Wednesday 29 November 2017

STYLE FEATURE | FJORD TOP

You've got your fav basic tees for summer. You know the ones that you always end up wearing anyways after you have already tried on several other items. For us, that's our Ula and Nerio tees. As much as we love layering, there comes a time (or a temperature) when we really crave a chill-countering long sleeve fit. 

Our Fjord Box Top is just the ticket. Drop shoulder sleeves give you room to flap your wings and toss your hair up into a messy bun. The straight cut paired with a rounded hem and sneaky side slits lends itself to most body types, and allows you to combine with any bottoms, even skirts. A higher neckline offers versatile styling options so you can transition from work to evening without worrying about a wardrobe change.

We first patterned this top in our bamboo/cotton blend (seen here) for a comforting weight, with a little spandex added in for movement. Our newest addition is in a tencel/cotton blend, a more sustainably produced fabric that is just as soft. This light and airy option makes a great transition piece between seasons. The dusty purple of Flint reminds us of deep, Winter sunsets and Spring violets, making it a multi-season wardrobe piece. Both fabrics are breathable and move with you, making the Fjord top easy to layer and to wear outdoors.

With multiple neutrals, cozy fabrics, and the winds breathing goose bumps across our skin, we're feeling good about having this cozy covering in our closets!

Find all three colours in-store, or online!

Fjord Box Top | Flint

Fjord Box Top | Black

Fjord Box Top | Grey Microstripe



from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/style-feature-fjord-top

Wednesday 15 November 2017

EXPLORE | What Way to Wander

"Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail". -Ralph Waldo Emerson

When we hear the word "explorer", we might think of the European men we learned about in our social studies classes who sailed across the oceans and "discovered" new lands. Let's leave the images of the cocked naval hats behind and reclaim the title for ourselves (or at least share it).

Setting aside time to stretch your legs and see new places shouldn't be as hard as we make it seem. We get that we don't all have the budget to go on a vacation every month (life goals!); there are other ways to go about it. You can walk the same streets or paths you have been on many times without really exploring. We need to get our noses out of our screens and take a look around. 

While we argue that there is oodles of space for adventure around us all the time, sometimes we do crave an excursion that shakes up our scenery. For those slightly longer travels, you don't have to go all out and cutting costs doesn't have to mean cutting down your enjoyment. You have to be prepared and get creative.

  • Travel Fund: It is as easy as picking out a jar and putting your loose change in it. You could put away $500 without even thinking about it. Or, set up a monthly contribution to your TFSA, anything you can afford from as little as $25. It adds up quickly!
  • Stay Nearby: Take out a map of your area, and pick a place that you have never been, (or even one you have) that is only a few hours away. Make your way there and really get to know it. 
  • Free Activities: Always research the free activities that could be going on anywhere you travel. Live air concerts, free tours, flea markets. You never know!
  • Save on Accommodations: Crash with friends, go in the off seasons, or stay at lesser known hotel chains or independent hotels.
  • Pack Snacks: Eating out for every meal can be a big part of the cost of being away. Plan ahead with snacks that don't need to be refrigerated like mixed nuts, fruit, or power balls.
  • Ask the Locals: This is a good strategy anywhere, but it can also be applied at home. Even when you think you have exhausted everything your home town has to offer, we're willing to bet there is a trail, a shop, an event you haven't uncovered yet. Ask your local friends, utilize their networks, and collect recommendations.

Exploring can mean something different to everyone. Visiting a new place every year. Getting outside with mud and rocks under our boots. Losing yourself in the twisting plot of a well written novel. What about self-exploration? The kind of exploring we can't see. Diving deep into our pool of self is not without it's harrowing challenges. Sometimes things have to break down a little bit to make way for better things. It is not an expedition that should be taken lightly. It is also one that is just as important, if not more, than our physical explorations, and should not be ignored. We commend all who dare to face their toughest critics: themselves

Whether it is through desert sands, forest floors, or sifting through your very own thoughts, never stop seeking.

Shop the look:

SALT Ula V-Neck tee | Black

Mother Co. Forge Backpack | Navy



from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/explore

FROM TREES TO TENCEL | A Sustainable Journey

You know how you sometimes avoid certain fabrics like silk or suede because they are so high maintenance and often expensive? What a lot of people may not yet know is that there is an Eco-friendly alternative that is lower maintenance and just as durable and fashionable. Spoiler alert: it's made from trees!

From labour to production to by-products, the buzz of sustainable fashion has been growing for decades. In the 1980s, the production of a fiber now known to us as Tencel began. Tencel is now a branded version of the fiber Lyocell, which is a type of Rayon. The most interesting property about these fibers is that they are made using regenerated cellulose fibers obtained from the bark, wood, or leaves of plants. How someone went from staring at a tree to figuring out a way to make it into a fashionable garment, we don't know, but it seems pretty impressive.

The production starts with chipping down the chosen cellulose source, usually full logs, until they are small enough to process. Eucalyptus trees are chosen often as they have a high rate of growth and can be maintained with a high level of consciousness given to the amount of chemicals and pesticides used.The chips are treated using a non-toxic and reusable solvent that softens the fibers into a pulp. The solvent used is designed to be recycled, with sometimes up to 99% of the solvent recovered for future use, decreasing the amount of water and chemicals used in the production process. After the pulp is treated and dried, it is next put through spinnerets, which is some type of machine that we imagine whirls like a tornado to create the strands that are sent off to be woven into fabrics.

So now we've got the fabric, what's so great about it? Being that it is made from a naturally occurring raw material, this fabric is an Eco-friendly, vegan option that can be substituted for many more labour intensive and non-vegan fabrics, like silk and suede. The production process is a closed-loop system as opposed to a linear system, meaning that all by-products created are useable. The trees are grown and processed, the solvent and water used is recycled, the fabrics created are biodegradable, and therefore will eventually return to the ground from whence they came. Linear production systems always have an end product that has no where to go. Many synthetic fibers are not biodegradable, and even if there was international  infrastructure in place to recycle the fibers, they will still never be able to return to the Earth naturally due to the chemical manipulation they have undergone. We hope this kind of mentality towards production continues to grow and revolutionize the textile industry. 

The first time you try on something made from Tencel, it is hard to believe that it is made from something that used to shade the forest floor. Depending on how the fabric is finished, it has the ability to imitate cotton, silk, suede, and even leather. It is an extremely durable fiber and unlike silk, Tencel is still just as strong when it is wet and garments can be washed or dry cleaned (some versions are dry clean only, so make sure you check the tag). It can shrink to around 3%, so be sure to keep that in mind before deciding on a size. It has a surprisingly smooth, soft feeling against your skin. It is also very absorbent and soaks up dyes faster, resulting in richer colors and less dye utilized. Also a very breathable fabric, it has anti-bacterial properties due to it's ability to deal with moisture, making it even more long lasting and ideal for use in hot climates.

SALT has made it our mission to be fully informed about the fabrics we are using in our garments, from roots to closet. As with our Fjord top, which we recently produced using a tencel/cotton blend, you might see some of our fabrics shift over the next year as we slowly move towards the most sustainable options we can find. We want our elevated basics to not only up your fashion game, but also your environmental one.

Our Tencel Products 

 

Sources

Lenzing Fibers

Lyocell

Eco-Market

Rayon 

Cellulose Fiber



from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/from-trees-to-tencel

Wednesday 8 November 2017

FALL FROLICKS | Staying Outside

Even though our breaths have turned to fog, and the ground to frost, we can't let that stop us from taking to the outdoors. Bringing a flush to our cheeks from a venture into the brisk may chill our fingertips, but reminds us that despite the early dark dusks, we are not hibernators, we are seekers.

The easiest thing would be to succumb to the comfort of our homes this time of year. We have to continue putting one frigid foot in front of the other and keep our bodies moving. Our technology rich lifestyles encourage us to be sedentary enough as it is. Get out to connect with colour and with cold. Don't let it best you!

When the evening falls and the light fades from the trails, then comes a time to relax and to listen. Pull up a deck chair, a bench, a windowsill. Hear the falling leaves and the quiet calm of crisp air. Wrap your extremities in the comfort of wool socks and a cozy blanket, hands clasped around a steaming cup. Even better if you can kindle a fire to thaw your toes.

The simultaneous pull of a season of shift, and of slowing down. We need no reminder to let ourselves melt into comfort and complacency. We do however, need that wintery wind to wake us up every once in awhile to lean into newness.

Don't just toe the line, walk it, run it, cross it.

 

Fall is a great excuse for fun layers and warm beverages. Shop the look:

SALT Pacific Sweater | Black SALT

Mud Jeans Regular Swan | Strong Blue

Bonnetier Thermal Socks | Grey

Falcon Enamelware Mug | Pigeon Grey

Mt Maxwell Coffee | Winter Brew

Drizzle Honey | Summer Mini



from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/fall-frolicks-staying-outside

FALL FROLICKS | Staying Outside

Even though our breaths have turned to fog, and the ground to frost, we can't let that stop us from taking to the outdoors. Bringing a flush to our cheeks from a venture into the brisk may chill our fingertips, but reminds us that despite the early dark dusks, we are not hibernators, we are seekers.

The easiest thing would be to succumb to the comfort of our homes this time of year. We have to continue putting one frigid foot in front of the other and keep our bodies moving. Our technology rich lifestyles encourage us to be sedentary enough as it is. Get out to connect with colour and with cold. Don't let it best you!

When the evening falls and the light fades from the trails, then comes a time to relax and to listen. Pull up a deck chair, a bench, a windowsill. Hear the falling leaves and the quiet calm of crisp air. Wrap your extremities in the comfort of wool socks and a cozy blanket, hands clasped around a steaming cup. Even better if you can kindle a fire to thaw your toes.

The simultaneous pull of a season of shift, and of slowing down. We need no reminder to let ourselves melt into comfort and complacency. We do however, need that wintery wind to wake us up every once in awhile to lean into newness.

Don't just toe the line, walk it, run it, cross it.

 

Fall is a great excuse for fun layers and warm beverages. Shop the look:

SALT Pacific Sweater | Black SALT

Mud Jeans Regular Swan | Strong Blue

Bonnetier Thermal Socks | Grey

Falcon Enamelware Mug | Pigeon Grey

Mt Maxwell Coffee | Winter Brew

Drizzle Honey | Summer Mini



from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/cold-weather-exercise

Thursday 2 November 2017

New Ventures | SALT Victoria Pop-Up

 

“It’s not the years in your life, it’s the life in your years.” Abraham Lincoln

When it comes to measuring success in life, we don’t subscribe to your outdated degree-house-marriage-kids kind of checklist. In fact, throw all the checklists away. What matters is how you are showing up for yourself and those around you. Hitting milestones you recognize as important to other people isn’t where your energy should be going. What milestones we hit in our lives should be defined by the individual. The fuel that drives you should be passion, not a desire to stack up higher against your peers. Achieving goals that you are intrinsically motivated by is so much more rewarding.

What the wise Mr. Lincoln was alluding to, among other things, was that it doesn’t matter how long you live as long as you are making it count. That doesn't mean you have to achieve daring, great things (although we encourage you to!), it could also simply be that you live a life of kindness, of conscious acts, and appreciation for your natural surroundings and the people in them.

Being a small business, we are constantly pushing ourselves to look to the future to our next big thing. It’s hard to do sometimes when you also have to live in the now to keep stuff rolling. Both viewpoints are important. While we are busy planning for the coming seasons, we don’t ever want to lose touch with what is happening right in front of us. We talk a lot about living mindfully, so we better practice what we preach!

We have hit a milestone at SALT this month that to us, is pretty big. It has only been a year and a half since we opened our doors, and we have found ourselves bursting out of our initial space. For the first time, we will be running a pop-up shop in Victoria for the whole month of November. Branching out into a new city is incredibly exciting for us! We are so eager to get to know another community in person and see what we can learn from them. Bringing SALT to a second location isn’t just about growing our brand, it is about connecting with new people and discovering opportunities for collaboration and creativity. If all goes well, it may be the start of something bigger...we’ll have to wait and see!

If you or your friends find yourself in the Victoria area during November, please come by and see us! We would love for you to share in this achievement. You are a big part of why we could do it! You can find our Victoria pop-up at the below address. 

Uptown Shopping Centre
Unit 113-3671 Uptown Boulevard
Victoria, BC

Find our hours here!

And not to worry, our flagship store on Salt Spring will still be running full tilt as well. No matter what, it promises to be an interesting month for our SALT team. We can’t wait to see what this month has in store!



from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/salt-victoria-pop-up