As consumers, we have the opportunity to make better choices when shopping for holiday gifts. If we're going to be buying, let's buy better! The most sustainable gift giving options include non physical products like experiences, digital videos, gift cards, etc. We always recommend buying used and reclaiming what you already own whenever possible. But, if family and friends are in need of lifetime trendless staple basics like underwear, tees, tanks or even a classic vegan leather backpack, we're here for you! We hope you can always count on us as the maker of those go-to products that you're proud to own, wear and gift!
Did you know that shopping early in the season has quite a few perks for you, small businesses and the environment? We wanted to have this conversation - slowly and intentionally - before the rush of Black Friday weekend arrives, so we all actually have time and energy to digest!
Below is a curated list from our team of eight ways to gift sustainably this holiday season. If you have other ideas to share, please email or comment on our instagram posts this week!
Examples include:
- Shop from thrift stores in your local city, or seek out a few on your next trip out of town and plan your gifts months or even a year ahead
- Reclaim an old frame and print a special photo to include inside!
- Shop products made from renewable materials
- Shop energy-efficient products
- Seek good ole fashioned products made-to-last
- Seek products that transparently show their supply chain. Truly impactful change goes beyond the customer journey and begins early on in the supply chains. By supporting brands who consciously source responsibly and ethically made materials, consumers can help significantly minimize their environmental footprint - especially those associated with their purchases.
Sustainable fashion brands who're conscious about transparently sharing more about paying living wages, sourcing eco-friendly fabrics and giving back all will shout this from the rooftops. For example, we have two whole pages dedicated to our ethical process and our impact because we're so proud to share about our mission.
You'll see the red flags, if you look more closely into the product details or the "about" section, and you either see information (like polyester fabrics) or about the sewing team left out, it's likely for a reason.
Want to find more impact driven businesses to shop with and support this holiday? One of our partners, Imagine5, helps financially support our underwear donation empowerment events in addition to funding our seamstress training and continuing education initiatives. We're not the only impact business they support. Head to imagine5.com to read stories about a greener and more sustainable future featuring the businesses on the front lines.
The great Simon Sinek makes a great point...Time and energy are non-redeemable commodities. They're worth a lot more than money to the recipient. The definition of love is someone who gives without desire for return, and they give time and energy.
Ideas for gifting experiences might include:
- Support your local ballet, neighborhood theatre or concert venue and buy tickets to a show for you and your loved one
- Love to get crafty? Check our airbnb experiences and look for a jewelry making class, walking tour or cooking class in your local city
- Here at MADI Apparel, we love hosting natural dye workshops, painting classes and even concerts. Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming event here in our Kansas City flagship store, Slow Motion Goods
Continuing the point made by Simon Sinek above, it's proven that even a hand made card sent via snail mail can go a lot farther than the sender even imagines. Receiving a hand made card and letter in the mail feels so rare these days, and it's really the thought that counts.
Ideas for hand made and re-claimed gifts:
- Paint and frame your own watercolor print with a special note on the back
- Find paper scraps and leather scraps and make your own notebook
- Pass a book you cherish on to a friend who might find interest and value in it. Giving away a personal book might seem small, but to readers this is a big deal and very special. Write a note on the inside flap with the date explaining why this book is perfect for.
Book recommendation for conscious consumers interested in sustainable living: The Art of Ethical Fashion
Did you hear? Our founder Hayley wrote and designed a beautiful coffee table book on the topic of Ethical Fashion Manufacturing. Idea : buy it for yourself to read and then gift to a friend when you're done around the holidays!
We've all been the on the receiving end of a gift that either isn't up your alley, isn't your size, or is something you already own. Returns and exchanges can be a pain especially around the holiday, so sometimes it's better to give a gift card so your friend or family member can pick out exactly what they want from their favorite brand!
MADI Apparel gift cards are currently 25% off with our Bigger Than Black Friday Sale discount code
Gift cards are also great sustainable stocking stuffer gift ideas for minimalist recipients to replace candy or dysfunctional tchotchkes.
Want to go even further on your sustainable gift giving mission? Look to buy either digital (non physical) gift cards and ask recipient NOT to print it. Or, look for non plastic gift cards like the reloadable paper ones we have at MADI Apparel.
Minimize packaging waste by using recycled or compostable materials or reusable bags. We use biodegradable cotton bags in our Kansas City shop. Customers can request "no bag", or take home our reusable one and use for jewelry or packing dirty underwear during travel!
It could also be fun to consider a "BYO Bag" policy like Aldi or Buffalo Exchange.
6. Eco-friendly Shipping OptionsWe buy our compostable shipping mailers and compostable tape from Better Packaging. If you're planning to ship gifts to friends and family in the next few weeks, they're even currently having a huge sale on expiring envelopes that must be mailed soon before they start breaking down into the environment (cool huh?!)
7. Shop Early SalesLike our Bigger Than Black Friday sale, for example! We're offering a bigger discount than black friday to encourage that you shop early so we can reduce the rush of customers on a single day. This will help decrease congestion and emissions associated with transport. Thanks to Better Packaging for this tip, we're always growing and learned a lesson here! Order ground shipping: Resist the temptation to choose free express shipping as it has a much higher carbon footprint than a regular courier service!
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Click to shop our new World Champs Sweats, available pre-order only.
If you're like us, we're big fans of Kansas City sports, but we're not into loud, trendy tees and merch that may only see the light of day a few times a year. For those searching for a minimalist, sustainable alternative to cheer on your favorite football team on game day and year-round without compromising style, you've come to the right place!
We heard you loud and clear...Those World Champs sweatsuits that we launched after KC won the championship in 2020 hit so hard that we decided to bring them back this season after an abundance of requests!
Available pre-order only. Order window closes 10/25!
It's not our style to make loud and trendy sports gear. Instead, we designed a classic sustainable sweatsuit with a "subtle nod" to our Kansas City football champions, chalked full of local pride.
Not into sports or KC football for that matter? Just like in true MADI Apparel style, we make everything trendless and minimalist to keep waste at bay. Sports fan or nah, you can keep this sporty striped unisex track suit in your closet forever!
If you're on the hunt for red and yellow Kansas City game day apparel but only ever run into cheaply made tees and sweatshirts, we have a solution and can't wait for you to try!
]]>CanvasRebel interviewed our founder Hayley a few weeks ago, and the article is full of juicy behind-the-scenes details about how she started MADI Apparel, a resilience story from her personal journey, a lesson she had to unlearn, and more.
CanvasRebel's mission is to create a space for artists, creatives and entrepreneurs to be able to learn from their peers through the magic and power of storytelling.
Below is a sneak peak from CanvasRebel's article, click here for the full feature.
"We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hayley Besheer Santell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hayley below.
Shortly after graduating with two (mostly unrelated to my now career) undergraduate degrees, I stumbled upon a blog listing this shocking statistic – new underwear is the number one most requested yet least donated item of clothing. When this fell into my lap in 2012, I could think about nothing else but that fact for months. Ironically around the same time, a family member confided in me that she was once – 30 plus years prior – a victim of domestic violence. It became an emotional time for me, and it was only then that I learned domestic abuse can happen to even well-educated women surrounded by close supportive family members, even the strongest women that you (I) look up to. After diving in more, researching how I could contribute in the realm of domestic violence, I learned that underwear tops the most urgent needs list at the majority of shelters and orgs serving women and young women globally. It’s the only item they can’t receive used, and thus, it’s rarely donated. I thought, wow – did the light bulb about underwear really just blink a second time? Here’s the problem I found: billions of people go without underwear every day, not by choice. And what’s the impact? Young women kept from school and employment during menstrual cycles, and women healing from crisis situations like domestic violence, rape and post incarceration facing lack of hygiene, lack of comfort and lack of dignity."
For the rest of the article, click here.
]]>Here's a recap of the very incredible and intensive week. Make sure to scroll for a behind the scenes video made by Kind Laundry founders Angie Tran and Bernard Law!
It was a huge honor to be selected to participate - along with 12 other social and environmental impact startups who, like us, traveled to Chicago from all over the US, Mexico and Canada. It was truly amazing that Adyen selected us over hundreds of applicants as one of the leading impact-driven businesses across North America and had faith in our mission to make a difference while scaling up. Shoutout to our two Adyen mentors for taking time out of busy work lives to pour into us!
Below are the 12 social impact businesses who joined us in Adyen's North American spring cohort:
We started the week at with our Adyen mentors, Pippa and Andrew, at Adyen's Chicago headquarters inside of WeWork Chicago. WeWork's rooftop basketball court was a nice touch :).
Adyen gifted us the coolest swag bags - made from recycled Adyen banner signs, and included local Chicago made treats and a refurbished Macbook laptop. Seriously, how did we get so lucky?
WeWork Chicago was such a fun spot to work for the week!
Throughout the week, Adyen brought in different team members and outside guests like head of product design at McDonalds, and we learned growth, marketing, branding and pitch strategies.
The Adyen team even took our cohort on a few night outings like a Chicago architectural boat tour and a Chicago Cubs game! We had the best time with the whole crew...
The last day was Pitch Friday where we pitched in front of the Adyen team, community members and investors for a chance to win $30,000 in unrestricted funds from Adyen to help scale our social enterprises.
Here was founder Hayley Besheer Santell's pitch to win a $30,000 grant in front of judges Monica Tijerina from McDonald's headquarters, David Strazza from Adyen, William Colgrove from Chicago School of Business and Courtney Trunk from Motivate VC.
Here we are with the other 12 social enterprise founders in our cohort. Congrats to Joni for winning the grant!
While we didnt win the $30,000 unrestricted funds "prize", we walked away with so much advice, a big network and a vision + opportunity for growth.
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A Telly award is a very prestigious award, and our hats go off to Tectonic video team out of Chicago for filming, directing and producing this film of our brand. They're the real winnners, we're just merely the subjects!
The Telly Awards is an annual competition that honors outstanding achievements in video and television productions, and winning a gold Telly award means that a video or TV production has been recognized as an exceptional piece of work in its respective category. The Gold Telly Award is one of the highest honors and a mark of distinction in the tv and film industry.
Think of a Telly Award like an Emmy or Golden Globe award, but for a broader range of video and tv productions, including advertising, branded content, documentaries, animation and more.
Here's how it all started! A few years ago, we applied to an open calling for a grant offered by Five Media. (FYI - since this day, Five Media re-branded to Imagine5.) We were blown away to be selected as one of Imagine5's newest partners and very few grant recipients amongst hundreds of applicants.
We then formed a three year partnership. Each year, Imagine5 supports us in multiple ways:
1. They donate charitable funds to our non-profit 501(c)3, MADI Donations. Their donations cover seamstress training and continuing education training for sewers earning a living wage in our city to make our products. Their donations help us continue to advance and champion for the cut and sew industry in our city, Kansas City.
The process works like this:
- Customer purchases of our MADI Apparel products fund the actual living wages that we pay our cutters, sewers and pattern maker to produce our products.
- Imagine5's donations fund additional training costs and continuing education. Example, when we add a new sewer to our team and they require many hours of sewing to learn each of our products, or when we add a new product into our collection and all of our existing sewers need to learn how to make this new product. This can be very costly for small businesses like ours, and Imagine5 helps ensure that this extra training doesn't eat away from our profits, and gives us the opportunity to keep growing.
- Their funding of our seamstress training not only helps advance the fair wage cut and sew industry in our city, but it ensures sustainable ongoing work for hardworking people in our city to continue earning a living wage making our products. Through Imagine5's support, we're also able to continue promoting and screaming loud and proud that we're part of only 3% of the world's fashion brands to pay a living wage. Their support helps grow our living wage micro factory teams, and helps us provide ongoing opportunities for locals in our city.
2. Imagine5's charitable funds also contribute to our underwear donation drop-off travel, postage and empowerment events.
Here are the details on the above:
- For every item you buy from MADI Apparel, we donate a pair of biodegradable underwear to requesting organizations all over the world. It's you, our customer, who is funding that donation pair of underwear through the cost of your purchase. HOWEVER, donating underwear requires additional funds - that if it weren't for our supporters like Imagine5 - would eat away at our profits and hold us back from remaining healthy and stable financially.
- Many don't consider these costs, but it can be quite costly to "make a difference" :). Donating underwear to our requesting organization partners requires funds for postage (to ship), travel (to occasionally reach partners in person), and for empowerment events. Once or twice a year, we make a big splash for one or two of our partners. When we go in person, we volunteer our time (to plan and execute) an empowerment event for residents of domestic violence shelters like Lotus House in Miami, or Journey House in Kansas City for women transitioning out of incarceration. Our goal is to bring hope and empowerment through special experiences that include our underwear donations. We set up a table of underwear for women to shop from, we bring professional photographers to take professional portraits for the women to keep forever, makeup artists, flower bouquet bars, etc. Thanks to Imagine5 for helping make these special events happen.
In addition to Imagine5's charitable funds support for our non-profit arm, they also help with marketing and promotional leverage to push along our mission and areas of impact.
Here's how that looks:
- Last April, Imagine5 (Five Media at the time), contracted an amazing impact-driven film crew called Tectonic out of Chicago, to capture our story and various elements of impact. Tectonic traveled to us in Kansas City - with lots of gear in hand :) - to film our entire ethical production process for an entire week.
They filmed this incredible three minute short film, we launched it in spring of 2022, and a whole year later the video won a Gold Telly Award! Phew, what a ride!
- Imagine5 is constantly coming up with great ideas for promoting our environmental and humanitarian impact. We're currently working with humanitarian photographer Tara Shupe to photography our entire process - from living wage manufacturing, to small batch cut and sew operations in Kansas City, to the artistic historic crafts of pattern making and more. Tara Shupe is an international humanitarian photographer and filmmaker focused on capturing stories that empower women and communities, and we've been lucky enough to work with her for over five years on various projects.
This project - funded by Imagine5 - will launch on Imagine5's instagram in a series of carousel posts this summer, so make sure to follow them!
Thank you to the entire team of Imagine5, for all of your support. And biggest congrats to Tectonic for this incredible 2023 Gold Telly Award!
]]>Sometimes it can be difficult to navigate ethically made Father's Day gifts. We're here to help!
Is your dad a "staple basic tee" kinda guy? A guy who loves comfortable classics that he can keep forever?
Dads who love our products often fit under one or all of these categories:
- Minimalist, staple basics kinda guy
- Puts people + planet first
- Loves to be comfy
- LOVES THEIR CHILD? :)
Shop our most popular sustainable father's day gifts for dads. Every gift you buy for dad is made in Kansas City by our team from sustainable materials. For every item you buy, we'll donate a pair of underwear (the most under-donated yet most requested item of clothing) to a requesting organization in need.
Plant leather wash kit in charcoal or fog
Our modern vegan dopp kit is perfect for dads or anyone who loves to travel. Made of the first and only 100% plastic free vegan leather.
Perfect for active dads or dads who love to be comfortable. Our bamboo staple tee is a forever closet basic. It's ridiculously soft, self-wicking, fast-drying, odor-preventing and biodegradable!
Plant leather weekender duffle in sand or charcoal
This modern travel bag for men and women makes the perfect gym bag or travel bag for dads who love to travel in style. Made of the first ever and only 100% plastic free vegan leather.
Biodegradable sweatshirt in bone
This super soft organic cotton and tencel blend has been known to sell out quickly in our KCI airport store and Kansas City Westside stores. It's a closet staple for both men and women, and we can't explain how soft it is!
Order by June 11th for on-time delivery by 6/17 with our free ground shipping rate.
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We've been a popular shop for Mother's Day gifts since we opened our doors online in 2014. Since day one, we've been creating products that are kind to the planet, kind to the hands that make them and that give back. All things that will surely melt your moms heart! For every item you buy, we donate a pair of underwear to a requesting organization, all products are made by our sew team in Kansas City via fair living wages, and we use only the softest sustainable fabrics to create long lasting staple basics.
Want to know the cutest part? For every item you buy for your mom, we get to donate a pair of underwear to a mom aged 12-21 through our current quarterly partners Mother's Refuge - a non-profit serving and housing young moms in Kansas City.
Below are our most popularly gifts that have either been ordered by moms or for moms over the years.
Plastic-Free Vegan Plant Leather Weekender Duffle Bag
Our vegan weekender duffle is beloved by moms as a gym bag, travel bag or a modern minimalist duffle bag for moms with style.
Our bags are made from the only plastic free vegan leather on the market, made from agricultural waste and plant oils and designed, cut and sewn by us in Kansas City!
One of our most popularly ordered gifts for moms since we introduced it in 2017 to our collection. The bamboo fabric is lightweight, fast-drying and odor preventing and perfect for daily post-shower wear or packing in a travel bag!
Comfy biodegradable sweatsuits
Perfect for pregnant moms wanting to stay comfy or moms on the go. Our sweatsuits can mix and match with a biodegradable hoodie and jogger or jogger and crewneck sweatshirt. Choose from different colors and different fabrics!
Our brand staples - our underwear styles have been in our collection since we launched in 2014. Our four bamboo underwear styles (just re-stocked most sizes) are big hits for pregnant and post-partum moms because of how ridiculously comfy they are! Perfect for moms of any age and stage!
If you're local and looking to shop for Mother's Day gifts in Kansas City, stop by our flagship store - Slow Motion Goods - at 1659 Summit. We're open Weds 11-3, Thurs-Sat 11-6, but closed Mother's Day. If you're shopping online, we recommend choosing our priority 2-3 day shipping option for on-time arrival before Mother's Day.
Thank you for choosing sustainable and ethically made Mother's Day gifts for your mom!
]]>This has been a very long and exciting process that we've been working on for multiple years, and it's so fun to see it come to fruition. We would've had no idea when MADI Apparel started in 2013, that a decade later our hard work would translate into global travelers being able to shop our products in our hometown airport. WHAT?! We're so grateful!
We've received so much support from you - our customers - but also tons of questions on how this all began and how the shop works. Do we staff our airport shop? How did we get in the airport to begin with? Etc. Below are the most popularly received FAQs that we've answered to clear things up!
Thank you to everyone who's supported us these past ten years, it's a dream come true to be able to continue making ethical staple basics that give back very urgent need requests for underwear to worldwide communities.
Also, we have a very exciting special going on for a limited time!
For any MADI Apparel item you buy from the Kansas City airport, we will not only donate a pair of underwear to our partners Smart Child Kenya, but we will send YOU a free pair of underwear of your choice. All you have to do is make a MADI Apparel purchase at KCI, post about it on instagram or tik tok and tag us, and then email us a screenshot of your post + photo of your airport purchase receipt to : customerservice@madiapparel.com. We'll send you a 100% off code to pick out any of our womens or mens underwear styles that we'll ship to you for free!
The process started back in 2020 when we found out that KCI was building a new airport terminal. Our team really felt like this could be a perfect growth area for us since our products are locally made in Kansas City, our products are designed to be lifetime staples and super comfy for travel, and because of our big give-back mission that worldwide travelers could take part in! So, we signed up to hear more about the airport retail, and waited to hear.
The next part felt like fate. SEPARATELY, we were approached by one of the airport retail concessions brands that was putting together an RFP bid to hopefully "win" the airport retail concessions after the new airport was built. It's a much longer process than we even knew about from our end, and for months already, these airport concessions brands were moving around town looking for brands to include in their RFP bid. One of the multiple groups - Marshall Retail Group - stopped by our store, emailed us, called us, basically they were just really excited about finding us and wanted to know if we wanted to be part of their airport design proposal. Of course it was an immediate YES on our end :).
Marshal Retail Group put together their RFP bid proposal for city council, the airport committee, and anyone else on the team making the decision for which group to select for food, beverage and retail concessions. Our group included the other brands that you're able to shop and eat from in the new airport like Martin City Brewery, Stockyards Brewery, Christopher Elbow, Parisi Coffee, Messenger Coffee, Skin KC, Brown and Loe, etc. It worked like this: if our bid was selected, our group would get to be in the new airport. If one of the other bids was selected (there were about eight retail concessions groups that proposed separate bids with including different, mostly non-local companies), then none of the companies you see in the airport today would be in there today. Ours was majority all local, and after many city council meetings and lots of back and forth, our bid with Marshall Retail Group and Vantage was ultimately selected! It was so exciting!
According to this article by Forbes, our new airport concept is full of 80% local vendors!
We don't have our own entire store, but the majority of the retail (clothing, at least) is carried in one large store concept filled with products made in Kansas City or screen printed in Kansas City. As you can see in the photo above, we have a lovely display in our own section of the Made in Kansas City Marketplace where thirteen of our ethical fashion and plant based vegan leather products are carried. Because the airport staffs this store, and because it includes other brands and not just our own, you won't be able to use MADI Apparel gift cards here and you won't be able to return or exchange any MADI Apparel products here that you purchased on our website or in our KC flagship store.
We don't control the pricing, so you'll notice price points are slightly higher than in our store or website, but don't forget - for any MADI Apparel item you buy at KCI, we'll send you a free pair of women's or men's underwear of your choice.
This may seem confusing, but we aren't tied to the Made in Kansas City Marketplace in any way, other than a display alongside other amazing stores in their airport location! Marshall Retail Group is our buyer, and they're the group that orders all of our products and the only group that we communicate with regarding our airport products and display.
Does MADI Apparel staff work at the airport store?
No, none of our team members are employed at KCI, and actually it's relatively difficult for us to see our airport display area unless one of us actually traveling, since it's past security. We were able to see our display before the general public on the ribbon cutting day, but otherwise, the airport staffers control all of our re-stocks and help with all customer transactions. If you're shopping our airport selection and ever have a concerning interaction with a staffer working in the store, please do let us know. Anyone working in this store is not directly part of our team, but we would still love to know about it so we can pass along the feedback and improve the Kansas City airport shopping experience!
What if something is out of stock?
You're always welcome to check our website or Kansas City store stock selections, but we really prefer that you support our airport store! When you support our airport store, we're not only able to donate underwear to a very important international non-profit with a very big ongoing need for underwear - Smart Child Kenya - but this also means that hopefully we will continue to be carried! Being carried in the KCI airport is a very big deal for our small business, and we'd love to continue to keep you comfy while traveling for years to come!
Thank you for supporting our small biz and for learning more about our mini store in the Kansas City airport!
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On Earth Day - April 22, 2023 - our storefront is rebranding with a new name and concept that reflects our evolving commitment to sustainability, ethical practices and prioritizing humanity.
Don't worry, MADI Apparel (the brand) is not going anywhere! In fact, we're just getting started...
Click here to snag a ticket to our Kansas City storefront re-launch party on 4/22/23!
Slow Motion Goods is an immersive, ethical shopping experience for thoughtful consumers. Our focus on ethical manufacturing and waste reduction is reflected in every aspect of our store. We keep already-made goods in motion and out of landfills by artfully reclaiming and renovating them. We'll also carry our own line of staple basics - MADI Apparel - intentionally and consciously made sewn goods that are designed by us, made locally, and donate a pair of underwear for every item sold. Our goal is to promote mindful consumption by keeping new and used unwanted goods in motion with the effort of diverting waste from landfills. Welcome home, curious and thoughtful shoppers, to a loungey space where you can stay a while and explore our mission to inspire positive change in the world.
We want to reassure you that MADI Apparel will continue to be carried in the Kansas City International Airport Made in Kansas City Marketplace store and other shops across the US, on madiapparel.com, and now in Slow Motion Goods! This change reflects our commitment to our brand values encouraging slower, more intentional lifestyle and shopping choices. There will be no disruption in your ability to purchase the MADI Apparel products that you love, and we will continue to provide the same customer service that you have come to expect.
"The very early stages of dreaming up Slow Motion Goods began a few years ago when my husband challenged me as an artist. It was at that point that I started watching myself grow and get inspired again...
I started MADI Apparel when I was a 23-year-old bartender in New Smyrna Beach. Before that, I would say my identity rested in "artist". My grandma and my mom - both incredible artists - passed down the spark and the gift that I developed in art school over the years. Out of no where - I changed paths and became a sustainable fashion entrepreneur, not an artist, to ultimately answer a global call and need for new underwear donations. Everything I've built through MADI Apparel was once foreign and eventually learned. (On that note, I'm writing a series of do-it-yourself books on how to start your own sustainable fashion brand...stay tuned, budding entrepreneurs!)
Fast forward to 2016 when I met my husband. I launched MADI Apparel a few years prior, and that was kind of the only realm he knew me in. I was (and am) in constant hustle and grind mode. My roles as fashion designer and owner of MADI Apparel are vast and all-consuming. So, for years, I put my art on the back burner. He literally had no idea that I was an artist, until one day he came home and I had literally just finished a six foot oil painting. And he was like, 'where did this come from?' I think he realized I was side-caring a huge part of my life. And he challenged me with something like, 'I bet you won't keep making paintings,' knowing how competitive I am. It gave me the push to bring art back into my life.
Last year, my grandma passed away, and it got very hard for me to work, to feel inspired. She and I were like best friends - in a mid 30s mid 90s kind of way :). I was just too crushed. She gave me all of this old watercolor paper and old paints, and I started feeling inspired to paint again. I thought it was so cool that I could paint on the paper she used - that she wasn't done with - that would've otherwise likely ended up in the trash.
I got to pick out some of her jewelry after she passed and thought, 'I wonder where it wouldve gone if I didn't repurpose it in my own daily life. A thrift store?
My husband and I moved to Florence, Italy last summer so I could take some continuing education fashion classes. It was nice to take time to heal, to get inspired...I couldn't stop thinking about all of the unwanted goods, paper, fabric, art, sitting in landfills and on thrift store shelves, likely landfill-bound if never sold.
I kept thinking about those goods once made by someone, goods once loved by someone, goods with a story. Today's world is full of noise, full of instant gratification and fast fashion and over-saturation. The art of slowly made fashion and goods has become overshadowed by loud consumerism, by the "next best thing.
I think because I'm inspired by the intimate process of making something physical, and because I know how much work goes into making something by hand, I also find beauty in the story, in the life of an object. Certain cultures believe in praying over an animal after it's just been killed for food, and then eating or using every piece of that animal. That's sort of how I feel about made goods. They're meant to cherish, meant to be reclaimed or rediscovered over and over and experience multiple 'lives', not meant for taking up space in our already crowded landfills.
It makes me smile to think that someone's grandma's belonging might end up in our store and go home with our customer.
I'm evolving, and so is my store, our brand. You've known us since day one for taking an extra step on a road to being the most conscious and thoughtful brand that we can be. This time is no different than when I set out ten years ago to start a brand that would 'make a difference' in every way.
MADI Apparel will still truck on as normal and a smaller collection of our staple ethical basics will continue to be carried in our new store concept. But, Slow Motion Goods will be more, will do more, will teach more, and will empower conscious shopping decisions. I'm proud and grateful for the opportunity to do what I love. Thank you for following along!"
XO, Hayley
Welcome home, thoughtful shoppers... to a loungy experiential shop x living room x art gallery x listening lounge for learning, growing and immersing yourself in the art of ethical fashion and goods.
Our own brand of ethically + locally made staple basics, MADI Apparel. For any item you buy, we donate a pair of underwear. We've discontinued about half of our collection on a mission to hold ourselves accountable for even smaller batch production runs and close to zero waste! Click to shop 50% off of those discontinued products until we're sold out. We'll continue to carry our biodegradable sweats (joggers, hoodies, sweatshirts), our vegan plastic free plant leather bags, our notorious bamboo underwear that we've been making for over ten years, and a few other of your staple favorites.
Pocket notebooks and card holders made from landfill bound paper + leather waste, skateboards, acrylic + oil + watercolor paintings reclaimed from old canvas' and scrapped paper, customized sneakers like nike dunks/converse/vans, old vessels turned candles, hand-dyed pillow cases + napkins, etc
Vinyl records, record players, coffee table books, candlesticks, plant pots, glasswear, etc
Our goal is to make, find and reclaim pieces that will become your most beloved lifetime staples.
Think of us like a combination of all of these amazing store concepts:
Join us in our mission to promote mindful consumption and reduce waste. Together, we can make a difference. See you on Earth Day at Slow Motion Goods!
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"When girls get the opportunity that they need to succeed, grow, and develop, amazing things start to happen; families or individuals in poverty plummet, economies prosper, families become more closer together, and babies are born healthier." Our two newest partners prove that magic can happen through empowerment, confidence and strengthened opportunities, even via the donation of a simple pair of underwear.
For every item you buy at our Kansas City Westside shop and our Kansas City International Airport shop this quarter, we'll donate a pair of underwear to two very deserving organizations with urgent requests. Read more about Mother's Refuge and Smart Child Kenya below.
For every MADI Apparel item you buy in our Westside Kansas City flagship store and madiapparel.com this spring, we'll donate a pair of new underwear to Mother's Refuge in Kansas City.
Mother's Refuge was founded in 1987 and exists to bring hope and empowerment to young mothers. Their maternity shelter houses parenting and pregnant mothers between the ages of 12-21.
Their transitional living program serves mothers and their children as well as an aftercare program once residents graduate the program. Additionally, Mother's Refuge has the ability to serve many young moms who were previously homeless. Upon arrival, many mothers often bring only the contents inside of the bag she walked in with.
"Underwear donations would be a huge blessing to these moms. We could give them basic necessities including underwear when they come to live at our shelter."
For every MADI Apparel item you buy at our new KCI airport shop this quarter, we'll donate a pair of underwear to Smart Child Kenya.
Did you know we now have a mini store within a store at the new KCI airport? That's right, on your next layover or before your next flight out of Kansas City, you can go shopping at KCI and find our locally and ethically made apparel and goods!
We're proud to support a global partner - Smart Child Kenya - with a very big ongoing need for underwear donations through all MADI Apparel sales at the airport.
Smart Child Kenya was founded in 2008 and was registered on June 30, 2014, as a community-based organization in accordance with Kenyan law. The organization empowers and advocates for Africa women and children, provides support and services, and develops programs for these causes. Their mission is to rescue young girls and educate them to reach and achieve their full potential and dreams. They assist hard-to-reach disadvantaged women and girls to inspire, motivate and encourage them to overcome barriers to improve the quality of their lives. Smart Child Kenya mainly works in Narok Maasai land and in Limuru Kamandura. Every dollar donated directly impacts the girls and staff, as currently, they're a group of holistic dedicated group of volunteers who want to stop FGM forced marriages and any kind of mistreatment towards the girl child life.
The Kenyan-based non-profit was founded by Beth Wawira - a brave survivor of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) who was once forced into child marriage at 12 years old with a 67-year-old man, in exchange for cows and sheep.
Here's Beth's story, in her own words, captured from an email that she sent to our team in 2019 requesting underwear donations for her non-profit.
"Hello there .... I am humbled to write you this email. This is Beth from Kenya, founder of Smart Child Kenya. A Registered CBO from year 2014.
Smart Child Kenya aims to help vulnerable children develop and grow, especially girls. They work in 4 thematic areas:
The non-profit provides girls with washable menstrual pads - made directly by the organization - and underwear (from MADI Apparel) that will last for years. By providing reusable cloth menstrual pads, we eliminate all environmental harm that thousands upon millions of disposable pads have on the planet.
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Want to know the most amazing part? When you shop with us, you're not just giving a gift for your loved one, but also to someone in need! For every item you buy, we donate a pair of underwear to a requesting organization serving women or young women in need.
Below are a few of our most popularly ordered Valentine's Day gifts for women and for men, and a few new products he or she might love, too!
Valentine's Day Lace Thongs and Lace Underwear
Shop our ivory or black thongs, or shop our custom hand-dyed panties for a color of your choice!
Sexy vday gift for him: bamboo boxer briefs
Our bamboo robes have a been a popular sustainable gift option in our collection since 2016. Our super soft and comfy robes are perfect for travel, wearing out of the shower, or spicing up everyday wear at home over a lingerie set or pajamas. Looking for a special color? We offer custom hand-dyeing in any color for a small add-on fee. Just email us after purchasing an ivory robe!
Click here to shop all of our most popularly ordered unique Valentine's Day gifts.
Happy Valentine's Day, Palentine's Day or Galentine's Day. However you celebrate, we hope you feel full of love!
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We love pairing this with our high-waisted bamboo joggers. It's one of founder Hayley's top three everyday staple favorites, and we have a hard time keeping her in stock!
To be clear, our new bags are made of vegan material (technically), but not like the vegan leathers that most consumers know about. Since almost all vegan leathers are made with plastic content (read more below), we didn't want to settle until we found a biodegradable, sustainable vegan leather option. We searched high and low for an animal-free, plastic-free vegan leather-alternative that aligned with our ethical standards, but it felt too good to be true. That is, until Mirum by Natural Fiber Welding swooped in. Read more below for more information on our material and plant leather products.
What is traditional vegan leather made of? Is vegan leather actually sustainable?
Prior to this decade, really, the only term the market used for non-animal leather was faux leather. Vegan leather is a more recently developed and marketed term to describe leather-like material made without animals. However, faux leather gives off a cheesy and cheap vibe, and thus the market found a new term to capture mostly vegan lifestyle consumers.
These days, vegan leather manufacturers have been getting very innovative and using pineapples, mangoes, apples, cacti, and grapes to make leather-like material from natural materials. HOWEVER, many of these companies are not very transparent about the fact that most (if not all) of these "natural vegan leather" materials are not plastic-free. We were excited Cactus Leather - a vegan leather made in Mexico from Cacti. However, after much research and digging, we learned that the company we were sourcing sample material from was not being very transparent about the amount of plastic content in the material, and therefore, it wasn't 100% biodegradable. We also looked into leather made from pineapple leaf fibres until we learned that it, too, had plastic content.
Many don't know this (because it's not very transparent in the traditional vegan leather industry), but nearly ever vegan leather on the market uses between 30-80% amount of plastic content, and producing these products typically involves solvents, plasticizers, or other processing chemicals. Vegan leather is marketed as kind to animals and the planet, but really, it's often harmful to the environment and non biodegradable.
We're grateful to have found this amazing faux leather material that's not only kind to animals but also kind to the environment.
Our unisex leather-alternative collection is:
Shop the collection starting on 10/20/22.
]]>According to research by Workers Rights Consortium, (WRC) from businessoffashion.com, garment workers' average wage has decreased over the last 12 months by over a fifth (21%) from an average of $187 per month to an average of $147 per month.
Why is it important to us to create jobs in Kansas City?
Kansas City is our community, and sustaining existing jobs and creating new jobs is important to the local Kansas City economy. And, it's pivotal for the success of of locally made fashion industry in our city. We've been contracting and employing sewers from our team in the West Bottoms for over eight years. The owner, Laura Treas, has made an entire career out of cut and sew production, consulting and her own line of shapewear called Affirmawear. We've worked hand in hand over the years to grow each others' businesses and listen to what we each need to be successful in the ethical fashion world. Both Kansas City sewing teams we work with are small batch micro factories, and we work together to keep waste at less than 1%.
How do we take steps to ensure contracted sewers are paid a living wage? Instead of demanding price points from our workers, we ask how much they'd like and need to get paid to cut and sew each product in order to make sweatshop-free, fair wages. This often involves quite a bit of testing and timing the production of each product. Once we know how long it takes for our sew team to make a product, we do the math to determine how much we will have to pay for labor for that product, based on the amount of time it takes.
The living wage standard in Missouri where we're headquartered is $13.75. Since all of our products are made in KC, we know we must pay our sewers a minimum of $13.75 per hour. Our sew team usually bumps that up a bit to cover the costs of some very important elements that most consumers or even fashion brand owners and management members don't often consider: the cost of doing business for the sewing factory!
Fashion brands are so set on paying the lowest wage possible to remain competitive in the market, but not only does this hurt the sewers as they can't provide for their families, but it also hurts the factories. The factories must cover the costs of their building rent, machine maintenance, utilities, web fees, insurance, taxes, etc. When fashion brands pay per-piece costs that translate to less than minimum wage, this doesn't leave the sewer with much to live on and it doesn't leave the factory with much to strive or even survive on.
How do I shop for ethically-made products?
One misconception and often overlooked element of ethical fashion is the fact that it's not only about using sustainable fabrics. Sure, that's one important element of creating a transparent and successful ethical fashion brand. But, paying a living wage is equally a necessity and a bare minimum to be considered an ethical fashion brand. As a consumer, it's actually fairly easy to find out if a company is paying a fair wage. How? Well, they'll shout it from the rooftops! :)
As mentioned in the beginning of this blog, less than three percent of the world's fashion brands pay a living wage to sewers. It's unfortunately SO common to pay unfair wages in clothing factories that when companies actually attempt to do the right thing by paying fair wages, we make a big deal of promoting it! We do like to toot our own horn :) because it's an educational moment, but it's also hard work. We profit less than our competitors by sticking to this non negotiable business moral, and we won't settle for anything less.
So, the best way to shop products that are ethically made is to do a little research. Hop on their website and look in the about section to read about their production methods. Click through their social media to make sure they're using sustainable fabrics and championing for living wages. It's honestly pretty easy to know right away if brands are doing the right thing.
If we've done our job, we've encouraged you as our customer and our community to FEEL SOMETHING. We’ve gotten you to slow down and THINK about what you’re buying, consuming, wearing, donating. Who made it? Who/what will it affect? Where will it end up? Who needs it?
Yes, our products may make you feel good and happy and confident when you wear them, especially thinking of how you made a difference. BUT - sometimes with our products and learning about what we do, you may instead feel sad, empathetic, impactful, a bit helpless, etc. Because one of our goals is to educate on fair wages vs unfair wages, underwear donations and why there’s a need to begin with, low waste vs fashion waste, biodegradable vs plastic, chemical dye waste vs natural and toxic-free low waste dyes, etc. It can feel overwhelming wondering how can I (one person) make a difference and impact the global fashion industry. Well, every bit counts, and our goal of educating consumers is simply to encourage you to feel SOMETHING, ANYTHING - especially empathy to help us make a difference.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting us and for choosing to shop from our sustainable, ethical, fair wage fashion brand.
XO, Team MADI
This weekend, Alyx will be leading an indigo dye workshop in our backyard, and attendees will be able to learn ancient indigo dye techniques and even dye a MADI Apparel product to take home. Attendees are also welcome to bring an additional natural fiber garment from home to dye, too.
All indigo dye materials are included in the workshop, and in addition to learning how to dye with indigo, tickets will include a Madi apparel garment of choice to dye and take home. We've included two ticket levels - the first level will include a pair of MADI Apparel bamboo underwear of choice, and the higher ticket level will instead include a bamboo crop tank, bamboo lounge shorts or a bralette to dye with indigo and keep.
Why do we believe in using natural dyes for our sustainable apparel brand?
Natural clothing dyes like indigo and avocado dyes are biodegradable, non-toxic and non-allergenic. Natural dyes are better for our skin, better for our health and better for the environment. They don't have any carcinogenic components like many synthetic dyes have. Textile dyeing is one of the most polluting aspects of the global fashion industry as residues, chemicals, leftover fabric dye is poured into our water streams untreated. The traditional fast fashion commercial dye process is also heavily water wasteful.
Hand dyeing with natural dyes is a small batch process and therefore has very little water waste, but it's also a very mindful and beautiful process. We believe that clothing production should be respected as an artisan craft, and the people and environment should be respected in the process, too. Natural dyes allow for this to happen!
]]>As part of this mission, we are working to tell our brand story in a better way. When you shop at MADI or take part in one of our many local experiences, we want you to feel something: emotions, euphoria, empathy—whatever it is that makes sense for you.
We want you to know that your dollars and support make an impact, not only to our small business in Kansas City but to our larger community as well. Our team knows that we are responsible and accountable for every last fiber, interaction, and thing we leave behind, and we want you to know that too.
So from today forward, our community outreach and in-store experience will be focused on just that—telling our story to encourage you to slow down and consider every detail of our process.
Because that’s what really makes a difference.
“What makes us special is how detailed we are in our pursuit of sustainability,” MADI Founder Hayley Besheer said.
“We will be changing our store displays and website to be wholly focused on educating our customers on what their purchases do for their community, like how much the labor costs for that garment, who made it, what is the eco fabric made from, the sustainability impact and how was it dyed. I want customers to truly understand and appreciate what it means to mindfully shop from a sustainable brand like MADI.”
When you visit our store (hopefully soon!) or join us for an event, we hope you get to learn more about who we are and why we do what we do.
The things you love should last.
They shouldn't negatively impact the planet.
They should provide a living wage to the hands that made them.
And they should always uplift those who need help.
Our ethical basics are made by us in Kansas City from sustainable, bio-based, long-lasting materials—without compromise—and we can’t wait for you to learn more as we continue to prioritize sharing our mission and vision with you.
Be on the lookout for changes in-store and online that will help you learn more about what it means to be MADI Apparel.
As you know, every time you shop with us, we get to donate one pair of new, comfy biodegradable bamboo underwear to women and youth in requesting organizations for every item you buy.
In honor of our mission: conscious consideration of everything, we’re dedicated to LISTENING to the urgent, immediate needs of our communities near and far. It all started in 2012 when founder Hayley learned that new underwear tops the emergency needs list year-round for many organizations and communities all over the world. It’s not just about underwear, it’s dignity and empowerment. For every item you buy, we donate the exact same pairs of luxuriously sustainable underwear styles that we sell in our womenswear collection. The bamboo fabric is cloud-like, self-wicking, odor-preventing, and of course biodegradable.
For every item purchased now through April 30th, we’ll donate a pair of underwear to New Jersey-based POWER CHANGES LIVES INC®️ - whose mission is to provide assistance to disadvantaged and low-income individuals and the homeless, creating sustainable futures and igniting hope with the ability to thrive in underserved communities.
We’re teaming up with our partners at Five Media to collaborate with POWER® at one of their many upcoming S.H.O.W. LavaLove®️ Pop-Up Care Village events to
distribute new biodegradable underwear for women and youth and provide an exclusive shopping experience. Our team will head to the April 30th state-wide event in Trenton, NJ at the CURE Insurance Arena where attendees will have access to hot showers through a 29-foot custom mobile hygiene trailer, and will be joined by over 30 community partners providing services such as housing, employment, financial assistance, veterans services and more to over 1,000 local community members.
5 is an impact media foundation that connects thinkers and doers to co-create a more sustainable future. As part of this, 5 supports exciting projects immersed in sustainability and community-driven impact. Projects built by businesses like us! We applied to Five requesting help through financial and other resources, crossed our fingers and waited.
We were blown away that our pitch was well-received and 5 ended up choosing MADI Apparel as one of their newest partners to support!
Five believes strongly in showcasing the impact businesses are making through storytelling, supporting their partners financially, or collaborating with their partners in other ways, in order to accelerate the positive change they’re making.
5's grant partnership will connect us in partnership for at least three years, and through lots of back and forth communication, we decided to kick off our partnership with a few select projects together.
Five's goals in choosing us as one of their partners look a little something like this:
Five's financial support will help us travel and cover postage costs to ship underwear donations to organizations outside of our city
5 and MADI Apparel have already announced this partnership through social media, and 5 also plans to share more about MADI Apparel on fivemedia.com as we continue our collaborative efforts, through impact-dives and other storytelling methods, and more.
5 Media is mostly based in the Netherlands, but we're working hand-and-hand with their North American-based team on the majority of our shared projects. Our first collaboration together has begun, and we need the help of all of our customers to reach our goal.
For every item purchased now through April 30th, we’ll donate a pair of underwear to New Jersey-based POWER CHANGES LIVES INC®️ - whose mission is to provide assistance to disadvantaged and low-income individuals and the homeless, creating sustainable futures and igniting hope with the ability to thrive in underserved communities.
We’re teaming up with our partners at Five Media to collaborate with POWER® at one of their many upcoming S.H.O.W. LavaLove®️ Pop-Up Care Village events to
distribute new biodegradable underwear for women and youth and provide an exclusive shopping experience. Our team will head to the April 30th state-wide event in Trenton, NJ at the CURE Insurance Arena where attendees will have access to hot showers through a 29-foot custom mobile hygiene trailer, and will be joined by over 30 community partners providing services such as housing, employment, financial assistance, veterans services and more to over 1,000 local community members.
We're thrilled to kick off our hopefully everlasting partnership with Five Media, and we are the proudest and most thankful business there ever was! We're honestly always floored when businesses and individuals SEE and FEEL what we're doing and go above and beyond to support us. Thank you 5 Media for "seeing" us!
]]>Gifting an experience for Vday is super fun because you'll get to enjoy the gift with him and spend time together! In Kansas City where we're based, we'd look for concert tickets at the Sprint Center, The Truman, Record Bar, The Uptown Theatre or the Midland. You could also think ahead and buy him (us) season tickets to Starlight Theatre for the summer or maybe to an Off-Broadway show like Wicked or Stomp.
A staycation is always a romantic vday gift - maybe even for that night! This is a fun and affordable way to get out of the house for the night and have some fun together especially for parents wanting to celebrate Valentine's Day. We love staycations at 21c Hotel in Kansas City, especially in the winter when outdoor activities are harder to come by. You can spend a whole day exploring this hotel since it has a built-in museum, the historic Savoy restaurant, cozy bar, a trendy hotel gift shop and very romantic and modern hotel rooms for movies and relaxing.
We're a big fan of the Kansas City Chiefs. Since the season ended for us (boo), you have a couple options...Sporting KC and the Royals are also very great and fun teams to support. This is a fun idea for any city even if you aren't local to ours!
We're talking about the most romantic day of the year here people, so don't scrimp on the sauce. Don't underestimate the power of a romantic date night-in especially if you go the extra mile.
How to create a vibe for an at-home date night?
1. What should I cook for Valentine's Day? Find a romantic recipe and make sure it's something special that you don't make every day. We recommend a yummy lemon pasta with fresh lemon zest and a homemade cheesecake.
2. Make a few sexy appetizers to start and really set the mood. We recommend chocolate-dipped strawberries or other dipped fruits. You can save time and stress by assembling these the day before and chilling them overnight in the fridge!
3. Snag a candelabra or two and a bunch of tall candlesticks. Find a plate or counter in your house where you don't mind a little wax dripping on it. (You can scrape it off later with a razor.) Dripped wax adds to the sexy and intimate factor, so let it drip away! Spice things up with other candles all over the house - but especially in the area where you plan to eat.
4. Light some woodsy incense - this will really amp up the feels and emotions.
5. Dim the lights for some mood lighting and let those candles burn, baby!
We hope you have the best time discovering unique and fun things to do on Valentine's Day this year. Don't forget to soak in the memories, as this particular Valentine's Day - whatever you do - will never happen again, so make sure to make it count!
]]>What's the best part about buying her MADI Apparel for such a romantic holiday? Your gift gives back in multiple ways and is guaranteed to melt her heart, reminding you why she fell in love with you to begin with. For every item you buy, we'll donate a pair of underwear to a requesting organization serving women and youth in need and include a card spotlighting the specific organizations your purchase benefits. Underwear is the most needed and most under-donated item of clothing, and we can't fulfill requests for deserving non-profits on our waiting list without YOU our customers!
Your lady is of course unique, and not one relationship is the same as the next. So, we've curated gift ideas for different types of relationships and interests to help you navigate what kind of Vday gift to get her!
What is the most unique Vday gift I can get for my wife?
Have you ever thought about getting her a luxury sheets set? Based on feedback we've received from customers who've ordered our bamboo satin sheet sets, these sheets are probably the biggest game-changer for better sleep routines.
And, they come in the most beautiful and minimal cotton canvas packing bag so you both can keep your sheets organized in your linens closet!
Bed sheets aren't really a traditional Vday gift, but something about creating a softer, dreamier bed for you and your wife feels sexy and special!
What should I get my girlfriend for our first Valentine's Day?
This one is a bit awkward and can feel tricky and pressure-filled. But, have no fear, new relationships are fun and so is gift-giving!
We recommend gifting her a set of a few smaller items that feel thoughtful yet don't scream "woah, relax, I just met you :)." The trick is to pull at her heartstrings and to show you care while also balancing that this is a new relationship and you're still getting to know each other. Tread carefully, friends!
A clean-burn soy candle that smells like silk:
Just any old candle can feel a bit impersonal, but not this one! For every candle you buy, we get to donate a pair of underwear to women and youth in need, and we mention this on the candle packaging for her to read! This is a sexy-scented candle, too, so it will leave her thinking of you longer than - like we said - any old candle.
Cruelty-free silk sleep shorts:
We recommend gifting her a set of cruelty-free silk sleep shorts with our silk soy candle. These shorts make a difference in multiple ways. They're made from cruelty-free silk which - unlike traditional commercial mulberry silk - is the only silk in the world where silkworms aren't killed in the process to make it. The little silkworms make the silk that we get to wear, but they still live free happy lives :). Not only are these shorts "silky soft", but they'll give her the feeling that you care about her, people, animals and the environment!
Now that's a way to start off your new relationship on the right foot!
Where can I find a sexy Valentine's Day gift for my girlfriend?
You've come to the right place...Although we aren't specifically a lingerie company, we do make ethical lingerie and sustainable underwear for women. Since day one, we've specialized in making and donating underwear. Many customers have reviewed that we make the most comfortable underwear that they've ever worn and express that it feels like a special treat.
All six of our underwear styles have been popularly ordered since we launched them in 2014, but below are our favorites.
Bamboo robe, black lace bralette, black lace panty:
This is like the set of dreams! You'll love how it looks and she'll love how it feels.
Our hand-dyed golden bralette and lace panty set feel like the classiest underwear of all time. But hurry because these are almost sold out!
Best pajamas to gift my wife for Valentine's Day:
Comfy pajamas are our specialty, and we've been making them as soft and as special as we can since 2015. We offer multiple different mix and match pajama sets, so you really can't go wrong. We recommend peaking through her current pajamas and thinking about whether she likes shorts or pants, long sleeves or short-sleeves, pants or just underwear, etc., so you find the most perfect pajamas for her specifically.
Cheap Valentine's Day gifts for women:
When we say cheap, we aren't referring to quality. Unlike most global fashion brands, we're one of few to pay a living wage to our sewers, make all products in our own city and use sustainable and long-lasting fabrics. We could also call these affordable Vday gifts if cheap doesn't feel quite right! Basically, we want you to feel like you can shop with us no matter what your budget is!
Cruelty-free silk sleep mask and cruelty-free silk scrunchie:
Clean-burn locally made soy candle:
This candle is perfect for women who love candles that smell like cologne.
Valentine's Day gifts in Kansas City:
If you live locally near us in Kansas City, stop by our Valentine's Day gifts pop-up in our Kansas City Westside shop on 2/12/22! You'll be able to shop all of the gifts mentioned above and our entire sustainable collection, but we're hosting three other businesses bringing KC-made vday gifts.
Sugar and Sky will be bringing hand-made artisan cotton candy. The bright colors and tasty flavors are sure to give her a sugar rush! Sugar and Sky popped up last year with Valentine's Day gifts and it was such a fun experience for our shoppers!
Fleur and Honey is a local Kansas City desserts and treats company. She also popped up in our Kansas City store last year and was a huge hit with literally a line for her treats. She sold out of most things so better come early!
Who is She is a local Kansas City hand-made jewelry company. All of her jewelry is made in KC specifically by her!
We hope you have the sweetest Valentine's Day with your loved one! Click here for Valentine's Day gift ideas for him and stay tuned for our next post on unique and fun things to do on Valentine's Day!
]]>And, don't forget, for every gift you buy we get to donate a pair of underwear to requesting non-profit organizations in need. Click the photos to shop specific products!
1. What do I gift a guy who loves to be comfortable?
Well, you're in luck. We're one of the best brands for comfortable clothes. The best part? All of our products are Made in KC from sustainable fabrics like bamboo and organic cotton. You really can't go wrong, but our favorites
Either of our biodegradable stretch fleece sustainable sweatshirts are our go-to comfy gifts. Both our crewneck and hoodie sweatshirts come in bone, moroccan blue and pine green.
Looking for a little extra something to throw in with the comfy sweats? We love products from Skin KC, a hand-made organic skincare line. All products are made in KC by the owner and her team out of the most clean and best-smelling natural skincare ingredients. I mean come on, a luxuriously comfy sweatshirt paired with great-smelling lotion or bath products? He'll be in heaven!
2. What to gift a guy who loves football and winter sports:
A biodegradable stretch fleece beanie:
Our beanies are affordable, ridiculously soft and dressing warm for outdoor winter activities like football games. Our beanies are currently offered in hand-dyed red, bone and moroccan blue. So, depending on his favorite sports team, you may have a winning color here!
3. What do I get for a guy who likes nice things?
Okay, so maybe he's a little bougie? :) There's nothing wrong with that, he must know what he wants! Our ethical fashion and ethical home goods are all very soft to the touch, but our bamboo bed sheets are the most comfortable and probably take the cake for feeling luxurious at home.
Our bamboo sheets sets come in a cotton canvas bag and truly feel and look like a piece of heaven. They'll glow in your linens closet sitting next to your other less magical sheet sets.
4. What should I get him for our first Valentine's Day?
Well, congrats lovebirds! This is an exciting time, and may feel like a lot of pressure to gift the most perfect Vday gift for your new boyfriend. We're here to help and make you look real real good :).
We have an idea for a simple yet tasteful and sexy gift set for him. Neither of these gifts scream "woah slow down, I just met you", but they also show thoughtfulness and have a romantic flair.
Our fireside candle and bamboo basic tee will make him feel all warm and cozy. And the best part? You'll be able to enjoy both too :). Haven't you ever heard of a boyfriend tee?
5. What do I gift my guy who loves to travel?
Our eco-friendly jogger sweatpants are hands down the BEST travel pants for plane trips and road trips. Just trust us! Also, since these are unisex, if you're anywhere close to his size, you can steal them every now and again for personal wear...We make our super popular and comfy sweats in pine green, moroccan blue and bone.
Oh, and this is a super secret tip, but here's a gift idea he won't be expecting: an annual premium subscription to Scott's Cheap Flights for the most incredibly cheap flight deals to destinations all over the world. Pair a subscription with a pair of the comfiest joggers and you've just become a gift-giving QUEEN in his eyes.
6. What's a unique gift idea for my husband?
Perhaps you've been celebrating Valentine's Day together since 1988...Sounds like you're already winning since you're still making it a point to celebrate each other! But, we bet you're running out of inspiring new gift ideas, huh?
This gift idea has nothing to do with our ethical fashion brand, but more to do with warming his heart. We recommend gifting him a donation in his name to a charity that means a lot to him. Wrap it up in a super cute hand-made Vday card with a sweet note about why you love him so much. Ta-tah!
Need some inspiration for charities that might tug at his heartstrings specifically? Head here for a list of 50 heart-warming charities to donate to.
We hope this guide helps spark some ideas. Stay tuned for our upcoming blog for ideas on fun and unique things to do on Valentine's Day!
]]>Our beanies are Made in KC a few blocks from our brick-and-mortar local store out of a fabric blend of biodegradable organic cotton and tencel. All products are sweatshop-free and ethically made. In fact, we're one of few fashion brands to pay a living wage to our sewers.
This garment requires over ten steps of hand labor including cutting by hand, sewing multiple seams and labels, dyeing by hand and steaming.
Imagine sitting at the championship football game or watching the game on tv on 1/30 in the most comfortable red beanie hat you've ever met.
]]>Our New Year Sale is just around the corner and will go from January 19th to January 23rd at midnight here and in our local Kansas City store. All items in this collection will receive a 25% discount in your cart.
No code necessary. 25% discount will auto-apply in your cart to any item in this sale collection. Happy shopping!
This is our biggest sale of the year, and we made sure to include some of our most popular products with record speed sell-out rates like our bamboo bed sheets and bamboo tie-back tanks.
Our bamboo satin sheets come in king and queen sizes with deep pockets for thick mattresses. They're fast-drying, odor-preventing and help fight against night sweats.
We also included a few very popular items that haven't yet restocked since the last time we sold out. You can pre-order the following items to ensure first dibs on our next re-stock early spring.
Pre-order bamboo crop tanks in ivory and black for 25% off.
Pre-order bamboo jogger sweatpants in black or ivory for 25% off
Pre-order biodegradable stretch fleece sustainable crewneck sweatshirts for 25% off
Pre-order bamboo boxer briefs for 25% off.
Mediums and larges have sold out within one day of our last three re-stocks on bamboo underwear for men, so we highly recommend pre-ordering this product to guarantee dibs.
Not sure what your New Years resolution is, but we're making a pact to shop more sustainably this year. The best ways to shop sustainably include thrift shopping, clothing swaps with your friends, and shopping products made from biodegradable fabrics so that your closets won't end up adding to the landfills like millions of other fashion waste. Our products aren't perfect by any means, but we're working our absolute hardest to make products that aren't trendy and can stick around in your closet forever before eventually breaking down into the soil many many years later.
]]>Over the last seven years, we've been blessed to be featured in publications like Forbes, BBC News, the knot, BRIDES, Men's Journal, Entrepreneur, Nylon and TV news stations like KTLA, ABC30, Fox 35 Orlando, KMBC 9 News, WOWT Omaha, WCIU The Jam Chicago and more.
It can be hard to find visibility among the online sea giants like amazon.com, Target, Victoria's Secret and more. We're a local small businesses paying living wages to employees, sourcing sustainable fabrics and giving back to our community. Because of that, our price points don't usually compare to big box stores that don't always prioritize fair fashion or a give-back model.
Great Day KC, a live daily show by Fox 4 KC, stopped by our flagship store in Westside Kansas City for a live feature segment! Click here for the feature, shop local at MADI Apparel and see how it can help our community. They featured our Kansas City-based store, showing off our comfy sustainable loungewear, women's underwear, ethical menswear joggers and hoodies and even our home goods. Thanks for encouraging KC to shop local this holiday season when you give your loved ones “Madi Apparel.”
Also this week, the Kansas City Star included our locally made sustainable apparel and home goods in your ultimate last second Kansas City gift guide. We're so grateful that our community cares to promote our locally made Kansas City gifts that give back in this holiday gift guide chalked full of local KC stores!
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For free three-day shipping until 12/20/25, use code: FREE3DAYSHIP21 at checkout. Or, come in person to our local Kansas City shop next to Westside Local for in-store shopping. We're one of few Kansas City shops open on Christmas Eve for last minute gifts and every day until then!
Our stretch fleece organic cotton joggers, hoodies and new beanies have been very popular unisex gifts for men and women! They're pretty much the cushiest, softest loungewear pieces we've ever made! They'd make great gifts for your dad or any family member since they're unisex and very staple closet pieces.
Our popular bamboo pajama sets have continued to sell-out quickly since we launched most styles over five years ago. We have various holiday pjs for women to choose from and mix and match - bamboo shorts, pants, leggings, joggers and more! We just received a re-stock of our popular black bamboo pj pants, and they're up for grabs!
Our two lace underwear styles are hard to keep in stock. They've been popular underwear styles in collection since we launched our cause-based business in 2014. Our laces are made in the USA and every lace thong and lace brazilian style have super soft and stretch bamboo in the crotch area for comfort. We just re-stocked our black lace underwear styles, ivory lace underwear perfect for bridal gifts, and even a new hand-dyed underwear custom color.
Our bamboo robes for brides, bridal parties and everyday wear would make the perfect gift for a bride-to-be or even a new mom.
We just launched a new sustainable fashion product, super soft beanie hats! These would made a great unique stocking stuffer idea under $50. Or, for anyone in your family who's fallen in love with our comfy fabrics, these would make a great gift idea for someone who likes to be comfy.
Thank you to the Kansas City Star for featuring us and quoting our founder in Your Ultimate Last Second Kansas City Gift Guide!
“We’re local and have a store, so anyone who’s worried about shipping timelines can just come shop in our store,” said Hayley Santell, founder of the sustainable clothing brand MADI Apparel. “We literally make everything here in Kansas City.”
Our line of sustainable basics like hoodies, joggers, beanies and pajamas is designed, made in KC by us, and we pay our sewers a living wage. For each item purchased, MADI Apparel donates a pair of underwear to requesting organizations. This quarter, we're partnered with three domestic violence shelters: Newhouse - the oldest domestic violence shelter in Kansas City, Marjaree Mason Center in Fresno, CA and Safe Harbor in Greenville, SC.
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So, you can say we take sustainability pretty seriously here at MADI. That’s why we wanted to share with you our favorite tips for the holiday season, like eco-friendly ways to wrap presents!
Want to join us on our mission for a more sustainable holiday season? If you’ve already taken the steps to buy more sustainable Christmas gifts (like the ones in our sustainable holiday gift guide!) it’s time to consider how you wrap your presents.
Gift wrapping doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. Save the planet while also saving your budget with these 4 wrapping hacks.
In Japan, they utilize a wrapping style called Furoshiki, which utilizes a Furoshiki or scarf as part of the wrapping process. Stop by a thrift store in your area and snag a cute scarf and get to wrapping.
This video will show you how to wrap a present with a scarf:
Can’t find the right scarf? Other types of fabric you can use to wrap a gift include:
We love gift baskets and consider them the gift that keeps on giving! Pick out a basket at your local thrift store, or utilize one you already have laying around the house, and put your gifts together in a way that looks cute.
Consider adding a scarf or handkerchief as your “tissue paper” and a few strategically placed ribbons to make your gift basket look perfectly put together.
Next time you’re at the store, ask for paper sacks instead of plastic. Then, flip them inside out and wrap your gifts with them! If you don’t have brown paper sacks, you can also use:
For an added flair, consider making your own custom stamp or using one you already have to give the paper more pizazz. We love this tutorial on how to make your own stamp with a lint roller!
Another idea? You know those cotton canvas bags used for produce instead of plastic produce bags? Use those cotton bags for gifts and tie a bow to close!
Sometimes, we overthink things like how to wrap a gift. We’re here to tell you that it’s not the outside that matters.
If the box or gift itself is cute enough, just add a bow and call it a day. And if you want a little extra, you can use what you find in nature, like a pine twig or flower, to spice it up a bit.
Do you have old holiday bags laying around, just looking for a second chance at life? What about an old pillow case or tote bag that's been shoved in a corner for far too long? Give them a new job as holiday gift wrap!
This is a win-win situation because it helps you clear out your closet while also staying true to your sustainability mission. Plus, if it's something extra cute, your receiver will think it's part of the gift itself as well!
Make this holiday extra special and sustainable by being more thoughtful with how you spend your time, money and energy. At the end of the day, what matters is the gift you’re giving and the time you’re able to spend with your loved ones.
Still looking for that perfect gift? Shop our pre-holiday sale today!
]]>Leaving an abuser isn’t like your typical breakup. It can be a dangerous journey that should be dealt with carefully. If you or a loved one is ready to leave an abusive partner, it’s important to take the necessary precautions to ensure your safety.
]]>Hayley’s view of domestic violence was changed when it was revealed that her close relative was a victim of abuse. Her story proved to Hayley that domestic violence can happen to anyone.
Upon research, Hayley learned that underwear is an urgent need among domestic violence shelters. It's the only item that can’t be donated used, so people rarely think to buy it new and donate it. When MADI Apparel donates this urgent need for every item sold, it adds dignity and empowerment to a traumatic situation and helps relieve a financial burden for shelters.
Leaving an abuser isn’t like your typical breakup. It can be a dangerous journey that should be dealt with carefully. If you or a loved one is ready to leave an abusive partner, it’s important to take the necessary precautions to ensure your safety.
Below are a few tips to help you safely leave an abusive relationship. We've gathered these tips through a combination of personal experience, the experience of loved ones, and research provided by financial advisors and trusted domestic violence organizations that serve and empower survivors.
In honor of remembering those we've lost, and honoring those who've survived abuse, this post was written with heart. Although this piece is not perfect, we are sharing this as a tool for anyone out there looking for help and advice from others who've successfully personally escaped an abuser or who've personally helped a loved one flee from abuse. We love you and we're here for you.
Money is a huge obstacle in an abusive relationship. Start saving as soon as you can. Credit cards can be tracked and controlled by your abuser, so the best thing to do is to gather and hide away cash. Any amount will help you once you leave. Try to find a job that pays in cash or has cash tips. If you’re not able to get a job, consider selling items your abuser won’t know are missing, asking a trusted friend or family member, or getting cash back from your debit card. If you are nervous about hiding a lot of cash, then use that money to buy a prepaid or VISA gift card. Having a singular card may be easier to hide and transport.
Along with financial reports, it’s important to make copies and gather any personal documents. Things like Identification documents, bank information, citizenship cards, etc. should all be copied and hidden away. When you leave it can be extremely difficult to get access to these documents, which is why you should make copies or take photos of any paperwork that has financial or private information. If you are a victim of physical abuse, try to take pictures of bruises, scars, or wounds to use as evidence if needed. It’s best to make copies of all documents rather than hide the original. This way your abuser will not suspect anything. Just make sure you store these copies somewhere or with someone safe.
Many abusers use isolation as a control tactic, because of this it may feel hard to reach out to loved ones. But know there are people in your life who still love and miss you. Try to reach out to people you trust, even if it has been a long time. Vulnerability is power. Let them know your situation and seek out any assistance you can. You don’t have to go through this alone. Find the people that’ll help you whether it be a friend, family member, therapist, lawyer, or a Domestic Violence Organization.
After doing the prior steps it’s time to come up with an exit plan. Always have two prepared. One for when you are ready and prepared to leave safely, and one if you have to leave more urgently than expected. Make sure your cash, documents, and any personal belongings are packed and stored somewhere safe and easily accessible to you. Observe your abuser’s pattern and figure out a window of time in which you can safely leave the home. Have a mode of transportation set in place whether it be a car, a friend, or public transportation, know exactly how you’re going to leave. Lastly, figure out where you’re going to go. This place should be a safe environment, one that you don’t expect your abuser to find. It doesn’t have to be a permanent spot, but a place you can come to when you are ready to leave. Consider staying with a loved one or finding a shelter near you. If you have the resources, you can look for your own housing. However, it’s good to have a support system close by regardless of where you chose to stay.
Deleting your digital footprint should be done moments before you leave, as your abuser could suspect what’s going on. Wipe your search history, delete any saved information, change your passwords, delete or cancel accounts, and turn off any location sharing you have with your abuser or people they know. If able, consider ditching your phone and getting a new one that is not connected to your abuser. Try to memorize important phone numbers, so you can contact a trusted source in case of emergency.
MADI stands for Make a Difference. Although Domestic Violence Awareness Month has come to an end, it’s important to still spread awareness on this topic. Abuse can be hard for some to talk about, but by sharing our stories and spreading awareness we can make a difference.
As we approach the holiday season it’s important to check on our loved ones and reflect on our own relationships. Here at MADI Apparel, we’re dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence. By purchasing from our brand, we’re able to give back to domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, rape clinics, and disaster relief situations, who need these products the most.
For every item you purchase from us in November, December and January, we'll donate a pair of underwear to our quarterly domestic violence organization partners. Our current quarterly partners are: Newhouse - Kansas City's oldest domestic violence shelter, Safe Harbor in Greenville South Carolina, and Marjaree Mason Center in Fresno.
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We asked our team of amazing, thoughtful and all around awesome women to share their favorite things to do, places to shop and ways to give back during the holidays in Kansas City and this is what we came up with!
Winter Magic Christmas lights at Swope Park
This drive-thru light experience is a great way to stay safe and warm this holiday season! Grab your favorites and hop in the vehicle for a fun and magical experience at Swope Park. Best part? Winter Magic is an official fundraiser for Children’s Mercy Hospital.
Luminary Walk at the Overland Park Arboretum
If you prefer to get out and walk around to see the beautiful views, head to the Overland Park Arboretum! Take a stroll along the lit pathways to experience the magical Gnome and Fairy Villages, serene winter woods by candlelight, and the colorful Children's Garden. There will also be music, Santa and more.
Christmas Fondue Party
“One thing our family does every year is a Christmas eve Fondue Party (sometimes we just pretend it’s Christmas eve). We have Cheese fondue, then chocolate fondue and then open Poppers and read the jokes and wear silly hats :)” - Pam, Hayley’s mom and our PR lead.
Christmas Karaoke party at OffKey
If your friends and family are a bit more adventurous, a Christmas Karaoke party is the way to go. OffKey has private karaoke rooms where you can all enjoy time together, making fun or (or appreciating the secret talents of!) your friends and family. We highly recommend Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” It’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Actually, we had our team holiday party last year here!
“Picking out a Christmas tree and sipping hot chocolate at Osage Farm” - Lauren, our email marketing maven.
Running or walking in the Santa Dash 5k
While this one might not be for all families, some might get enjoyment out of the festive 5k in historic Westport! During this event, the streets are filled with holiday cheer as hundreds of Santas run through the streets of Kansas City. Even if you don’t want to participate, it’s still fun to see in action.
Rieger & Co. was the largest mail-order whiskey house in the United States prior to the onset of federal prohibition in 1920. Today, it’s a delicious and unique eating and drinking experience in Kansas City. Make sure to check out the new Electric Park Bar!
At Home!
“Cooking our Christmas Eve lasagna together” - Michaela, our social media queen.
For comfort food at its finest, head to our neighbor Fox and Pearl. They have a killer pot pie right now that is sure to fill you up with holiday spirit.
Featuring over-the-top décor, holiday-inspired cocktails and the nostalgic energy of the best office party you’ve ever been to, Miracle is the place to drink this holiday season. It has three locations this season: Plaza, Power and Light and Town Center, so every neighborhood can get a taste! The Conductor Club in Kansas City's Union Station is another themed pop-up bar that switches theme every season, and this season is holiday of course!
While it’s a chain, it is one of the best places to see the Plaza Lights. Whether you go for a drink or dinner, head up to the rooftop to see all the beauty that the famous Plaza district has to offer during this season.
Looking to spend an afternoon finding the perfect gift for a loved one? Head to Brookside! Some of our favorite local shops there include: Jorgy (lifestyle and home accents), Brookside Toy (kids toy store), and SKiN KC (beauty products).
“I love to shop at Made in KC or local pop-up shops to buy gifts for everyone in one place” - Shannon
Gift the gift of an experience
“I love to buy family and friends experiences like a Reiki session with Lauren Gonzales, classes at Barre3 KC, cooking class at Billie's Grocery, or a cryotherapy session at Restore!” — Jen, our wellness warrior.
Adopt a family through Operation Breakthrough
“Our work adopted a family through Operation Breakthrough and it was such a great way to bring all of us together in a way that made a real difference to someone. It was a much more fun way to spend our money than on ourselves or each other!” —Taylor, our blogging babe.
Christmas at the Crossroads event
The men’s and women’s Shelter KC Communities both host Christmas Eve and Christmas Day brunches/lunches and need volunteers to help serve. If your family is looking for something to do on one of those days, this is a great way to give back to your community.
We all have too much stuff. Consider collecting gifts to donate to Children’s Mercy this holiday season instead of giving more to one another. They have an Amazon Wish List that makes it extra simple!
Volunteer at Johnson County Holiday Shop
The Johnson County Holiday Shop provides neighbors an opportunity to help neighbors. The Holiday Shop helps fulfill its mission of providing warmth and support to low-income neighbors, allowing pre-qualified clients to shop by appointment. Volunteer shifts include greeter, bagger, loader and more.
Spread the holiday cheer in one of these ways this year! Make sure to tag us on social media with your own favorite ways to celebrate the holidays in Kansas City.
]]>We also know how intimidating and overwhelming the gift-buying process can be - especially when it comes to eco friendly and sustainable gifts - as there are a lot of differences between ethical companies and it can be hard to know what to believe from their marketing messages.
And if you landed here, we know you’re searching for the best earth friendly and ethical gifts for that special someone in your life. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of our favorite sustainable gift ideas to give you a green starting point for your holiday shopping!
Not all green gifts are made equally. When compiling this list, these are a few of the factors we kept top of mind:
Made in USA boxer briefs by women-owned cut and sew artisan teams. These men’s bamboo boxers are made from ethically sourced, sustainable and long-lasting bamboo fabric that’s biodegradable, fast-drying, odor-preventing, breathable and silky smooth, resists shrinkage and pilling. Your man will feel like he’s wearing clouds under his jeans.
Everyone wears socks. Help your man up his sock game with socks made from natural color tan-green organic cotton. There are no dyes used on these socks - the plant fiber is naturally tan-green.
Second Nature: A Gardener's Education
Eight years ago, Michael Pollan bought an old Connecticut dairy farm and attempted to follow Thoreau’s example: do not impose your will upon the wilderness, the woodchucks, or the weeds. This book is a funny and profound look at American nature that any man will enjoy.
There’s nothing better than a comfy lounge set in 2021. Ridiculously soft, cozy, stretchy, your man won’t want to take off this lounge set made from ethically sourced Tencel/Organic Cotton Stretch Fleece fabric blend.
The R2 Deskmat adds a unique character to your man’s workspace in a sexy, sustainable way. Made from post consumer recycled rubber, it’s as eco friendly as it is durable and is the perfect gift for any man who is still working from home.
If your man loves a certain sports team (go Chiefs!) an art print is a great gift. It’s versatile, thoughtful and extremely easy to personalize. Whether they put it in their office or in their man cave, your loved one will find many uses from this eco friendly gift.
Robes are one of those things that many women won’t splurge on for themselves, but when they have it they’ll never want to take it off. So give her a gift she’ll absolutely adore with this super silky and comfy bamboo robe.
These handmade earrings are made with recycled 14k gold and offer a beautiful simplicity that won’t take away from your woman’s natural beauty. Plus, 20% of profits go to Together Women Rise, an organization dedicated to transforming lives and ending poverty among women and girls in the developing world.
Mugavu Serving Board & Soapstone Holder
Featuring 100% fair trade, artisan, and eco-friendly goods, August Sage makes it easy to curate a sustainable home. Each board is individually crafted from start to finish by a group of woodworkers in a fair trade environment in Kampala, Uganda. Your purchase invests in fair trade practices, local communities, and your own kitchen.
Everyone loves a candle, especially one that’s ethically made. These soy candles are hand-poured into recycled glass using domestically grown soy wax. All scents offer natural chemical-free oils with no additives or dyes. And, they smell amazing too.
Is your woman more of an incense person? This beautiful incense holder is hand thrown by artisans across the globe. Each piece varies in style and color to provide a final result as beautiful and unique as your loved one.
ABLE is an ethical fashion brand that employs and empowers women as a solution to end poverty. This beautiful clutch offers immense versatility and a unique style made from 100% genuine Apalusa leather.
Let your child explore his or her imagination with purpose! These crayons are 100% handmade soy and beeswax crayons made in the USA. They’re made using non-toxic ingredients that make for softer, blendable crayons. And does it get any cuter than a bunny?
Made from all natural tactile wood, these cute wooden blocks are perfect for open-ended and unplugged sensory playtime. They’re painted with non-toxic, zero-VOC acrylic paints with an eggshell finish and are as beautiful as they are functional.
Experiences
We love giving the gift of an experience to a child, especially because many kids have too many toys and things already. Some of our favorite ideas include a zoo membership, a trip to the art museum or an arts and crafts activity.
Back to the Roots is America’s #1 organic gardening company, offering an organic terrarium kit for children. Kids can build and decorate their own edible terrarium in a sustainable, reusable planter using certified organic micro-green seeds. Each set also comes with its own Discovery Booklet with fun STEM activities your kid will love.
Every kid loves a good book, and gifting one about sustainability and eco-friendly activities is a great way to teach. The Lorax is a beautiful story about how important environmental preservation and awareness is. For the most sustainable gift idea, find it at your local bookstore or a thrift store.
Other favorite eco-friendly kids books include:
We can't wait to see how you shower your loved ones with sustainable gifts this year and beyond! Let us know if we missed any of your favorites.
]]>At MADI, we’re big believers in giving gifts that make a difference, not ones that will be thrown away after the bachelorette party is over.
If you're on the same page as us, we have the perfect gift guide for you! Compiled with some local and eco-friendly favorites, we created this bachelorette gift idea list to help you decide on the perfect gift for the classy bride in your life.
Here are 20 unique and fun bachelorette gifts for brides who want to celebrate their big day the chic way:
Keep reading to check out why we featured each of these as one of our favorite bachelorette party gifts!
We like to call this the gift that keeps on giving. Wine subscriptions are a great way to help a bride calm down from all the stress of wedding planning with a nice, local bottle or red or white (or maybe even both!) Talk about classy bachelorette party gifts for brides.
BEST FOR: The bride who loves Rose.
Everyone loves pajamas, but not everyone owns a classic matching set. Our bamboo pj sets are guaranteed to be one of the comfiest things your classy bride has ever worn. Most brides are gifted lingerie at bridal showers that they only wear on their honeymoon and maybe a few times a year to spice things up. Instead, gift her a set that still screams "bride" but one that she'll actually wear on a weekly basis.
BEST FOR: The bride who works from home.
Whether she’s going to Tahiti or the Saturday farmer’s market, your bride will love this woven straw beach tote. It’s big enough to fit towels, produce and even a water bottle, making it the perfect companion to any adventure.
BEST FOR: The bride who loves to travel.
Let’s cut to the chase: fluffy cotton robes are really not that great once you step out of the shower. A bamboo robe dries faster, lasts longer and is honestly just a whole lot cuter than many of the other options available. Bamboo fabric is slinky, buttery and so soft it's kind of unreal. She will wear this thing all day every day if she can (and honestly, she deserves to).
BEST FOR: The bride who likes to stay home and into an at-home spa day.
Who doesn’t love a chic, modern candle? A candle is one of our favorite classy bachelorette party gifts because the bride will think of you every time she burns it. Our line of signature soy candle scents were made in collaboration with Untamed Supply - a small business in our city - to enhance comfort, rest, sexy and sustainability in your life.
Our Stay Cozy Candle Collection includes a set of three candles with scents signature and exclusive to MADI Apparel. Our favorite scent for a bride? Smells Like Him.
BEST FOR: The bride who says she doesn’t want anything.
Designed for both beginner and expert cooks, this cookbook is a great way to inspire a couple in the kitchen! And who knows, maybe they’ll invite you over for a meal made with one of the nearly 200 recipes in this book, like Raised Waffles with Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote or Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli.
Everyone needs a set of cocktail glasses. These beautiful speckled white cocktail glasses are crafted in Mexico from recycled glass and are sure to get compliments. Whether she’s drinking with friends or enjoying a cocktail alone, these are a real showstopper.
BEST FOR: The bride with good taste.
An everyday essential, these vegan toiletry cases are soft and sweet and can be used for makeup, toiletries, or a clutch for a night out. Plus, you can monogram them with her new initials as an added treat!
BEST FOR: The bride who has everything.
A simple gold necklace is the perfect addition to any outfit. This gold bar necklace is dainty enough to be highly versatile, but beautiful enough to make a real statement. Gorjana offers engraving on this necklace as well, so you can add her new initials or her wedding date for an added surprise.
BEST FOR: The simple bride.
We understand that lingerie isn’t every bride’s thing. But this set is made from eco-friendly materials and is designed to be comfortable first and foremost, with sexy being a happy accident. This is a true example of a classy bachelorette party gift for a bride who thinks sustainability is sexy. This ivory white lingerie set was featured in BRIDES magazine's "13 Ways to Have an Eco-Friendly Bridal Shower."
BEST FOR: The bride who likes to dress up.
The Roasterie is a Kansas City icon when it comes to coffee. And with its coffee subscription services, you can send your bride new and unique types of coffee every single month! Yet another gift that keeps on giving (our favorite type of gift).
BEST FOR: The bride who loooooooves coffee.
Made with 100% pure, edible superfoods, this restorative face mask feels as good as it performs. A gift like this is perfect for a bride who has been running around doing all the wedding planning and needs a break.
BEST FOR: The bride who needs a day off.
Gentle on delicate or curly hair, controls tangling, prevents breakage and frizz and protects from super damaging traditional elastic hair ties, these silk scrunchies made from our cruelty-free silk are as beautiful as they are useful. These will be perfect for your bride for the morning after.
BEST FOR: The bride who appreciates the small things.
This is a great gift for a bride who likes to have people over and host! It can be used as a traditional cutting board, for serving foods like a charcuterie platter, or even as just cute decoration in the kitchen. Cook or not, any bride will love this gift.
BEST FOR: The bride who loves her kitchen.
You’ve seen personalized denim jackets, but what about personalized white fringe jackets? This is a seriously cool gift that is perfect for any seriously cool woman in your life. Plus, it’ll make for really cute pictures!
BEST FOR: The bride who is always the coolest person in the room.
Andre 3000 anyone? This cross stitch features a line from the Outkast song, Ms. Jackson: "I hope we feel this way forever. Forever, foreva eva, foreva eva”. Any bride from the ‘90s or early ‘00s will understand and appreciate this cute gift.
BEST FOR: The bride who shamelessly likes hip hop.
Beautifully handcrafted, these earrings will make the perfect statement at the many bridal events she has coming up. With crystal and moons and pearls, we love this pair of earrings made locally by one of our favorite artists! She'll really own the title of classy bride with these earrings.
BEST FOR: The bride who appreciates finer things.
Do you know a bride who likes to make her own drinks? This personalized crystal cocktail shaker is a perfect gift for them! Help them upgrade their bar cart the classy way with this beautiful cocktail shaker.
BEST FOR: The bride who likes to host.
If you’ve never had Christopher Elbow chocolates, you’re seriously missing out. Handcrafted and single origin, the depth of flavors are out of this world. Plus, they’re guaranteed to be the prettiest box of chocolates you’ve ever seen.
BEST FOR: The bride who likes to treat herself.
Help her remember the big day with flower preservation services! With so many other things going on during the wedding process, the topic of how to save flowers can be easily overlooked. When you buy this as a gift, you help take one thing off her list and create a memory that will last a lifetime!
BEST FOR: The bride who takes her wedding florals very seriously.
We hope you loved classy bachelorette party gift guide! Make sure to tag us on social media if you purchase any of these for a bride-to-be in your life.
Have other suggestions or bachelorette gift ideas you love? Send them our way! We’re always looking for new and fun ways to celebrate the people we love. And if you're looking for a fun bachelorette party idea, head over to our blog to see one we hosted recently: A bachelorette slumber party!
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