Jennifer Andrew

About Jennifer Andrew

Jenn is a web developer, aspiring beekeeper, and all-around dreamer with west coast roots. She resides just above Portland, OR with her husbands and two kitties Penny and Twyla. While she’s not coding websites, you can find her reading a new book, doing a puzzle, or looking for pretty airbnbs for hours.

18 Sustainable Stocking Stuffers To Gift This Season

updated on February 3, 2023 by Jennifer Andrew

I love finding small thoughtful gifts for friends and family year round, so choosing stocking stuffers is definitely one of my favorite holiday rituals! And choosing sustainable stocking stuffers makes the process even more special. Much of my sustainability journey has been finding alternatives for personal items (beauty products, clothing, etc), but it’s also been about shopping sustainably for loved ones. You’ve probably heard that when you shop small, a small business owner does a little happy dance (it’s true!!). But that joyful feeling goes both ways. Shopping small during gifting season makes the experience so much less stressful and more enjoyable for everyone involved.

Here are some eco-friendly stocking stuffer ideas for everyone on your list (including a few from our own shop)!

where to buy sustainable stocking stuffers

column 1: tiered pom pom tassel by member tribe / lip-to-lid zero waste balmies by member axiology / lavender oversized silk scrunchie by charlie paisley / double dipped pink & lavender mug by sunflower studio pdx / sprinkles reusable dishcloths by hali hali design / high rise briefs in limited edition colors from member knickey (see our full review here)

column 2: mini rainbow notebook by moglea / moisturizing botanical bar by nopalera / bamboo charcoal makeup remover pads by clean circle / pastel pinwheel coaster set by eco club member KAZI / dark chocolate gift set by jcoco chocolate

column 3: clean lilac nail polish by BKIND / desert agave candle by TERRA (with plantable dust cover!) / duo-tone satin bow by member ks garner / seed salutations by modern sprout / heaven place mini puzzle from puzzle weekend / handmade natural scrunchies by member terrai

PS Wondering how to become a member of our sustainable directory? Membership is currently free to join, and this is a free resource we provide to our community of conscious consumers. We’re not paid to place these products in our gift guides, we only do because we love them (and the rest of the brands featured)! We review submissions every week and choose the brands that align with our ethical + sustainable shopping values and contain products we know our readers will love. Open to brands around the world, as long as they ship to USA. Click here to submit your brand!

18 Colorful Summer Finds For Styling Sustainable Outdoor Decor

updated on May 30, 2023 by Jennifer Andrew

June is here! With summer on the horizon, all we can think about is spending more time outside. And as homebodies who also work from home, some days “outside” simply means the patio or backyard. Might as well make it pretty—especially since many of us can open up these small spaces to visitors once again. As a conscious maximalist, adding pops of color is important to me for my own outdoor setup. I’m just so much happier surrounded by color. I also love outdoor accessories that I can bring inside during the colder months rather than pack away, like planters, coasters, and side tables. The season is just beginning, but luckily I’ve already found plenty of sustainable outdoor decor to add to my wishlist!

Left to right, top to bottom: Korissa Shuly Plant Hanger, Kazi Sunset Camel Hump Birdhouse, The Inside Cheetah Outdoor Throw Pillow, Holistic Habitat Earth Day Bundle, Les Pieds de Biche Terazzo Planter, Nipomo Luna Upcycled Blanket, House Raccoon Mila Planter, Kazi Rainbow Hooped Planter, St Frank Ombre Pink Coasters, Innit Designs Concha Chair, English Lavender Waxed Planter, Pollinator House by Raleigh Seed Co, Ten Thousand Villages Summer Day Hammock, Stained Glass Panel by Debbie Bean, Modern Sprout Seed Popper, Nardi Net Relax Armchair, Dash & Albert Zanzibar Ticking Rug, Bend Goods Conical Side Table in Pink

Are you giving your backyard a makeover this year? Where do you go for sustainable outdoor decor?

5 Shopify Apps to Strengthen Customer Experience

updated on April 12, 2021 by Jennifer Andrew

Does your sustainable brand run on Shopify? So far in our series of resources for shop owners we’ve shared our Instagram and blog tips, but today let’s back up and focus on the platform. Because so many of our ethical shopping directory members run on Shopify, we thought we’d share why we love this platform and how easy it is to create an even better experience for your customer.

Shopify is created specifically for e-commerce brands so even out of the box themes are user friendly, intuitive, and customizable (although if you have the budget, we recommend investing in a highly custom theme tailored to your specific needs). Rather than being self-hosted, your Shopify site runs on Shopify’s speeder servers and has built in SEO and analytics tools. Shopify also integrates with countless apps to enhance your customer’s user experience and make your site easier to manage. Most apps include a free trial so you can test them out and see if they are working for you before you commit to a monthly fee. Ultimately, your Shopify apps can end up paying for themselves because of the value they add to your store.

5 types of Shopify apps to strengthen customer experience

Rewards Program. Anybody else notice that rewards programs are springing up like wildflowers lately? We’ve implemented several rewards programs into shops over the past year and they are surprisingly easy to set up. Earning rewards makes shopping more fun for your customers and can also increase your revenue as it keeps shoppers coming back for more perks. Our fave Shopify app for rewards is Smile—their free plan comes with a few good options, but if you opt for a higher priced plan, you can apply full design customization, integrate Smile with other apps, and more. Another amazing rewards program app is Loyalty Lion. It can be a bit more pricey but the options and app integration are endless, and LL’s customer support is incredible.

In-stock Notifications. This kind of app adds a signup form to products that are sold out and alerts customers via email when those products are back in stock. Our favorite is Alert Me! Restock Alerts. Customers love being the first to know when an item on their wishlist is in stock again. In the dashboard of this app, you’ll be able to view stats showing how much revenue you’ve earned from your in stock notifications.

Wishlist. Speaking of wishlists! We always joke about having too many screenshots and saved photos on Instagram/texts, making it hard to remember what gems we’ve found in shops and what we actually want to purchase. Integrating a wishlist app for your shop makes it easy for customers to keep all their faves in one spot and come back to purchase them when they’re ready. We love the app Wishify— it adds a little heart to product pages and collection pages, so visitors can easily add products to wishlist page connected to their customer account.

Newsletter Signup Form. We all know how quickly our inboxes can get cluttered with newsletters that we don’t even remember signing up for. What usually gets me to sign up for a newsletter is a discount code or free shipping coupon. If the newsletter has a gorgeous design and personable copywriting, I will probably stay subscribed. A newsletter isn’t just a way to announce sales, it’s a great tool for connecting to shoppers on a more personal level (but more on that later). Shopify has a built-in newsletter feature so all you need is an app to send your subscribers from Shopify to MailChimp, Klaviyo, or whichever email marketing service you use. To connect to Mailchimp, you’ll need to use the ShopSync app, while Klaviyo and many other services have their own apps or custom integration methods.

Accessibility App. Integrating an accessibility app with your shop is more than just a “nice to have”. In 2010, the Department of Justice published the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design which states that “all electronic and information technology must be accessible to people with disabilities.” (source: interactiveaccessibility.com) We recommend installing Accessibly, Accessibility Assistant, or Accessibility Enabler on Shopify asap. This is an easy but important way to show compassion and respect to your customers (…and avoid a lawsuit).

What are your favorite Shopify apps? And, what other Shopify questions do you have for us?