Nicole Faires

Occupy Wall Street, the Buy Handmade Christmas movement, or just a healthy Etsy addiction are all good reasons to buy things made by hand. I review awesome Etsy products that I buy.  These products are NOT sponsored or given to me for free (and if they ever are, I will let you know).

Nyika original eco lingerie is an awesome company started by Anzelle and Irene, two cousins in South Africa.  I was on a quest for affordable, sustainable underwear.  I only buy used clothes and I really wanted to eliminate any items I get from the store, but organic underwear normally costs a fortune and I won’t buy underwear used.  That just seems weird. :P This is why I was delighted to find Nyika. 

I got two bras, the Ande (pictured above), and the Andrea. I actually wanted two Ande bras, but they gave me a deal on the Andrea for half off because I am a weird size and they had it in stock. I got them both in black.

First off, the bras are pretty and the cotton is smooth and feels like the cool side of your pillow. The quality is also extremely nice.  They are very reinforced and sturdy, and yet dainty.  They are also very comfortable.  

I have to say out of the two styles, I like the Ande better.  The shape of the cup is better and more … shapely.  I think that the Andrea style is probably something that would work better for larger girls who can fill out the cup, otherwise the fabric can get all wrinkly.  Unlike the bras you get at the store, the cup doesn’t stand on its own (because it’s not made of foam) so you have to be able to fill it out yourself.  The Ande is better at shaping itself to your body’s shape.  

These are great, comfortable, high quality, organic bras for everyday wear.  They aren’t push-up bras and aren’t going to do anything for your feminine profile, but I really like them.

The ladies were a pleasure to deal with and the bras arrived from South Africa very quickly with all kinds of cool postage stamps.

Nic’s Made-by-Hand Score

With the increasing urban demand for local and organic food, city farms have inevitably sprouted up everywhere.  There are regulations and certifications for organic food from a multitude of different organizations and agencies.  There are brands and markets and profits and losses.

What has also unexpectedly sprung up are a multitude of legal battles around food.  When I first began writing about the local and organic food movements, the only real enemy was the consumer and their preference for conveniently packaged Tyson chicken.  As this movement has grown, much more sinister and mind-boggling battles have begun.  

For me, it began close to home.  The city of Lantzville tried to shut down one of the most successful urban farms in the area. That little 2.5 acre homestead is a model of profitable permaculture, producing 4000 garlic bulbs and a multitude of other produce every year.  The city decided that it was a commercial farm which didn’t belong in the residential zone, after years of business. They are still in the midst of a legal battle, 8 months later.

Then there was the Dervaes family.  You would think that with urban farmers being attacked right and left, they would all stick together.  But not the Dervaes.  After creating a successful and marvelous urban homestead, this family decided that they were the inventors and creators of Urban Homesteading, and thus should own the rights to that phrase.  They secured trademarks for ‘urban homestead’ and related words, got some lawyers and began sending out cease and desist letters to other urban homesteading schools, authors and other people part of the movement.  The backlash has been enormous, but as yet nothing has been resolved.

Next there was the deregulation of genetically modified alfalfa lobbied for by Monsanto, and the subsequent lawsuit from people that care about organic standards.  This happened suddenly, and despite a pretty good battle by Whole Foods and other large organic companies, Whole Foods was blamed for it and even accused of being responsible for it.  Then just the other day, the USDA just approved RoundUp Ready Kentucky Bluegrass, which is a type of grass seen all over the place, lawns, landscaping, golf courses. You should read that article to find out why that’s such a bad idea.

Then there’s the poor lady from Oak Park.  Or, I should say, an incredibly brave and strong lady from California who grew vegetables in her front yard and could go to jail for it.  Her little raised beds were neat and clean and yet she was given a ticket for violating a bylaw that requires that she use ‘suitable plants’.  You can read her personal blog and about her willingness to fight, and also her incredible attitude towards life in general.

Does any of it make sense?  No.  Why, in the last year, has this all happened?  We could look at like this: It’s getting big.  This means that there are enough people growing their own food that it’s rubbing some snotty people the wrong way. It means that Monsanto feels a little threatened by the organic movement. It means that all of you who support organic food, and urban homesteading, and local farms are making a difference.  Keep at it!