My first pair of organic jeans was from EDUN.  I wore them to shreds.  Fit perfectly, stretched enough for my fat days, and had the comfort of leggings.  Loved them!  Can you tell?  And EDUN is currently produced in India, Peru, Tunisia, Kenya, Uganda, Lesotho, Mauritius and Madagascar – names you do not usually see on your labels.  Refreshing isn’t it?

EDUN was started back in 2005 by Bono and Ali Hewson with the premise of bringing more trade to Africa not aid.  Beautiful business model.  Check out EDUN’s online store, but be careful…They are having their SUMMER SALE right now.

100% organic.  Manufactured in India, under fair trade principles.  Free Shipping.  What more can you ask? The line is beautiful as well.  I love the bikini. : )

As many of you know, I travel three months out of every year.  I travel to open my heart to new ways of seeing the world, I travel to meet new people and celebrate the beauty of the world, and I travel during Chicago winters because I just cannot stay inside for three months of the year! 

So, it has been an amazing blessing that I ended up here in Hermanus, South Africa this year.  A beautiful town that is known for being one of the best places in the world for land based whale watching.   Little did I know that this is also the town that English doctors use to send their patients to when they were sick, so that they could come and heal.  Apparently the air here is as clean as it gets. The energy that I feel here is amazing.  No tiredness, no dizziness, no headaches, no insomnia, no weakness, no stomach aches, no difficulties breathing…All these symptoms that we just get used to in modern day life. I wish I could bring this air back to Chicago with me!

Hermanus has a wide range of options for buying healthy, organic, and natural products: 

Organic by Nature with the Naturally Animal right next door! Kim at Naturally Animal is great to talk to about alternative building. 

There is also the Health Store on the main road in town that has a wide selection from baking ingredients, to vitamins and beauty supplies. 

Just Pure which I am going to write an entire new blog entry about because I love it so much! 

There are also a couple of great farmers markets:

Fernkloof Farmers’ Market is held every Saturday and specailizes in organic produce and also has tables for lunch.  I swear the entire town is here every Saturday!

There is also the Hermanuspietersfontein Boeremark, also held every Saturday.  On the grounds of the winery people can sample wonderful food, taste their wines, and they also very often have live music.  

Also, outside of Hermanus is a farm called Camphill.  I discovered this farm when I bought a bag of granola from the farmers market and practically devoured the entire bag in one sitting cause it was so good!  This farm is a haven for children and adults with disabilities.  Providing work opportunities on the farm, a place for spiritual community and a school that is based on Waldorf education, the farm is truly a model of compassion and joy.  

Please comment and add any other suggestions for healthy and organic living in Hermanus!

One of my favorite organic fabric lines is by Mod Green Pod.  They are extremely committed to ensuring that everything that goes into the creation of the fabric  is met with the strictest environmental and non-toxic standards.  One of the great things about Mod Green Pod is that the fabric is not only grown in the United States, but it is also weaved and printed here as well.  You do not have to worry about any formeldehyde, flame retardants or stain resistant coatings out-gassing into your home.

Mod Green Pod also has a great wallpaper line as well.  All inks are water based and printed on cellulose based paper.  The prints make an excellent statement in a room.

In my search for the perfect slice of paradise where I can stay unaffected by the toxins and the electromagnetic fields that surround me in modern life I found this piece of paradise in South Africa.  And wow!  Located in rural Transkei, the Bulungula Lodge is one of the first fair trade lodges in the world.  It is 40% owned by the local community.  

The lodge was started with the idea of using backpacker tourism as a way to lift the surrounding village out of poverty and it has been quiet a success.  The lodge is run by solar power, composting toilets are used, and  they have an organic vegetable farm that is run by the community that provides most of the vegetables for the lodge.   They have also helped the community start 100% community owned businesses including horseriding, canoeing, fishing, guiding, baking, sewing, cooking, wood-carving and environmental protection projects. These have created jobs and income for 33 families over and above those employed directly at the lodge.  Now the only adventure is getting there!  

Image via Bulungula Lodge.