Interview with Rosita: Sustainable Clothing is Much More than You Might Think

It is worldwide acceptable to celebrate spring just like any other season. However, here at Biomedicanna, we know that spring is much more important to us and our lives than we might think in the first place. As nature rebirths, we, the people, change in many ways, starting with practices that are closest to us. Clothes are often called our second skin, which must transform together with us and embody sustainability and responsibility to ourselves and everything around us, or that’s how it used to be. Today we invite you to rethink fashion and start diminishing the impact our clothing habits have on nature.

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As the first month of spring is already half over, we share with you our fantastic interview with Rosita. Rosita Kužmarskytė has been working as a freelance fashion designer and product developer for several years and recently opened her fashion design studio 'KUZ', which helps fashion brands and emerging designers run a responsible and efficient fashion business.

-Rosita, tell us a bit more about yourself and your work as a fashion design studio founder.

-I am the founder of the 'KUZ' fashion design studio. Every day, we help ambitious people and small companies start their clothing businesses by providing guidance and assistance. This activity idea came to me quite organically. After finishing my university studies in fashion technologies and business, I moved to Riga, Latvia, but finding a job seemed very tricky as I did not know the local language. Therefore, I decided to start freelancing and doing what I knew best at that time. During my studies, I did an internship in London, where I could perfect my skills in technical drawings. Technical drawings are the main tool to transfer rough ideas to technical language, which can be used and understood by pattern makers and tailors. Orders to draw technical sketches started piling up very quickly, together with questions regarding materials, contacts of professional tailors, etc. I soon expanded my services – everyone was interested in learning how the idea of clothing on paper gets turned into reality because you do not have to be a professional with lots of experience to understand the basics of the process. 

At one point, I had so many orders that I had to give out some of them to my colleagues, hired a tailor myself, but I burned out quickly as it all became too much for me. I seriously thought about quitting freelancing and applied for a junior designer position in Poland's fast-fashion company. Things were going well – I successfully went through three of four selection stages and was one of few people out of one hundred something group to get an invitation to an interview. The last stage showed to be too tough for me, and it crushed my creative spirit as after being declined, only one tiny step stopped me from getting that job. Besides, I was told I would only be allowed to create one particular type of clothes, for example, pants; designing pants for one week seems fine, but three months or three years seemed to be too much for me. I am an extrovert, and I want to express myself differently through different projects; therefore, the mentioned job would be too monotonous and boring.

That was the turning point when I decided to move back to Vilnius, Lithuania, and open my fashion design studio. I gathered a small team, and the motivation was so strong it only took us a month to finish the studio, and the majority of the equipment – mannequins, sewing machines, materials, etc. – were our own as we all come from the same background with the same dreams. That was the beginning; however, I still do not call myself a designer to this very day – I design commercial clothing, and there is not much artistic inspiration in what I do every day. Well, I need the inspiration to create, but the process is very different. I make up the mood board, see which lines and styles work and which do not; once I come up with this structural work, I start combining the whole collection and developing the things that look great.

-Was it difficult to find new clients? Were they surprised about your studio's work? 

-Soon after the studio's opening, various orders started to accumulate, revealing clients' needs. For some time, we worked only with foreign clients; I thought that Lithuanians did not need my services. Therefore, I did not advertise my studio much. However, a few posts and comments in various Facebook groups were very significant – surprisingly, there were so many people interested in the KUZ activity. It turned out that Lithuanians as well want to get broader consultations regarding clothing design. The times when we only cared about selling some colourful sweaters are behind – creators wish to have a unique and responsible clothing development process. 

Sustainability practice in production made-to-order is not common yet. This method is applied when garments are made only when the business gets orders from their customers wishing to buy them and prevents businesses from having unnecessary stock. Usually, enterprises announce that they are collecting orders to purchase a specific clothing model, and after two or three weeks, buyers receive the finished product. Now everyone is so impatient and wants to get the product as soon as possible, but this habit does not go hand in hand with sustainability. The made-to-order business model fits my fashion design studio's idea because it allows brand creators to concentrate only on the artistic (research) side of clothing, not worrying too much about the technical work that my team does. 

-Do clients usually accept the idea of sustainability behind the made-to-order clothing well?

- We offer our clients this model, but we cannot force them to choose it. As we work with many different businesses and individuals who have different needs, ideas, and opportunities, the made-to-order model, of course, does not fit everyone. In most cases, the company's choice also depends on the buyer – some buy deliberately and are okay with waiting; others shop impulsively and choose trendy things combining eco-friendly fabrics and material for packaging. There were many cases when I did not accept the order as people asked me to design and make technical drawings based on items from luxury, high-fashion brands. Such inquiries oppose my approach to clothing design – I do not want to ruin my well-being for additional finances. My work goal is to be surrounded by like-minded persons, and working with this type of person is more of a joy. 

Regarding sustainable fashion, each person or brand that contacts me with their clothing ideas is unique and exciting. For example, one of my clients wanted to incorporate their country’s national clothing patterns into the modern streetwear design – the final work is breathtaking - colourful & empowering. The business owner brings her own story into the brand based and production is based on the made-to-order model. In this case, sustainability does not mean producing minimal amounts of items or using certified cotton only – it’s also about bringing a unique story to the market.

-Getting back to the studio, what are the services that your studio offers?

-We engage in the designing process, starting with the idea and bringing it up until the manufacturing. We create clothing pieces, consult and help explain what businesses need to put into their brand's product to stand out from the competitors, what materials they should use, how to communicate clothing's quality, etc. We discuss all of this during the first meeting, which usually lasts longer than the rest of the process. Then a structured search for inspirations takes place, later come technical drawings, and if the clients are happy, we do a mock-up to see which materials would look better. Later pattern makers prepare the patterns according to which we prepare prototypes and show them to our clients for their feedback – maybe the pockets are too low or too high, perhaps the shoulders are too broad. We get notes on every little detail and send comments to our pattern makers to make adjustments. 

This process takes up one or two, a maximum of three prototypes, to perfect the piece to the client’s perfection. Later a pre-production sample reaches the tailor to be followed accurately. It’s interesting how several years ago, this whole process used to be considered unnecessary. A designer or a person with an idea came up to a tailor with rough sketches or just pictures to follow. A tailor is a person to cut and sew the fabrics in high quality but not read the client’s mind, and that is followed by dissatisfaction, anger, and miscommunication. Many times people give up not understanding why their idea couldn’t be realised. The whole process of collecting ideas, thinking everything upfront, and combining design and tailoring skills makes most of our daily work allowing designers to enjoy their artistic process and tailor‘s receiving clear orders on how to prepare their garments. This process minimises the sampling stage leaving clients with faster and better results which links perfectly with sustainability.

Not only are we talking about sustainability with our clients, but we are also trying to be an example to others. After projects, our studio fills with various fabric pieces, but none of it ends up in a landfill or somewhere else – we use them for other projects and ideas. Disapproved prototypes are also transformed into other pieces of clothing (prototypes too). When we cut materials, we try to place everything as neatly as possible to have as little clothing scraps as we can, which can’t be achieved with large manufacturers because saving time is more important for them than saving fabric or the environment.

I also notice that people prefer to wear clothing that does not wrinkle, so naturally, brands would want their clothing to be made using such materials. Usually, they use mixed materials, cotton and polyester, which are the most harmful to the environment as no one can recycle them. In the studio, all prototypes are made using a hundred per cent cotton material, which we can later take to recycling centres. We can recycle all genuine and not mixed materials; otherwise, we can still transform them. 

-You talk about the technical side of designing clothes more often than you mention actual design work. What is the reasoning behind that?

-Despite having a university diploma in fashion technologies and business, design is a more personal activity. I studied design independently as I spent most of my time in Riga in a library reading books and taking courses about it. 

When I design clothes, most importantly, I try to meet consumers' needs and think about producing costs, materials, sewing technologies, longevity and durability, versatility and comfort, ways of reusing clothes, etc. Versatility and the ability to transform one piece of clothing into another, I think, are some of the most important properties for which I look in clothes. 

However, from every service that we offer in our studio, design and concept creation are my favourite tasks. During the meeting with clients, I try to get to know them and their viewpoints as best as possible – their style, aesthetics, target price, etc. Many clients allow me to have complete artistic freedom, but what is beautiful and pleasing to me will not necessarily be liked by them. My thorough questionnaire may seem a little annoying to some clients– does she have no idea that she is trying to get everything from us? No, I have many ideas, but it would be naive to think that different people's views will always coincide. There are, of course, times when I do lack the inspiration to design. Still, after cultural and branding research, I come back knowing what message the brand tries to communicate for its customers and make that message more persuasive and influential.

-You previously mentioned that while designing the original clothing, you already think about how it will look after transforming it into another item. Is such a trait personal and authentic, or is it becoming a rule that all designers and companies follow?

-Yes, this has already become necessary in the fashion industry. As for me, transforming clothes and giving them a second life is quite essential – my grandma was a tailor herself, and we together re-sewed many second-handed men's jackets into women's coats. Such a hobby began a long time ago, but at that time, we did not think about sustainability – we looked for ways to be more pretty cheaper.

In a broader sense, sustainable clothing is much more than only using recycled, certified materials or transforming a piece of clothing into a different, more useful item. Many companies boast about their sustainability, but maybe only one per cent of all their activities are sustainable. However, it is still better than nothing. We can also understand sustainability from a logistical point of view – if a brand sells their items only in their native country, they are sustainable as they avoid additional transportation costs and eliminate the effect that transport has on the environment. The product packaging can also be recycled; thus, sustainable – same with multifunctional items, quality materials, capsule collections, 3D clothing design software, etc. 

When planning their next collection, designers always need to think about the future of created garments – if we want to be sustainable, how can we achieve this goal? There are many sustainable innovations already adopted by fashion designers and various brands, so sustainability is no longer just second-hand clothing or cut-and-sewn shirts. Only recently, sustainability became a cool thing or a trend.

-Why do you think we are still struggling to convert the fast-fashion industry into a sustainable market fully? Is this at all possible?

-In my opinion, fast-fashion will never entirely disappear – we can only limit its severe impact on the environment. Fast-fashion symbolises cheap and economic practice that is accessible to everyone, and to be honest, not everyone can allow themselves to buy sustainable clothing items as their production is more expensive than fast-fashion items. For example, in fast-fashion fabrics, five hundred tailors can work on a different part of the garment and finish sewing thousands of t-shirts in one day. Suppose we follow the made-to-order model in sustainable business. In that case, there will only be as many items as needed, and one tailor will cut and sew each clothing item individually. 

What we can do in this case, albeit in a small part, and try to reduce the harmful clothing industry’s effects. We can see those fast fashion companies adopt various aspects of sustainable fashion, but their work is still a different practice.

-You briefly mentioned the hobby that you and your grandma shared. Do you still own some of those transformed items?

-Ironically, I hated transformed coats for a very long time as everyone around me wore trendy jackets from various shops, and I wore coats. Now I cannot imagine my life without coats – I do not even know how many coats I own! The majority of them are transformed – my grandma re-sewed many of them, many I did myself.

-Second-handed and transformed clothing make up a significant part of your life. Maybe you remember when the last time you shopped fast-fashion brands online or in the store was?

-I need to think about when it was. (laughs) It might be last summer in Riga, but regarding fast-fashion, I only shop there for plain white t-shirts. Everything else I buy in a second-hand shop called Humana, find on Vinted or design and sew myself. I even regret spending money in fast-fashion shops. Besides, I prefer to organise my closet and dress following capsule collection’s principles, so fast-fashion shops are too trendy for me. 

-What was the most valuable clothing item you managed to find and buy at a second-hand shop? Is it possible to find some hidden gems there, or is it happens only in the movies?

-I usually do not visit second-hand shops on the day when they have new items delivered – I'm not too fond of crowds in there, and besides, I am not a big fan of great designer names. However, once I went there on such a day and saw clothing items from high-fashion stores, they tend to sell quickly. I also nearly witnessed a fight between a few ladies for a designer bag – I do not know whether it was worth something, but it was fun. (laughs) Sometimes second-hand shops even sell new and never-worn items, so it is worth checking them.

-Maybe you have some advice you can share with our readers to help them have a more sustainable relationship with their wardrobes, shopping habits, clothing style?

-My first advice is to clean your closet, sell or give away clothing that does not fit you, or you just do not want to wear anymore. It might look like after that you will have nothing to wear but will see, there are even easier to mix and match between and come up with a fresh look. Next thing, shop responsibly, meaning buy only when you know at least five other outfits that could go together with your new item. Lastly, look for local fashion designers, visit pop-ups, and, of course, second-hand shops.

-Thank you.

Less Is More - Welcome Minimalism into Your Life

Many different changes are continually taking place in nature every single day. Here at Biomedicanna, we believe that people are only a part of this unique system, so we must respect all the natural processes around us and change our lives accordingly, with the goal of not to interfere but to adapt. As we are stepping into spring, we dedicated an entire month of March to highlight the importance of preserving the most precious things and dropping off unnecessary and excess practices. Today we will share our insights on making specific changes both at home and in your lifestyle and focusing only on those things that are really worth it.

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We consider spring a perfect time for changes – as nature is waking up, we also have to wake up after three long months of winter laziness. However, this does not mean a simple getting out of bed in the morning; emotionally, waking up means making necessary and healthy changes. Some of the things that require the most changing and renewing are our homes after the winter, yet we are certainly not talking about layers upon layers of dust or those nasty cobwebs hanging in the corner. There are vast amounts of unnecessary things in our homes that used to cost us a lot of money and now are just hindering our lives. After all, it is very challenging to say goodbye to them, donate them, sell them, or generally get rid of them.

Nevertheless, these positive changes are necessary, and it is better to make them sooner than later as minimal life is much healthier. Minimalism is a lifestyle that frees us from clothes, appliances or goods which make us feel depressed and emotionally drained rather than joyful. Although minimalism has become more and more popular lately, a much more critical philosophy lies behind this trend – how can giving up things help us feel the fullness of life?

Minimalism - Passion, Mission, or else?

For quite a long time, Minimalism was known as an art, music and architecture style that opposed abstract expressionism and promoted objective, logical, and schematic solutions. Clean lines, geometrical shapes and repeating patterns all moved the focus from work itself to the environment in which it gets positioned, played, or demonstrated. Soon enough minimalism was thought about as modernism as the majority of minimalistic art creations were made out of such materials as concrete, glass, metal, etc. Minimalistic movement gradually grew into the worldwide notion that less is more and throughout the years it, of course, crushed all of the borders and dominated more areas than just visual and performing arts. 

Fashion was one of the first areas to which the minimalistic virus spread. Designers soon started to position fabrics and forms over the functionality (these scales later shifted significantly) and create clothing using only monochromatic tones: black, white, grey. Massive social and political changes accompanied the fashion industry’s shift from an overload of accessories to simplifying everything that gets on the runway or in high-street shops. While we are not going to focus on different perceptions of minimalism in fashion, we definitely must highlight its influence on widely acceptable social practices. With growing consumerism and massive amounts of trash and non-recyclable materials accumulating each day, minimalism has also become a way of life destined to have as little belongings as possible and discover many more noble things.

Minimalism - Emotional Attachments and Decluttering

Minimalism from one perspective may seem like complete nonsense, yet from the other, it is a way to help the planet while at the same time helping ourselves. Being generally described as a way to find freedom, the minimalistic approach suggests people live with as little belongings as possible because it allows them to live in a more spacious environment directly and figuratively. Minimalists refuse to own any excess stuff and choose to invest in themselves and their families, friends by creating precious memories rather than holding onto meaningless possessions.

Nevertheless, this lifestyle does not mean disowning everything or being altruistic - minimalists advocate for a simple but not dull environment. You can still have some necessary belongings, yet you should be willing to get rid of things you have not been using for more extended periods. As nowadays we can rent almost anything for as long as we need, the whole idea of owning those things and paying full prices is just silly.

Many people, not only minimalists, know that personal possessions often cost us tremendous headaches and other problems. Our belongings trap us in a vicious circle of indecision, and the more we own, the more helpless we are. The truth is that unnecessary things clutter both our living space and mind, making us worry and overthink as we cannot think straight about organizing them in real life and our minds. Things around us distract us from everyday tasks and, of course, from quality self-care, making us more prone to depression and other mental illnesses.

Getting rid of everything we have to carry on our shoulders will increase our happiness and free our time, but this process is complicated even for professional psychologists. We are struggling to say goodbye to our belongings as we have individual relationships with them. We emotionally attach to things that we link with emotions and experiences when we should either carry those emotions in our hearts and thoughts or get rid of them at all. It takes a lot of time and courage to cut the chains connecting us to our possessions, but in a longer perspective, it is worth it. 

Minimalism - a Mental Shield from Acquiring Too Much

Minimalism is both a way of thinking and a way of like, because in both cases, we detach ourselves from the unnecessary and leave only those who are worth it and enrich our lives. Yet, we would not have so many things if we did not acquire them in one way or another. Many people still think it is appropriate to bring bulky household items or useless souvenirs as gifts - such pieces will only accumulate dust and use space, but their value is little to none. It is quite hard to say goodbye to gifts from our family members, friends or colleagues as we mentally link such items with the love we get and fear to lose these connections while getting rid of things we neither use nor need. In such situations, we must live as an example as we start gifting others our attention, positive emotions and experiences rather than useless stuff. 

Next, we can buy such unnecessary items ourselves. While we are digging the hole and cluttering our lives, it is much easier to come out of the mentioned situation when compared with getting rid of gifted items. We tend to buy things impulsively without thinking about whether we need them or not. After such shopping sprees, we quickly start to regret purchasing something, yet we stall from returning or regifting items as we link them with our labour efforts to earn money in the first place. Secondly, we start to think we may need such things in the future, so it is better to be safe than sorry and have them despite not knowing exactly when we will use them if we are going to use them. 

Minimalism is an approach condemning consumerism, which is fed to humanity every day through different channels. Various marketing strategies get into our heads and make us think we need each and everything we see in stores or online. However, there are several ways to shield ourselves from acquiring too much stuff, which would eventually complicate our lives. Firstly, we have to shop responsibly and quit making impulsive decisions. Therefore, you should think before buying any more expensive item at least for a week before making a purchase; a week is usually enough to rethink our priorities and make some changes to our shopping lists. If you still feel a great desire and need for a specific product after a week, you should make a purchase, yet if you do not have those feelings, you should leave the item sitting on a shelf in a shop. Secondly, have a monthly or weekly budget and do not dare to go over it! As we shop to mask our emotions, we should wait until we have our emotions and feelings under control to avoid impulsive shopping and unnecessary belongings in our home.

Minimalism - a Way to Say Goodbye and Improve

Not acquiring useless things or trying to do so is one thing and getting rid of them is another. Minimalism, however, takes care of both and highlights the importance of saying goodbye to things you will not need from now on to the future in a very focused and respectful way. You may have seen some videos where influencers share their experiences after rummaging through their belongings and choosing what to keep, sell or donate, and get rid of completely. Even if it may sound like a minimalistic approach, we still are left with plenty of stuff that will not bring any value. It is encouraging to donate particular possessions before paving a way to a landfill for them. It allows us to live more sustainably and eco-friendly; selling things before getting rid of them helps owners gather funds to invest in experiences and emotions worth more than silverware or clothing. 

The minimalistic approach to getting rid of new things is to own as less as possible but still meet your needs. One of the best ways to limit yourself to a certain number of belongings is to gather them all into one place as if you were packing and moving out, and throughout a week, only take what you need leaving unnecessary items in a pile. After a week or one and a half, take all that you have not used and get rid of them – sell, donate, or generally get rid of it if their condition does not allow them to be used for one or another. You will be surprised by how little items you are regularly using versus how many just take up space without doing anything useful. Remember, you should not limit yourself to a hundred or fifty belongings just because professional minimalists do so – start by making small steps to achieve significant results both emotionally and physically. 

Minimalistic approach frees us from unnecessary items which haunt us every day – be brave to say goodbye to them once and for all. Carefully plan and rethink your priorities to live more happily and healthier. Mental freedom is just as important as decluttering your physical environment, yet the first is sometimes harder to achieve. We encourage you to try our products to relax and help yourself develop better and more valuable solutions for your outer comfort and inner peace. 

How to Protect Yourself from the Freezing Cold?

Autumn has already conquered not only our lives but also wardrobes as falling tree leaves and harsh winds make us crave for warm and cosy moments. In reality, the autumn is much more than vivid colours and pumpkins. Sadly, it also means the temperature dropping lower and lower every single day. Morning frost follows cold weather and suggests winter season being just around the corner. Some may say that there is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing, but is it really the case?

Why Cold Weather and Freezing Temperature are Dangerous?

It is no secret that some people may react to the same temperatures differently – one will feel cold while another one will say that the temperature is too warm for him or her to feel comfortable. However, no one tends to argue about the coldness of negative or very low temperatures, which are the attributes of late autumn and usually stays throughout the winter. It is widely known that cold temperatures cause physiological stress and can result in damaged body parts, such as ears, nose, cheeks, fingers or toes, etc. Damaged skin will be quickly covered in painful blisters, and different body parts will go numb and might turn black.

Cold weather makes our bodies lose heat faster than they are capable of producing. Such a condition is called hypothermia and is one of the most common problems which happen to people after being exposed to freezing temperatures as well as icy water. Hypothermia is a real threat to every person, as even as little as 10 to 15 minutes is enough to get frostbites and risk with an amputation of the limbs. Besides, cold temperatures increase the chance of experiencing heart failure as hearts try to work harder to keep us warm but are not able to.

Cold weather sounds scary, right? Well, it does not have to be like that! We will tell you all about how to prepare to face all of the freezing challenges thrown at us!

Strength to Fight the Cold Comes from Within

Medical researchers strive hard to educate the society about the cold and its effects on the human body. They all agree that the healthier the person is, the more easily he or she can cope with low temperatures. Therefore, the fight against the cold begins with one’s inner strength – the immune system. We should think of the immune system as an invisible shield protecting us not only from the cold but also from various viruses and bacteria; thus, strengthening the immune system is very important. However, it is necessary to maintain its power using the right methods.

Probably the most popular way of increasing the immune system’s toughness is including citrus fruits into one’s regular diet. Full of Vitamin C, lemons are natural antioxidants that improve a person’s immune barrier and has antiviral and antibacterial abilities. Besides nutritious and healthy foods, CBD products , and especially CBD oil drops , are gaining their popularity in the field of immune-strengthening at an impressive speed.

The Importance of Hot Fluids

Let’s not assume that sipping coffee on your way to work in the morning is only a fashion statement – it is a ritual of self-care, body awakening method, and excellent protection against frostbite. For these reasons, the reusable coffee cup – eco-friendliness is one of the biggest goals for humanity – must become your loyal companion during the cold season. However, medical practitioners advise opting for tea instead of coffee or choosing hot water and various herbs or berries mix. It does not matter that when you return home, it looks like you don’t need hot fluids anymore – homemade broths are considered not only delicious foods but also medicine, which you must include in your food ration. For example, Jewish Chicken soup is also called Jewish Penicillin that can significantly cut the time one spends being sick. Oral consumption is not the only way how hot fluids can help your body and immune system fight the cold – hot water baths are used widely throughout the world to warm people’s hands, feet, and whole bodies. Hot bubble baths with various extracts and natural oils both help relax and accelerate the functional processes of the body.

Protection Against the Cold from the Bottom to the Top

It’s true that negative temperatures can quickly take over the whole body, so the secret to the best protection against the cold is not letting it grab you in the first place. That means minimising the area of naked skin when going out in the cold and protecting uncovered skin patches as well. You ask how? We answer!

Proper footwear. Various traumas come together with winter frost, and only high-quality non-slip boots can protect you from spending valuable time in the A&E department of your local hospital. Yes, high-quality winter shoes can sometimes be expensive, but once you invested your money into them, you will surely be safe from trip and slip accidents. Keeping feet warm and dry is the key to a safe winter season as urinary tract inflammation, and kidney problems often start with soaking-wet shoes and socks after you did not see that puddle.

Layering clothes. The bigger - the better does not apply to dress up for the cold as here the number one rule is to layer outdoor clothing. Before going outside, you must protect yourself with at least 3 to 4 layers of clothes, starting with a long-sleeve shirt, jumper, thinner jacket, and, preferably, an eiderdown parka coat. For the bottoms, we advise you to wear thermo-leggings or pantyhose and warm pants on top of them; be aware that jeans material attracts the cold, so you should leave this piece of clothing for the higher temperatures.

Skin protection. Logically thinking, only our faces are left uncovered without any clothing during freezing colds. Although we can choose to wear a full-face covering ski-masks, we rarely to never do so. In such cases, it is necessary to maintain the richness and oily skin texture and to create moisture barriers between our actual skin and the frost. We recommend you try our new Extra-Rich Face & Body Cream  against cold, which provides excellent antioxidant protection and also has anti-inflammatory properties. Besides that, this best winter cream is safe for people with oily or acne-prone skin. The good news does not end there - one of the key cream ingredients is CBD!

Life-saving accessories. Every season is better with the right stylish accessories, but it is even more advantageous if they can save your life or at least improve overall well-being. It is nice to think about these three accessories – gloves, scarf, and hat – as some winter protection trinity as they are valuable both individually and complement each other. Gloves are a must to protect fingers from the cold as limbs get the frostbite way faster than other body parts. Big and fluffy scarfs safeguard throats from inhaling cold air into one’s lungs and causing bronchial irritation, cough, and shortness of breath. A warm hat shields the head and protects the brain from such problems as confusion and loss of orientation, which usually leads to far more complicated issues like hypothermia.

No season shows up unexpectedly, but cold weather can do just that! When it comes to strengthening your immune system, it should become your lifetime goal – a strong immune system means protection from many, often invisible problems. Besides that, you should always carry with yourself rich cream against the cold and a reusable cup for hot beverages – these things will protect you from the outside and strengthen from within. Even though you cannot take your whole wardrobe together with yourself all the times, have some outfits at home prepared in advance, so when you see snow outside your window, it will take you less time to get ready to make snow angels!

10 Tips to Get You Through Autumn Cold!

We all know the stories about autumn being the most beautiful time of the year. Vivid colours and breathtaking scents are indeed unique to this season, but we surely know autumn’s beauty can sometimes be very illusionary. If you fell into one of autumn’s tricks and got sick, let’s not waste any more time and start recovering now. We have prepared 10 tips – what to do and how it helps – to get you through the autumn cold quick and effortlessly!

Tip No. 1 – Warm liquids to soothe throat

You must have seen at least one movie where the main character is sick with a cold and is drinking a cup of hot broth to ease the bothersome symptoms of a cold. It’s a well know practice to sip warm liquids such as tea with lemon or ginger to relieve nasal congestion and soothe the aching throat. There is a long list of herbal teas to help you feel better, but as some natural remedies are not very tasty, you might want to add one teaspoon of money to your hot drink.

Tip No. 2 – Vitamin C to shorten the length of sickness

As we have previously talked about Vitamin C being irreplaceable when strengthening the immune system before the flu season, it also helps to shorten the length of a cold when already sick. Numerous researches have proven the benefits of Vitamin C to our organisms as the regular intake of such supplements can reduce cold’s severity and duration. Besides, Vitamin C can be obtained naturally through various food such as lemons, broccoli, peppers, or spinach, so you may choose to ask your friends to visit a local market instead of a pharmacy for you to strengthen your immune system while staying safe at home.

Tip No. 3 – CBD drops to boost immune system

Keeping up with modern trends, CBD drops is one of the newest and most innovative ways to fight cold. As it has anti-viral qualities, CBD oil is widely used to reduce cold symptoms, irritation, and inflammation. Even though CBD drops has not yet been approved as an official cold medicine, the regular usage of these drops can quickly deal with a runny nose and other flu symptoms. In the long run, CBD oil improves the way the immune system’s memory, thus speeding up the recovery process from various illnesses and putting you back up on your feet quicker.

Tip No. 4 – Warm clothing to boost immune response

Researches have shown that warmer body temperature strongly contributes to the recovering process as it helps fight the cold. It means that it is best to stay indoors when sick with cold as the outdoor temperature is most of the time lower. Besides, it is necessary to wear warm clothes when fighting a cold – fluffy sweaters, wool socks, and laying underneath several blankets helps maintain higher body temperature. As warm clothing is not always flattering, you should not care about being fashionable - being healthy and protecting others is everyone's priority!

Tip No. 5 – Hot bath to ease the symptoms

Frequent hot baths are necessary for your overall health and not only when you catch a cold or have a runny nose. As your body temperature increases, the already runny nose will become even runnier, and normal hydration levels will drop as affected by incused sweating. It is necessary to blow your nose regularly as open nasal canals will help you breathe easier and feel better. We advise you to have a hot bath straight before going to sleep as it also helps relax and maintain high-temperature levels throughout the whole night.

Tip No. 6 – Inhalations to clear up respiratory passages

Steam therapy is a powerful yet simple tool to relieve symptoms of flu or cold. As steam clouds are achieved when water boils, you should combine inhalations with hot bath procedures to save some time. Inhalations enriched with essential oils such as menthol or eucalyptus help loosen mucus in the respiratory system; thus, making it easier to get rid of them and the whole cold and runny nose kind of thing. The steam inhalations itself can't shorten your sickness but they can surely make you feel better.

Tip No. 7 – Humidifiers to add moisture to the air

We all hate catching a cold for one particular reason – it gets hard to breathe as we live with runny or stuffy noses. We can’t say exactly, which one is worse, but the reason for it lies in the air that we breathe. As cold air holds less moisture, our upper airways narrows, and nostrils dry out; on the other hand, moist can helps with coughing or sneezing and eases congestion, but too high levels can result in growing mould, which is another evil. Researches show that the best percentage of humidity is about forty percent.

Tip No. 8 – Balms to relieve cough

Various chest compresses can significantly improve your breathing when applied properly. We advise wearing compressed overnight as balms and oils work both ways – helps with chest (lungs) congestion, relieves nasal passages, and prevents runny nose in the morning after breathing those aromas in your sleep for the whole night. We also advise massaging little amounts of CBD oil or balm into chest skin to strengthen the lungs and the whole respiratory system each night after a hot bath and before the bed. As for some such use of CBD products lowers the intensity of chest pains caused by cough, one can’t argue otherwise if never tried itself.

Tip No. 9 – CBD before sleep to help you relax

One of the best reasons to use CBD products is their relaxational properties. Numerous people using CBD drops daily have said it successfully reduces anxiety and depression levels and also improves the quality of sleep! It also helps to sleep with your head a bit more elevated than the rest of your body as it prevents the runny nose from clogging up. As quality rest is the most important aspect to speed up your recovery, we advise changing sheets more frequently when having a cold and meditating to clear up your mind and fall asleep quicker.

Tip No. 10 – Over-the-counter medicine to fight it all

If tips one through nine have not impressed you, we still have one more trick left up to our sleeve – you can always choose to use an over-the-counter medicine to fight the cold and runny nose once and for all. Many local pharmacies allow you to consult by phone or buy medication online; therefore, the list of the people you had a contact with will be short. As it is necessary to speak with your family’s doctor or pharmacist before taking or buying any medicine, you have to follow their bits of advice as precisely as they are – excessive amounts of various pills might turn out to be fatal.

Runny nose or cold will always try to ruin your plans to enjoy every last bit of autumn sun, so we understand if you hate this season. On the other hand, autumn is not that bad if you know how to deal with its sicknesses quickly and effortlessly. As we wish you a cosy season, we also wish you a strong immune system and a good grasp of tools to create unforgettable and illnesses-free moments!

Newest Trend – Sustainable Fashion!

After a challenging summer, real fashion icons have returned to the cities to conquer its streets and hearts of passers-by: they wear eye-catching accessories and never miss the latest fashion trends. They not afraid to visit second-hand clothing shops and to wide open the closets of mothers and grandmas. The secret of their success and wonderful appearance does not depend on the widest smiles or salon-like hair: their real talent is a sense of style and ability to match unmatchable clothing items together. Modern fashion icons care not only about the breathtaking image but also about the environment: as 13 million tons of textile waste is dumped in landfills every year, sustainable fashion is becoming the major highlight of any clothing combination.

What’s wrong with fast fashion?

Fast fashion is a term used to describe fashion retailers capturing current fashion trends and filling clothing stores with fashionable items similar to the ones seen at Fashion Week. Even if it allows people from all around the world to quickly adopt their wardrobes to fit ongoing trends, fast fashion has more cons rather than pros.

The current fashion industry is built on several different collections presented throughout the year, and millions of people buying at least one new item every season. The sales increase several times a year when prices are chopped massively to empty shopping racks for new items. As low prices lure customers, they are also forced to come back to the same clothing shopping centres over and over again due to fast fashion items also being fast to wear out and rip apart.

For this, you may say thank you to fashion retailers who only care about lowering the manufacturing cost and increasing revenue. This goal is achieved in several ways: firstly, fashion companies use cheaper textiles and sewing materials; secondly, they pay suppliers very small amounts of money for the materials received. Here fast fashion’s problems do not end: the majority of retailers sew their clothes in Asian countries – in factories where children work long hours and get only pennies.

Fast fashion is dependent on acquiring materials as cheaply as possible. As it can take as much as 2 700 litres of water to produce enough cotton material to make a single t-shirt, retailers often choose fake versions of expensive textiles and suppliers, which are known for using harmful chemicals. Of course, some well-known high street fashion shops offer their customers items made from eco-friendly materials and manufactured responsibly. However, these kinds of items are more expensive, from special collections only, and they make up only a small part of all clothes.

Fashion sustainability and us

Sustainable fashion is a social movement encouraging both customers and retailers to transform their habits and businesses towards a greater goal – ecological integrity and environmental awareness. Even though the term sustainable fashion itself concerns clothing as such, it actually has two meanings, including responsible use of already existing clothing items to prevent them from being dumped in landfills and sustainable production of new things to conserve nature and natural resources.

Responsible wearing does not mean being extremely careful not to ruin your clothes with dirt. It stands for choosing second-handed items rather than buying new ones and giving up beloved but not fitting or boring things by handing them over to new people rather than dumping them. Considering the fact that fashion trends come around once every few decades, second-hand clothing shops are a real gold mine, where vigilant buyers may find a designer or never worn items for extremely low prices. There are a few innovative ways allowing customers easier to transfer, donate, or sell their clothing items, which are still in a good shape. Responsible fashion not only saves money but also reduces one’s carbon footprint.

When old clothing items are too worn out and no longer suitable for wearing, some types of materials can be recycled back into clothing fibres, thus, being returned back into stores as new clothing items. As it saves resources, there are plenty of ways and materials, which can be used to produce more sustainable, society, and nature-friendly clothes.

 Hemp clothing is conquering the industry of sustainable fashion as it requires little water to grow and is resistant to most pests and diseases. Hemp’s advantages do not end here as other parts of the hemp plant also have a use; for example, seeds are often processed into oil and praised for its health increasing abilities. Hemp material itself is not only sustainable and versatile but durable and long-lasting; clothes are comfortable to wear, do not cause allergic reactions to the touching skin, and are easily washable.

Why being sustainable is the new black?

With each year, the number of sustainable clothes in stores increases prompting the growing demand: knowing that high fashion houses are fashion trendsetters, they welcome and adapt the sustainability approach influencing high street retailers and people to do the same.

Most popular brands advocate not only for inclusivity and ethnic diversity but also for high fashion sustainability as Paris, Milan, and New York fashion weeks’ catwalks are driven by themes of consumerism, ecology, and global warming. For example, one American fashion designer ensures the sustainability of her clothes by keeper her production small – the physical journey from sketch to garment does not exceed 20 kilometres radius. Other designers ensure they use responsibly sourced and recycled materials, create small runs of each collection to fight against fast fashion, or hires locals to help with the manufacturing process and reduces unemployment. Soon from catwalks, sustainable fashion ideas reach our homes and wardrobes: we gladly buy items that do not harm our planet and contribute to nature’s preservation. Of course, selling such clothes adds up to the brand’s reliability and popularity - as every little help matters, sustainability becomes more and more fashionable.

As a sustainable approach encourages consumers to say that ‘less is more’, capsule wardrobes are the number one thing any person should be doing to actually live by those words; this method allows people to wear different styles by combining basic clothing items. Such an approach should not mean wearing only boring and earthy-colours as sustainable fashion includes using natural dyes and improving the overall look by putting on long-lasting accessories. Also, responsible clothing does not mean wearing thin fabrics processed as little as possible - technologies let manufacturers create thicker fabrics suitable for colder climates, hemp material being one of them.

Sustainable thinking takes over our thoughts and lives – as it saves the planet, it also saves us. We must reduce the amount of textile being dumped, reuse still wearable items, and recycle one’s that are not suitable for wearing. As the popularity of hemp clothing is only growing, it is nice to be your own trendsetter and choose responsibly – we will soon offer quality hemp clothing to suit your body and your needs, so be patient and friendly to nature!

10 Tips to Help You Survive the Autumn!

As we are saying farewell to summer, autumn is knocking on our doors, ready to enter and enrich our lives with a stunning palette of colour-changing leaves. Even though this situation may seem like coming straight out of fairy tale, heavy rains, strong winds, shorter, darker and colder days reveals the real face of the autumn season. Various illnesses and hardships follow the gloomy weather and threaten to mess up our lives even more. Only the ones who prepare for such challenges may resist them, but how to achieve that? Read carefully – we have prepared a lecture for you about immune system strengthening techniques, self-care, and, of course, pumpkins!

Tip No. 1 – Appropriate clothing

Autumn really gets onto our nerves as weather conditions often change every minute and an uncountable number of times throughout the day. The combination of umbrella and raincoat must become your new best friend this season. Water-resistant footwear will allow you to spend the autumn jumping in puddles like no big deal, the thicker jacket will protect from chilly winds, and soft scarf will keep you warm and cosy. Don’t blame the weather – there is nothing wrong with him, there are only wrong clothing choices!

Tip No. 2 – Skincare

The hot summer season has dried out our skin, which makes it even more vulnerable to cold autumn winds. Steer clear of this unpleasant feeling by using lip balms to avoid cracked and sore lips, regularly use moisturizing face masks to ensure skin hydration, and reward your hands with rich cream to protect them from skin irritation. Consider yourself lucky as we will soon offer you a new product from the skincare line to help you survive the autumn. More information to follow – don’t forget to take care of your skin while you wait!

Tip No. 3 – Relaxation

As autumn distresses often leads to depression, self-love is the best way to avoid it. Meditation is proved helpful as it reduces the levels of stress and anxiety. Of course, a little herbal nudge to your organism will not only help to have calmer thoughts but strengthen the immune system as well. However, our bodies can be as tired as our thoughts, but there is nothing a little home spa can’t fix! Incense, chill music, flower petals, hot foam bath, and massages from your loved one will comfort you during the darkest hours of autumn and inspire for new challenges.

Tip No. 4 – Home decoration

To prepare for autumn means to prepare not only our souls and bodies but also the environment around the home. Home décor does not mean hanging paper bat cut-outs or putting a carved pumpkin in every corner of your house even though Halloween is just around the corner. Sometimes little cinnamon, apples or vanilla-scented candle, thick blanket, lighted fireplace, or a bouquet of seasonal flowers is all that you need to surround yourself with pleasant autumn emotions.

Tip No. 5 – Hobbies

Today is the day to start thinking of how you will spend dark and cold autumn evenings. Self-care begins with quality time-spending techniques and smart ways to direct one’s attention further from seasonal distresses. Consider reading a book, watching a movie or TV series, handcrafting, doing crosswords, or any other kind of puzzles. Autumn is a perfect time to start getting ready for the summer bikini season – pay a visit to the gym once in a while!

Tip No. 6 – Food

The autumn is the season of harvesting everything that has grown in our gardens or forests throughout the summer. Many different foods add up to benefiting our organisms, so it would be a complete waste of products not to eat them or store them for winter. For example, pumpkins are considered full of nutrients that strengthen the immune system while including mushrooms in your daily diet increase bodies’ ability to fights various illnesses.

Tip No. 7 – Active lifestyle

It is easy to grow lazy when the rain is pouring down outside your room window. Regular activities such as jogging, hiking, cycling, or gymnastics contribute to one’s well-being and increase the chances to survive the autumn. We strongly recommend you going outside, enjoying the last bits of sun, exercising out in the fresh air, and appreciating the beauty of changing nature. As autumn comes only once a year, there is no better opportunity than celebrate it actively!

Tip No. 8 – Vitamins

Even though healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle are considered secrets to overall well-being, strong immune system, and autumn survival, sometimes that is not enough. Our bodies are not capable of producing certain kinds of vitamins; hence, their benefits are available only thanks to supplements. Beta-glucans are one of the smartest ways to strengthen the immune system and avoid moments when plans get messed by health problems caused by harsh weather. As beta-glucans have even more beneficial properties,  specialists advise using them throughout the whole year!

Tip No. 9 – Quality sleep

The autumn means coming back to school, work or university, thus saying sad goodbyes to happy summer holiday moments. Such time often results in higher stress and anxiety levels, which, in turn, negatively affects the whole body starting with memory and finishing with body motility capabilities. Besides that, self-care starts with a good night sleep, so quality rest must be everyone’s top priority this season.

Tip No. 10 – Daily routine

As autumn sometimes may cause a disbalance in lives and organisms, creating a daily routine helps people feel like true masters of their lives. Mobile calendars or cute little notebooks and planners ensure that one’s daily tasks get completed in time, and there is no chance left for autumn distresses to interfere with reaching every goal possible. You cannot imagine how much free time you have in a day to spend it for self-love and getting rid of autumn troubles!

We all are stronger together – the same applies to autumn survival as the chance of your triumph against this gloomy yet cosy season significantly increases once you involve as many tips as you can in your daily life. Conquering the autumn has never been so easy!

If You have any question, contact us!