Angela Hamilton

Thrift First, But Bookmark These Sustainable Basics for Backup

updated on March 27, 2025 by Angela Hamilton

Let’s not kid ourselves, it’s near impossible to rely on thrift stores for your entire wardrobe or every shopping need. Some things are more difficult to secure in general, and your luck often just depends on where you are and when. Sometimes I have better luck with sweaters and fun blouses at thrift shops than with basic tanks and tees. I suppose that’s why over the years I’ve invested in new sustainable basics more often than other pieces of clothing (I’ve always had decent luck with dresses, for example). Buying pre-loved will always be more sustainable than purchasing new, but it’s not always practical. So for those times you find yourself ready to invest in new clothing, I wanted to round up a few ethical alternatives for your shopping list.

Perfect Linen Top

Etsy seller Love and Confuse crafts the dreamiest 100% linen apparel, like June Linen Wrap Top. They also offer button ups, crop tops, long sleeves, and more.

Whether it’s a slouchy v-neck like this terracotta top, boxy t-shirt, dress, or even trousers, Linen Fox has tons of ethical basics in a variety of colors and sizes.

Cozy Long-Sleeve

You may have heard of Pact Apparel, as they are known for their earth-friendly wardrobe staples for men, women, baby, and kids. Their Rib crop long sleeve would get endless uses here in the PNW.

Offered in a similar colorway, LA Relaxed’s ribbed funnel top is cozy and light.

High Neck Tank

LA Relaxed also has a mock neck tank (made of organic cotton with 8% Spandex), which has a slight crop and slim fit.

A Relaxed Short Sleeve Tee

Los Angeles ethical fashion brand Mate is all about clean basics, whether it’s tees and tanks, lounge or activewear for adults and kids. BTW, I own several joggers from Mate and love them all, too.

Denim

Amour Vert sources their denim from AGOLDE (like the high waist jeans above) and Citizens of Humanity because they cut to order and let demand drive production.

There’s always RE/DONE, if you have the funds. How I live for a good black skinny jean. Since they began partnering with Levi’s, they’ve diverted 158,000 pairs from landfills by reconstructing vintage denim.

I’m pretty pro at the secondhand denim hunt by now, so out of every pair I own, only two were purchased new and they were from Just Black Denim, via Eco Vibe Apparel. If I remember correctly Just Black does make jeans that contain polyester + rayon. So it’s worth noting that they’re not the most sustainable option. It’s SO hard (and so important) to find a pair of jeans you really love, and their skinnies are it for me and one of the only ethical denim brands under $100, so I’m posting with that caveat.

Looking for more sustainable denim options? Check out our guide to sustainable jeans brands here!

Easy Day Dress

Dreaming of warmer days, thanks to the Olivia Linen Dress from Two Days Off, which comes in three shades.

Handmade linen clothing brand OffOn offers 100% linen dresses in airy feminine cuts (like this tiered linen dress) with the ability to customize size.

The Perfect Crewneck Sweatshirt

I could wear the Ami Sweatshirt in Canyon (or Dusty Rose!), from, Aliya Wanek allll the livelong day. Made and dyed in Oakland, and an organic hemp/cotton blend.

When I originally wrote this post, I linked to a dreamy white crewneck from Amour Vert. They no longer sell it, so I recommend this organic terry raglan sweatshirt from Mate.

Object Apparel is one of my favorite sources for eco friendly, organic basics. They offer handmade unisex sweats, underwear, and other essentials. This cloud crewneck is on my wishlist, and they have several other sweatshirt designs that are just as cute! I also love that they ship plastic-free.

Looking for more sustainable basics? Check out our post on the top eco conscious underwear brands!

Ethically Made Overalls Do Exist, Here’s 9 Worth Saving Your Pennies For

updated on May 1, 2023 by Angela Hamilton

Edit: We wrote this list of ethically made overalls back in 2019 and have updated it a couple times over the years with more finds. I’m so happy to see that this article is still getting some love–that means more and more of you are looking for ethical alternatives to your favorite wardrobe staples. Yay! As you can imagine many of our picks have long since sold out, so I’ve gone ahead and found more to choose from in 2023! I’ll leave the others at the bottom of the post (a few are still available!) so you can still find the image credits, but first, here are 9 new overalls to check out now:

Voyage Overalls by Outerknown $168

Loose Linen Jumpsuit from Not Perfect Linen, $136 / available in literally every color!

Casey Classic Denim Overalls Dark Indigo from Universal Standard $148

Organic Corduroy Dungarees from Lucy & Yak that come in so many incredible hues! $83 / Be sure to check out their full overalls collection for more fabrics and prints, from classic denim to linen and everything in between.

Organic Stretch Dungarees from Baukjen $190

Washed Linen Overall from Not Perfect Linen, $123 / BTW, this shop has pretty limited sizing on their dropdown menu, but in the description you’ll see they also do custom sizing!

The 2001 Full-Length Womens Overall by Uskees from Wolf & Badger

The Miner Overalls in Natural Canvas from Hey Gang (unisex) $295

Indigo Stripe Organic Stretch Overalls from Baukjen $203

From original post: Crafting an ethical closet is about replacing many little would-be purchases with a few quality, responsibly-made, necessities. If you’re the type to breathe versatility into a two-item outfit, you’ll quickly recognize the endless fashion opportunities that the coveted overall provides. Find 9 of our current fave ethically made overalls—in irresistible hues from candy colors to warm earth tones—below.

Lacausa Marcel Overalls from BellJar / $148 / Ethically made in downtown LA

BackBeatCo Twill Overall / $220 / Made of Hemp

Cassidy Overall from Reformation / $178 / Made in LA of recycled cotton

Kern Overall in Honey Canvas from Lykke Wullf / $288 / 100% cotton made in LA

North of West Ariel Upcycled Overalls – Terracotta from Made Trade / $130 (sold out)

Loose linen jumpsuit overall from Not Perfect Linen / Available in 4 colors / $110

Side note: Another favorite linen shop on Etsy is LoveandConfuse.

Francis Overalls in Denim from Arnhem / 97% sustainable cotton / $110

Organic Originals in Clay from Sancho’s / Organic cotton ethically handmade in India / $60

James denim overalls in oat from Boutonne / $218 / Ethically made in San Diego

Ginger Cord Overall from Arnhem / 97% sustainable cotton / $58

Rosie Workwear Overalls from Lykke Wullf / $288 / 100% Deadstock Japanese denim made in LA

Kay, gonna need to establish an overall fund or something.

8 Simple, Beautiful Zero Waste Starter Kits for the Absolute Beginner

updated on April 20, 2023 by Angela Hamilton

I’d definitely consider myself a low-waste advocate—I’ve long boycotted many things single use—but even going mostly zero waste is a whole new level of commitment I can’t say I’ve yet mastered. That’s the thing, you may read an article, hear a story, or see a film that inspires you to jump on the zero waste train, but I think most of us really just do what we can, learn a little more, then do a little more, and so on. Not to mention, what you can feasibly do is largely determined by your location, finances, family you support, and lifestyle in general. Living a low waste lifestyle in Seattle is so much easier for me than it was when I lived in Los Angeles, and LA already has a lot more systems in place and support when it comes to green living than other parts of the US. It’s all relative. But no matter where you or or what your ambitions may be, these zero waste kits should help you ease into a sustainable lifestyle at your own pace.

8 zero waste kits for beginners

Making or purchasing a zero waste starter kit is an important (if symbolic more than anything) first step, but it is only one step. It’s a journey, not a destination, you know? And these simple zero waste starter kits are designed to set you on your way with ease:

Ecozied’s zero waste gift set is an affordable, thorough and practical package for anyone starting on a sustainable living journey. It includes eco dish cloths, wax food wrap, dish sponge, brushes, and toothbrushes and floss!

Package Free has great deals on their kits right now. Shown above are their Laundry Kit (excited to try their stain stick!) and Cleaning Kit. Find more Package Free zero waste kits here.

Tare Market’s Zero waste market kit contains a mesh bag, produce bags, beeswax wraps, straw and utensils, and comes package-free.

Coming from La Pepa Boutique in the UK, this starter kit has different sized bags, an organic cotton bath puff (cute, huh?), organic hemp cotton face pads, and crochet face scrubbies.

This bundle from self proclaimed plastic haters MeMotherEarth hits all the essentials: produce bags, toothbrush, dish sponge, hand brush and more.

16 piece sustainable kitchen starter set by TheJewelryBx21

I love that brands are starting to combine wellness and self care packages with zero waste products! JnLNaturals offers a self care kit with handmade and personal care goodies like aluminum free deodorant, a face mask, konjac sponge and more. Such a good sustainable gift idea!

Lastly, shout out to Eco Collective and Public Goods + Services here in Seattle. And if you’re looking for a bulk refill store in Seattle, The Naked Grocer is in Capitol Hill. These shops don’t have pre-packed kits for sale, but you can check off many of your zero waste necessities within them. Obviously, these are all just ideas and options for going the online route, but if you can get what you need at a local shop, even better!

Who here has a good go-to zero waste or plastic-free shop? Find more eco friendly finds here!

PS This is a 2023 update of a post originally published back in 2019! If you came here from Pinterest you might have seen some different photos. I’ve removed products that are no longer being offered and replaced them with fresh new ones you can find now. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about this update!

The Most Important Lesson I Learned from Marie Kondo

updated on June 7, 2023 by Angela Hamilton

It’s gratitude. You can all click out now. You’re welcome.

(Did I just kill this post?)

I did watch a few episodes of Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up on Netflix. It was cute. The families were sweet. I did tear up a bit, when watching during PMS. I also realized, god forbid, that it could use like 5% of the drama that Hoarders had. Maybe a few flashbacks, you know? What I’m saying is that I didn’t learn a ton from it, though I do think her methods are effective for keeping things organized, if you stick to them. Which is her MO. My heather gray sweatshirt collection thanks you, Mrs. K.

(Photo by Charity Hestead Kubena)

But the most important lesson I learned came from one of the very first lessons in the very first episode, and thankfully again and again afterward. It was to thank your belongings. This is not new, if you followed Marie Kondo before, you’ll know that she’s always promoted this idea of gratitude.

Upon tidying up some weeks afterward, I literally thanked a rock. It was a pretty white rock I’d gathered from who knows where, but that I added to my crystal collection, even though (as it knew) it was just a lowly rock. I said, “Thank you, rock.” But then. What to do? Unlike her clients, I wasn’t about to toss everything I own into some big white trash bag, and it wasn’t because I had that big of an attachment to any of it. It was because I didn’t want to waste. (And a rock is kind of a weird thing to throw away. I’ve also had this issue with pennies in the past. Like, I don’t need you, penny. You are a silly form of US currency. I would need 99 more of you to get anywhere.) My aversion to sending things to the landfill is as strong Ron’s love of baseball cards in episode 2. Also my affinity for rocks.

Like so many green living bloggers, it was a constant eye-roll moment for me, seeing people get rid of stuff in less-than-mindful ways. (We don’t really know what happens to it all, we can only shudder at the thought.) I think it was a little shocking for a lot of us, honestly, because it revealed the tension between movements like zero waste and minimalism.

Generally speaking, minimalism concerns itself more with the idea of peace of mind via detachment, which can sometimes (yet not always) come with a decreased carbon footprint. Meanwhile, zero waste is pretty pointedly about environmental impact, but doesn’t necessarily focus on the emotional benefits of less. Neither of them really address a person’s innate desire for creative expression—neither the visions of stark white walls nor neatly lined mason jars spark joy in an artist’s heart.

But both movements, and yes, even the KonMari method, evoke some degree of care, whether mindfulness toward earth, toward your mental state, or toward your belongings and how they surround you. And so no matter which speaks to you most, it seems most important to remember: say thanks.

Thank you, clothes, for I loved you once (inside a fluorescent department store dressing room).
Thank you, modest apartment, for you allow me a nice, warm space to snuggle pets.
Thank you, trash, for at one point you were treasure.
Thank you, clearance-Target ottoman, because you’re the ultimate scratching post for my cat.
Thank you, empty candle jars that I haven’t found time to clear, yet can’t bring to throw away.
Thank you, desk dad built, that I hope he doesn’t find out I don’t sit at.
Thank you, rock, because the memory of a second grade geologist wannabe gives me joy.

No matter if you trash it or keep it, recycle or upsycle, donate or sell. No matter if you’re for her or against, prefer to fold or to hang. We have to agree: She’s right. We should all be grateful for our stuff. For the lives we have and the privileges we enjoy. Thanks, Marie Kondo, for the reality check. I needed it.

Oh, and as for the rock: anyone know the right way to donate such a thing? Or should I release it at my local park? I couldn’t find a space for it inside, but I figured, I’d just put it on the patio and let it enjoy another spring.

It’s Time We Prioritized Experience as a Form of Self Care

updated on June 7, 2023 by Angela Hamilton

When I moved to Seattle last year, I knew I needed to commit to forming new creative connections. Having a solid personal community in the PNW was the #1 reason we left California—I mean, it wasn’t the beaches—but I knew I needed to put myself out there and find “my people” if I was actually going to build my empire (AKA copywriting biz), here in the land of trees and fresh air and water. A friend invited me to join her at a Social Creative workshop, so I signed up to create a macrame plant hanger surrounded by strangers at a venue downtown.

(Photo by Laura Marchbanks)

It was my first new social experience in Seattle and almost a year later, I still keep up with a few acquaintances from that workshop, the only plant I can seem to keep alive and flourishing is weaving its way down that macrame in my apartment window, and I’m still in touch with Amy, the founder of Social Creative, who you see in the following photos by Jess Flagel:

Last fall, I also started exploring a form of therapy called acceptance + commitment therapy, which is rooted in mindfulness. Self care took on a whole new meaning. Yeah, I’d been taking baths in my less-than-glamorous tub and had memorized the script to UCLA’s guided meditations, but this idea of embracing experience as a form of self care was a little different. For a socially anxious introvert, it was a push. It meant committing to an experience that I know might cause some discomfort in the beginning: not only investing money in an experience rather than a product, but simply showing up to an event where I knew maybe one or two individuals, and trusting that I’d value the outcome so much more.

Thinking back, I’ve actually put myself out there in this way many times in the past. And even when they didn’t turn out as amazing as my time with Social Creative did, I still took something from it, I still committed to doing something for myself just because I wanted to.

A few months back, I got the chance to chat with Amy about this very thing, about how some of the best forms of self care look a bit different than what Instagram might have you believe. It might just be committing to a meetup for the sake of good conversation. It might just be a couple hours crafting with new friends in a beautiful space, which is what Social Creative is all about.

We discussed how experience can be a form of self care, and here’s Amy’s take:

Self care is huge.

It’s one of the most nourishing, loving, responsible things we can do for ourselves. And it doesn’t have to come in a lotion, or a scrub, or any product purchase for that matter. It’s the gift of time. Time to be replenished, time to reflect, time to be excited, pampered and engaged, to be silly, to express yourself, and feel carefree.

Whether it is work, home, kids, the fast pace of life, or the constant face-down swirl of technology, we all deserve to take a pause in the form of self care experience. This means time set apart to experience joy, relationships, relaxation, creative freedom, and something for just you. This could a bath drawn with your favorite soak enhancements (by candlelight and with wine, of course) or hours blocked out on the calendar to explore and experience, at your leisure, all the things that spark joy.

It may also be an experience that provides a creative outlet, and fills your tank with warm conversation, delicious tastes, and thoughtful gestures. That is what Social Creative aims to do. We are an experience-based creative workshop that cultivates relationships, offers a space for life-giving, carefree fun, and provides some self care by way of food, drink, atmosphere and creativity. I wholeheartedly believe in the power of moments, creating memories, and dazzling all the senses. This is what experiences are about—and fond memories never expire. Exhale, experience, enjoy.

Photos from Jess Flagel Photography above are a peek at Social Creative’s upcoming jewelry design workshop with Ruth Ryan Jewelry on Sunday, March 24th at the Marian Built Loft in Seattle, WA. Locals, click here to save your seat.

Other upcoming spring experiences:
Cooking Elevated | April 18 with Not Without Salt
Floral Design & Watercolor | May 11 with Teressa Johnson Studio and The Mint Gardener
Social Engagement: Spirits | May 26 with Mischief Distillery

Social Creative is an elevated creative workshop experience: party meets workshop. Each workshop is created to be more of an experience. It is an event with cocktails, wine, good food, and ladies coming together in a hip Seattle venue with elevated touches everywhere. We partner with top Seattle creatives, artisans and local businesses to curate a one of a kind experience. Find us @socialcreativeworkshops www.wearesocialcreative.com.