Let it Rain!!

Oh joy, oh rapture! As I was innocently walking through the mall the other day in pursuit of a charger for our cell phone, I happened upon a most beautiful discovery: a new store called Rio Rain - Eco-apparel. Well, imagine my delight when I walked through the store to discover that it is PACKED with 100% sustainable clothing. And what's more, its actually nice stuff!

I seriously had a lump in my throat... finally my isolation in the dessert of Cotton Ginny is over! There is an alternative - and a darned fine one at that!! I am so incredibly excited that this store is in the Kelowna mall! They also have one store in Vancouver but I feel pretty blessed that we have one here too. OK, so some details: the clothes are funky urban chic - not the usual hippy-frump. They have a range of different fabrics, from 100% organic cotton and bamboo to fabrics made out of old pop bottles and re-cycled cotton. The store itself is furnished in reclaimed wood and they boast energy efficient lighting. They give 1% of profits to environmental causes ("1% for the planet") and they are in the process of having their entire line audited to certify their environmentally sustainable production practices - even down to the notions! (their fabrics are already certified.) They also have a fair trade transparency policy - they are certified as socially compliant and anyone can inspect their documentation. Overall, pretty impressive - especially in comparison to the alternatives! Even my darling husband was impressed - and it takes a lot to get him excited about a clothing store!! And you know what, the clothes are actually pretty decently priced too - especially when you consider that they are hand made (partly in Vancouver!). A lot of the eco-responsible clothing out there is pretty pricey - particularly those lines which are less hippy and more contemporary, so it is impressive to see Rio Rain trying to reach a larger audience rather than trying to make as much money as possible. They actually have a goal of reforming the industry - being an example to other clothing suppliers. I was listening to a podcast on HappyFrog.ca about the company and heard a little bit from its founder, Mark. He started the company after being in the clothing industry for a number of years. When his daughter, Rio Rain, was born he had sort of an epiphany that he wanted the world to be a better place for her and he realized that the industry he was a part of was a huge part of the problem (he mentioned that 25% of the chemicals produced in the world are for use in the clothing industry!). So he started Rio Rain in order to be a part of the solution. That's an inspiring story and I am excited to have this store as a shopping option.