Bundled up in Eislee

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

I like fast fashion just as much as any other fashionista on a budget, but truthfully it's quite wasteful. I won't be giving up my beloved Zara or Forever 21 any time soon, but I have been trying to be a more conscious consumer. There is something to be said of investing in higher quality products with a story behind them. That's where Eislee comes into play.

Eislee is a luxury apparel and accessories company that creates chic, effortless pieces that are all mindfully sourced and produced. As luck would have it, I came to meet the creator Sara Raffa by chance. Our mutual love for travel quickly forged a friendship and got us chatting about trips.

While exploring Peru, she fell in love with alpaca and saw it as a unique alternative to cheap wools and overpriced cashmere. After becoming frustrated with the poor quality of fast fashion clothing, she set out to introduce alpaca to a broader U.S. market in order to create positive social change in the fashion industry.

I was so taken with her story that I had to check out her stuff right away.

While perusing the site, I came across this geometric blanket scarf from the Winter 2015 collection. The whole line includes luxe scarves in different colors and prints made from 100% baby alpaca yarn. The fabric is extremely soft with a texture similar to cashmere, and it can handle significant wear without pilling.

I'm already cozying up to my new winter find and the investment is well worth it. The higher quality will allow me to keep it in winter rotation for years to come - which translates to less waste and less pollution.

Another important factor about investing in pieces like these Eislee scarves is that they are able to take care of the farmers and factory workers that produce them. They're working in ethical conditions and getting compensated with fair wages.