Ecoist handbags are handmade by small fair trade co-ops in South America from raw materials that could best be described as trash: soda can pull tabs, candy wrappers, potato chip bags. by partnering with industrial giants like Coca-Cola, Frito Lay and Disney, Ecoist is able to prevent huge quantities of landfill-bound junk from reaching its destination, diverting it instead into skilled hands that need a steady income and a creative outlet. plus, Ecoist has teamed up with Trees for the Future to plant a tree for every bag sold. who knows? maybe your next handbag could add a little splash of green to hurricane-ravaged Haiti or tackle big-city smog in India...

to catch a great video about how one group of artisans transforms aluminum pull tabs into designer handbags, click here.




right now, we're stocking the woven wristlets ($28) and shoulder bags ($48) in varieties of Coca-Cola products, as well as newspaper, magazine and barcode prints.

hey! look at these killer photos from our mustache bash...

click here

we're all pretty quick to blame ad wizards and marketing specialists and (gasp!) those pushy salespeople for a lot of the damage that thoughtless consumerism has done to ourselves, our communities and our little patch of grass. and i'll admit, it's pretty easy to want to strangle Joe Camel or knock Wal-Mart. but what a better alternative to embrace the innate desire we all have for stuff — especially cheap stuff — and give that desire both a motive and a reward that does some good?

that's the premise of Act Bolder, a new website that's dedicated to integrating our need for products with our desire to do something meaningful. here's how Act Bolder describes itself:

"At a high level, Bolder helps great businesses inspire actions that benefit society. We provide a platform where a business can challenge people to do something good, and then reward people who complete the challenge with discounted products or services. ... We are focused on driving positive action, and we believe we can increase the overall positive impact on society by providing rewards for good actions."

so the gist is, you go to www.actbolder.com and check out today's challenge: "wash your clothes on the cold/cold cycle." once you've washed a load of socks (and figured out that it works just as well without the energy-guzzling hot water), you can check back in on the web and redeem your reward from today's business sponsor: Seventh Generation, a planet-friendly household products manufacturer. it's all on the honor system and if you're into selfless good deeds, you don't even have to claim the reward. you can just give yourself an extra shot of vanilla in today's fair trade latte and know that you gave humanity a little hug with your eco-conscious new laundry habit.

we want to know what you think! any thoughts on mixing consumerism with do-gooding?

— audrey

Attention! We are entering a season full of sharpened #2 pencils, scantrons, cardigans, boots, and early holiday shopping. A new year of school has begun, football fans are giddy and aggressive, and my want for pumpkin-flavored treats has exponentially skyrocketed off the charts...yes, yes, Fall is almost here.

Don't get me wrong, I like a good summer. There is nothing like flip-flops and suntans; however, a good Oklahoma wind could turn a supermodel into a Nick Nolte mugshot in a matter of seconds. You can only imagine what the wind does to us normal lookin' folks. Think "Stephen King" for a mental image. Or better yet, "Joan Crawford."

I welcome Fall with open arms. All of my white linen pants will retire after Labor Day. By September 21, I will have polished every single pair of boots. Layering cardigans and scarves will be my new anthem. I have already started collecting layers here at Shop Good...cardigans, cute hats, vests. Our new shipments of apparel will slowly transition any wardrobe into the colder, winter months. Shop Good has provided me with a new cardigan that is cute in ways I don't understand. Even our furniture is making me want to sit in a tufted chair by the fire, prop my feet up on an overstuffed ottoman, and listen to the leaves rustle outside...ahhh....Fall is almost here...

Sincerely,
The Pumpkin Spice Latte Expert (aka, jess)

hazel cardigan ($54) with handmade necklace ($38)

handmade scarves and wraps from India ($18-24)

Burnout dolman hoodie ($38)
with heather grey dainty tank ($28)
and handmade necklace ($22).

caught a glimpse of this today (thanks, facebook!) and wanted to pass it along to any of you SHOP GOODies who live in OKC and love a little friendly competition. who wouldn't want to look like a genius-level wordsmith while giving to a good cause?

one of our favorite products in the store are these gorgeous, handmade, mix-and-match strappy sandals that come to us all the way from Uganda. they are the essence of fashion meeting function, with plenty of innovation and generosity thrown in there too.

started by one girl who saw a problem and needed to do something about it, Sseko Designs employs Ugandan women who have graduated at the top of their high school class to make comfortable, practical and beautiful sandals as a means to earn enough money to go on to university. jobs are scarce for women in this part of Africa, and this job provides these young ladies with community, business training and a great paycheck. we're sure that some of the graduates of the Sseko program will grace the pages of Time, fill seats at UN assemblies and find brilliant ways to heal their war-torn homeland.

you can see the faces of the girls who are benefiting from your sandal purchase here.

we've got Ssekos in sizes 6-10 with all different colors and patterns of straps. we promise, you'll fall in love with them.

Sseko Road Trip! from liz bohannon on Vimeo.

we just got these super fun 80s pop watches from our Canadian friends at Furni.

* 1980’s style LCD unisex wrist watch.
* phone book, stopwatch, countdown timer and multiple alarm features w/melody setting.
* hourly chime, 12/24 hours selectable and "dual time" mode
* water-resistant with PVC strap. (not waterproof! please don't shower with it!)
* indiglo style backlight.
* face dimensions: 1 1/4” x 1 1/2”
* available in grey, yellow and green
* “this ain't the time to have your wrists freezin” engraved on watch back
* $28

plus Furni is using part of the profit from these watches to help The Contributor Campaign give skateboards to underprivileged kids in Canada! honestly can you imagine childhood without a skateboard (or a bright plastic watch)?

(props to Furni for the amazing stop animation!)

we just wanted to take a minute to send a few (okay... or more than a few) shout-outs to our friends who invested time, energy, coffee, sweat, money and plenty of Arrested Development quotes into keeping us sane over the last few months of our move to 9th Street. we couldn't have done it without you...


to our 9th Street family. we couldn't have dreamed up better neighbors than Iguana, Pachinko, Sara Sara and Mason Realty. thanks for the late night margaritas, for always being as excited as we are and for throwing us such a fantastic party. we are so grateful to call you friends.

to our Plaza District family. Lindsay & Adam, Dylan & Amanda and Kristen the Plaza Mom, you guys made us who we are. we're looking forward to many years ahead together of living and loving downtown OKC.

to our Convergence family. you mean the world to us, always believing, always hoping, always giving. SHOP GOOD is, and always will be, yours, too.

to Ben & Jess, our partners in crime. we love getting to do life with you.
to Corrie, for keeping us laughing, well-fed and, above all else, calm. you are the definition of faithful.
to Cale & Meg, for long days of screenprinting in the heat, rose wine and making our flower beds beautiful.
to Ben Hill, for coffee and conversation—and impeccable timing with both. you're a rock.
to Caleb & Julie, for telling us to go for it and then helping to make it happen. we're so thankful for your input, wisdom and wacky tee shirt ideas.
to Maia. there are no words. we love you most.

to our friends at Spero Project, for working so tirelessly in your partnership with us, keeping us supplied with beautiful products and making OKC a better place to call home. you inspire us. and you all look great in mustaches.

to Katie Kurtz, for so beautifully and graciously keeping the Mustache Bashers entertained and informed. don't be surprised if your gift card never runs out of funds.

to Daniel & Amyie at Mariposa Coffee, for an incredible batch of cold brew on a hot day. your generosity is contagious.

to Sherree, Marcy and all the guys—Dr. Pants, The Grownups, 100 Bones and The Fictioneers—for lending us your unbelievable talent for the evening. you all make us proud to be Oklahomans. keep rockin'.

to Savanah at Tree Collective, for making sure the music at the Mustache Bash was quality, perfectly on time and just the right feel for the event. you nailed it!

to Matt Lowery at Skyline, our Keep It Local guys, and Allison Bailey at Allioppe.com, for all of the hours you've put into helping to spread the word about SHOP GOOD. you make us look good.

and, finally, to our fans and loyal shoppers in OKC. your ideas, excitement and referrals keep us going every day. you're the reason we're here.

the grand opening party was a huge success! everyone from infants to moms to rockstars looked awesome in their staches, both homegrown and store-bought.

we had rockin' live music from some of OKC's favorite bands: Sherree Chamberlain, Marcy Priest, Dr. Pants, The Fictioneers, 100 Bones and The Grown Ups.

we had sweet street food from all of our 9th Street neighbors: Iguana Mexican Grill, Sara Sara Cupcakes and Pachinko Parlor.

plus we had a huge circus tent running the length of 9th Street with tables where our mustachioed loiterers could eat, drink, listen and laugh. it made our hearts all warm and fuzzy to have so many of our friends in one place, so obviously enjoying themselves.

every purchase—including food and drinks—benefitted out friends at The Spero Project. this small tribe of OKC locals works every day to provide refugees, marginalized women and orphaned / abandoned children a good life here in our city. whether it's driving a newly-arrived refugee from Burma to a doctor's appointment or handing out bags of free groceries to single working mothers, the Spero Project is making OKC a welcoming home for those who haven't had that in a while.

so thank you to all who came out in spite of the heat wave, to all who toasted our success, to all who hugged us, to all who donated to a good cause and to all who have been a part of dreaming this store into a reality with us. SHOP GOOD belongs to you, our OKC community. we love you.

(check Facebook for hilarious pics of everyone in their mustaches! i, audrey, can't figure out how to upload at the moment... but we'll post photos here soon, too...)

for those of you who would love a little more info about what SHOP GOOD is all about, here's us talking about ourselves with our favorite camera guy, matt lowery, from Skyline church in Oklahoma City. (just one of the reasons why we love matt is that awesome freezeframe of jessica's face underneath the play button...)

Skyline's blog highlights cool projects in OKC that are helping to make the city a better place. check it!

we're moving!

after 9 lovely months in the beautiful Plaza District, we've outgrown our little storefront. can you believe it? we'll be spending these last two weeks of July shifting the store and all of its contents to our amazing new space at 3 NW 9th St, just off of Broadway, between Iguana Mexican Grill and Pachinko Parlor. our new space will be open to the public on Monday, August 2nd, starting at 11am, so come by and check out the new fixtures, new tee shirts, new furniture and new accessories!

we'll also be throwing a big block party—along with our new neighbors, Iguana Grill, Sara Sara Cupcakes and Pachinko Parlor—to celebrate the big move. so come join us from 5pm–midnight on Wednesday, August 4th, for our 9th Street Summer Mustache Bash! we'll have live music from some of OKC's favorite bands; outdoor food, drinks and treats from all of the restaurants; and a myriad of mustaches so you can try to drink your margarita with Burt-Reynolds-style facial fuzz. plus, a portion of the proceeds from every sale (including food and drinks!) will benefit The Spero Project, one of OKC's best local charities and our new Give Back partner for the fall!

as we pack up, tear down, rebuild and set up, we are constantly reminded of how grateful we are for each of you! the support of our loyal SHOP GOOD customers, our Plaza District and 9th Street families, and our partners and cheerleaders at Convergence has been overwhelming. we never dreamed we'd be ready to double our space and our inventory before hitting our one-year anniversary! thank you all for your immeasurable generosity and for spreading the word about our products and causes. we couldn't be doing this without you!

feel free to swing by our new place over the next few weeks and check out our progress as we get ready to re-open. and if you happen to stop by Coffee Slingers for a cup of freshly-pressed Costa Rican coffee before you head our way, we wouldn't mind...

we are in the top 5 for best new business in the Gazette's best of OKC!

please vote for us and make us OKC's best new business (while you're at it vote for all the Plaza District and 9th st businesses in the top 5)!

Thanks!

http://www.okgazette.com/bestof.html (#94 on the ballot)