IMPACT OF ONE | No cup, no coffee

Every one of us has a personal responsibility to our planet. No matter where you are, this Earth is your home. As we have said many times before, we need to find our collective voice to make a lasting difference. That all starts with us, one by one, making changes. 

At SALT, we have a store motto: No cup, no coffee. It is a mantra that encourages everyone to invest in re-useable containers for all kinds of food and drink. Single use items like coffee cups that use plastic lids, waste energy and clog our landfills. It is so avoidable too! It's really not that difficult to think ahead a little bit. You can invest in a nice, insulated to-go cup that will last decades, or you could even just re-purpose any jar in your kitchen. Cheap and easy! Same goes for your water bottle. Get a size that suits you, and fill it up before you leave the house.

So at work, if you forget your thermos or mug or mason jar, no coffee for you! Forget your re-useable water bottle? Man, is it going to be a thirsty day! By sticking to this commitment, on those days we forget we will suffer the consequences by missing out. Hopefully, this will encourage us to make these habits so second nature that we won't go another day without hydrating. We will be those people who have a jar in our car, purse, and at work so we always have an on the go option that we can reuse. 

A culture of convenience was created from the development of production technologies that allowed us to manufacture cups and containers on a massive scale. This paved the way for the "To-Go" option from coffee shops and restaurants, making it so easy for us to leave food prep to someone else, not worrying about the consequences.

This happened decades ago, and it seems like the after-math has only started to dawn on people in the past few years. There have always been strong advocates of environmental sustainability, but it is more mainstream now. The younger generations are making it cool to shop in thrift stores again, and becoming more vocal and aware. Things like making your own pour over coffee at home or bringing a salad in a mason jar are popular. We encourage these trends to continue! They not only make sense, but they are cheaper! If you have the luxury of being able to shop for a full house of groceries every week, chances are you can find a few minutes to meal-plan so your lunches are as easy as dumping leftovers into a glass container. You'll save money by not eating out everyday and you'll have the satisfaction of saving a to-go container from the landfill.

Who is with us?! Adopt a No cup, No coffee policy for your work and home life. Together, we will make a difference, one caffeinated creation at a time.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT  |  #NOCUPNOCOFFEE

from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/impact-of-one-no-cup-no-coffee

OUTERWEAR IS HERE | Reef + Indra

The jacket. This time of year, it may be the only piece of your outfit that anyone notices. So make it count. Our top layer isn't just for keeping the heat in, it can be the statement that ties together our whole outfit. Some top style experts will say never buy a boring jacket. Words to live by!

We are so excited to add our first outerwear pieces to our SALT line. We created a  long and a short option to suit different styles and different seasons. 

Indra Jacket  |

A long-bomber made to protect your hips and your thighs from dripping skies. Style and function don't have to duke it out. Indra is as well suited for a wet-hike as it is for a street stroll. The repreve outer layer offers waterproof protection with a matte finish. Repreve touts itself as the world's leading recycled fibre. Take a minute to watch their impressive video of how they take plastic bottles and turn them into fabric!

 

Reef Crop Bomber   |

The Reef Crop Bomber was born by fluke. While perfecting the shoulders for the Indra, we ordered a sample that was only the top. Turns out, it looked great when you cut it in half too (well, you know what we mean). A few tweaks and the Reef was on the drawing board!

Chambray gives you the style of a jean jacket, without the restrictive stiffness. With the short hem, classic black adds a moto-vibe. Repreve shows up again to keep water rolling to the ground. This shorty-style is great with a crop top and anything high-waisted. Throw it on in Spring to cap off an outfit, day or night.

 

Both jackets are collared and cuffed with a soft, cotton rib characteristic of a bomber style that will keep your sleeves in place. Deep pockets and soft linings are the finishing touches on two styles that are made to last.

A good outwear piece is an investment that will pay you back every time you put it on. Share with us your favourite way to wear these West Coast inspired topcoats. We love to see what you do with our duds!

Shop These Styles Now! 

from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/outerwear-is-here-reef-indra

SALT STATEMENT | Plastic Free Operations

At the beginning of this year, we sat down to set our 2018 intentions. We cleared our minds and asked ourselves what we really wanted to accomplish this year. Not heavy at all, right?? A big theme that is always on our minds is keeping plastics and other garbage out of our precious oceans. So we had to ask ourselves, "What else can we be doing to prevent this problem?" Again, so many things! We always try to be conscious in our every day lives, but we wanted to go beyond that. So, we made a big goal that we'd like to share with you: SALT is plastic free in our daily operations by the end of 2018.

We are excited! This goal will be a filter to keep us conscious of every decision we make from now on. From design to production to inventory to your home, what along our supply chain incorporates plastic? There will be things we can't control, but what we want to focus on is that when you take home an item that we have created, no plastic follows you.

We are putting our brains towards things like finding sustainable options for our hangtags and labels. That means no plastic tag fasteners. We are exploring sourcing product tags made from an organic material like cotton that can be printed or embroidered. Our paper shoppers are already plastic free, but we do need to source a new option for our shipping packaging that will keep your items safe without using plastic. (Have you heard about the advancements mushroom packaging has been making?? Pretty rad!) 

Every year, billions of tons of plastics end up in our oceans, which is pretty intense considering all those plastics were produced on land. Humans are the ones letting them make their way to our waters. As we have discussed before, one-time use items like straws, bottles, and bags are big culprits. Our marine life are suffering, as they mistake these items for food, or become entangled in garbage that eventually drowns them. Plastic debris releases toxins into the water, effecting marine ecosystems and habitats, which eventually make it full circle back into the food sources we pillage from the waters. Salmon with a side of BPA anyone?

There are some times when plastic can be a good option, or at least a long-lasting one. For example, we use mason jars a lot in out lives. For storage, for preserving, as a cup or bowl. The metal lids that are used have a thin band of silicone on the bottom to create a seal. These lids can be used only once for canning and many times after to store dry goods, but when consistently using them to cap off a container filled with liquid, the lids tend to rust and eventually wear out. The silicone makes this lid difficult to recycle. They can be re-purposed to things like garden markers, but in terms of a lid for your drinking jar, a re-useable plastic option can actually last longer. If you get a quality one and take care of it, you could use it for a lifetime. 

The tricky thing is, what happens long term? Most mainstream plastics are produced with polymers that won't breakdown for centuries. We have got to change our mentality as a society. The "produce now, worry about it later" attitude can only last so long, and at what cost? Our planet will reach a breaking point eventually, one we would rather not test. 

In the current state of the world, running a small business and still having complete control over your supply chain can be challenging. There is a lot of trust involved, and also a lot of research. We hope that this year, we can take big steps in our own operations to make our business as sustainable as possible. We want to be mindful of the little details that we can make a choice about and to be constantly educating ourselves on how we can do better. We love our Oceans and our Earth!

We work to source from other small companies who are just as conscious as we are. Check them out and always let us know if you have any questions about the other brands we carry!

from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/plastic-free-operations

MAAPS | Incensed

Smoke rising through the air in your home is usually a bad sign: someone burned dinner, the fireplace isn't drafting; in general fire inside isn't a good thing. When that smoke slowly rises in whirls from the tip of a resin coated bamboo stick, that is another story.

The tradition of incense burning goes back a long way. Evidence of it's use has been found in many ancient civilizations, in Egypt, Babylonia, China, India, Japan, and early South America. It is used in therapy, mediation, ceremony, and is often associated with religious rites in many cultures.

"Incense was employed to counteract disagreeable odours and drive away demons and was said both to manifest the presence of the gods (fragrance being a divine attribute) and to gratify them....Historically, the chief substances used as incense were such resins as frankincense and myrrh, along with aromatic wood and bark, seeds, roots, and flowers." www.britannica.com

Cleansing our air and the energy in our homes is a refreshing idea that has been around for what seems to be centuries. It is said that incense increases positive energy, and decreases negative energy. This shift creates an environment that can boost motivation, focus, and creativity by putting you in a productive, relaxed state of mind. You could find yourself with reduced tension, anxiety, and depression, even with better sleep. 

While not used in Western medicine often, Eastern practitioners will use certain incense blends as anti-septics, burning them through out hospitals to disinfect not just the air, but the whole environment.

In 2017, we discovered MAAPS incense on Instagram and were captured by their sense of style and scent. Creative packaging, geometric holders, and rich earthy scents are the reasons their products caught our eyes. With a 45 minute burn time, they fill your home with dreamy fragrance combinations like Vanilla, Tobacco + Oaked Bourbon or Grapefruit, Corriander + Honey Blossom. 

MAAPS was born from the desire of a husband and wife team, Johan and Charlene, wanting to work together and fill the niche for a "...well-designed, high quality incense collection that existed on the same level as candles." By capitalizing on a personal relationship they had with a family who "... had decades of experience in aromatherapy and essential oils," they were able to bring their project to life, Johan bringing with him fifteen years of experience in the retail world. With 10-month old son Johan Luka Jr, and two other big careers on the go, time is their "...most treasured resource." MAAPS happens after hours, when family has been attended to, and packaging incense can be done in the comfort of the living room.

Creating scents can be tricky, but the MAAPS team has a great approach.

"Our top priority is balance. We want to make sure our scents are well-rounded and don't stray too far into any one direction. We know that scent is extremely subjective, so we aim to make our collection appeal to a wide audience, without being too masculine or feminine."

Whether you are like Johan and use incense to reset the house after dinner or set the stage for hosting guests, or you prefer to burn as a way to calm you down after a long day, we think that MAAPS' clever scent blends offer something for everyone.

 

We love having these smokey sticks on our shelves and in our homes, and so have our SALT guests. This week, pair your favourite MAAPS scent with one of their beautiful incense holders and enjoy 35% off with our Swell Winter Sale on until January 27th!

 

Sources:

https://taodewan.com/benefits-of-burning-incense/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/incense 

from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/maaps-incensed

COLLABORATION | In It Together

Our founder Jessica is a visionary, a force of creativity, a leader. Despite her boundless abilities in areas such as design, photography, website creation, event coordination (really, the girl is a powerhouse), and more, she is always on the lookout for other like-minded talents that she can work together with in her business and her personal projects.

Top of mind for her whenever she dives into something new is what the impact will be. The environment, and specifically the ocean, is the first thing that she considers, and a close second is the stakeholders. She looks first to the people in her life that she knows personally and how they can be included. Even if the arrangement will benefit them, and not her or her business, she will be the first to offer an opportunity to team up.

Doing a photoshoot? Who does she know that would appreciate having photos of themselves? Or what great photographer could she partner with? Writing a blog post? What awesome local and/or Canadian brand could she feature? 

If you ask her why she approaches her business with a collaboration-over-competition mentality, she'll say "We're all in this together." It's just that simple. And why not take the time to be kind, especially within the small business community? Why not share awesome brands made by other entrepreneurs? Starting a business from a burning desire to create something new is a lot of work, and since we know what that's like, we celebrate it!

It could be argued that not every business has the luxury of this mentality, but we beg to differ. Considering we are younger than two years, and started from the vision of just one person, we wouldn't necessarily be considered one of those companies with a lot of "luxuries" (you know, like free time, million dollar bottom line, or even a back office). From the beginning, as a business owner you get to choose what you stand for. As businesses get bigger, more public, it's not impossible that it will become a beast of it's own and run away from it's original intention. You have to find like-minded people who are committed every day to keeping your mission alive and your message on point.

Running a successful business may generate revenue, but building a brand gives you a platform to share what you're passionate about. At SALT, among other things, we are passionate about the Ocean. What can we do to take care of it? How can we give back to the Earth that sustains us? Making a difference doesn't happen overnight, but the more we talk about it and educate ourselves, the more of an impact we can have. The shift we need to make world wide change is going to happen slowly, and hopefully everyone will become inspired to work together, like one big global collaboration. We hope that the ripples we cast from sharing what we're passionate about will contribute to this positive change.

Our newest way to connect with our community will be to launch our SALT Ambassador Program. We want to curate a small group of awesome mavens and influencers who we feel represent what we are about. We want to feature them, learn from them, and make them a part of the SALT team. We are so excited for this next step. More to come soon! 

The photos we have included in this post are a product of multiple collaborations. The shots are taken by the lovely Meghan at Sweet Heirloom Photography. Many of the props, like the candles, scarf, and sheep skins were provided by Fever Tree, a local Salt Spring Island shop. From SALT we see MAAPS incense, The Fox Tarot cards, and Leaves of Trees hand cream, all small brands carried in-store and online. Jess is wearing an Aritzia sweater, Blundstone boots, Hart + Stone jewelry and a Wish You Were Northwest toque. 

We love involving people and businesses from all over in our shenanigans both serious and fun, especially when we can work with them face to face. If you love something we do, we want to hear from you! If you think we'd be friends, we want to hear from you too! Let's do something awesome.

See you out there. #wereinthistogether

from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/collaboration-in-it-together

WINTER WARM-UP | Move

When you wake up before dark, it's raining, it's cold, and your bed is so cozy you want to stay there all day, it is easiest to hit the snooze button and snuggle in. What you really should do is GET UP! GET OUT! GET MOVING!

We do know that the winter chill can be extremely unmotivating to getting outside. We're not saying it has to be first thing in the morning, everyone's schedules are different. Who wants to brave the frozen trails and icy rain when we could be inside with a cup of tea? We can't let it keep us down though. Our muscles need to be challenged all year round. Weather be damned, there are all kinds of ways we can get the blood flowing!

• Hiking: Grab a buddy and get out on those trails. The woods are transformed this time of year into the true rain forests that they are. Appreciate the dripping needles and foggy views that make us appreciate the warm summer months all the more. Do watch out for soggy moss and slippery rocks!

• Biking: As long as you are wary of dim twilights and slick asphalt, biking can be a year round sport. Wether you are on the roads or on the trails, two wheels can take you a long way without jarring your joints and working up an appetite. 

• Spin: All the benefits of biking in a warm, dry space. Plus, the added benefit of an instructor keeping you accountable and turning up your resistance. The camaraderie of a class based workout will push you to leave it all on the seat.

• Boot Camp: While for some people the pumping music and group sweat vibe can be too much. If it is your jam, it is a great way to get a full body workout that ups your heart rate. If you've never been, drop into a class and see if it's you're thing. You never know, you might love it!

• Yoga: At a studio or in your living room with an instructor on YouTube to guide you, lengthening your muscles and grounding your mind has so many benefits. You will probably challenge all kinds of areas that you don't activate in your every day life, offering you overall strength and flexibility. 

• Weights: Strength training isn't always as easy as just picking up something heavy and putting it down again. It is however, extremely important for our bodies. If you are new to it, invest in a few sessions with a personal trainer, or at least do your research to avoid injury. 

• Running: Good old fashioned one foot in front of the other. Mix it up between early road runs to catch some of the morning light, and weekend trail excursions. Despite the great cardiovascular workout, constant pounding of the pavement can be tough on your knees and ankles, so make sure you have good footwear and jump to cusheony chip trails when possible.

Whatever it is that keeps you moving, you need only to set aside 30-60 minutes a day at the least. Don't let the winter freeze you in place! Healthy bodies mean happy minds.

from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/cold-weather-exercise-1

ADVENTURE 06 | HELICOPTER HOVER

I come by my sense of adventure honestly. My parents are always moving. They are constantly exploring new places and live in a constant state of change. They instilled in me a curiosity for newness and for challenge. It is one of the driving forces behind everything I do.

When it comes to celebrating birthdays, I figured for the Dad who has everything and is always looking for a thrill, why not get him something that we can experience together. Helicopter ride over the Fitzsimmons Mountain Range in Whistler? Sounded good to me! 

I signed us up for a 45 minute midday flight with Blackcomb Helicopters. In talking with our pilot, I learned that when they're not touring, the company spends most of their flight hours assisting with search and recovery emergencies such as avalanche rescues and missing persons. Life-saving pilots are pretty cool in my books!

The world below us was a blanket of white, so bright and deep that is appeared to glow blue in places. We flew over steep peaks, marshmallow forests, and smooth slopes tempting the most daring of skiers. Looped around the jagged Black Tusk mountain peak, a distinctive beacon even buried in snow. We spend so much of our days staring down at a screen, at our footsteps, it was a rare treat to be able to gaze down on such spectacular scenery. It reminded me that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves, a good thing to keep in mind when we let the many small stresses of everyday life overwhelm us.

At one point, conversation turned to climate and how glaciers that have been shaping our environment for centuries are starting to retreat. The pilots that have been flying these peaks for years may not see each inch that disappears year over year, but they have noticed the landscape changing.

There are a lot of Climate Change critics out there that would like us to believe that everything is fine, but it's hard to debate something that you can watch disappear with your own eyes. There is so much information out there on the subject, it can be difficult to grasp! This National Geographic article discusses the impacts that shrinking glaciers are having on our world, such as the loss of fresh water, salinity of our oceans, loss of coastlines, extreme weather, and more. The scariest thing about it all seems to be the comparatively rapid rate at which these changes are occurring. 

"Things that normally happen in geologic time are happening during the span of a human lifetime...Scientists point out that sea levels have risen and fallen substantially over Earth's 4.6-billion-year history. But the recent rate of global sea level rise has departed from the average rate of the past two to three thousand years and is rising more rapidly—about one-tenth of an inch a year. A continuation or acceleration of that trend has the potential to cause striking changes in the world's coastlines." - National Geographic

Our planet is amazing at adapting, but it can only do so at a rate that is natural to it's ecosystem. Nature's systems are closed loops, they don't create waste that they cannot deal with, something that we as humans unfortunately cannot claim of most of our production systems.

These thoughts became all the more pertinent when we touched down on a glacier to experience it's beauty and complexity firsthand. Getting out into your natural habitat isn't only about viewing it's awe-inspiring vistas, it is about appreciating what we are fighting to preserve. Staying in tune with our ecosystems keeps us mindful of our own lifestyles, reminding us that we are not only experiencing this Earth for ourselves now, but are borrowing it from future generations.

Getting an aerial view gave me a higher perspective on the type of beauty we are working to protect. It was also a great way to connect with my Dad and experience something new together. My family has always taught me that making adventure-filled memories together is important, a tradition I am happy to carry on!

from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/adventure-06-helicopter-hover