Fabulous Fedora Giveaway

Happy New Year, friends! After three long months in Uganda and India, I'm back home in Washington, DC. My apartment looks a bit like African and Indian markets exploded, littered with beautiful block-printed scarves, hand-carved wooden spoons, antique Indian coins, handmade puppets, sparkly elephants and camels and embroidered purses made from camel leather. Even though there are only 13 days left in January, I thought it would be fun to do a giveaway in honor of wanderlust and adventure. Nothing suits that better than our Lola Hat - the Indiana Jones-style fedora, fair trade and handmade by artisans in Ecuador.

Lola Hat in Chocolate, $68

Choose your own adventure this year! To win this giveaway, all you have to do is help us spread the word about One Mango Tree. Here's how to do it:

1. Mention us  on Twitter and make sure to tag us using @onemangotree
2. Like us and link to One Mango Tree on Facebook - make sure you tag us using @One Mango Tree so we can see your post!
3. Talk about One Mango Tree on your blog and link to our site, Twitter and/or FB page - make sure you comment on our blog and include a hyperlink to your blog post

If you mentioned us on Twitter, you're all set, if it's a Facebook or blog post, leave a comment here so we can find it and enter you. EACH ENTRY COUNTS, so the more you tweet, the more chances you have to win! Thanks for the love!

xo Halle

It's not too late!

Stressing over last minute shopping for Christmas? It's not too late to order online! You have until 12 PM EST on December 20th to order from the One Mango Tree online shop - you'll receive the gifts before Christmas! We use USPS Priority Mail in the United States, which only takes 2-3 days to arrive. You should get your order no later than December 23rd, and shipping is free on ALL orders through Christmas! So, sit back, relax, and cross those last few gifts off your list.

And remember, when you shop One Mango Tree, you're creating jobs for women in Uganda - all the better to give two gifts rather than just one!

Happy shopping, and Happy Holidays!

Meet Aloyo Concy

Meet Aloyo Concy, one of our best tailors. She joined One Mango Tree in 2008, when we sponsored a training in Unyama Camp, and internal displacement camp on the outskirts of Gulu. Concy has a great smile, and loves to laugh. She's totally serious about her work - at our first workshop, Concy pulled her sewing machine onto veranda every day so that she could have total focus on her work, quietly humming to herself while she churned out Market Totes all day long.

Concy's intense focus is because of her daughters - keeping them all in school and making sure they have a comfortable and safe environment to come home to. She hopes to save enough money from her work at One Mango Tree to buy land and build her own home.

Check out the tag on your One Mango Tree product - did Concy make your bag?

 

For more photos from our visit to Concy's place, check out her album on Facebook.

Unique Holiday Gifts, Free Shipping & a Free Tote!

Happy Holidays! We hope you had a Thanksgiving full of gratitude, family and friends. We're offering lots of great deals this holiday season, starting with FREE Shipping on all orders over $50, and FREE Shipping & a FREE gift tote on orders over $100. Spread the word!

Curious about that free gift tote? Here it is - with a special message about empowering women.

**The snowflakes in this week's promotion are made of our favorite things, all of which make great gifts! - Yoga Bag and Eye Pillow in Bali Batik, Saturn Rock necklace and Droplet bracelet from 31Bits, and our Cross-Body Bag in Harvest Moon

xo Halle

Share the love - Our Big Gratitude Giveaway

In October we gave away $150 worth of One Mango Tree fair trade apparel and accessories to the winner of our Fair Trade Month Giveaway. Our winner, Louise, sent in her order and let us know that she selected a teenager from Angel Tree and would be including some of the products in a Christmas goodie bag for a young woman in need.

One of the best things about running a fair trade business is the generosity of our customers - sometimes I feel like our work is just a small drop in the ocean, but customers like Louise show me the ways that a small drop can send out infinite ripples of kindness.

November is a very special month for One Mango Tree - we make an extra effort to focus on Gratitude - what it means in our work, what it means for our producers, and what it means for our customers.

In celebration of Louise's generosity, we're having another BIG giveaway - challenging you to up the ante. We'll be giving away $200 in merchandise this month - $100 for the winner, and $100 to give as a gift. 

Here's how it works:

1. Choose someone who really deserves a gift, and send us a message to let us know why. Email your entry to info@onemangotree.com. Your submission should be 250 words or less - longer entries will be disqualified. Winning story will be shared on our blog, so be sure it's okay to share the story!
2. Once you've submitted your entry, be sure to either Tweet or post on Facebook about this giveaway. Your submission is only accepted when you've shared the giveaway - be sure to tag us at @onemangotree on Twitter and "like" and tag us on Facebook as well.

Get your entries ready and start sharing the love - this contest ends November 30th!

xo Halle

Changing how you think about clothes

This TEDx talk from Fair Trade USA's Heather Franzese is timely - right on topic with what we've been thinking about this month: Every Purchase Matters.

What are you wearing? Where was it made? "Made" probably makes you think "stitched," but what happened before that? Where did the fabric come from? Did your shirt start on a farm -- as a cotton plant, sheep's wool, a silkworm, petroleum, or a recycled plastic water bottle? These questions matter. Why is it that we can walk into a grocery store and make all kinds of choices about how our food is made and what's in it, but we can't make any of those same choices about clothing?



About Heather Franzese, senior manager at Fair Trade USA:
Heather has been working for more than 12 years to improve the lives of vulnerable farmers and workers in global supply chains. Last year, she launched Fair Trade USA's Fair Trade Certified™ Apparel & Linens program in the U.S. Heather brings together industry experience managing CSR for Columbia Sportswear Company's licensed and collegiate categories, a fundraising track record of channeling $4 million in social impact philanthropy to Fair Trade certification, and field experience working with small-scale farmers for the Peace Corps in Mali.

October Fair Trade Month Wardrobe Giveaway

We're pushing the envelope in honor of Fair Trade Month - friends, are you ready for this? Our October giveaway is $150 to buy One Mango Tree products. Our new Fall Collection arrives this month, so that means you'll get first dibs on all the beautiful new products, including sweet hats from Andean Collection and lots of gorgeous jewelry from 31Bits! Have a sneak peek here, and tell everyone you know!

 Oh yes, the Organic Shirred Tunic in Chocolate and some 31Bits. Perfect.

Charcoal Lola Hat, Sunset Hand-loomed Scarf, Indigo Organic Cozy Tee

 

 Organic Maxi Skirt in Indigo/Sycamore & Chocolate Lola Hat

Weekender Bag in Spiced Cider & Indigo Organic Cozy Tee

Getting excited? There's more where these came from! To win this HUGE giveaway, all you have to do is help us spread the word about One Mango Tree. Here's how to do it:

1. Mention us  on Twitter and make sure to tag us using @onemangotree
2. Link to One Mango Tree on Facebook - make sure you tag us using @One Mango Tree so we can see your post!
3. Talk about One Mango Tree on your blog and link to our site, Twitter and/or FB page - make sure you comment on our blog and include a hyperlink to your blog post

If you mentioned us on Twitter, you're all set, if it's a Facebook or blog post, leave a comment here so we can find it and enter you. EACH ENTRY COUNTS, so the more you tweet, the more chances you have to win! Thanks for the love!

xo Halle

October is Fair Trade Month

Every Purchase Matters.

That's really something to think about. I love that October is Fair Trade Month. Fall is my favorite season, and the perfect time to reflect as the weather turns cooler and the season's change creeps in. Summer's crazy schedules wind down, and the hectic holidays still seem far off on the horizon. We finally have the time to be present - conscious of the decisions we make each day.

Fair Trade is a Story. Here's one story about how fair trade helps farmers around the world, and your role as a consumer.

There is really only one thing we ask of our customers this month - start to think about your purchases. Our sputtering economy has most people tightening their belts and doing their best to hang on. In an effort to save, we often look to buy only what's cheap in the marketplace. This month, instead of looking at price tags alone, we urge you to make the effort to see behind the price - look for the person behind the product. Hesitate for just one minute to think about how your buying decisions are shaping our world.

Need some help finding fair trade products? Check out this great new app from Fair Trade USA - Fair Trade Finder - every time you find a fair trade product in a shop, you can check in. It's a huge, community-based effort to make it a little easier for all of us to shop fair trade.

In honor of fair trade month, we're boosting our efforts to share our fair trade story with you - you'll see beautiful photo stories of our tailors and more in-depth information about how we comply with the nine principles of fair trade.

We'll also make it a little easier for you to shop fair trade. Twice during the month we'll have two-day free shipping events - but you have to stay tuned. Check our Twitter feed and Facebook to find out when it will happen.

And then there is our October Giveaway. You've never seen a giveaway like this before.

How will you celebrate Fair Trade Month? Share your story with us.

Back to School August Giveaway

Even though I've been out of school for years, when August rolls around I can't help but think about the good old days - shopping for pencils, folders, a new lunch box. The way I see it, growing up doesn't mean you can't keep some of those old traditions... like taking a snazzy new Lunch Bag to work with you.

Lunch Bag in Cowry

Or keeping your pens, pencils and a protractor (who knows when you might need one!) in a Pretty Pleated Wristlet.

Pretty Pleated Wristlet in Cowry

So, to celebrate the Back-to-School season, we're giving away a Lunch Bag ($22 value) and a Pretty Pleated Wristlet ($16 value) to one lucky winner. Winner choose their favorite One Mango Tree print for their Lunch Bag and Wristlet.

To win this giveaway, all you have to do is help us spread the word about One Mango Tree. Here's how to do it:

1. Mention us on Twitter
2. Mention us in your Facebook status
3. Talk about One Mango Tree on your blog
   

If you mentioned us on Twitter, you're all set, if it's a Facebook or blog post, leave a comment here so we can find it and enter you. EACH ENTRY COUNTS, so the more you tweet, the more chances you have to win! Thanks for the love!

Fair Trade beach reads

Headed out to the beach or pool this coming holiday weekend? Might we suggest filling up your Hobo Bag or Weekender with some great reading materials?

Sporting an OMT Hobo Bag (in Ginkgo) on la playa in Mexico

Here are some of our favorites, as well as some reads we can't wait to check out during these long days of summer:

Feeling crafty? Learn more about artisans and the importance of their work:
Artisans and Fair Trade: Crafting Development - discusses the viability of artisan work to create sustainable livelihoods
Hand/Eye Magazine - the beautiful World Textiles issue is out now! (quite possibly my favorite magazine - each issue is a gorgeous collector's item!)
Fair Trade: A Human Journey - "Fair trade proposes an alternative that is based on ideas of social justice, product quality and care for the environment. ...This book is a sign of hope that another world is possible." Filled with more than 350 photographs from around the world.
Looking to inspire the activist within? Try:Half the Sky - if you haven't read this book by Nick Kristof and Cheryl WuDunn, start here. It will set a fire under you to make a change in the world.
The Fair Trade Revolution - an in-depth look at issues affecting fair trade - tension between large and small operators, real impacts of recession, fairwashing.

For wasting away hours at a cafe with a fair trade iced coffee:
Coffee & Community: Maya Farmers & Fair Trade Markets - we're told that the coffee we drink each morning can make a big difference - but what does that actually mean?A Cafecito Story - written by Julia Alvarez, this sweet little book is based on the author's experience of reclaiming a small coffee farm in the Dominican Republic.

Thinking of starting your own fair trade venture? Check out:
Global Girlfriends: How One Mom Made It Her Business to Help Women in Poverty Worldwide

I'm geeking out on the apparel supply chain - these two titles are tops on my list:
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy
Where I am Wearing: A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories and People that Make Our Clothes

Did we miss a title? Let us know your favorite fair trade-related reads.

xo Halle

Why Should I Buy Fair Trade Products?

A letter from Martina Mariani, our Social Media Specialist. Martina spent the last six months working with in Gulu and now continues tweeting and blogging from the West Coast.

Someone recently asked me why it’s important to buy fair trade. As I sat down to write my response, I thought it might be something I could share with you too.

For One Mango Tree, it’s all about our forty-seven employees. They are our focus and the reason we push on, even when times are tough. The forty-seven women who work for One Mango Tree are given an advantage. Financially, they make more than most of their fellow Acholi women and are able to better support their children and families. What's more, they are treated fairly at work, paid consistently, and deal with managers and directors who treat them with respect. They work in a healthy, professional environment and are given child-care services, school fees, and house loans.

ladies working in the One Mango Tree handbag workshop in Gulu, Northern Uganda

On top of financial benefits, One Mango Tree employees receive courses and seminars about how to save money, spend wisely, and even lessons on how to be a better mom, hone their English skills, and become more educated in politics and governmental issues.

To me, buying “Fair Trade” is important because simply by shopping you are supporting people's livelihood who wouldn't otherwise have a way to support their families or feed themselves. The fair trade system is important because by feeding into it you are committing yourself to buy things that are created through fair, legal, and humane efforts. It's similar to the “farm-to-plate” idea, but for fair trade products like One Mango Tree's, it’s usually “factory-to-closet”. When I buy One Mango Tree, I know that the person behind the product is taken care of.

Apiyo Prisca, Adokorach Monica and Awoto Margret take a tea break in the garden

I think it is important for consumers to be thoughtful about whose hands made each item purchased. How was she treated in the process of making it? Was she paid fairly? Was she even old enough to be working?

Or, is it possible that my clothes are actually hurting people?

I believe that deep down, we all want to be part of movement where people are looking out for their fellow humans, whether those people are our neighbors or somewhere far across the globe. I believe that we all want to see children getting educated, mouths being fed, and people making a happy and successful life for themselves. Instead of contributing to corruption, human trafficking, and child abuse, it is important that we give our money and support to businesses creating sustainable incomes for women and men who are working hard and being treated fairly.

Martina

What are your reasons for buying fair trade? We'd love to hear from you. Send us an email or leave a comment and let us know your reasons.

Using Fair Trade principles to empower women in Uganda

Cross-posted from OMT Founder Halle Butvin's personal blog, Locus Amoenus

Last November, I had the incredible opportunity to give a talk about One Mango Tree at the Library of Congress. Since Fair Trade Month had just concluded, I decided to focus the talk on the principles of Fair Trade, and how One Mango Tree uses those principles to create sustainable income for women in Uganda.

The video is a long one, but it's the equivalent to meeting me for a cup of coffee to learn about how and why One Mango Tree got started. My presentation begins at 8:25. I hope you enjoy it! xo Halle

Summer 2011 Lookbook

Check out some images of our new Summer 2011 Collection, with gorgeous photography by Lauranne and modeling done by Ashlee, a volunteer at Invisible Children in San Diego. Enjoy!

Our Summer 2011 Lookbook

Hello Summer

Okay, so spring was apparently a bit of a drag on the East Coast. I heard it's been raining in Columbus, Ohio, for four straight weeks... but as they say "April showers bring..." I missed out on all the cruddy cold weather - I was in Uganda, and lucky enough to watch the dry earth come to life as rainy season showed its face (in Uganda, we rejoice when it rains). We were busy working on One Mango Tree's Summer 2011 collection, and it's here - available for pre-order now!

start shopping

What does pre-order mean? You order and pay now (take advantage of free shipping May 3 & 4), and you'll get these awesome new products as soon as the shipment touches down in the USA - we expect to start shipping May 11-12. The horrible riots that have been going on in Uganda these past few weeks delayed our shipment - we were unable to get downtown to the Ministry of Tourism and Industry, which is where we pick up the paperwork needed to ensure our apparel shipment is duty-free (under the African Growth and Opportunities Act, or AGOA).

We're expecting the order to ship any day now, so go ahead and get your hands on these amazing new bags, skirts (yes, those adorable tribal skirts) and Party Dresses in three new colors!

'Things We Love' Fridays: Tribal Prints!!!

So, lucky for YOU – guess what the number one style across the boards by everyone from Free People to Nordstrom is right now? That’s right, you guessed it, TRIBAL PRINTS! We’re so excited about our soon-to-be-released Spring Collection – bursting with color, patterns, and a strong ethnic feel.

Check out these beautiful prints from designers such as Marc by Marc Jacobs, Tracy Reese, and Dries Van Noten from one of our favorite style blogs, Fashionandotherstuff.com.

As stated by the socialvixen.com: “Primal and tribal print is a spring summer 2010 trend that “dances to the beat of a tribal drum with modern, African-inspired pieces.” Almost every designer includes some exotic influences in their spring summer 2010 collection.”

And lastly, one of our favorite stores LF’s ode to Native Prints, endorsing tribal influences and fearless fashionistas.

Get ready to see new releases by One Mango Tree - bags, clutches, and aprons, as well as a new line of incredibly colorful skirts, shirts, and dresses. Pre-order launches this week!

Happy Mother's Day!

At One Mango Tree, work and mothering are often one and the same. Alice does her best to care for the smallest kiddos, but moms will pop in and out of the workshop to feed their babies and give them some love and attention. Just like moms the world over, the One Mango Tree tailors put their children first, doing everything they can to keep food on the table and school fees paid.

Betty chases naked little Obama, who escaped after his bath

Lawill Margret holds Ogen Rwot Alex, just after feeding him lunch

Anena Betty and Obama, her youngest

We know that moms all over the world work so hard to see their children thrive and succeed. We're spending this week honoring the One Mango Tree ladies, and of course thinking of our own moms and everything they've done to make us who we are. Are you ready for Mother's Day?

We're going to sweeten the deal and give you FREE SHIPPING on orders of $30 of more - you have two days to take advantage of this offer (ends midnight May 4th) before Mother's Day. Get your mom a token of appreciation - and there's no better way than to support the moms at One Mango Tree!

Mango Season Semi-Annual Sale!

Every April, everyone's eyes are on the trees in Gulu, waiting for the little mangoes to ripen from soft green to golden yellow. The day has come, and right along with it is The Mango Season Semi-Annual Sale. That's 50% off your favorite handbags, aprons, headbands, yoga bags, lunch bags, eye pillows, and more! Check out our sale page to see all the deals!

Just about everything is on sale!

We're clearing the shelves for Spring/Summer 2011, which will hit our online store very soon. Stay tuned!

Things We Love Fridays: Sseko Sandals

Today's "Things We Love Fridays" is coming on Saturday because of a four-day power outage the city has decided to bestow upon it's citizens. You can imagine how thrilled we all are. 

Last year we joined up with Sseko Designs to begin supporting their endeavors and promoting one of the cutest products we have seen in Uganda: Ssek Sandals! 

The women who make these shoes work in Kampala, about five hours from our workshop in Gulu.

We love these sandals because they’re adorable, fair trade, and so versatile. You can see the video on our blog of different ways to tie them, or make up your own way. They can be easy and comfortable or intricate and trendy. The possibilities are endless.

The money from these sandals goes towards the empowerment of women through education. By purchasing these sandals you are helping Uganda up their count of female doctors, lawyers, and professionals.

We are currently selling them for $42 on our website.

April Giveaway: Coffee Break Hobo Bag

Get ready friends! This month’s giveaway is our newly updated handbag, the "Coffee Break Hobo Bag" (a $32 value!). We have added new details {cute twisted handles} and changed to a more stylish shape we know you’ll love {big and slouchy}. It’s a perfect, comfortable, throw-over-your-shoulder bag for every day, and it's neutral enough pattern to wear with anything and everything. The print is inspired by the fabrics found in African markets, and we make the fabric locally from organic cotton grown in Northern Uganda.

Hobo Bag, in Coffee Break, $32

To win this adorable new bag, all you have to do is help us spread the word about One Mango Tree. Here's how to do it:

1. Mention us on Twitter
2. Mention us in your Facebook status
3. Talk about One Mango Tree on your blog
   

If you mentioned us on Twitter, you're all set, if it's a Facebook or blog post, leave a comment here so we can find it and enter you. We value any help we can get promoting One Mango Tree's work and sending out positive messages for our products. Thanks you so much in advance for all the love you send our way this month!

The proof is in the matooke

Cross-posted from OMT Founder Halle Butvin's personal blog, Locus Amoenus

Dinner at Prisca's has become a routine for One Mango Tree visitors and interns. The first time you go, she'll cook for you - after that, it's time to pitch in. International Women's Day is a national holiday in Uganda, so we accepted the invitation to lunch at Prisca's, knowing full well that we'd be put to work as soon as we arrived. We headed straight into the family kitchen tukul, the last evidence of the traditional grass-thatched housing on Prisca's property.

inside Prisca's kitchen

Kaela got to work cutting matooke, while Martina and I provided moral support. Cutting matooke is a much harder job than it seems, as the tough green bananas don't peel like the familiar yellow ones, and they ooze a sticky sap.

Prisca & Kaela peel matooke for lunch

Before we arrived, Prisca had already made her now-famous fried chicken, dodo with simsim (greens with ground sesame paste), and sweet potatoes. With the boiled matooke, we had a ladies-only feast. We filed out of the kitchen and into the two-room brick house where Prisca's family currently lives.

watching Al-Jazeera, drinking refrigerated sodas

The living room got a fresh coat of robin's-egg-blue paint over the holidays, and Charles (Prisca's husband) connected the house to the Gulu electric lines. We watched Al-Jazeera on their little TV, and Prisca commented on Qaddafi and what she thought might happen with the conflict in Libya. The new chest refrigerator hummed in the corner, and Prisca presented us with a selection of cold sodas.

success doesn't come to you... you go to it

What seem to be normal, mundane details of a ladies lunch are actually quite extraordinary. When I started One Mango Tree, I wanted to see quick results - big changes in the tailors' lives, and fast. I'm learning that fair trade's proof comes with time - sustained, regular income is what moves people out of the poverty trap, and for good. Charles only works sporadically on construction projects - Prisca is the family breadwinner. Through careful savings and budgeting, the incremental improvements she's made have translated into big changes for her family.

the front door of the new family home

In between the kitchen tukul and the two-room home, Prisca and Charles built a large brick home. She used her 2010 savings to put in the roof, floor and window casings. Even while building their home, Prisca and Charles are now able to make spending decisions based on comfort, not necessity. Their family crowds the TV each evening to watch the news and local programs (Prisca loves the Spanish telenovelas dubbed into English - they are a big hit here). They have meat for dinner almost every night, and usually invite friends and family to join in the feast. Prisca cuts up cold pineapple as a treat for the kids when they come in from playing after school. Even the matooke we ate is telling - it's a cuisine choice from southern Uganda, and very expensive to buy in Gulu. It's one of Prisca's favorite treats - one she can now easily afford.