sleeve Summer T”? But to each his or her own—especially since the store also sells plain old sweatshirts and dresses.
American Apparel is without a doubt one of the most eccentric companies in the clothing industry. It’s one of the few that advocate comprehensive immigration reform—even going as far as comparing U.S. immigration policy to apartheid in its ads. Of course, American Apparel’s better-known ads—the ones stocked with scrawny, scantily clad scenesters posing suggestively—border on amateur porn. Warts and all, though, American Apparel actively avoids promoting sweatshop labor by manufacturing all of its clothes in a Los Angeles factory. Whether those clothes are fashionable is another debate: Do people outside of Brooklyn actually wear a “Shiny Suspender Swimsuit” or an “Acid Wash Jersey Deep V-Neck Short Sleeve Summer T”? But to each his or her own—especially since the store also sells plain old sweatshirts and dresses.
Ten Thousand Villages
Not only does Ten Thousand Villages observe nonprofit and fair-labor practices, the shop features a selection of products that’s the epitome of diversity. Strolling along its shelves is like taking a whirlwind tour of the planet; everything from scarves and handmade soaps to musical instruments and recycled glass pitchers are for sale. The store even carries soup-mix packets from Denver’s own Women’s Bean Project—a charitable business that helps women end cycles of addiction and abuse by employing them to manufacture natural foods and products. And even though Ten Thousand Villages probably isn’t an ideal place to shop for your adolescent, mall-frequenting sister or nephew, it’s definitely suitable for crossing a few lines off the grownups’ list.
Not only does Ten Thousand Villages observe nonprofit and fair-labor practices, the shop features a selection of products that’s the epitome of diversity. Strolling along its shelves is like taking a whirlwind tour of the planet; everything from scarves and handmade soaps to musical instruments and recycled glass pitchers are for sale. The store even carries soup-mix packets from Denver’s own Women’s Bean Project—a charitable business that helps women end cycles of addiction and abuse by employing them to manufacture natural foods and products. And even though Ten Thousand Villages probably isn’t an ideal place to shop for your adolescent, mall-frequenting sister or nephew, it’s definitely suitable for crossing a few lines off the grownups’ list.
MomentuM
Although MomemtuM is a partner store of Ten Thousand Villages, it carries a wider variety of fair-trade products from different artisan groups around the globe. But MomentuM is unique for entirely different reasons: According to its owners’ strict ecological convictions, the store runs on 100-percent wind power; its walls are insulation with recycled jeans and T-shirts; and its countertops are salvaged from the old Rocky Mountain News building. So while MomentuM is a great place to find a Christmas present, it’s also a shrine to environmental minimalism. And if you care enough to support sweatshop-free labor, why not give a little gift to nature as well?
Although MomemtuM is a partner store of Ten Thousand Villages, it carries a wider variety of fair-trade products from different artisan groups around the globe. But MomentuM is unique for entirely different reasons: According to its owners’ strict ecological convictions, the store runs on 100-percent wind power; its walls are insulation with recycled jeans and T-shirts; and its countertops are salvaged from the old Rocky Mountain News building. So while MomentuM is a great place to find a Christmas present, it’s also a shrine to environmental minimalism. And if you care enough to support sweatshop-free labor, why not give a little gift to nature as well?
