Being the Jewish girl that I am, I can count on my hand the few times I participated in the thrilling seasonal activity, "Secret Santa". This year the staff at Mata Traders organized a "Secret Santa" and the big reveal was at our holiday party last Friday. The theme was "My favorite color is..." and while some people strayed away from the theme, the gift given to me was for many reasons the most awesome gift ever!

Fair Coast leather clutch with my textile design as the lining!

Last month I learned about a company called Fair Coast. They are a local company based in Chicago that makes handmade leather goods. I met the Fair Coast husband & wife duo at a holiday fair a few weeks ago. They are the sweetest people who are passionate about handmade products and working with companies and people who are local and ethical. They came over to Mata Traders and bought a handful of damaged dresses (garments with broken zippers, misprints, minor tears...etc.) and repurposed the fabric as lining for their leather clutches.

Katie Gavenda, my "Secret Santa" and marketing associate at Mata Traders (not to mention an awesome graphic designer) really hit the ball out of the park with this gift. It means so much to me that she thought of this awesome company, but she also picked the lining with my original design! When I opened the box and saw the Fair Coast logo stamped on the protective bag, I knew exactly what it was I was receiving and started jumping up and down like... oh I don't know, a kid on Christmas morning!

Fair Coast envelope clutches with repurposed Mata Traders fabric as lining.

Around a year and a half ago, I got a new laptop and that meant a new laptop case! I realized that in this world of buying "stuff" there was an opportunity to help people as well. Since then, I have been trying to make a conscious effort to purchase less. However what I do buy, I try and support a fair trade, ethical and/or sustainable company.

I learned about this wonderful company called Della. At Della, Ghana women create beautiful laptop cases and get paid a fair wage. I immediately purchased one. They use traditional African dutch wax batik fabrics, which are filled with bright bold colors and really makes a statement. This is just one example of how a small purchase can make a huge difference in the lives of people all over the world.

I feel so proud to me designing for companies that share the same mission and ideals as this company. Please think of fair trade organizations and companies when looking over your gift list and consider supporting them.

Below is a video that shows the women of Della and how happy they are working for such a great company.