What exactly makes a product “eco” or “Earth” friendly? In light of Earth Day which falls in Earth Month, we have been thinking a lot about this. As members of the Fair Trade Federation, we pledge to consider the environment (and the people too) in every decision we make and choose environmentally sustainable practices wherever and whenever we can. We believe all companies have the responsibility to push themselves in the direction of sustainability, celebrating their strengths and then addressing their weaknesses over time.
Eco friendly products minimize the environmental impact of their production, use, and disposal. When shopping, take a look at what happens during the production of a product, what’s the impact during the use of the product and then how is a product disposed of at the end. Can it be repurposed or recycled?
An eco friendly or “Earth Friendly” product
- is made to last a long time
- has little environmental impact during creation process
- is made using eco friendly materials and packaging
- can be reused, repaired or repurposed
At Mayamam Weavers, all of our products are made by hand and made to last a long time. Everything starts with fabric that has been woven on either a foot loom or a backstrap loom, powered by the energy from people. We are always thinking of ways to use every little bit of fabric, leaving nothing to waste. Our scrunchies are made using the scraps of scarves and Windowpane Weave wraps while our Dog Tug Toys are made using scraps of our Mayamam Stripe Collection.
All of the products we make are made from cotton, which is soft, strong and flexible. While it is criticized for being a thirsty crop that uses a lot of water, it does have other benefits. It is a natural fiber that is biodegradable and doesn’t produce microplastics like synthetic materials. Fortunately, scientists and farmers have been working on ways to reduce the amount of water that is required.
We like to encourage customers to find different ways to use one product. Our dishtowels are super absorbent and beautiful. We've had customers tell us they use them as placemats. They also make great liners for a basket of bread or rolls and they really shine as reusable gift wrap. The Japanese art of furoshiki has been around for over 1200 years, originally created to use fabric to carry personal belongings around. With the invention of paper bags and plastic, the practice had dwindled. These days, over 2.6 billion pounds of gift wrap is thrown into landfills each year in the U.S., making now a great time to consider reusable gift wrapping. Our Mini Totes make terrific small gift bags as well as treasure keepers for kids, and lunch or snack bags for everyone.
Maya people have always had a special relationship with Mother Earth and believe that is important to respect and care for Mother Earth and nature. For every order placed on our website, we donate a tree sapling to be planted at our annual event in order to replenish some of the resources we use. We understand the negative impact that humans have had on the planet and we make sure to respect the planet that is in every business decision we make.
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