With each new report of widespread panic over mass produced items–from food to toys–I feel like I’m headed in the right direction with my anachronistic cottage industry business. Thankfully, there are a lot of others who feel the same way: that supporting small businesses–from local farms to local designers–is a great way to avoid low quality products that burned up a lot of fossil fuel on their way to you, too. I’m sending a thank you note to all the boutiques I work with to say thanks for your part in supporting independent designers!

If you are out shopping over the holiday, check out what designers in your area are cooking up. I was just in Design Collective to drop off a bunch of new shirts and dresses, and I was blown away by the cute jewelry selection especially.

Happy Fourth!

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I’ve been a fan of Barry Lopez since I was introduced, starry eyed, to his writing at fourteen by a glamorous senior staff member at Outdoor School. I bumped into this excellent article Lopez wrote about the idea of the modern naturalist (click here for article). Is the modern age creating a different kind of naturalist–one that is more familiar with computer models than living close to the land? How does the naturalist’s point of view influence the way we care for nature?

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Come celebrate all things local & fair trade at our trunk show this Friday. Stop by after work and enjoy a glass of wine and light refreshments from Common Roots Cafe while you shop.

Rectangle is pleased to share the evening with Marguerite von Duerckheim of The Amias Project, promoter of fair trade accessories, and eco-jewelry designer Felicia Parsons of Green Fuse. We’ll be bringing a generous selection of minidresses, deep v-neck tops, tees and bags bearing a wide variety of our colorful botanical motifs.

Details (click here for a map):
Friday, June 6, 2008, 5 pm – 8 pm At Birch Clothing
2309 West 50th St. (at Penn Ave.)
Minneapolis, MN 55410
612.436.0776

Hope to see you there!

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