Dharma Bums Yoga and Activewear - News

The Real Cost of Fast Fashion

2022-04-17T07:00:00+10:00

FASHION REVOLUTION 2022

Fast fashion REMAINS the new normal. With a host of global chains selling cheap threads, you can dress in the latest and greatest and keep up with the catwalk in throwaway fashion pieces. However there is a price to pay for the fast and cheap fashion addiction we see in the western world.

On 24th April 2013, The Rana Plaza tragedy disrupted the trend of replaceable wear. 1,138 workers died when a clothing manufacturing complex in Bangladesh collapsed, and this devastation put the real cost of dirt-cheap clothes in the spotlight

The Human Cost

Being on trend has a ripple effect that extends to someone’s life and that someone is most likely a woman. Women make up the majority of workers in the textile industry. From 2000 the number of garments produced annually has doubled, exceeding 100 billion for the first time in 2014.

THE SAD FACT IS ONLY 4% OF WHAT IS SPENT ON THESE GARMENTS GOES TO THE WORKER.

Ethical Fashion Fosters Women

The industry is rife with inequality; from decision-makers to the factory floor. By raising awareness of the cost of fast-fashion, we can all contribute to ensuring the people who make our clothes are given the dignity they deserve, in a safe work environment, with fair pay.

The Garment Worker Diaries set out to document the details of the lives of 540 people working in the fashion industry in India, Cambodia and Bangladesh. And the results are appalling: 60% experienced gender-based discrimination, over 15% experienced threats and 5% experienced physical abuse. Unbelievably, 40% witnessed a fire at their workplace.

Women are putting their lives on the line for the sake of our on-point pants.

THE FASHION REVOLUTION

The younger generation is passionate about ethically produced clothes; driving a gender-balanced industry where policies are applied and upheld at all points of production. This revolution goes deeper than fashion’s visible elements; it seeks to promote change where we can’t see it, by advocating for transparency.

During Fashion Revolution Week, ask #WhoMadeMyClothes, so we can unify in valuing our environment, people, artistry and all profit equally. Empower women, and use your platform to connect with brands and retailers online; the more voices, the more brands will listen.

ISN'T IT TIME ALL BRANDS PUT PEOPLE AND PLANET BEFORE PROFIT?

DHARMA BUMS IS DOING IT

The BSCI code of conduct has 11 principles aimed at creating a fair and safe workplace for the garment making industry. Transparency is important to us, and we think you should know and understand where your clothes are made.

The Dharma Bums brand is inspired by the world around us and we intend to take care of it. We are working to reduce our footprint with our business activity, from the energy used to run our offices to the dying and packaging of our garments.

We continue to work hard searching for fabrics that can tick both the ethical and sustainable boxes. Working with recycled nylon, organic cottons and biodegradable lenzing modal. We are committed to increasing our mix of sustainable and recycled fabrics.

100% of our collection is EITHER recycled or sustainably produced AND A 100% MADE ETHICALLY.

As a consumer the power is in your hands to create change. Vote with your $ for a better world!

This year, on the 9th anniversary of the Rana Plaza tragedy, create real change; transparency, sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry. When you’re next sifting through a rack of tops in your favourite shop, stop and think before you buy. ‘Will I wear it a minimum of 30 times?’ If it’s a ‘yes,’ buy it, if not, leave it on the rack.

MERRY MEDITATION - A guide to Festive Season Meditation

2021-12-19T08:00:00+11:00

So it's Christmas again...a time of giving, reflecting and celebrating with family and friends or a time of stress, busyness and hectic social calendars! Just when we thought 2020 was the year we'd rather forget, along came 2021. Another year of unrivalled challenges and obstacles for us to navigate and endure. With the New Year fast approaching and an eagerness to turn over a new leaf – now, more than ever, is the perfect time to chill out. While everyone is turning up and turning out, turning in, and focusing on yourself is a fantastic way to calm and centre. If you're starting on your meditation journey, think of this as a guideline.

BENEFITS OF MEDITATION

With so many positive effects of wellbeing, it's more a case of what doesn't meditation help with, rather than what it does. Spiritually speaking, when you quieten your mind, your ego fades to the background giving you unobstructed connection with your soul and spirit. This allows you to see what's going on inside and work towards higher consciousness. It also unblocks psychic pathways so you can nurture your energy levels. Research demonstrates the physical positives; stress relief and alleviation of conditions like PTSD, IBS and fibromyalgia. Meditation has also been linked to lowering memory loss, inflammation and blood pressure. Mentally, his practice gives you the tools to detach from the turmoil when it becomes overwhelming. It provides an escape; aiding anxiety, depression and insomnia. Emotionally, meditation develops self-love and lifts you closer to universal love. From here, you're more equipped to let things go. And exhale.

HOW TO MEDITATE

Push past the uncomfortable feeling of sitting in silence; it almost always feels weird at the beginning. Whatever your motivation, think of meditation as awareness training; transforming your perspective and ultimately, your life. When you're starting, commit to regular practice – aim for a few times a week for 10-15 each time. Most people love first thing in the morning but go with whatever works for you. Sit wherever and however is comfy and relaxing, and remember – frequency is better than duration. Meditation is a long journey and demands dedication and tenacity.

MEDITATION AIDS

To help you in your journey, try searching for 'meditation music' on Spotify. When you discover a playlist that does it for you, keep the volume on low to create a calm; set the sound scene for focusing on your new art. Try applying essential oils to help you relax or before your session – soak in a bath with oils. Create ambience by burning a candle to pacify your chakras or spritz a jasmine and ylang ylang chakra spray for balance. For tea fans, a cuppa Jasmine will clear your mind and help get you in the let-go space.

PEOPLE TO FOLLOW

If you're looking for inspiration and guidance, look no further than Instagram. @unplugmeditation posts peaceful images and motivating mantras. @saraauster is a meditation teacher and sound therapy practitioner who releases a new #soundbath on Mondays. @Globalmeditation brings together a global community of meditators to promote peace. @rebel_buddha is Buddhist scholar and teacher, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, who can help process negative emotions. @transcendentalmeditation is a not-for-profit education source posting striking still-life photos and messages. @sharonsalzberg is an author and teacher who shares wisdom, pics and videos. The list is endless, but these make a great start.

DID YOU KNOW: ORIGINS OF MEDITATION

Getting its name from the Latin word 'meditatum,' which means 'to ponder,' people in the know believe meditation emerged before modern civilisation, thousands and thousands of years ago. Ancient texts, hieroglyphs and archaeological findings all point to hunter-gatherers being down with some form of meditation. The question is – what kind of practice did they do: trance, chants, contemplation or mindfulness?

When looking to find the origins of meditation, it's easier to split the discussion into East and West. Even though this practice shows up on the spiritual path of numerous religions, Buddhism is where it's at. Around 2,600 years ago, The Buddha began moving towards ultimate enlightenment, ethical conduct and the wisdom of seeking truth. In search of peace, people began practising and sharing the Buddha's teachings.

In the Western world, meditation has only been popular since the mid-20th century. Over the years, Eastern masters have shared their expertise and learning with curious Western students. At the same time, western novices of mindfulness began travelling east to train under celebrated masters. They then brought the knowledge home. Over 30 years ago, Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn founded the Center for Mindfulness and the program, MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) which has been spreading the strengths of this discipline without religious affiliation ever since. Now, meditation and mindfulness have well and truly landed in the public consciousness.

GOOD ON YOU

2021-05-16T07:00:00+10:00

Some very exciting news!
We are excited to share with you, that you will now find us on Good On You!

A little about - Good on you

Good on the Planet, People and Animals.
Good on You.
Do Good. Look Good. Feel Good.

A little background, the Global fashion industry has a huge problem
with pollution, waste and human rights abuses.

Like you, we care for our planet, people and animals, and we want to
live in a world that's sustainable and fair.

Good on You are a group of campaigners, fashion professionals
who have come together to drive that change.

Conscious choices

Together we can make a real impact, with the ability to choose.

Choosing and rewarding fashion brands that do good and can drive
the whole industry to become more sustainable and fair.

Fashion brand ratings

Ethical and sustainable fashion. The Dharma Bums Team are super
excited and proud to announce we have scored the best rating,
of ‘GREAT’ and 5/5 for People, Planet and Animals on Good on You!

We are constantly working on limiting our environmental impact and
work closely with our supply chain to ensure ethical practises
for both people and planet.

In an effort to leave a positive impact on the world, we don’t just
ensure our suppliers are BSCI accredited,
but help them apply for and improve their BSCI rating.

Our fabrics and accessories are also sourced with the environment
and social impacts in mind, working with Bluesign and certified mills.

Doing Our Bit

Our vision is to be 100% recycled and sustainable by 2022
and we are on track, already using recycled fabrics in leggings and
tees as well as a 100% vegan collection.

Thank you for your support and following our sustainability journey,
we welcome questions and comments and whilst we aren’t perfect we
promise to continue to improve and leave the world in a cleaner
and happier place than how found it!

People and Planet hearted.

WORLD EARTH DAY 2021

2021-04-22T07:30:00+10:00

International Earth Day is on April 22.

Since 1970, this day has seen some significant earth-loving events with far-reaching repercussions and over 1 billion participants worldwide.

Join the Earth Day momentum and be part of a movement to unify us humans to act for the planet.

It's a Big Year

This year on Earth Day, The Biden Administration will hold a global climate summit to get world leaders on board for climate action. To underline the USA’s commitment to climate through foreign policy, Biden has established the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. This is a drive to get loud about climate ambition and integrate climate considerations on the world stage.

A Pro-Planet Push

The theme for Earth Day 2021 is Restore Our Earth™ – to showcase natural processes, green tech and forward-thinking to return the health of our ecosystems. This concept doesn’t side with mitigation or adaptation as the exclusive approaches to climate change. Instead, it seeks to put back what we’ve taken..

Earth Initiatives

Being an earth advocate is a year-round decision, not just a one-day thing. Shift your thinking and look past the doom and gloom – sure – be aware of climate change and the downfall of natural systems, but look for the opportunities. A healthy planet is a necessity not just for our quality of life but for our existence.

One dollar = one tree. The Canopy Project™ teams up with global-wide groups to confirm your contribution will help sustainably plant trees to capture carbon, cool, provide for pollinators, aid agriculture and uplift economies.

Reducing your foodprint means lessening the impact of growing, producing, transporting, and storing food. Embracing innovation in regenerative agriculture and sustainable food practices reduces pollution, greenhouse gases and drain on natural resources.

One person can make waves – get involved in The Great Global Cleanup™ – make a difference by cleaning up a public space. Next time you’re at your local park, notice the effect of pollution and rubbish or at your local beach, see how much single-use plastic ends up in the ocean. There are now microplastics in our air and food; you’ve probably eaten a credit card’s worth of plastic every week.

Climate Literacy is everything. Educating people about climate change transforms them into environmental caretakers. We need all people on board; collective action creates jobs and establishes greener markets and a way of life.

Doing Our Bit

Dharma Bums make earth-friendly activewear. We're passionate about sustainability and make every decision to reduce our impact on the planet. Rather than going to landfills, we recycle our off-cut fabric into stuffing for boxing bags. We make our recycled fabrics with post-consumer recycled PET water bottles. We use an eco-friendly printing process and dyes, which use less water and electricity and produce less waste during manufacturing. And to ensure no pollution – any water we do use in the dyeing process is cleaned up to 40 times before it's released back into the waterways.

Start Small

Doing something is better than doing nothing. Little plans can have a big effect, so take action. People who live with the results of environmental crises often don’t have the funds or faculty to deal with the fallout. Donate to a community affected by environmental issues: NSW Rural Fire Service. Or start closer to home and host a local cleanup or find one happening near you. Browse live webinars like ‘Women in Leadership: Fighting the Climate Crisis Through Climate Literacy.’ You can also register your cleanup or education event.

Start in your local hood. Look through an earth-friendly lens – don't accept degrading environments, dwindling resources and endangered animals as status quo. Let’s do things differently in all areas of life, from the way we use energy to the way we shop – make choices to restore your corner of the earth. Remember to use the hashtag #restoreourearth.

FASHION REVOLUTION 2021

2021-04-18T07:00:00+10:00

We all love a good bargain. That new top you got for a steal may not have cost you much, but someone paid the price. We used to go shopping a couple of times a year to treat ourselves to a new top or a new pair of jeans when our old favourites were threadbare. Now, the reality is – clothes are cheaper, trends are shorter, and shopping is a national pastime.

Fast fashion is the new normal. With a host of global chains selling cheap threads, you can dress in the latest and greatest and keep up with the catwalk. On 24th April 2013, The Rana Plaza tragedy disrupted the trend of replaceable wear. 1,138 workers died when a clothing manufacturing complex in Bangladesh collapsed, and this devastation put the real cost of dirt-cheap clothes in the spotlight.

The Human Cost

British fashion designer, social entrepreneur and fashion campaigner, Carry Somers, famously said ‘we may not hear the voices of the women who make our clothes, but every garment we wear has a silent ‘me too’ woven into its seams.’ That’s a powerful thought every time you pull on a shirt.

Being on trend has a ripple effect that extends to someone’s life and that someone is most likely a woman. From 2000 the number of garments produced annually has doubled; exceeding 100 billion for the first time in 2014. Now, consider that in Australia, 92% of clothes sold are imported, with only 4% of what we spend on clothing, going into the pockets of the garment workers.

Ethical Fashion Fosters Women

The facts and figures speak for themselves; of the whopping 75 million people who work in the fashion and textiles industry, 80% are women. That’s an astounding number of women who are exploited and controlled by verbal and physical abuse, working under abhorrent conditions, for terrible pay.

Think about this – that t-shirt sporting a proud feminist slogan, has done nothing to empower the women who made it.

The industry is rife with inequality; from decision-makers to the factory floor. By raising awareness of the cost of fast-fashion, we can all contribute to ensuring the people who make our clothes are given the dignity they deserve, in a safe work environment, with fair pay.

The Garment Worker Diaries set out to document the details of the lives of 540 people working in the fashion industry in India, Cambodia and Bangladesh. And the results are appalling: 60% experienced gender-based discrimination, over 15% experienced threats and 5% experienced physical abuse. Unbelievably, 40% witnessed a fire at their workplace.

Women are putting their lives on the line for the sake of our on-point pants.

Fashion Transparency Index

This vital index ranks 150 major global brands and retailers according to variables such as social and environmental policies, operations and influences. It also highlights how each brand handles gender-based discrimination and violence across its supply chain. It seeks to keep brands accountable in terms of human rights; which brands signed up to the UN’s Women’s Empowerment Principles, and which brands are transparent about gender-based labour violations, sexual harassment and treatment of pregnant workers. Check out the 2020 Fashion Transparency Index.

The Fashion Revolution

Dharma Bums Is Doing It

From day one, our vision was for each unique garment to empower both those who wear them and those that make them – and that means focusing as much on the people as the garments themselves. From origination to creation, Dharma Bums has an unwavering commitment to ethical supply chains and quality in every stitch.

We have built relationships with small Australian factories that believe in what we do, people who are committed to quality and, importantly, are ethically certified. As we have grown, we have brought in new partners that share our values, all certified by internationally independent bodies who audit their operations and are all BSCI accredited.

The BSCI code of conduct has 11 principles aimed at creating a fair and safe work place for the garment making industry. Transparency is important to us, and we think you should know and understand where your clothes are made.

The Dharma Bums brand is inspired by the world around us and we intend to take care of it. We are working to reduce our footprint with our business activity, from the energy used to run our offices to the dying and packaging of our garments.

We continue to work hard searching for fabrics that can tick both the ethical and sustainable boxes. Working with recycled nylon, organic cottons and biodegradable lenzing modal. We are committed to increase our mix of sustainable and recycled fabrics. Currently 75% of our collection is recycled or sustainably produced, with a goal to be 100% sustainable and recycled by 2022.

This year, on the 8th anniversary of the Rana Plaza tragedy, create real change; transparency, sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry. When you’re next sifting through a rack of tops in your favourite shop, stop and think before you buy. ‘Will I wear it a minimum of 30 times?’ If it’s a ‘yes,’ buy it, if not, leave it on the rack.

3 HEALTHY CHOCOLATE EASTER TREATS

2021-04-04T07:00:00+10:00

We all love to indulge a little over the Easter Break, and why not, life is for living. But do you really want to be putting all that refined sugar, emulsifiers, bad fats, E numbers, flavourings and colourings into your body?

Here are three healthy treats from Victoria Norton at Training for Chocolate, who knows a thing or two about cacao cravings… All easy, all delicious and all hitting that sweet spot with simple honest real food.

These are all gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free. So, relatively guilt-free too, right?

HEALTHY BOUNTY BARS

Ingredients:
For the coconut filling:
250g bag of desiccated coconut
400ml can of coconut cream
2-4 tablespoons rice malt syrup
(depending on how sweet you like to go)
4 tablespoons coconut oil

For the chocolate coating:
150g cacao butter, broken into small pieces
¼ cup coconut oil
1 cup cacao powder
1/3 cup maple syrup
pinch salt

Method:
First, the coconut filling. Mix all the coconut filling ingredients in a pan over a low heat. Then pour into a small slice tin (about 25x15 cm) that’s been lined with baking paper. Flatten the mixture out (I put a sheet of baking paper over the top and then press down gently with a chopping board.

Place the tin in the freezer for about four hours. When it’s solid, cut it into little rectangles and put these back into the freezer for at least an hour, ideally overnight. They need to be hard and cold when you’re covering with the chocolate so that the filling stays in its rectangular shape and doesn’t melt and get messy. When you’re ready to make the chocolate, gently melt all the ingredients in a pan over a low heat. Start heating the cacao butter first as it takes longer to melt. Then add the coconut oil and maple syrup, stirring to combine. Then add the cacao powder and salt and whisk (or blitz for a minute in the food processor) so that the mixture is nice and smooth. Set aside to cool a little before using. Place some baking paper on a tray. Take one little coconut rectangle at a time and dunk it in the chocolate mixture, fully coating. Rest each one on the baking paper. Yes, it gets a little messy!

Pop them all in the freezer for the chocolate to set. It should only take a matter of minutes. There should be enough chocolate mixture left over to do a double coat of chocolate. Once you’ve done that second coat, back in the freezer they go to set again.

To finish them off, you can sprinkle some more desiccated coconut over the top or even drizzle with some more chocolate, although they’re totally delicious just as they are.

Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

This recipe makes about 24 mini muffin size Cups. If you have the silicone moulds, you don’t even need the paper cases.

Ingredients:
1 cup coconut oil
1 cup raw cacao powder
2 tablespoons rice malt syrup
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt Peanut butter
– make sure it’s one of the healthy brands that have no added sugar or nasties.

Method
Melt the coconut oil in a heat-proof basin over a pan with a little simmering water. When it’s all melted, add the other ingredients (apart from the peanut butter) and stir until smooth and runny.

With a teaspoon, put a little of the chocolate mixture in the bottom of each paper case (you don’t need to, but for ease, I put mine in a mini muffin tray). I use around two teaspoons’ worth (not the measuring teaspoons, the ones you use to eat with). Then transfer to the freezer to set.

When the chocolate has set, bring out the tray and add a little peanut butter to the middle of each one. About half a teaspoon. Then cover the peanut butter with more chocolate and pop back in the freezer to set. Shouldn’t take long, an hour maximum. And that’s it.

Store them in the fridge or freezer.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE GUMMIES

Ingredients:
1/3 cup cold water
3 ½ tablespoons gelatin powder
270ml can coconut milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoons raw cacao powder

Method:
Put the water in a medium sized bowl and add the gelatin, stirring straight away until it’s all dissolved.

Set aside for a few minutes while you heat up the other ingredients.

Mix the coconut cream/milk, vanilla, maple syrup and cacao in a small pan, and heat gently, stirring, until almost boiling.

Just before you pour the hot liquid onto the gelatin mixture, break up the gelatin into smaller pieces so it melts more easily.

Pour the hot chocolate mixture into the bowl with the gelatin and stir until all the gelatin has dissolved, no lumps.

Then simply pour into a glass or plastic container, or gummy moulds, and put into the fridge to set.

Once set (a few hours), pop out of moulds or cut into squares and store in the fridge for a week or so.

EVERYTHING TO H2O ABOUT WORLD WATER DAY 2021

2021-03-22T07:00:00+11:00

March 22, 2021, is the day to stop, drink in and make a splash about all things water. Turning the tide on water is important. In its 28th year, this freshwater day of focus aims to achieve sanitation and water for every human by 2030.

Start here: right now – 2.2 billion people don’t have access to safe water.

Stay on Story

This year is about valuing water. Water is so all-pervasive, it’s easy to take for granted. Water means different things to different people. Consider how many ways you use water: at home, at work, for cultural reasons, to stay well and to keep your environment green and gorgeous. Start a conversation; shine a light and mark the many ways water keeps you and your loved ones buoyant. Once you recognise the real value of water, you’ll want to work harder to keep it clean, protect it and future-proof it.

Water Wise

Water and climate are entangled, there's no way to separate them. How we individually and collectively use water has a massive impact on floods and droughts as well as how plentiful or polluted the supply is. Water is central to fighting climate change; finding more efficient ways to use it will reduce greenhouse gases and ultimately keep more people alive and thriving.

Water needs to be front-and-centre of climate policies. Sustainable and scalable sanitation plans exist, but they need enacting now to counter climate change. It’s not all about the big picture – it’s about your house, your garden, your school, your workplace. Next time you turn the tap, think about how you can do things differently.

Water Wishes

The conversations you start leading up to March 22 will contribute to a global report about water's extensive value. Here are some stats to wade through

Yes, you have water at the drop of your tap, but not everyone does. Today, one in three people live without safe drinking water. And by 2050, almost 5.7 billion people could live in places with insufficient water supplies for at least one month a year.

Honing in on the human stats of climate-safe water supply shows proper availability and sanitation can save 360,000 infants each year. Let that sink in: lives saved just by having access to clean water.

By capping global warming at 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, we can reduce the climate-change-induced stress on water by 50%. With energy demand set to increase by 25% before 2040, water demand is simultaneously set to rise by more than 50%.

Drip to Flood

Using your voice can spread the water word. Start by getting your facts straight – download the toolkit; inspire people to take action with main messages and truths. Then whet your appetite for the International Water Day programs, events and activities near you. You are Water Day – the more you do, the more gets done.

Doing Something

For Dharmabums, sustainability is more than fabrics. Every decision we make has the planet at heart. We use as little water as possible in production, and to ensure nothing is polluted, any water we do use in our dye process is cleaned up to 40 times before being released back into the waterways

Our water, oceans and coastal systems don’t exist in isolation. Cause and effect happens every time you hose your lawn or wash your dog. We’re also responsible for the way we use water. The ripples go way beyond our warehouse, so we’re always looking for new ways to clean and conserve water.

Water and sanitation are pivotal in reducing poverty, keeping economies afloat and working towards a sustainable environment. Turn a puddle into a pond: share what water means to you on socials using #water2me, #WorldWaterDay #dharmabums.

THINK BEYOND THE WASTE: GLOBAL RECYCLING DAY 2021

2021-03-14T07:00:00+11:00

Collectively and individually, it’s time to look at our disposability culture through a new lens. Your favourite jeans, an old printer cartridge, that roll-on deodorant bottle – instead of seeing waste, turn these throwaways into an opportunity. As a crucial part of the circular economy, recycling preserves natural resources and fortifies our future. Celebrate all things recycling on it’s dedicated day to shine: Global Recycling Day, March 18 2021.

EVERYDAY HEROES

This year, the theme is #recyclingheroes. Use this stage to spotlight places, people and pursuits that put recycling in a starring role. Take a look around you: who or what stands out as a recycling advocate? It may be your neighbour who's rallied the street into action, or it could be a local business that's supported recycling efforts during the pandemic. Be sure to look out for the announcement of the ten winners from around the globe on social media and the Global Recycling Day website.

WHO WOULD YOU NOMINATE

Which individuals, businesses or collectives do you know who’ve made a splash in this space. Who's been working for a balanced, greener planet in the past year – they're your #recyclingheros. It doesn't have to be a huge-scale effort, but if their effort has made a significant impact in the fight to lessen pollution and contribute to sustainability you should give them a shout out or at least say thanks?.

THE SEVENTH RESOURCE

Six natural resources support our way of life: water, air, oil, natural gas, coal and minerals. They underpin our food and nutrition, as well as most of our possessions, infrastructure and utilities. That’s a whole lot of responsibility, but they're also limited and on borrowed time. We’re using these natural resources without a plan to replace them; when they're gone – that's it.

Each year, billions of tonnes of waste end up in landfills. That's why recyclables are recognised as the 'Seventh Resource' because they save over 700 million tonnes in CO2. Given we've consumed more resources in the last 50 years than ever before, recycling is now at the frontline of tackling climate change.

RECYCLING STATS

As well as conserving the planet's six primary resources, recycled materials supply 40% of the world's raw material needs and offset all the aviation industry's CO2 emissions. Recyclables processing employs 1.6 million people worldwide, and the annual contribution of the industry will surpass $400 billion in the next ten years. As a whole, the industry puts $20 million each year into creating jobs and improving efficiency and the environmental footprint.

WALKING THE WALK

Dharma Bums are all about wear not waste. Half a trillion PET bottles are produced every year, and 80% of them end up in landfill, where they take nearly 500 years to break down. That's why we make durable, fabulous fabric from post-consumer PET bottles sourced from Taiwan, which recycle 55% of their waste. Our recycled fabrics decrease waste, use 85% less energy and produce 50% less CO2 emissions. For every 16-18 PET bottles recycled, we make one pair of leggings. So far, we've saved 1,119,449 litres of water and recycled 928,886 bottles.

We make our mailer and garment bags from 100% sustainably-sourced plant-based fibres. Put them in your home compost – they’re biodegradable, even if they end up in landfill. We also recycle our cut fabric into stuffing for boxing bags because little things make a big difference.

TOP TAKEAWAYS

To promote the role recycling plays in protecting global sustainability – Global Recycling Day has two main missions. Firstly, to get the attention of world leaders and reinforce that recycling needs a common perspective of being a global issue. Secondly – to ask people around the globe to value recycled goods – invite them to see resources, not waste.

There’s a lot at stake: increased poverty, displaced communities, jobs, waste mountains and vanishing natural habitats. Recycling gives us the power to make real, lasting change. Take stock of your habits at home, work and play, and start making sustainable choices. Remember to nominate your #recyclingheroes.

INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY 2021

2021-03-07T07:00:00+11:00

We choose to challenge and celebrate women’s achievements worldwide! Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world! #choosetochallenge #IWD2021

Our brand, created by women for women.

Dharma Bums has been developed and crafted by a strong team of dedicated, highly creative and skilled women. Empowered women, empower women.

Our Brand Story

We are an ethical activewear brand empowering movers and makers. Dharma Bums has grown from a small studio on Sydney’s northern beaches, to a much loved activewear brand seen across the globe. Targeting the needs of the conscious consumer and providing ethical and sustainable activewear.

We will continue to lead the way in creating performance driven, ethical and sustainable activewear that makes our footprint on the earth a little lighter.

Meet the Founder & CEO Debbie

Yoga teacher and founder Debbie started the company out of the frustration about not being able to purchase ethical and sustainable activewear. Started in 2014, her vision for activewear is to combine performance with purpose without compromising on quality or sustainability.

The Hands behind the brand

We go behind the scenes and chat to the women that make Dharma Bums the brand it is today. See what they have to say!

THE DESIGN TEAM

Introducing our design team. Comprised of Pirra our head designer, senior print designer Jess, Mel our garment tech and newest member, garment designer, Paige.

This powerhouse team work tirelessly to bring you all your favourite best selling products. With a focus on textile innovation and sourcing ethically produced and eco-friendly fabrics that make you look and feel fabulous.

THE MARKETING TEAM

Our Marketing team work closely to strengthen and develop the Dharma Bums brand and community.

Our designers Martine, Kiera and Rosie bring experience from varied design backgrounds. Working on a broad range of designs to ensure you are kept in the loop with the latest news and collection arrivals.

RETAIL & CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM

We have a fantastic customer service team who are nurturing and supportive to our customer base. Rosie, Alana and Sarah deliver outstanding service & advice across the team.

These girls are the epitome of enthusiasm and laughter, providing thoughtful responses while assisting our customers with their queries. Ensuring you receive your Dharma Bums orders promptly.

THE MAKERS

We have a team of very experienced local makers. A group of 20 strong women, who empower one another and share their expertise.

We work closely with Shirley and her team who know their craft extremely well ensuring you the highest quality of product.

With support and community women will continue to achieve great things!

Strong women support all women.

The Pillars of Wellness

2021-01-31T07:30:00+11:00

2020 was an ‘interesting’ year of uncertainty, change and limitations. This year, try turning your intention to work on your wellness. Wellness is a big buzzword; thrown around more than a towel in a tumble dryer and marketed here, there and everywhere. While 'health' is a widely understood word, ‘wellness’ isn't as clear cut. You only have to tap it into your search engine to uncover the many ways this word lands.

What is Wellness

While there’s no all-agree definition, the powers that be acknowledge wellness is a choice and an intention that needs nurturing. It's a state and a process that embraces mind, body and soul. To be your best self – staying well is an active pursuit; a positive spin on all aspects of life. Choices, activities and lifestyle all makeup holistic health. And while wellness is mostly an individual responsibility, it’s also affected by your social, physical and cultural context.

Width of Wellness

Wellness is an all-pervasive beast and affects all corners of being. Here are eight dimensions to delve into.

Emotional

It's all about what you think, feel and do; how you name and accept your good and bad feelings, and manage stress. Be mindful and stay in the now, grow your relationships, lean to the positive and smile loads. Work/life balance is critical, as is getting good zzzzz's.

Spiritual

How do you make meaning and purpose? Religion, meditation or yoga or all three? Stay true to your values and beliefs and practice affirmations, acceptance and forgiveness. Look at how your past shapes your present and keep exploring and unpacking your inner self.

Physical

Optimal body health is everyone's goal. Diet, exercise and self-control help steer you to wellness. Eat a good brekky, get regular checkups and prioritise sleep. Moderate your fats, sugar, salt, and alcohol intake and stay smoke-free. Remember – you know your body best.

Social

Stay connected and surround yourself with kindreds who get you and lift you. Get involved in your communities: school, work, neighbours. Make time to see people and listen well. Don't keep things to yourself, be open to new friends and have some belly laughs.

Intellectual

Challenge yourself and keep your brain buzzing with new skills and hobbies. Keep learning, experience new cultures, places and languages. Read, learn an instrument and get creative. Develop your worldview, opinions and ideas, but listen to other people’s views too.

Environmental

How do you regard, respect and protect your world? Strive to live in harmony with the environment: recycle and conserve electricity and water use. Get outdoors: walk, hike or bike your way around. And don't forget your reusable shopping bag and water bottle.

Occupational

Working at what you love brings joy and a sense of accomplishment and contribution. Set goals for professional development and explore how you can up your productivity while maintaining balance. Foster strong work relationships, innovation and collaboration.

Financial

Autonomy is key; understand how you manage, budget, spend, save and invest. Keep credit under control, try to pay off loans, always have extra money for a rainy day and buy your big items on sale. Focus on retirement and make time to set long and short-term goals.

All Impacting

When life is smooth-sailing, we can exist on autopilot with no obstacles or challenges. But real life throws us all curveballs and dead ends. Learning to maintain wellness during the ups and the downs is vital. By optimising wellness across all areas of life, you can be the tiptop version of you. Firing on all wellness cylinders will see you through all the calm and all the chaos.

Home Sanctuary

Encourage wellness at home with numerous ways to nurture yourself. Nothing creates good feels like lighting a Kakadu Plum and Bush Cucumber Hunter Matilda Candle. Aromatherapy is also healing; burn the Perfect Potion – Mindfulness Trio Kit in our Ultrasonic Diffuser and let the calm permeate your room. Meditate each day to stay strong and centred and show your body love by treating yourself to a Salt by Hendrix – Rose and Acai Face Mask.

Put a wellness plan in your intention for 2021. Get in the right groove with a little something from our Wellness Edit.

Begin a Journey. Observe, Learn, Grow, and Love.

2021-01-26T07:00:00+11:00

“We are visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow and to love... and then we return home.”

This Australia Day we invite you to follow the calling of this Aboriginal proverb. To observe, to learn, to grow and to love.

We acknowledge, celebrate and respect the traditional custodians of the land to which we call home. We pay our respect to the elders past, present and future. As a country we need to heal, honour and embrace a future together as one people.

OBSERVE

Take time to observe the amazing, wondrous land we call home. See and listen to the natural beauty that surrounds us. Embrace the land, the sea, the sky and the life that abounds with in it.

LEARN

Empower yourself with knowledge. Seek to learn of the traditional custodian of this beautiful land. Learn about the complete interconnectedness they share with the land, the stories they tell, their love of the land. Understand and embrace the knowledge that comes from thousands of years of culture and connection.

GROW

Through growing, broadening and developing our connectedness with nature, with community, and with people we can become one. One people, one nation. On this day reassess, explore, consider; As an individual you can make a difference, as a community we can make a future.

LOVE

Diversity and inclusion; these are the foundations of a strong community.

This AUSTRALIA DAY begin a journey.

Observe, learn, grow and love.

Embrace all that makes our country the rich and plentiful country it is. We are one, and we are many, we come from all around this earth, we share a hope and dream that can start today with the journey to healing for the future.

New Fitness Trends for the New Year

2021-01-10T07:00:00+11:00

We’re not sad to see 2020 go: bye Felicia! 2021 already has some hefty expectations attached to it. For a lot of us, it’s a wipe-the-slate opportunity; a shiny new year to intentionally design your doings. Fitness is all about feeling. Moving bodies = energy and momentum. Still bodies = sluggish and blah. Draw a new year line in the sand; sure up your fitness goals and nut out the specifics of what you want to achieve. Here’s some inspo.

ROUTINE IS EVERYTHING

A fitness routine is vital because it’s habit-forming. Lock in your schedule and stick to it. If you’re a master of excuses, it’s time for some tough love. It’s too cold, too hot; you’re too tired – not gonna fly. At the very least – walk out the door and around the block, something is better than nothing. Becoming a creature of habit is challenging, but it’s fitness-friendly.

SET UP FOR SUCCESS

Choose a sustainable activity that suits your lifestyle. Don’t set yourself up to fail with sky-high expectations, unrealistic time commitments and types of exercise that feel like a chore. Instead, work to your strengths. Love the ocean? Swim your way to fitness. Are you an outdoor human? Boot camp or jog your way to shape. If you’re not a morning person, forget the dawn workouts – make fitness fit you.

FITNESS TRENDS

To spice up your 2021, here are four ways to get you moving in innovative ways.

HIIT

Practically a buzzword, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) isn’t going anywhere. This savvy practice will have you exercising in short bursts at 90% of your max heart rate, mixed with stretches of active recovery or rest. The theory is, most of us can’t keep up our 90% for extended periods, so by going full-on in intervals – you end up with a pretty big workout and a fast calorie burn.

COMMUNITY FITNESS

Not a self-motivator? Connect with friends. With support, it’s easier to try something new. Keep each other accountable: share your timing, routine and gear tips. As exercise shifts outdoors, the group setting gives you access to trainers who are now part fitness instructor, part motivational trainer. There’s also a gymtastic opportunity to find a new world of classes. And sometimes, seeing a familiar face each session is enough to shift it from a chore to a cheer. You’ll see more equipment and activities going outdoors too.

SLOW FITNESS

For what feels like forever, wellness has been all go-go-go. In a move away from accelerator mode, ‘conscious deceleration’ is a thing. Fitness has fallen into the ‘busy’ trap: faster, longer, stronger. But this is the road to burnout, and collectively, we’re shifting from quick-fix to building long-term endurance. Slow and steady – you know the drill. Exercising at 50% of your max heart rate is back; enough to get your blood flowing and keep stiffness at bay, but not so much to keep you pushed to your limits. Yoga is a slow fitness sweet spot – the movements are steady and intentional, but by no means easy. Practised with integrity, it’s exercise with a side of contemplation and breath control; fitness without the hustle.

MIND MATTERS

A fit mind is a marvel, so as part of your goals – don’t forget to exercise it too. Meditation is on the rise. Your thoughts frame how you see the world, other people and most importantly – you, so create a lean, mean, thinking machine. Meditation, brain training, mindfulness are all practices you can incorporate for a holistic workout. Renew your energy, learn to see more good in people, quiet your fears, overcome resistance and invite balance and growth.

2021 is a much-anticipated calendar page-turn. Whether you’re keen to try new trends or stick with your favourite forms of exercise – a new year is a new opportunity.

Meditation for the Festive Season

2020-12-20T07:00:00+11:00

While Christmas is a time of joy and celebration, it doesn’t come without its own stresses and challenges. 2020 is no exception - in fact for many, this year may be one of the most challenging they’ve had to experience. With the noise and pace becoming louder and more frantic as we hurtle towards the New Year – now, more than ever, it's crucial to take time out. While everyone is turning up and turning out, turning in and focusing on yourself is a fantastic way to calm and centre. If you're starting on your meditation journey, think of this as a guideline.

BENEFITS OF MEDITATION

HOW TO MEDITATE

MEDITATION AIDS

PEOPLE TO FOLLOW

DID YOU KNOW: ORIGINS OF MEDITATION

Reclaim Your Rubbish: National Recycle Week

2020-11-08T07:00:00+11:00

Planet Ark founded National Recycling Week over two decades ago, in November 1996. Recycling is no new kid on the block, it's been a big deal for a long time. And this year, pulling recycling into national focus still brings benefits. The website that acts as the meeting place for this week now gets over 3.7 million page views each year.

At the online home for this week, you can look into your council's recycling service and suss out what you can recycle, and more pointedly – what you can't. You'd be surprised at what you can reprocess; think things like electronic waste, batteries, your fridge that's on the blink and your old armchair. Also, find out where you can drop-off your goods to get recycled.

This campaign has done its dues and earned its cred. It's an instrumental ally for its cause and continues to educate people and spur changes in behaviour. Big or small, these shifts make a difference. And it's not just domestic emphasis, this week is also about industrial and community recycling resourcefulness. There's an opportunity for all walks of society to get the tools they need to lower waste and initiate change in all areas of life.

Let's take a stroll around the house. In every room, there are loads of ways to recycle. The bathroom – save your hairspray can and your medicine containers. The bedroom – keep your old clothes and textiles, your reading light bulbs and your lumpy old mattresses. The Kitchen – recycle your milk and beverage cartons, coffee capsules and cups, aluminium cans, glass bottles, plastic bottles, containers and bags. And don't forget your food scraps. The office – save your swivel chair, printer cartridges, your computer and all its rechargers and cords, paper, cardboard and the phone book you've been using for a laptop stand! The Laundry – your washing machine and dryer can both be salvaged; actually, all white goods can. And outside – recycle your garden cuttings. The garage – reclaim your batteries, tyres, chemicals and the drums they're kept in, paint, gas cylinders and even your car. Don't forget your mobile phone, the spectacles on your face, your TV and your old X-rays.

Recycling at home is more significant than kicking your waste to the kerbside. Look at the bigger picture: it contributes to protecting the environment and reduces dependence on mining, quarrying and logging. Extracting, refining and processing these raw materials all pollute water and air. But the benefits don't stop there. Recycling also conserves energy and brings down greenhouse gases. Who knew not throwing things out could fight climate change, twofold.

You know what to do – recycle – and tell your friends and neighbours too. Spread the word at work, show your kids' school how it's done and take your newfound knowledge as far and wide as you can. National Recycling Week may be only seven days, but it's a great time to stop and take stock of how much you contribute to waste.

Stress Awareness Week

2020-11-01T16:30:00+11:00

Get ready to exhale: Stress Awareness Week is coming up on 2-6 November 2020. Seize these five days to stew on what stresses you out and how it lands in your life. Stress can creep up on you – boo! But calling it out can sometimes come with a side order of stigma. This week, open your peepers to how being well and calm generally means a better you, and healthier businesses too. Are you wearing your badge of busyness as validation? It’s time to unpin it before it turns toxic.

Think about facing off with a bear without your stress response: not pretty. When reacting to events that threaten or upend balance, your body naturally kicks in with fight-or-flight. Despite the thumbs-down wrap stress gets, it can also be your body’s way of protecting you. Yes, there’s harmful stress, but there’s also the right kind of stress that sharpens focus and centres you. When negative stress takes over – that’s when stress goes bad. Stressed people behind the wheel or in an argument are not great combos. This is a silent scourge that can put a whopping dent in your wellbeing.

Stress can strike when you ask too much of your mind and body. We can all stand a healthy amount of stress. But when noxious stress overwhelms, it can cause mental health issues, emotional burnout and sickness. When it shows up in your relationship, your workplace and your family interactions – it’s often problematic.

Good stress is just a human thing. The truth is – you probably won't notice your tension until you’re already feeling chaotic. Destructive stress can skulk into your emotional life, cause and inflame your gut, keep you from getting quality zzzzz’s, make you depressed or anxious, throw-off your eating, play havoc with your skin and agitate autoimmune problems.

So how much stress is too much? Only you can say, so tune in and find out. Can you successfully navigate high levels of stress, or do you sink under low-stress levels? Know your triggers. Is it work, internal or life circumstances like parenting or social situations that set it off? It's different for everyone, but when you know what surrounds your stress, you can manage it.

Identifying your stress sources means you can find ways to reduce them. Like most things in life, coping mechanisms also vary from human to human. Step back and look at whether your stressors can change their spots or whether it's only your approach to them that can. Breathing techniques, meditation and moving your body are all excellent management methods. If you're a talk-it-out person – find your bestie or a therapist for a chat. Stress management is very possible, but it takes practice. Make it a part of your every day, and your stress will be less.

National Stress Awareness Week includes a bunch of events: online seminars, summits, interactive chats and hashtagged events on your socials, as well as real-life stuff. Start with something simple – choose one action to ease each aspect of your wellbeing: physical, mental and emotional. Then do those things every day for 30 days. That's how long it takes to turn a technique into a behaviour shift that will benefit you for the rest of your life.

Humans who are less stressed are kinder and more effective; alone and together.

10 Ways to Green Your Home

2020-10-04T07:00:00+11:00

Dharma bums are all about sustainability and lessening our carbon footprint. If you dig what we do, you can move this earth-first mentality into your home and make these green practices part of your every day.

If you've got things to clean, natural is the way to go. Toxic chemicals are horrible for the environment – when they wash away, they go into the water supply, which then takes a lot to purify. So instead of opting for the artificial stuff, pick up your vinegar, citric acid and bicarb and clean away, minus the caustic chemicals.

When it comes to toilet tissue and kitchen rolls – use recycled. To make sure you're getting the real deal, look at the product labels and work out what wares have the largest percentage of post-consumer recycled content. This mindset also extends to foods like biscuits and cereals or anything cardboard packaged. Other creative recycling ideas: give discarded toys to charity, start a toy and book library, host a clothes-swap or kid's clothes exchange. Create a craft box for the kids; put your cardboard boxes and egg cartons in there and watch them turn into robots and cubby houses.

If you love cooking, do it with more intent. For starters, buy locally and seasonally – it's easy and encourages connections within your community. Grow an edible garden, and watch your salad greens, herbs and veggies flourish just steps from your kitchen. In the process, your kitchen garden lessens soil erosion and air pollution. Use a plot that doesn't guzzle water and keep your garden green without pesticides or chemical fertilisers. Use organic and earth-friendly garden products instead – your garden and your tastebuds will be thankful.

We all have kitchen scraps, so instead of putting them in the garbage – compost them. Scrutinise your scraps: what you chuck away can be recycled and used as fertiliser. Build-your-own or buy a commercial compost bin, then start putting in your tea leaves, coffee grounds, fruit and veg peelings and any other organic stuff. Just add green garden waste, add water and voila – a nutritious soil lifter!

If you switch it on – switch it off. If you're forgetful, install sensors that turn your lights on only when needed or go with automatic timers. The kind of lightbulbs you buy is also significant when it comes to efficiency; CFLs are better than older, incandescent bulbs. Buy better bulbs today – they're more cost-effective, use less power and last longer. That's a bright idea.

Heating is a hotspot when it comes to greening your home. While they provide cosiness, they suck energy and can be easy to overrun during winter. Stop wasting energy and money by installing a smart meter. These can be programmed to switch on at particular times of day – think about heating your home just before you arrive, so it's toasty warm and welcoming. There's no better way to reduce your carbon footprint and energy spend.

Sustainability is more than energy consumption; be aware of how you use water at home. Save water with a low-flow showerhead, don't over-flush, only wash with a full load and fix any leaks. Wait there's more – turn off the tap while you brush your teeth or shave. One of these ideas alone – using a low-flow showerhead, can save up to 160,000 litres of water in a four-person household. That's a whole lot of H2O.

True eco-friendliness begins with insulation. This fundamental choice holds in heat, so your home stays warm without burning energy. Wall and roof insulation are a no-brainer, but there's also double-glazed windows to consider, as well as covering any hardwood floors with rugs in the southwest of your home. This rug runout is an easy and cost-effective way to insulate – and it looks pretty chic! Don't forget snakes under your doors to stop the draft.

When it comes to electronic appliances, remember to switch them all off at the wall. Your TVs, computers and myriad of other gadgets can use nearly as much energy in standby mode as when they’re being used. One switch – that’s a pretty easy way to get greener.

When you stop leaks, your utility costs will plummet – what other incentive do you need to plug, replace, repair or seal? Check out your home’s energy efficiency by carrying out an energy audit.

Whether you implement one or all of these ideas – every little bit counts. Some action is better than none, so go green at home today.

Womens Health Week

2020-09-06T07:00:00+10:00

We’ve all seen the pandemic highlight a host of challenges and injustices. But even in this strange new world, Women’s Health and wellbeing is still a burning hot issue. Look out for Women’s Health Week on the 7-11 of September; seven days to check-in on your health and inspire life-changing shifts.Jean Hailes created the first event in 2013 after discovering there was no national zoom-in on women’s health. Gaining momentum each year since – 2019 saw this event boast over 112,000 participants and champion over 2,800 events. A whopping 45,000 women also signed up for the online movement. Now a celebrated highlight on the national calendar, this week-long lady lovefest has commercial and community support. Today it’s a hub of learning and development.

You know better than anyone – women’s health isn’t all about being physically robust. It’s also about your emotional and even financial health; the whole shebang if you will. We’ve all been there; when we neglect one area of our greater welfare, our life balance goes out of whack. These facets combine to affect your condition today and tomorrow, as well as in later life. Health is both a short and a long game; keeping it in regular check helps halt future health issues. In 2020, Women’s Health Week is teaming up with the Gidget Foundation Australia, which supports new Mum’s in prioritising a thriving mind and body. This incredible institution offers perinatal specialist psychological services to new parents, and parents-to-be. With all the flow-on effects of this women’s health space, this is a powerful collaboration.

Australian women grapple with various health-related woes. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australian women experience 10 chronic problems: arthritis, asthma, back problems, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, heart, stroke and vascular disease, chronic kidney disease, osteoporosis and mental health issues. Recent data shows almost half of Australian females have 1 or more of the 10 chronic conditions. It also confirms 3 in 5 of us are overweight or obese, with the biggest disease strain being coronary heart disease.

This week brings events and online activities all over the country. But gathering your wonder women in person may not be on the cards this year. Through all the spatial distance, you can still bring people together and make a difference by hosting a virtual event. Brainstorm what works online – think hosting a book club or a fitness session. Even the act of staying connected makes us healthier. Fundraising is another way to get onboard. Use the Women’s Health Week platform to kickoff a physical challenge, a raffle or the like. ¬ The initiative also sends out a daily email which connects you with research-based videos, recipes, quizzes, articles and tools to help you embrace top health and self. There are 185 events, Australia-wide; from a Picnic Party in the Park in Perth to Everything You Need to Know About Tracking your Mood and Menstrual Cycle in Kiama. Find an event closer to you, and don’t forget to use #WomensHealthWeek across your socials. When we’re healthy, we contribute to a thriving community, as well as being stronger, happy people within ourselves. When you take the time to put your health first, you pass on an example of self-love to your nearest and dearest. This movement is compelling, so put your participation behind Women’s Health Week and get your health on the up and up.

Brands To Love

2020-08-23T07:00:00+10:00

At Dharma Bums, our purpose orbits firmly around ethical manufacturing and striving for greater sustainability. Already our range is 75% recycled or made with sustainable fabrics. As consumers – we're powerful. We have choices; options to do better and hold companies to account. Here are some other people and earth-loving brands to love and put on your shopping speed-dial.

It's frankly astounding that most toilet paper still comes from virgin trees. Seriously – we're cutting down trees to wipe and flush – what the…? To buck this wastefulness, and save energy and water as well, Who Gives A Crap (WGAC) are making their toilet paper from environmentally friendly materials. Not only do they sparing trees from pulp, they also donate a whopping 50% of profits to help build toilets for those who don't have them. It's 2020, and still, 2.3 billion people (around 40% of the global population) don't have access to a toilet. Toilets are more than porcelain thrones; they deliver dignity, health and a better quality of life. So far, WGAC has donated more than $2.5 million to charity.

This brilliant brand believes everyone is equal and should be able to live free of poverty. Abolishing global poverty is a lofty goal, but Thankyou is taking it on. The shocking fact is 767 million people still exist in severe poverty, and that includes those in Australia and New Zealand. That's 1 in 10 of us. Wow. And not wow in a good way. Fighting for fundamental rights like education, shelter, food and health, these people exist in survival mode, rather than 'living.' Because they're owned by the Thankyou Charitable Trust, which is a registered charitable entity – 100% of profits go to ending global poverty.

Focusing on a world without violence, whether in the home or the wider community – this company cares. By supporting Think Outside Da Block; evening bike rides that create community and togetherness. To help people reach their potential, they also support The Mix, which offers free, confidential support to youth. To promote equal access to healthcare, education and work, Toms help Magic Bus, which works to make sure teens finish their education and garner the skills to shift out of poverty. Tom does all this by giving away $1 for every $3 they make.

Also ethical and sustainability-focused, Loving Earth is aware of the interconnectedness of all living beings, from humans to insects. Working to this ethos, they're aware of the impact of each of their actions. Their ingredients don't use synthetic fertilisers or chemical pesticides and herbicides and are developed to assist in the rehabilitation of native ecosystems, stop erosion and conserve water. By using permaculture systems and growing native canopy species, the farmers work in synthesis by loving the earth.

This brand wears more than one hat (see what we did there?!). Their vision is simple – for every hat sold, ten trees are planted. Through their partnership with Trees.org, their customers can contribute to the Plant a Forest Project. More trees mean cleaner air and more local jobs, with more farmers needed to maintain crops. Additional trees also mean more waterways, not to mention the sanctuary and beauty they bring. Planting more trees also helps reinvigorate degraded land, encourage biodiversity and bring back native species.

When you buy from this brand, you'll get a 100% compostable and plantable seed card, which holds real seeds. All you need to do is plant the card in a sunny space, then watch your green grow and tag it #seedandsprouting. At the same time, Seed and Sprout also plant a tree where they're most needed. 1, 2, TREE – a commitment to tackling the harm caused by deforestation. By 2020, this company's tree planting initiative has reforested acres of rainforest and single trees. They believe small changes, done together, have a real impact on our environment.

The truth is – where your money goes makes a difference. So if you’re looking to make ethical and sustainable choices, these are some brands to love.

5 Ways To Improve Your Gut Health

2020-08-09T07:00:00+10:00

Good gut health is golden. When your digestive system is in good nick, the flow-on effects are all-pervasive. With 70% of our immune system located in the gut, keeping it healthy can reduce autoimmune symptoms and have you fighting fit. With gut fortitude, your appetite stays regular, metabolism is model, and you can even keep anxiety and depression at bay.

To get to know your gut better, listen out for what it’s trying to tell you. Gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, heartburn, unexpected weight changes, crap sleep quality, skin issues, autoimmune symptoms and food intolerances all point to an unhealthy gut. Even arthritis and chronic fatigue syndrome can be linked to the gut. Your gut has a lot of sway and plays a major role in your overall well being. Here are 5 ways to keep your gut health great.

Keeping your body hydrated, happy, water-wise is the number one present you can give your gut (not to mention your health in general). If you don’t drink enough water, your digestive system suffers; it gets sluggish, and we all know what happens next! The best litmus test to trust you’re drinking enough is by having a wee look at your wee! It should be a light straw colour, no matter what time of day. If you can’t get excited about plain water, add a wedge of orange, a sliver of cucumber or some mint leaves to float some flavour into your H2O. Bear in mind, putting lemon in your water makes it a bit acidic and can play havoc with the enamel on your teeth. Another alternative is to sip herbal tea – you can knock yourself out with flavour choices while you increase your intake.

To make sure these little pills can do their best work – take them every day. A probiotic supplement is an easy way to get a regular dose and input some good bacteria. The good news is, you can still do this without taking a pill. By eating fermented foods such as yoghurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir and drinking kombucha – you can boost these bacteria naturally. The effect won’t be immediate, but within a month, the probiotic strains will have populated your GI and have you feeling great.

Inactivity is constipation’s best friend. If you sit around all day, your digestive system becomes as sedentary as you. Moving aids your system by increasing blood flow to your organs and fires-up the muscles in your gastrointestinal tract (GI). Set aside 30 minutes every day to go for a brisk walk or do something aerobic or that builds strength. If there’s a lot of sitting in your day, break it up by getting up often and moving about in bursts.

Don’t underestimate the link between quality sleep, and having good gut health. When your sleep is less than sensational, you’re more likely to reach for more crappy snacks to give you a sugar-lift and help keep you energised. And you’re more inclined to forgo your exercise because the thought of being active without having slept is an uphill battle. 7-8 hours zzzzz’s every night will keep you on a good-gut path.

Like most aspects of life, good eating is all about moderation. This may be boring, but it’s true (boo!) For keeping your gut happy, it’s simple – restrict the amounts of saturated fat, high sugar, processed and fried foods you eat. These sometimes foods slow down your digestive process and support the bad kind of bacteria and yeast to cultivate in your gut and upset the balance in your intestines. High fibre, minimally processed foods are fab; soluble and resistant starch foods act as prebiotics, which means they encourage good gut bugs. Think plenty of fruits, nuts, seed, vegetables, legumes (beans, chickpeas and lentils) and whole grains.

Too much booze is bad for your digestive system because it causes inflammation. The scary fact is – even moderate alcohol consumption increases your risk of bowel and other cancers. The guidelines are – no more than two standard drinks on any day. So cheers to that. Stress and smoking are two more significant gut enemies, so find ways to stress less or process your tension. And don’t smoke.

World Wellbeing Week

2020-06-22T00:01:00+10:00

Now in its second year, World WellBeing Week provides the opportunity for participants worldwide to promote an overall awareness for the wide-ranging aspects of wellbeing, including social, physical, emotional, financial, career, community and environmental wellbeing.

Connect with the people around you: family, friends, colleagues and neighbours at home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these relationships as the cornerstones of your life and spend time developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.

Go for a walk or run, cycle, play a game, garden or dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity that you enjoy; one that suits your level of mobility and fitness.

Be observant, look for something beautiful or remark on something unusual. Savour the moment, whether you are on a bus or in a taxi, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.

Don’t be afraid to try something new, rediscover an old hobby or sign up for a course. Take on a different responsibility, fix a bike, learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy. Learning new things will make you more confident, as well as being fun to do.

Do something nice for a friend or stranger, thank someone, smile, volunteer your time or consider joining a community group. Look out as well as in. Seeing yourself and your happiness linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and will create connections with the people around you.

International Yoga Day

2020-06-21T07:20:00+10:00

There are so many kinds of yoga practices out there, it can be hard to know where to start.

Yoga is a broad system with many different detailed teachings and roots. The meaning of the word “yoga” means to yoke, or union, bringing together all the aspects of body, breath and mind, so that we can come back to our true self.

The main yoga practice that is familiar in the world today is asana, or yoga poses. Styles have adapted and developed to make it more accessible to so many people.

In the search to find a suitable practice, take into account that at various stages of life, years, or even days, one style might speak to us more than others. Here are some examples of various styles and their origins that might help you find the practice that is best suited for you.

All asana practice is derived from hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is the root from which Patanjali (an Indian sage and scholar) wrote The Yoga Sutras – a book of philosophy which is now used in many yoga traditions. The word Hatha in Sanskrit comes from two words Ha (sun) and Tha (moon) and explores the duality within us - the yin and yang, the dark and the light. Hatha yoga consists of a structured, foundational practice with its emphasis on breath and holding each pose for a longer period of time. Expect a slower-moving practice with lots of key alignment cues for each posture. The hatha practice is perfect for beginners or those who are just starting out on their yoga journey.

The words Vinyasa means Sequence or specific placement. This practice is more fluid and dynamic with many transitions from pose to pose. Expect a variety of sun salutations and linking the breath with the movement. Vinyasa is a more modern form of yoga asana and is perfect for those who want a faster practice with less time to spend in each pose. This practice can challenge the way in which the breath is utilised.

Find a soft and gentle place to practice from with yin yoga. Each pose is held for 3-5 minutes or longer. Mediation and calming the mind is the focus of this practice. Yin yoga focuses on the energy meridians of the body and improving their functions with specifically designed poses. Longer holds mean the body can replenish and open over time, without force or creating excess heat. Slowing down and being still will provide a space for relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety. Yin yoga can still be a strong practice in that it will challenge the body and mind with longer holds.

A very gentle, slow and softer practice. Less energy is spent which will provide more nourishment for the body. Lots of props are used to assist the body in comfort and relaxation. Explore gentle movement, full breaths with slow-moving sequences for bodies and minds who find it hard to relax, slow down or for those who need to take it easy. This practice will nourish energy levels, quieten the mind and ground you back into your body.

Yoga is all about practicing mindfulness and general awareness of your mental well-being alongside the physical. Take this 'International Yoga Day' as an opportunity to dive deeper into your practice or into finding what your flow is all about.

World Oceans Day

2020-06-07T07:20:00+10:00

On June 8, it’s time to go deep. Ocean deep. World Oceans Day brings together watery enthusiasts from all over the globe for a day of action. Even though every day is an opportunity to work passionately to protect the blue planet, this day presents a wealth of ways to be ocean active. Our magnificent depths aren’t just beautiful; they’re also integral to our survival. So jump in and make a splash.

The protection and restoration of our ocean environments is front and centre. World Oceans Day has become a responsive, worldwide movement. In 2020, we want to give a holler to the head honchos; calling on world leaders to protect 30% of our blue planet by 2030. That’s only a decade to undo a lot of damage. Complete with a catchy shorthand, 30x30, is a critical initiative looking to ensure the ocean remains and in some cases, returns, to being a safe home for all marine life. This is done by preserving a minimum of 30% of our oceans by establishing a network of highly secured areas. A lot goes on under there; the whole ecosystem, from the Plankton to the Blue Whale, is an intricate web of life. This people-powered push is a collaboration of leaders across 140 countries who supply resources to facilitate action. At the same time, The World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council encourages youth participation; empowering younger generations to act on their ocean-love.

With a focus on conservation action – show your admiration for the salty soup and all its inhabitants. Gather, friends, the fam and your community, and start working towards healthier oceans. The ocean is for everyone, so it’s gonna take a global village to restore it. To stop the extinction of one million species, scientists say we need half the planet in its natural state. Let that sink in. But scientists aren’t enough. Knowing is one thing, doing is another. And that’s where you come in.

Big or small, every action is essential, and there are plenty of ways to get involved. Here are some ideas to get your mind swimming! You can plan, list or find an event, or add your name to the 30x30 for Nature Petition to champion sustainable, ocean-friendly choices. If you’re looking to light the conservation zeal in the next-gen or amplify action through art, film screenings and music – get busy. Grab your besties and create or take part in a festival to honour the ocean. Sponsor an online presentation or reading about all things under the sea by an environmental educator, torchbearer or scientist.

The best way to advocate for the ocean is to start in your coastal backyard. Take your initiative right to the water by hosting a community cleanup. Use the hashtags, #DharmaBumsActive and #WorldOceanDay to show us what ocean-loving action you’re taking.

Lastly, financial support speaks loudly. Please donate to The Ocean Foundation; joining forces with a multitude of organisations and individuals to rehabilitate and safeguard our oceans. Your tax-deductible contribution plays a part in preserving healthy oceans and the humans and aquatic life that depend on them.

Meditation For Beginners

2020-05-17T07:20:00+10:00

With the noise and pace becoming louder and more frantic – now, more than ever, it's crucial to take time out. Going inwards is where it's at if you want to get a bit more slo-mo in your status quo. If you're starting on your meditation journey, think of this as a guideline.

Getting its name from the Latin word 'meditatum,' which means 'to ponder,' people in the know believe meditation emerged before modern civilisation, thousands and thousands of years ago. Ancient texts, hieroglyphs and archaeological findings all point to hunter-gatherers being down with some form of meditation. The question is – what kind of practice did they do: trance, chants, contemplation or mindfulness? When looking to find the origins of meditation, it's easier to split the discussion into East and West. Even though this practice shows up on the spiritual path of numerous religions, Buddhism is where it's at. Around 2,600 years ago, The Buddha began moving towards ultimate enlightenment, ethical conduct and the wisdom of seeking truth. In search of peace, people began practising and sharing the Buddha's teachings. In the Western world, meditation has only been popular since the mid-20th century. Over the years, Eastern masters have shared their expertise and learning with curious Western students. At the same time, western novices of mindfulness began travelling east to train under celebrated masters. They then brought the knowledge home. Over 30 years ago, Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn founded the Center for Mindfulness and the program, MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) which has been spreading the strengths of this discipline without religious affiliation ever since. Now, meditation and mindfulness have well and truly landed in the public consciousness.

With so many positives effects across four aspects of wellbeing, it's more a case of what doesn't meditation help with, rather than what it does. Spiritually speaking, when you quieten your mind, your ego fades to the background giving you unobstructed commune with your soul and spirit. This allows you to see what's going on inside and work towards higher consciousness. It also unblocks psychic pathways so you can nurture your energy levels. Research demonstrates the physical positives; stress relief and alleviation of conditions like PTSD, IBS and fibromyalgia. Meditation has also been linked to lowering memory loss, inflammation and blood pressure. Mentally, his practice gives you the tools to detach from the turmoil when it becomes overwhelming. It provides an escape; aiding anxiety, depression and insomnia. Emotionally, meditation develops self-love and lifts you closer to universal love. From here, you're more equipped to let things go. And exhale.

International Womens Day

2020-03-08T07:20:00+11:00

We’re celebrating International Women’s Day 2020 by shining a light on a group of formidable females from across the globe. These illuminated ladies work in the spaces where we share a passion; they’re change-makers and movers and shakers. We can learn a lot from their action across the areas of women’s rights, the environment, and sustainable fashion. Here’s a little wrap sheet on each of these inspirational women; an insight into how they’re driving change.

A complicated character, Emmeline led the suffragette movement; tirelessly pushing for equality in an uphill battle. Guiding a league of extraordinary and fearless women, these anti-patriarchal pioneers threw themselves under horse-hoof, chained themselves to property and starved themselves all in the name of egalitarianism. Their tenacity, with Emmeline at the forefront, resulted in women getting the vote in 1918 (well, those over 30 who owned property or had a husband who owned property). But what a start!

When she was just 15, the Taliban in Pakistan shot Malala Yousafzai in the head. After the Taliban banned girls from school, Malala became a target when she took a stand to demand every girls’ right to an education. That was in 2012, and since then, this hero has risen to become a pivotal agent of change and is now the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. She works to shift perspectives on women, children, inequality and education across the world.

In Bangladesh, on April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza clothing factory in Bangladesh collapsed. An unimaginable 1,138 people lost their lives, and many were injured. Motivated to act in response, Carry Somers founded Fashion Revolution on the same day. This movement encourages consumers to ask #WhoMadeMyClothes, and producers to respond with #IMadeYourClothes. From there, the Fashion Revolution Week has gone from strength to strength in support of cleaner, fairer, slower fashion.

An advocate for both conservation and women’s rights, Wangari founded The Green Belt Movement which has four focuses within Kenya: tree planting and water harvesting, climate change, mainstream advocacy, gender livelihood and advocacy. This forward-thinking powerhouse went on to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for advances in sustainable development, democracy and peace.

An activist from Gambia, Isatou Ceesay is known as the 'Queen of Recycling,' after founding the movement, One Plastic Bag. As an answer to the need for recycling and waste reduction, her initiative creates plastic yarn and makes bags from the upcycled waste. Her project has not only vastly reduced waste in her village but also served to educate people around her. The One Plastic Bag initiatives now provide hundreds of West African women with monthly revenue.

To bring world leaders together, May co-founded 350.org to rally against climate change. To bring down CO2 levels and alleviate global warming, the organisation targets the fossil fuel industry. In the hopes of decreasing the danger of increasing temperature, her platform seeks to restrain the influence of the industry and challenge governments about their emissions.

An oceanographer and marine biologist, Sylvia takes deep dives into advocating for our oceans. Founding Mission Blue in 2009, this non-profit is set on protecting global marine preserves. As an author, Sylvia is raising public awareness of the ocean as ‘the blue heart of the planet;’ supporting them as precious ecological places. She also assisted in the design of research submarines and was Time Magazine's 1998 Hero of the Planet.

This inspiring woman is the CEO of Global Fashion Agenda, a forum for leaders in fashion sustainability. A source of thought leadership and advocacy, this agenda encourages the industry to be bold and act now around sustainability. On top of this, Eva is also the CEO of the Copenhagen Fashion Summit, the world's largest annual industry event for sustainable fashion. This summit sets actions for exploring dire environmental, social and ethical issues.

A sustainable fashion force of nature, Amy is the former editor of EcoSalon. Now a regular contributor to The Guardian and Ecouterre, she also handles communications for the Brooklyn Fashion & Design Accelerator. Amy also acts as a rep for sustainable designers, sits on prestigious fashion panels and anchors numerous eco-fashion events.

Leading the Ethical Fashion Forum, Tamsin has nurtured it from the beginning to its current extensive network of industry professionals. She also acts as a guide for fashion players in their efforts to balance sustainability with the bottom line. As creator of the label, Juste, Tamsin supports a fair trade supply chain for a designer line in Bangladesh. Fashioning an Ethical Industry is another of her initiatives that integrates sustainability college curricula in the UK.

Women rock. And these are just ten of them. Be brave, use your voice and inspire ethical and sustainable change with every choice, dollar and word you make, spend and say.

5 Ways to Quit Plastic

2020-02-09T13:04:00+11:00

Pay attention to your plastic use is for just one day, and you’ll understand why it’s so important to quit the stuff. The statistics around the damage plastic does speak for themselves; we give you the facts, then show you ways to reduce your everyday plastic use.

A whopping 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic have been produced on this plant since the 1950s. Every minute, one million plastic bottles, and two million plastic bags are bought and used. So, it’s no surprise that 73% of the world’s beach litter is plastic. Each year, plastic kills more than 1.1 million seabirds and animals, while 90% of all birds and fish have plastic particles in their stomach. The most heartbreaking stat of all? Each plastic bag is used for an average of 12 minutes but takes up to 1,000 years to decompose. Let that sink in. In the last 50 years, plastic production has doubled: we’re in a lot of trouble.

These stats are just plain scary, check out the number of years these single-use items stick around:

Plastic bags: 200-1,000 years

Disposable nappies: 550 years

Plastic bottles: 450 years

Aluminium can: 200-500 years

Foamed plastic cups: 50 years

It’s ever-present; plastic debris is everywhere, from Mount Everest to our oceans. It’s in the guts of seabirds and the stomachs of sea turtles; by 2050, the plastic mass will exceed the total mass of fish living in the seas. It’s the prime product of fracking; taking fossil fuels from shale, which are made into the resin pellets used to make plastic. This pollutes water, soil and air, and forms holes under the ground that collapse into sinkholes and lead to earthquakes. It’s deadly; wildlife eat and become entangled in it, which is unsurprising considering there are approximately 270,000 tonnes of plastic floating in our oceans. There’s also mounting evidence plastic plays a role in the rising rates of extinctions. It’s not all recyclable and not all of it’s recycled; most plastics last forever. There’s a big difference between ‘break down’ and ‘biodegradable’ – breaking plastic down means one large piece is diminished into smaller pieces.

Invest in a reusable coffee cup – they’re practically an accessory these days! If you forget your cup and have to opt for a disposable one: go lidless. Or even better, take five minutes and drink your latte in the café.

These humble items are a significant contributor to plastic pollution. Only used once, then discarded, they end up in landfill. Take a walk along any beach and you’ll see them strewn on the sand. If your local café still uses them, add your voice to the growing demand for change.

With major supermarkets now charging for single-use plastic bags, there are no more excuses for using them. Keep a stash of reusable bags near your front door, and another in your car. Grab a bag and go, so you’re never forced to fork out for a plastic one.

This is an easy one – don’t buy bottled water. Instead, get used to having a +1: your gorgeous glass or stainless steel water bottle that goes everywhere with you. This will also help you consume fewer liquids in Tetra paks and plastic in favour of healthy H20.

Always have a container on hand; for lunch at work, for deli goods and takeaway dinners. Instead of using plastic wrap, use containers or buy a beeswax wrap. This means less styrofoam and plastic containers, and fewer single-use plastic to wrap your items.

● Stainless steel water bottle

● Reusable glass coffee cup

● Reusable produce and shopping bags

● Cutlery pouch for food outside your home

● Stainless steel lunch box

● Glass food storage containers

Once you’ve made these changes, share and swap these tips with your friends; we all have the power to quit plastic.

Shop without compromise. Every time

2020-01-27T07:00:00+11:00

Caring for the planet and the people who make our clothes is part of our DNA. Our vision is to offer you the choice to shop without comprising on sustainability, ethically made or style and comfort. Join us and be part of the change.

From day one, our vision was for each unique garment to empower both those who wear them and those that make them – and that means focusing as much on the people as the garments themselves. From origination to creation, Dharma Bums has an unwavering commitment to ethical supply chains and quality in every stitch. From the beginning, we have built relationships with small Australian factories that believe in what we do. They are committed to quality and, importantly, are ethically certified. We still work with these same factories today. As we have grown, we have brought in new partners that share our values, all certified by internationally independent bodies who audit their operations and are all BSCI accredited. A Dharma Bum doesn’t take life too seriously...but is serious about making sure the impact they have on the world is a positive one! Like us, you do what you love, and you live life in happiness and harmony. So, we’ve designed and created every garment with this spirit. We spend hours on the style and detail of each garment, on the print, design and the colour. It’s exclusive to us; a part of who we are - and we hope it will become a part of you too. Our brand is inspired by the stunning setting and scenery of the Sydney beaches where we are based. The talented Dharma Bums designers create each design from a fresh beginning, exclusively for you...

We have made smarter and more informed choices when it comes to our fabric choice. We are continuously moving into more recycled and sustainable choices. Currently, our range is 75% sustainable and by 2021 our range will be 100% sustainable. We have chosen to move away from bamboo as it is not an eco-friendly fabric. The manufacturing process is highly intensive and involves many harmful chemicals. Instead, we have chosen to work with more earth and people-friendly fabrics like sustainable Pima cotton and Lenzing modal®. We have also launched our latest fabric, Eco-Luxe, where we recycle 16-18 post-consumer PET bottles to make 1 pair leggings. We endeavour to stay informed with the best practices and will make adjustments accordingly to do what’s best for our planet and our customer.

All of our packaging is biodegradable, which means they do their carry-thing, then break down into natural materials without causing harm. Our swing tags are printed on recycled cards. And we ditched the synthetic twine, in favour of cotton twine to tie it to our clothes.

Being ethically driven isn’t something we ‘set and forget;’ it informs every move we make. Ethical integrity is essential to us. And here’s why – all our Dharma Bum doers work in a safe, healthy and happy environment, receive fair wages, training, and most importantly, have a voice. Our clothes are made by empowered women, for empowered women; you deserve to know and understand where your clothes are made. Through our ethical approach, you have the power to make people + planet-hearted choices.

Dharma Bums recently partnered with Thread Together to deliver new, good quality clothing to people in our community who are doing it tough. Over the last couple of months, our team has dropped off and helped sort almost 52 boxes of Dharma Bums product at the Thread Together warehouse. That’s close to 6,000 beautiful pieces of reclaimed fashion gifted to the wider community and kilograms of unworn clothing saved from potential landfill!

Through our choices, we make garments that are light on impact for people and our planet. We carefully choose fabrics, practices and processes that are better for our environment. Chose to spend your money where the heart is.

New Year, New You, New Energy

2020-01-19T07:00:01+11:00

Happy New Year (well – close enough!) We’re all about connecting with yourself; stripping away all unwanted energies to make way for growing and becoming. As you settle into 2020, start the way you want to continue by intentionally creating the energy you want around you. Like all other aspects of life, being proactive leads to change and shedding what no longer serves you.

This ancient ritual, also known as smudging, has long been used by Native Americans. Traditionally a tool to adios damaging energy from your surroundings, things and body – this act paves the way for more positive vibes and a boost in your vibrancy. Think of this as a purifying practice; when your energy is free-flowing, you tend to stress less, have access to your intuition, as well as sharper memory and presence. Spiritually speaking, burning sage and incense can cleanse your space and self from trauma, negative experiences and energies. What better way to get a clean slate for 2020?

From painting and cross-stitch to baking and puzzling, using your imagination without censorship invites new ideas in. practice new ways of thinking and approaching challenges. By leaning into and expressing your uniqueness, your energy will grow and lift. We’re all gifted with creativity and ways to be playful and dynamic, so this year – use it. There’s no ‘correct’ way to be creative, so give yourself permission to let loose. If you’re stuck on where to start – go for a walk, revisit an old hobby or start a new one, pen a poem, see an art exhibition, or read, read, read. Refresh your energy this year by engaging with the world, minus the ‘shoulds.’ Take a risk, and you’ll be rewarded with authenticity – tune in to yourself and trust your instincts.

You are what you think, so learn to tune your mind. A cared-for mind will make for more positive energy. Once you accept your thoughts, words and action align to create what you become, how you experience the world, and how others experience you. More positive thoughts = more positive energy. To help renew your energy, remember – we’re all one – focus on the humanity and vulnerability of your fellow human and look for ways to send them love and kindness. Replace fears and less-than focus with bravery and conviction. Like attracts like, so when you meditate on good and gratitude, you act as a magnet for the same. When you see challenges as steps to better things, resistance takes a back seat to make room for your higher purpose. Without negative energy blockages, you’ll feel more balanced, aligned and good energy-rich.

For a new-year energy revamp, try essential oils. Research reports that some of these fragrant beauties have properties that can up your energy and soothe tiredness. Start with Peppermint. This bitey oil alleviates fatigue. Then there’s Sweet Orange mixed with Spearmint which can increase your athletic abilities. When you mix Spearmint with Rosemary, you can sharpen learning and memory, and tackle age-related oxidation. Rosemary on its lonesome ups mood and fortifies focus. And then there’s Lemon which again promotes positivity. Why not put these aromas in a diffuser for a gorgeously aromatic background to your day to daily doings. Elevating your energy is as easy as inhaling.

When the people around you don’t reflect who you are and where you want to grow, they can be a drain on your energy. The new year is a great time to invite people into your life; make connections and create distance from those with bad energy. This can be done with intent, openness and kindness – don’t ostracise or stonewall people, simply give your focus to friendships you want to foster. Whether new or old, be the energy you want to attract and watch what happens next.

How To Heal Your Chakras With Food

2019-09-29T06:00:00+10:00

Even though we can’t see our 7 energy centres, tuning into them can have substantial health benefits. With distinct health conditions affiliated with each of your chakras, you can opt to eat foods which better balance them. Some foods are the same colour as particular chakras, and they vibrate in a way which can trigger stability within that energy centre. Discover which foods to choose to keep each chakra happy.

Chakras, Sanskrit for ‘wheels,’ refers to your body’s energy centres. At the bottom of your spine is your root chakra, and they continue up to the top of your head, where the aptly named crown chakra sits. In between these chakra-bookends are a further five energy points; each of our 7 chakras has a particular purpose. As an essential part of your health; when your chakras are open and fit, they draw in good, clean energy. This energy then fills and feeds your energy field to keep you in good health. The better the flow of energy from your chakras into your metabolic system, the healthier you are.

Each of your 7 chakras commands distinct areas of your body and life; if one is cluttered and chaotic, the corresponding part of your body and life become imbalanced. Consider your heart chakra; related to your lungs, circulatory system and heart, it governs your capacity to receive and give love. If your heart chakra is out of shape, the quality of your relationships may suffer, and you may block love from coming to you. In general – emotional, mental and spiritual problems can obstruct your chakras, which hinders energy flow and can cause health issues.

You can find this red chakra at the bottom of your spine. It assists in keeping your body's energy bound to earthly energies and helps with movement and self-esteem. This chakra is associated with colon issues, lower back pain, varicose veins and emotional difficulty around money and security. Feed with: beetroot, parsnips, apples, pomegranates, radishes, onions and beans. Spice up with: chives, paprika and pepper. Balance with: fresh rosemary and clove essential oil.

You can find this orange chakra at your navel. It’s all about emotionality and creativity and helps with achieving control and balance in your life. This chakra is associated with infertility, hip pain, sexual dysfunction, emotional imbalances and creative blocks. Feed with: nuts, oranges, carrots, pumpkins, melons, mango and passion fruit. Spice up with: cinnamon, vanilla, sesame seeds. Balance with: fresh parsley and orange essential oil.

You can find this yellow chakra at your Solar plexus. It holds sway over your ego and self-esteem and helps you strengthen self-esteem and intuitive skills. This chakra is associated with gas, bloating, liver issues, stomach ulcers, eating disorders, lack of confidence and procrastination. Feed with: yellow peppers, lentils, squash, oats, spelt, milk, cheese and yoghurt. Spice up with: Ginger, mint, chamomile, turmeric, cumin and fennel. Balance with: fresh lavender and chamomile essential oil.

You can find this green chakra at your heart. This important chakra is wounded by emotional abuse and heartbreak, so make it a priority to keep this energy centre in a healthy emotional frame. The heart chakra is associated with heart and lung problems, asthma, allergies and fear of intimacy. Feed with: broccoli, kale, chard, leafy greens, spinach, cabbage, celery and green tea. Spice up with: Ginger, mint, chamomile, turmeric, cumin and fennel. Balance with: fresh vanilla and rose essential oil.

You can find this sky blue chakra at your throat. Symbolising power and accountability, this chakra is aligned with not being able to adequately express yourself. This communication block can manifest as a cold and sore throat; learning to speak the truth consistently can counter this. This chakra is associated with thyroid disease, sore throat and difficulty expressing feelings. Feed with: blueberries, figs, kelp water, fruit juices and herbal teas. Spice up with: Ginger, mint, chamomile, turmeric, cumin and fennel. Balance with: fresh peppermint and ginger essential oil.

You can find this indigo chakra at the centre of your brows. As the centre of insight and wisdom, it helps you to maintain a healthy sense of perspective. This chakra is associated with depression, poor eyesight, hormonal imbalances and poor intuition. Feed with: purple plums, potatoes, grapes, blueberries and blackberries. Spice up with: poppy seeds. Balance with: fresh lemongrass and lemongrass essential oil.

You can find this purple chakra on top of your head. Considered the highest form of chakra, it's the gateway to spiritual communication with the universe. That's why this vital chakra is often depicted as a blooming lotus. Detoxing and fasting aid the evolution of the crown chakra; awakening the most potent form of spiritual connection. This chakra is associated with difficulties with the sleep/wake cycle, feeling disconnected from your body and others, having difficulty meditating and spiritual discomfort. Feed with: fresh air, sunlight, nature, incense and smudging herbs sage, myrrh and juniper. Spice up with: Gotu and lotus. Balance with: fresh thyme and rosewood essential oil.

Making some small shifts in what you eat can help keep all 7 of your chakras in optimum condition.

How Indoor Plants Help Beat Stress

2019-09-08T06:30:00+10:00

None of us is a stranger to stress and tension; those times in life where you feel like a tightly-wound ball and no matter how hard you try, you just can’t let go. Having all your ducks in a row is one thing. But experiencing success means nothing if you don’t have the positive mental health to enjoy it. The fact is, if you’re sick, you’ll seek help from a doctor. Being chronically stressed out is no different – taking action is essential. Apart from their beauty, indoor plants can improve your wellbeing too. These little green friends can keep stress at bay, and improve your mood and cognitive function for a start. That’s plenty of reasons to give potted plants a position in every room in your home.

Here in Australia, about 45% of us will experience a mental health issue during our lives. Each year, 1 million of us will suffer from depression, and upwards of 2 million will struggle with anxiety. And at work, 31% of Australian workers are super-stressed. Far out, that’s a lot of people in a lot of pain.

Studies show, touching or smelling indoor plants helps lessen the mental and physical signs of stress. And the soil you pot your plants in contains microbes, which act as natural antidepressants. Soil releases cytokines, which tells your grey matter to produce more serotonin; so being around the potting soil will lift your mood. Indoor plants also alter your brain’s electrical activity and affect muscle tension and heart activity. To help ease stress and get better zzzzz’s, place a potted Mother In Law’s Tongue or lovely Lavender near your bed.

Indoor plants clear the air. To battle air pollutants, this clever greenery absorbs the nasty air elements through their roots and leaves. Add to this, any room with a houseplant will have up to 60% less airborne moulds and bacteria than rooms without one. And another reason to surround yourself with potted plants? They keep dry winter air, moister, acting as natural humidifiers.

If you’re stressed at work, feeling unmotivated and uninspired, put some pot plants on your desk. These green coworkers will get your creative juices flowing and improve your ability to solve problems. A plant in your place of profession will help you concentrate, lift productivity, wellbeing and increase your memory powers. That’s a whole lot of help if you’re feeling tense at work.

If stress is strangling you, here are some plants to put in your indoor spaces and bring on more feelings of calm and flow. If you’ve already got some green company, increasing the number of houseplants can only be a good thing. Try these gems we’ve placed throughout the blog!

Sustainable living trends to follow in 2019

2019-08-25T06:30:00+10:00

When you think about sustainability, you probably think about big business and industry, but sustainable living starts at home. Individually, we need to factor in our future by investigating the exciting innovations across the many aspects of our lives. Here are some of 2019’s most prevalent eco trends. Go against the fast-consuming, short-term grain for long-term gain.

Australia leads the way with the amount of ever-expanding space we dedicate to organic food production. While most of it comes in the form of grass-fed beef, our organic industry is also active in the areas of chemical-free wine grapes, grains, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and nuts. And this trend extends to our backyard gardens. Fewer of us are choosing to use decorative plants; instead, we’re sowing stuff that serves other purposes like supplying shade, stopping erosion and preventing pests.

Escalating development is costly to the environment. Championing societal needs over individual needs, and focusing on environmental rigour is where Green Architecture happens. Essentially, sustainability should be paramount in both construction and operation across public, commercial and residential areas. Green buildings blend into their surrounds and are constructed using materials derived from durable, sustainable resources. They repurpose and reuse materials and incorporate increased energy efficiency, improved cladding systems and VOC-free paints. Multipurpose, flexible living spaces and a shift towards decreasing surface area of homes in favour of garden space are also ways to prioritise sustainability.

Recycled and up-cycled materials, a zero-waste approach to manufacturing and advocating for fair trade clothes all linchpins of sustainable fashion. Not solely the responsibility of producers, we consumers can choose to buy from slow fashion brands which support environmental and socio-economic aspects. Sustainable fashion isn’t easy. Producers must oversee energy and environmental impact and enhance working conditions. While consumers need to focus on their reuse and repair, their washing actions; shift their entire outlook on fashion. By choosing quality over quantity, you can contribute to sustainability, starting with your wardrobe. Keep your quality pieces and build your collection consciously.

Our increasing interconnectedness could lead to meaningful change; positive progress happens when we work together. More and more, organisations strive to gain B Corporation status; to meet high standards of social and environmental performance. A surge in green building, as well as an increase in single-use plastic bans, and a crackdown on polluting all point towards collective action. On an individual level, we’re taking more responsibility for recycling and energy efficiency, as well as educating ourselves around how to lessen our environmental impact and influence the greater social good. If you’re looking to increase your eco-friendliness and reduce your carbon footprint – education is the key to sustainable living.

This is one of the crucial areas that demand change, and every little bit counts. From carpooling and riding your bike to work to changing the way you use transport, all alter our impact. Revamping how we all travel starts by making public transport your norm; each car emits 4.7 metric tonnes of C02 every year. Reducing fossil fuel cars, pushing self-driving and electric cars and creating green highway walls to trap and filter carbon emissions are just the tip of the sustainable transport iceberg. From here, it’s a collective effort.

These are 5 aspects of life which stand to have a significant impact on sustainable living. Start investigating how these facets feature in your home and lifestyle, as well as in your broader community.