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Inspired by the basic message of veganism and the need to spread awareness, Tippitappi was created by Jenni Shortt, a compassionate vegan graphic designer, at the urging of her friends. With designs as innovative and fun as those born under her pen, compassionate consumers everywhere are certainly glad that took the advice! Ever thankful for the support she has received on this project, she is just happy to be doing something good for the planet and the creatures that inhabit it as well.  She is also a happy mum and you can read her diary on the english version of “Il blog di tippitappi“.

Activism
Tippitappi’s t-shirts try to convey important and powerful messages about animal rights and environmental matters, without pointing fingers or coming off as offensive. It doesn’t take much to make a difference for those committed to a cause, and wearing a t-shirt with a slogan is an easy way to spread the word and draw the attention to things we care about.

Fairtrade
While Tippitappi itself is based in Italy, the shirts utilized are composed of organic cotton that is grown on independent and family-owned farms in Turkey. As opposed to the tactics of bigger commercial venues that would do anything to keep costs down, including exploiting laborers, ethical trade like this gives the laborers an opportunity to work their way out of poverty and depend less on aid.

Sustainable future
In addition to caring for animal and human well-being, Tippitappi is interested in making a lesser impact on the environment by using 100% organic cotton, recycled materials, and also supports waste recovery. All packagings are made with recycled and recyclable paper.
All our products are manifactured by ‘ALI Abbigliamento Naturale’, a small company in Treviso, Italy.

I’d like to welcome the innovators at Rishi Tea to our eco community. They produce only authentic loose leaf teas straight from tea gardens across Asia using ancient artisanal practices, organic cultivation methods and fair trade practices. It began in 1997 by a man named Joshua Kaiser, a long time traveler and student of asian tea-making techniques and the 1000’s of years of history behind tea-making in the far east. He had a vision to bring this unique taste to North America.

Each year Rishi Tea travels thousands of miles to find the points of origin where the tea leaves are harvested creating personal bonds with the families who have been cultivating the leafs for generations and setting up relationships that benefit the tea farmers and helps them sustain their industry and ancient techniques. Here’s Rishi’s dedication to sustainable organic manufacturing of their teas…

Rishi Tea’s commitment to sustainability is a core company philosophy that stems from the organic tea gardens where our teas are harvested. Our firsthand experience in many tea-growing regions led to our heightened awareness of the dire need for social responsibility. Rishi Tea was among the first to earn organic certification under the USDA’s Natural Organic Program in November of 2002 and at the forefront in the advancement of Fair Trade Certified tea, becoming one of the highest payers of social premiums from the sale of Fair Trade tea. The TransFair USA Fair Trade Certified projects with which Rishi partners directly support a better life for the tea-farming families and their communities through fair prices, fair wages, safe working conditions, environmental sustainability, education and community development.

Visit Rishi Tea and browse all of their different unique flavors and blends. You will notice a distinct difference in flavor and quality when you taste the true origin of loose leaf tea from asian tea gardens.

John at the Book Exchange in Norfolk, VA is our latest eco friend to join our green community. The Book Exchange was the Winner of the 2009 Best Used Bookstore! Quite an achievement and here’s why…

They sell all Books for 50% off the retail price.  VHS & CD’s sell for $5 each or 3 for $12.  DVD’s sell for $8 each or 3 for $21.  They give half this amount in trade credit for the items you bring in that they accept.  They are always happy to look at what you want to trade at any time.  The trade policy is customer friendly.  There are no hidden fees and you can use your credit toward the purchase of anything in the store at any time.

The Book Exchange was voted Best Used Bookstore in the 2008 & 2009 Virginian-Pilot “Best Of Hampton Roads” contest.  We have the largest selection of used books in Eastern Virginia, with 60,000+ titles covering all categories.  Their helpful staff always keeps the store clean & organized, making for a comfortable & family friendly place to shop.

Check out John at the Book Exchange when you are in the Norfolk area and save money on your books, movies and music. Keep the Best Used Bookstore streak alive John!

I’d like to welcome Cecilia at Green Poppies Florists to our eco community.  Green Poppies has an excellent commitment to eco friendly practice and organic flower arrangements. They have very good prices even though they take every measure to provide only the finest and most beautiful flower arrangements and special wedding flower arrangements as well. Here’s Cecilia’s vision and cause as an eco friendly Florist…

Eventhough no existing company is perfectly environmentally responsible, here in Montreal, at L’atelier de Fleurs Green Poppies we do our best efforts to become one.  We created this small business in Quebec and is managed by individual proprietors.  Our flowers are either fair trade, local or organic and therefore its production minimizes the release of toxic chemicals into the environment

Some efforts are being done such as using all the packaging of recycled materials and reuse all the materials that come from the original vendor. Environmental considerations as production, distribution and disposal are always integrated on our daily sales and floral creations. Our flowers are certified fair trade and we try to buy all other products sold in our shop from local artists, products that are locally made or that have a social impact.

We open our doors to clients, students and people in general to our volunteer program, for people to get in touch with nature and with the fair trade concept. And of course are trying to get known by consumers and getting them to buy fair trade flowers not only for their green events, but also in their day-to-day life.

Our floral arranging workshops are fully loaded with information not only regarding the floral arranging, but the importance of buying fair trade products.