Ages ago I mentioned that we were cooking something new up.  It's our best idea yet, and we're so stoked to finally have it up and running.

It's 1 am and I should REALLY be sleeping.  Our website is up and we're very excited.  It's a new look, very uncomplicated and clean looking, and I really like it.  Not everything is functional yet, but if you have a few minutes, check it out and give me some feedback.

Much love.

oh--almost forgot.  The URL is: www.uglyfishorganics.com

Thanks!  Now off to bed.  But there's a toddler in my bed, so I can't really say how much actual sleep I'll get.

Hi Everyone!

Today, I could end every sentence with an exclamation point!  But I won't because it's annoying!  Seriously!  I'll stop now!

We have a retailer in Santa Monica, a children's boutique called Papillon (okay, one last time)!!!  You'll be able to see some of our woven shirts and awesome hemp/cotton jeans for boys there in late October.  We also have some potential retailers in other parts of the country and even as far north as the Yukon in Canada.  So things are happening, and our work is starting to get noticed.
So much cool stuff is happening at once, it feels like it's happened overnight, but it's been a year and a half of steady, nose to the grindstone work.  We've gotten some press mentions, managed to start what I hope will be a long term relationship with the Global Scholarship Fund (www.globalscholarshipfund.com) and have got our sample production off the ground finally.

Thanks to all the kind people who have helped us along, sent us random 'great clothes' emails and have been spreading the word about us.  With all of your support, you can expect great things to keep coming from us.

Seema

It's madness here.  We've given up sleep in our commitment to getting this thing off the ground.  It's one fire after the other to put out, but it seems like we're going to pull off MOVING PRODUCTION TO THE USA!  All of it.  T shirts, jeans, skirts, shorts--everything will be made here on the East Coast. 
It's been something of a logistical nightmare, as we've made the decision a little late in the season, but once things are in place, I think it'll move smoothly.  I am so stoked about this. 

The T's will be made in PA and printed in NC.  The woven pieces will be made here, in Maryland.  It's been amazing dealing with people who GET it--they get why made in the USA is better, they get why Green means more than a bottom line, they get why we don't want every damn thing wrapped in yards of plastic. 

I am really happy with the line.  My sweet husband has been so kind about dealing with my hours spent staring at color swatches and making last minute changes.  He is the person who has to make the calls once the changes are made, so it's been a real test of his patience.  I love this man.

If you want to test a relationship, go into business with the party in question.  That'll teach ya. 

Twice in a week!  Either I am getting over enthusiastic and am going to burn myself out, or I am finally getting into this medium!

So I wanted to share a small green-household victory with those of you who may rejoice along with me.  We have a huge kitchen trash can that we used to empty every other day, but recently, we've noticed that it starts stinking way before it is full.  Why?  Because it only gets full after a week--we have so little trash!  We've stopped buying paper towels entirely, we've been using cloth napkins for 2 years now, we stopped using ziploc bags and we recycle almost everything that we used to throw away--we've discovered the joys of the recycling center near us.  Once I get the worm box up an running, it'll be even better.  I am so excited and proud of this little achievement, it embarrasses even me.

So we're in the market for a new (smaller) trash can.  I am looking for something with a foot pedal made of recycled materials, but so far I've only found commercial outdoor receptacles.

Also wondering--does anyone have experience with biodegradable trash bags?

Comments?  Suggestions?  Pretty Please?  Just to let me know that you're out there, even if there are only ten of you.

I finally get around to posting again. 

I want to tell the world that UglyFish is adding a GIRL'S line!!!  

I am so excited (and so are my nieces).  The collection will debut at the Global ECO show in Las Vegas (it cracks me up that the ECO show is at the Venetian hotel, but they're renting space from a mainstream show--you gotta do what you gotta do). 

It's for the Spring 2008 season and it will rock--literally--the collection is all about music, meditation and simplicity.  Hemp cotton twill and canvas skirts, organic cotton denim and [insert high pitched angel tone here] beautiful organic cotton dresses.  For the boys we have our double-kneed ride jeans, cargo shorts and lightweight long wading pants/shorts.  The boy styles have been tested extensively and have gotten the ultimate thumbs up--they're the first pieces out of the laundry basket (yes, that's right, we wear our clothes right out of the laundry basket--judge not).

Our site is being redesigned completely--we want shopping cart functionality and another very cool feature TBA--but you can see some of the Fall 2006 line at our site at (www.uglyfishclothing.com).  Ali wouldn't change his clothes right by the river--he's very modest--so we could only do a few outfits before it got dark.  I guess he needs a trailer with Evian and crudites.

I don't blog often, but I wanted to mark a big achievement in the birthday madness that always stares me down for my sons' birthday celebrations: the goodie bag dilemma.  The more conscious I become as a consumer, the harder it is to buy useless crap and force it on my friends' kids and my kids' friends.
I wandered aimlessly around two craft stores and one toy store waiting for inspiration to strike and all I came away with were some hemp twine, pencils and pens (not exactly enough for kids to appreciate).  I didn't want to give anything I wouldn't want to receive (golden rule and all) but I also don't want to be the wacky mom who hands out toothbrushes while her children hang their heads in shame.  I was at the (mainstream) grocery store today and they were having a SALE on endangered species chocolate bars!!!  Hooray for fair trade chocolate.  I bought a stack and came home inspired.  I will work more on presentation, but the 'goodie bag' is pictured here.  In the batik bag (made of remnants under somewhat fair conditions by moi) is a break your own geode from www.atoygarden.com (such an incredible site).  I taped the pencil and a really good black pen (who wouldn't want one of those) to the side of the chocolate bar and pulled it all together with some of that hemp twine.
I'm really pleased with it and my son thinks its awesome, so life's good!  Any presentation ideas out there?  I am looking for minimal waste.

The sane, reasonable thing to do would be to read other people's entries and use those as a guideline.  And I'm tempted to do so, but then I'd second guess every other word and it would be awkward and stilted and an altogether unpleasant experience.  So forgive me.  I have no experience with this genre--and I am pleased that you've read this far. 

I am Seema, I live in the DC Metro area with my fabulous husband and two awesome boys--one's six years and the other is just shy of six months old.  We are starting an adventure--a clothing company for little boys called UglyFish--and it's equal parts exhilarating and terrifying, as anyone who has started their own business will tell you.  

We are using hemp, bamboo, silk and organic cotton for the majority of the clothes, and plant dyed hand-loomed cotton for the rest.  We've gotten a lot of 'why?'  But we've also gotten some very encouraging enthusiasm from unexpected places, which is so so cool. The clothes will be manufactured in Bangladesh, which is where we're from originally, and we were able to hook up with people who are committed to fair wages and reviving natural dyes, and have been for years.  Aranya, the company in Dhaka providing us with the natural dyed fabric, does all the dyeing and block printing in-house; laying the fabric out on long tables right in the middle of their offices and retail shop and the energy there is so positive.  Everyone was eager to explain the complex art of plant dyes to us--there was a lot of evident pride.     

The men (so far it's only men) who are crafting the clothes are all skilled master tailors, lured from their previous employers with the good old-fashioned offers of better pay, better benefits and better working conditions.  They work in an air-conditioned facility and are an active part of the process, telling us what can and cannot be done and offering their opinions at design meetings. 

 It's a side of Bangladesh I'd never seen before, and it gave me such a sense of optimism about the changes that can take place.  There's a lot to be depressed about, but it seems the class system may be shifting, and people may be waking up.