savvywrap for a cause...and business announcement

People near and dear to me to me know that my older sister was diagnosed with stage 3C ovarian cancer this summer. She was all alone in California, but thanks to my incredibly supportive husband and daughters, dear friends, and school communities, I've been able to juggle this little business and help Denise move up to Seattle where she's now receiving the best possible medical treatment at the Seattle Cancer Care Center. I'm thankful she and other patients are being taken care of by a truly compassionate team of physicians, nurses and staff members and have access to what seems unlimited resources like financial support, emotional counseling, and nutritional advice.


I am inspired by my sister's courageous fight and I know it wouldn't be possible without the help of SCCA. I'll be donating a handful of my threaded" savvywrap sustainable gift wraps to their gift shop to help raise funds for their patient resource center. I know it may not be much, but I'm grateful my sister is here and celebrating the holidays with us. We love you Denise!

On a separate note, I will be taking a much-needed break from the business over the holidays to regroup from a very unexpected business development this fall. I still greatly believe that we can all attain a sustainable lifestyle with little changes to our everyday lives. My daughters remain my driving force and source of inspiration. But, the business structure is not what I had envisioned a year ago. My business name will certainly change. I am grateful to all of you who have opened your hearts and lent a hand to help me when my sister and I needed you most.

All my best,
Mandy

give the eco-gift of furoshiki this holiday season

Recently I was asked to contribute a blog post on Abe's Market, a new online marketplace that showcases bona fide natural goods anyone can feel good about buying and the people who make them. I would like to share what I wrote for Abe's Market and how choosing an eco-friendly gift wrap this holiday season such as my "boxwood with berries" savvywrap sustainable gift wrap + carry-all can make a huge difference in reducing waste destined for landfills. Enjoy!

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Give the gift of furoshiki this holiday season with savvywrap™
By Mandy Behrens, Founder of Persimmon & Pine Design

According to the Clean Air Council, an additional five million tons of waste is generated during the holidays in the United States, four million tons of which is wrapping paper and shopping bags. As a mother of two young daughters, I am very concerned with this news and am hoping you will consider using the centuries-old Japanese tradition of furoshiki to wrap your gifts this year – it’s easy, elegant and eco-friendly!

History of the Furoshiki

For centuries, Japanese citizens have used square pieces of cloth called “furoshikis” for a myriad of practical and ornamental applications – nearly everything from transporting goods to decorating gifts. Historians believe furoshikis gained popularity during the Edo Period (1603-1868) when public bath houses became fashionable. Japanese citizens would carry their clothes and personal belongings inside a wrapped furoshiki and then use it as a bath mat. This is how the furoshiki got its name: “furo” meaning “bath” and “shiki” meaning “to spread”. The furoshiki played an important role in the development of Japan’s sustainable society during Edo times and emerged as a highly celebrated custom for wrapping gifts.

Furoshiki Artistry

When I first discovered the art of furoshiki, I was awestruck by its elegance and how, when effortlessly tied and knotted, any furoshiki can transform a great gift into an exceptional keepsake. I learned that in Japan much about the gift-giving experience centers on the presentation. Great care and joy go into selecting just the right furoshiki fabric and the best wrap technique to honor each gift-giving occasion. With so many colors, patterns, and fabric choices available, furoshikis afford gift-givers the ability to add a personal touch. I believe my artisan furoshikis (savvywrap) offer a fresh, nature-inspired choice.

Organic & Sustainable Textiles for savvywrap – A Natural Choice

I lovingly handcraft each savvywrap sustainable gift wrap + carry-all furoshiki with eco-embellishments and renewable and biodegradable textiles. Despite the higher price tag, I use hemp, soy, organic cotton and organic linen textiles in my designs because they are farmed, harvested and manufactured using eco-sensitive methods and fair trade practices. This is such a stark contrast to conventional textile production. According to Earth Pledge, a non-profit organization committed to promoting and supporting sustainable development, “At least 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw materials into textiles and 25% of the world’s pesticides are used to grow non-organic cotton.” Clearly these fabrics are not for my designs.

Give the Eco-Gift of Furoshiki this Holiday Season

Whether you brave the crowds or cozy up to your computer for your shopping this holiday season, I encourage you to choose an eco-friendly gift wrap option like furoshiki to green your gift-giving. My savvywraps are 100% biodegradable and can be easily tied to create a stunning package begging to be untied! Encourage gift recipients to “wrap it forward" as an eco-bonus.

Cheers and Happy Holidays, Mandy

approved for people and planet - green america

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! We have just been awarded the coveted Green America Business Seal of Approval, a mark of trust provided by Green America to help consumers identify and support socially responsible companies.



We are absolutely thrilled with Green America’s certification and honored to be an official member of their esteemed Green Business Network of socially and environmentally responsible businesses. It validates our business model, provides crucial access to Green America’s resources, and reaffirms the life choices our families have made.

To qualify for Green America's certification, companies must undergo a thorough screening process and meet the following criteria: 1) use their business as a tool for positive social change, 2) be “value-driven” as well as profit-driven, 3) be socially and environmentally responsible in the way they source, manufacture, and market their products and operate their offices, and 4) employ extraordinary and innovative practices that benefit workers, communities, customers, and the environment.



Our savvywrap™ sustainable gift wrap + carry-alls (artisan furoshikis) are bona fide sustainable alternatives to wrapping paper and plastic shopping bags – helping reduce waste destined for landfills. We use only premium renewable and biodegradable textiles and eco-embellishments.

The savvywrap honors the artistry and sustainability of the Japanese furoshiki (a centuries-old environmentally-friendly practice of using cloth to wrap bundles and presents). We encourage recipients of gifts wrapped in a savvywrap are encouraged to “wrap it forward™” for their next gift-giving experience.

Thanks for visiting. Cheers!

we're the B.E.E.'s Knees in Paige's eyes

Bash Eco-Event's founder and Ambassador of Fun Paige Anderson Appel is well-known for her über-stylish, ultra sustainable events. Her ideas are pure genius! Celebrities like Josie Maran have sought her talents (see Josie's Sephora launch party for her organic cosmetics line) to create parties with plenty-o-flair and minimal impact on the environment.

(Via: bash eco-events)

So imagine our delight when we learned that Paige had chosen our beloved savvywrap sustainable gift wrap + carry-alls for her first installment of B.E.E.s Knees: "b.e.e. meaning bash eco events, and knees...well you get it, right? My faves." - Paige. We are still over the moon!

Paige also recently completed a week of amazing guest blogs on design*sponge that you must read! Our favorite: ice cream social - perhaps because our daughters would LOVE us forever for throwing such a gig! You can find links to her other guest blogs on her blog.

For killer creative party ideas that honor Mother Earth, check out Paige's brilliant bash ideas first. She's the bees knees in our book!

Thanks for visiting. Cheers!

beautifully indexed gift + gift wrap guides

Tonight we revisted AmberLee's lovely blog, Giver's Log, and discovered her new and visually-stunning Gift and Gift Wrap guides. You really should take a peek!


The beauty of AmberLee's guides is how they appear and how they're so cleverly organized. The eye-catching layout and photos speak for themselves and the categories aren't your run-of-the-mill categories. Take, for example, her Gift Guide category "For Grown Ups" that includes "A small gift for a grown-ups birthday" or the "For Life's Pleasantries" index that includes "Hostess gifts for an overnight hostess". Now that's unique!


Of course, we must admit, we're also excited that AmberLee has included our savvywrap sustainable gift-wrap + carry-alls in her lovely Gift Wrap guide under "Reusable Gift Wrap". But, without AmberLee's suggestions, we might never have encountered these other eco-lovelies: Quilted Notecards by Dana Willard -- adorable!

Thank you AmberLee for sharing so many unique gift ideas and creative wrapping options. We're just honored to have been invited to the party!

Thank you for visiting. Cheers!

right at home on poppytalk handmade

Just a few hours north of home live the dynamic duo, Jan and Earl, of Poppytalk and Poppytalk Handmade. For those of you who don't know, Poppytalk is an amazing design blog based in Vancouver, BC that promotes emerging design talent and Poppytalk Handmade is their curated marketplace that showcases handmade and vintage goods from around the world.

(image courtesy of Poppytalk Handmade)

We just so happen to be participating in our first Poppytalk Handmade market, HOME SWEET HOME, and we couldn't be happier to be in such talented company! If you've never journeyed over to one of their markets, now is the time! You'll find so many treasures like the ones from Chakra Pennywhistle (Little Modern Birds organic pillow -LOVE that!), eikcam (robin's egg bud vases), and Showpony (stunning collection of organic and fair trade screenprinted textile designs -- divine!)

Of course, while you're there, you can also visit our gallery of artisan furoshikis -- savvywrap™ sustainable gift wrap + carry-alls -- to see our new hand-carved, hand-stamped block print designs: Canoe, Hosta, Mod Chair and Nest.

After you've "walked" the entire market, we invite you to read Poppytalk's latest multi-part series "70 Reasons to Buy Handmade + Vintage" where you'll find insightful quotes from fellow artists, designers and crafters about the beauty of buying one-of-a-kind items. It all certainly makes us feel right at home!

Enjoy, and thanks for visiting. Cheers!