Laguna Beach City Guide 2016 | Page 29

Feel Good Finds

SHOP A FEW OF THE CHIC , ALTRUISTIC APPAREL AND ACCESSORY ITEMS AVAILABLE IN LOCAL STORES .
COURTESY OF 31 BITS
Many products at The T-Shirt Co . at Laguna Beach benefit social causes .
Each purchase of the 31 BITS DAPHNE BRACELET , $ 12 , at Blue Eyed Girl , provides a steady income for a Ugandan woman in the company ’ s socially conscious program . The program provides the women with a job making jewelry , as well as education , health counseling and guidance for the future .
Each FEED 1 BAG , $ 80 , at Sunny Days , provides an entire school year ’ s worth of food to a child through the United Nations World Food Programme and Feeding America .
Every Threads 4 Thought item is made sustainably in the U . S . using some recycled material . A portion of each purchase — including the VINTAGE WASH V-NECK , $ 28 , at Whole Foods Market — goes to the International Rescue Committee ’ s New Roots refugee program ; a $ 100 purchase through the website guarantees a 10 percent donation .
For every pair of TOMS SUNGLASSES purchased , the company will assist in giving sight to a person in need . Styles for both men and women are available at Thalia Surf shop , from $ 78 .
31 Bits offers a five-year program for Ugandan women to support their families and plan for the future .
Liliana Burgi ’ s company , Salt , donates 10 percent of each sale to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children .
music — and she selects a local nonprofit during the holidays to which she ’ ll donate a percentage of the shop ’ s sales . In the future , she hopes to collaborate with area nonprofits by donating the sales of locally sourced items to causes in the Laguna Beach community . “ The idea is to spread awareness of local nonprofits and causes , and at the same time provide unique gifts and souvenirs for visitors that they won ’ t find elsewhere ,” Segal says .
PHILANTHROPIC PRODUCTS
If you ’ re looking for specific accessories , two other Orange County brands are easy to find in town — 31 Bits and Sea Candy Jewelry .
Keeping it local , Sea Candy Jewelry sources sea glass from Laguna ’ s beaches to create pieces
that reflect the ocean and help protect it . Avid sea glass collectors , co-owners Sean Malek and Olivia Oddo began to notice more trash accumulating at the coast every time they ventured out . As a result , Sea Glass Jewelry was born as a way to repurpose sea glass into one-of-a-kind jewelry that can be purchased at Laguna Colony Company , Twig and online .
Twenty percent of proceeds from sales of two products , a necklace and a bracelet , goes directly to the Surfrider Foundation , an organization dedicated to protecting the world ’ s beaches , waves and oceans .
“ Being a skimboarder and spending a lot of my time down [ at Aliso and 10th Street beaches ], I see how the beach changes and the effect the population really
has on it ,” Malek explains , adding that he has partnered with Victoria Skimboards ( his sponsor ) to host beach cleanups . “ It ’ s really disappointing in the summer — there [ are ] so many people , and there ’ s a disregard for picking up trash . … Surfrider [ Foundation ’ s ] efforts really inspired me to help out more rather than just be disappointed in people .”
Founders of another Orange County jewelry company were similarly inspired after meeting local women struggling to provide for their families in Uganda . Costa Mesa-based 31 Bits developed a different sort of business model , hiring women in Uganda to create colorful necklaces and bracelets from recycled paper ; artisans are part of a five-year program in which they receive a consistent monthly income and education on
everything from health and wellness to planning for the future . The jewelry is available right here in town , at Blue Eyed Girl , and has a far-reaching impact in addition to making a fashion statement : Each purchase of the handmade beads allows these women to send their children to school , feed and clothe their families , and pay for health care .
Whether you ’ re shopping for jewelry that gives back on a global level , or locally-made merchandise that supports area initiatives and nonprofits , options abound in Laguna when it comes to making purchases that make a difference .
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER LAGUNA STORES , HEAD TO OUR SHOP LISTINGS ON PAGE 76 .
SUMMER 2016 CITY GUIDE 29