IRIS HANTVERK | Visually Empowered

 

How many brushes do you have in your house? It's probably not a question you stop to ask yourself very often. Think about it now. Which rooms do you most often use them in? How often do you need to replace them? What are they made out of? 

The unfortunate truth is that most households probably own at least two if not more brushes that are made out of plastic. Every time you have to replace one of them, they are likely being tossed into the garbage. Plastic brushes are usually designed with multiple materials, be it different plastics or the addition of a handle in rubber, making them difficult to recycle. Frustrating!

Iris Hantverk has been doing their best not to contribute to that conundrum for over 100 years. Established in 1870, they started as a small collective of visually impaired craftsmen scattered across Sweden. Supporting and employing the visually impaired community was a pillar of their company, one that still stands strong today even though the company has changed hands. Transitioning ownership in the past decade we imagine wasn't easy, but the current owners seem to have a true love for how the company is run and what they create. They have pushed beyond their borders for production, and now also collaborate with a team of visually impaired workers in Estonia. Their inclusive efforts are supported by Blindas Väl, a Swedish association that helps create and support employment opportunities for the visually impaired.

It is truly remarkable that the craftsmen that put these items together never get to fully appreciate the beauty of the work they create. We have to imagine that these hand drawn brushes are done mostly by feel; by sensitive fingers that have built an intimate knowledge of the machines and materials over years of use. Employees will stay with Iris Hantverk for a very long time, even decades, honing skills and benefitting from an excellent employment opportunity where they get to be creative.

Creating sustainable household options might not have been their main goal when the company was started, but it is inherent in their products. All their items are made with mostly natural materials. The oak, beech, and birch wood for their brushes comes mainly from Sweden, as does the linseed oil they use to treat the wood. The bristles are made mostly from horse hair, and attached using wire. (For some really interesting footage of the construction of the brushes, check out this short video.)

We love that Iris Hantverk has such a rich history, and that the current owners are so invested in keeping the purpose and integrity of the company intact. They are an inspirational company bringing sustainable, beautiful goods to market that take us back to the most important and basic principles of creating: timeless design, simple materials, and quality construction.

It really is easier to choose more sustainable options for household necessities than people seem to think. You just have to look in the right places. The more you are conscious of these kinds of things, the more you notice them, and the less of an impact your household will have on our planet.

We are excited to stock up on all our Iris Hantverk favourites for the holidays, plus a few fun new items - like Soap on a Rope! Check them out here. 

from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/iris-hantverk

COOL DOWN | Changing Seasons, Changing Climates

As we come into winter, we notice the wind nipping at our noses, frozen fingertips fumble with keys and shopping bags, and leaving the house without a jacket is no longer an option. While our attention is pulled towards this frosty weather, the awareness we have around climate change may wane. There (thankfully) aren't forest fires, droughts, and hurricanes on the news every day reminding us that the world has become a more volatile environment. Here in the Pacific Northwest, at least the southern part, we don't see much of the extreme cold snaps that other parts of the world experience, although we know they're happening. 

The easiest term to associate with Climate Change is Global Warming, which often makes people think of summer, of hot, hot heat, and limited water. However, during the colder, often wetter months, these issues don't go away, they are just less prominent. As winter sets in, dropping temperatures don't fix the damage that has been done, nor do they mean that the changes are slowing down. It is important for us to keep in mind year round the impacts our consumption has on the globe, perhaps especially so when these changes aren't consistently brought to our attention.

When we think cold, we think of white landscapes, thick ice, snowy tundra, and frigid waters. Realistically, all of those things are high on the list of the items most indisputably affected by human driven climate change. And they are all intricately connected.

Ice Caps & Glaciers

It's difficult to ignore the disappearing ice caps and glaciers; we can see it happening so clearly. As they melt, the resulting rush of fresh water has to go somewhere, and that somewhere is mostly the ocean. This contributes to rising oceans that threaten a large degree of our coastal population (as Islanders, this really concerns us!). It can increase erosion, interfere with freshwater sources, disrupt currents, and contribute to extreme weather occurrences. It also deteriorates the ecosystems of land dwelling animals residing in ice covered tundras and polar habitats. With the rising temperatures, summers lengthen and these geological features don't have the time they need to recover and are slowly fading away.

Chionophiles

These are animals that thrive in cold weather conditions. They have adapted to living with at least some level of ice and snow all year round. Now their survival is being challenged with summers that take away nearly all the ice they depend upon, and not enough is returning in the winter. As their food sources and living areas shrink, so do their populations. Animals like Arctic Foxes, Caribou, Narwhal, the Beluga Whale, the Pacific Walrus, and the iconic Polar Bear are threatened by the changes in their habitats, not only from Climate Change, but other human driven activities. We have already lost so many species, we need to fight for those that remain.

Oceans

Though we know that the dark winter waters would be freezing to our touch, even in the colder months the temperature increases in our oceans are still effecting every organism that resides in our salty waters. As National Geographic tells us, marine ecosystems seem to react more sensitively to changes than land environments. That means even though they are changing slowly, when they do, the consequences may be even more drastic. Like an entire coral reef dying, or food sources disappearing, causing species extinction (We urge you to give their findings a deeper read!). Some of the smallest species in the ocean, like phytoplankton, are very sensitive to shifts in their environment. Considering that "half of the world's oxygen is produced via phytoplankton photosynthesis..." (National Geographic), we should be taking these changes very seriously.

The implications that these changes have are far greater than we can briefly discuss, and there are so many more we haven't even touched on. We bring them to your attention though, to encourage everyone to live more mindfully, especially with the cold holiday season approaching. This time of year, we are tempted to leave our cars idling to keep them warm, purchase novelty gifts that will quickly end up in the bin, and make choices of convenience to avoid dealing with the weather. We're asking you to keep your mindfulness cap on (switch it for a toque if you need to), and make decisions with the greater good of our environment in mind. We all live here, we all need to continue doing so, we can all do our part. 

from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/changing-seasons-changing-climates

COOL DOWN | Changing Seasons, Changing Climates

As we come into winter, we notice the wind nipping at our noses, frozen fingertips fumble with keys and shopping bags, and leaving the house without a jacket is no longer an option. While our attention is pulled towards this frosty weather, the awareness we have around climate change may wane. There (thankfully) aren't forest fires, droughts, and hurricanes on the news every day reminding us that the world has become a more volatile environment. Here in the Pacific Northwest, at least the southern part, we don't see much of the extreme cold snaps that other parts of the world experience, although we know they're happening. 

The easiest term to associate with Climate Change is Global Warming, which often makes people think of summer, of hot, hot heat, and limited water. However, during the colder, often wetter months, these issues don't go away, they are just less prominent. As winter sets in, dropping temperatures don't fix the damage that has been done, nor do they mean that the changes are slowing down. It is important for us to keep in mind year round the impacts our consumption has on the globe, perhaps especially so when these changes aren't consistently brought to our attention.

When we think cold, we think of white landscapes, thick ice, snowy tundra, and frigid waters. Realistically, all of those things are high on the list of the items most indisputably affected by human driven climate change. And they are all intricately connected.

It's difficult to ignore the disappearing ice caps and glaciers; we can see it happening so clearly. As they melt, the resulting rush of fresh water has to go somewhere, and that somewhere is mostly the ocean. This contributes to rising oceans that threaten a large degree of our coastal population (as Islanders, this really concerns us!). It can increase erosion, interfere with freshwater sources, disrupt currents, and contribute to extreme weather occurrences. It also deteriorates the ecosystems of land dwelling animals residing in ice covered tundras and polar habitats. With the rising temperatures, summers lengthen and these geological features don't have the time they need to recover and are slowly fading away.

These are animals that thrive in cold weather conditions. They have adapted to living with at least some level of ice and snow all year round. Now their survival is being challenged with summers that take away nearly all the ice they depend upon, and not enough is returning in the winter. As their food sources and living areas shrink, so do their populations. Animals like Arctic Foxes, Caribou, Narwhal, the Beluga Whale, the Pacific Walrus, and the iconic Polar Bear are threatened by the changes in their habitats, not only from Climate Change, but other human driven activities. We have already lost so many species, we need to fight for those that remain.

Though we know that the dark winter waters would be freezing to our touch, even in the colder months the temperature increases in our oceans are still effecting every organism that resides in our salty waters. As National Geographic tells us, marine ecosystems seem to react more sensitively to changes than land environments. That means even though they are changing slowly, when they do, the consequences may be even more drastic. Like an entire coral reef dying, or food sources disappearing, causing species extinction (We urge you to give their findings a deeper read!). Some of the smallest species in the ocean, like phytoplankton, are very sensitive to shifts in their environment. Considering that "half of the world's oxygen is produced via phytoplankton photosynthesis..." (National Geographic), we should be taking these changes very seriously.

The implications that these changes have are far greater than we can briefly discuss, and there are so many more we haven't even touched on. We bring them to your attention though, to encourage everyone to live more mindfully, especially with the cold holiday season approaching. This time of year, we are tempted to leave our cars idling to keep them warm, purchase novelty gifts that will quickly end up in the bin, and make choices of convenience to avoid dealing with the weather. We're asking you to keep your mindfulness cap on (switch it for a toque if you need to), and make decisions with the greater good of our environment in mind. We all live here, we all need to continue doing so, we can all do our part. 

from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/cold-weather-impacts

IMPACTFUL INTERMISSION | Getting Away With Purpose

The minute hand strikes 'weekend' and you're off the clock. You and a group of your best buds pile into a car filled with backpacks, coolers, and road snacks. You've got the tunes cranked and you're on your way to backroads and evergreens. You drive through forests and fog, past shorelines and mountain tops. Its a few hours before you pull into the driveway of the cabin you've rented for the weekend. Everyone rolls out and ducks inside to claim a bed (and marvel at how clean it is). Maybe there is a hot tub. Maybe there is a gas cook top. Maybe there is a handwritten note of instructions. Whatever, wherever, you are staring at a few glorious days of time to yourselves. You take a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

Weekends away are usually about relaxing, socializing, taking a break. Most of us need that once in awhile. We need to shuffle our schedules and ruffle our feathers to bring variety to our lives. It can be a great way to release stress and refocus on what we really value. Whether it is time away together with friends or family, or time alone, it gives us the opportunity to connect. There might be someone you've been missing that you need a real heartfelt chat with. You might need to sit and journal to spend time with your own thoughts. Or it may be nature that you've been neglecting, and having the time to get outside and ground yourself is what you're really craving.

It could be all or any. Every trip is different, every person is different. While you're daydreaming up your next excursion, we encourage you to be mindful of the way you are planning to get away. It can be easy to let your principles drift to the back ground for a weekend and choose convenience over consciousness. It can be tough to keep your good habits up while you're travelling, but just because it is time off doesn't mean it should be a time out from respecting our planet.

When you're making your shopping list for the weekend, ask what everyone already has in their fridge to contribute to each meal instead of feeling like you need to purchase everything new (easier on the wallet too!). If you're cooking together a lot, there is bound to be at least a few leftovers. Toss in a couple of jars and reusable beeswax wraps to preserve anything that doesn't get eaten and bring it home as opposed to trashing it. Add in some reusable cloth napkins in case where you're staying doesn't have any, they will always be useful. Whatever your method of transportation is, you will be the ones who will have to haul anything you bring so consider items with multiple uses while you're packing. When you have an extra mason jar to fill with water or coffee, you'll thank yourself for thinking ahead!

When you're planning the activities for your trip and picking things like what restaurants you'll eat at, what hikes you'll do, how much leisure time you want, slot a block of time into the itinerary to complete a good deed. When you've already gone to the trouble of gathering your friends together to share in a wild experience, why not make it purposeful as well? It can be as easy as packing a few garbage bags into your pockets on your way to the beach you really want to visit and doing a bit of clean up.

There is so much ocean plastic washing up onto shores that gets ignored because we think there's no easy fix for it. Right now, the easy fix part is true. But we can still make a difference in our own small ways. We can choose to be leaders and inspire those who are watching us to find their own intrinsic motivation to be change makers. Guilt is a motivator often met with reluctance, but anyone can be reminded to be a little more mindful when we see others doing good.

You can be that inspirational person in a big way, or just within your own peer group. You don't have to preach, lead by example and invite others to join you in your appreciation of the natural beauty of this planet. Even if you just get people thinking, that could be the spark needed to change their habits and lifestyles for the better permanently. We know it's cliché, but you can be the change you want to see!

from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/tofino-girls-weekend

LAYER UP WITH BUTTON UPS | Rio and Ren

Layers. Every wardrobe needs them. It's how we transition from season to season as the temperatures change.They help us develop our own personal style. One such basic layer is the button up. What a versatile garment they are! From fancy to casual, from floral to charcoal, you can find the whole spectrum of styles, cuts, and shades in this one article.

We are happy to share that we have now introduced button ups into our line! Having a few dependable button ups that can go over any tee or tank is a must for us West Coasters. Anyone who has ever ventured out for a windy beach walk or sat around a campfire knows how valuable they can be. It is one of the most multi-season pieces you can own. We took ours in two different directions to suit the needs of the many.

RIO 

Rio is a cozy embrace. It is designed as a men's top, with more room in the shoulders and arms. We foresee it being the number one thing stolen out of a boyfriend's closet though. Or buy one for each of you, then no one has to share! Rock the oversized fit; tuck it in or roll up the sleeves if you need to. 

Flurry is our marbled blue made of 100% cotton to give it a soft finish and add structure to the fit. Our Navy and Coal are done in a tencel and cotton blend. The tencel adds in an extra bit of movement to the drape of the shirt and changes the feel to silky smooth.

REN

Ren is gentler. Onyx and Blush are made of a completely tencel fabric, to sway like silk, complementing your every movement, but not wrinkling with it. Our grey and white Mariner Stripe is a light linen with slightly more structure. Whichever fabric or colour, Ren is designed to be comfortable enough that you want to throw it on as a secondary layer for an outdoor excursion, or dress it up for a more formal occasion. 

As always, every fabric we used for these styles was so chosen because of it's properties of kindness. To our skin, to the Earth, to the ocean. Yes, we could use fabrics that are synthetically produced, but we want to feel good about what we are creating for the world. And we want you to feel good about what you're walking out the door in. 

Visit us at our Salt Spring Island and Victoria locations to try on our new styles, or order online from the comfort of your home anytime!

from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/rio-and-ren