bohmo l a green boutique

look for our shirts on HGTV's Red Hot and Green

2008-07-05T23:08:00.000-07:00

Check out HGTV's latest green offering Red Hot and Green and keep your eyes peeled for Bohmo apparel on the show. We proudly provided Nicole Facciutto and Carter Oosterhouse shirts to wear during taping of their new green interior design show.

Their new season started July 2nd. For more info, visit http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/shows_hrhag/

Spread the word!

we're back in cali!

2008-07-05T23:00:00.000-07:00

Whew! It took quite a bit of effort, but we're excited to be back in Northern California. Marin County is a truly inspiring place, both in the physical presence of nature, and in the general heightened level of awareness.

We are still in the process of settling in place, so please be patient with us.

Check back soon for updates,
Bryan, Jen and Berkeley

Green Giveaway Tip

2008-04-11T17:36:00.000-07:00

Hop on over to the iknowamom blog for their Ginormous Green Giveaway running from April 15th to the 23rd. Check out their site for the details (there just might be a Bohmo onesie in it for you ;).

iknowamom.com is an innovative online resource that exists to bring you the best of the best from women in business... all inspired by motherhood. iknowamom.com is also inspired by ten little fingers + toes - and by women who follow their dreams...women who have an idea and are brave enough to follow their dream and turn their idea into a business. For more, visit iknowamom.com.

join us on myspace

2008-04-02T06:56:00.000-07:00

ok, so we have this myspace account that has been sitting vacant and lonely. if you get a minute, check it out and be our friends ;) head on over to myspace.com/bohmo

The Story of Stuff

2008-03-07T19:41:00.000-08:00

Let's get real for a moment, shall we? It seems to me that there is alot of "green washing" going on out there. Energy companies are proclaiming themselves as green, garbage companies are now green, monstrous SUV's are now green. And in some ways, elements of these claims may be true. But, for example, simply taking a 7,000 SUV and sticking an electric motor under the hood to increase gas mileage to 15mpg seems to miss the point of what truly can help humans reduce our impacts on the planet.

If you get a minute (or 20), check out this incredible synopsis of the way things work in the modern industrial world. Watch it and feel free to post any thoughts or comments ;). http://www.storyofstuff.com

Of particular interest to us is the inclusion of toxic chemicals into common goods production. Also, did you know 99% of the goods we buy are trashed within 6 months? As we've stated before here at Bohmo, buy less items, buy less often, but get higher quality, better designed goods that are made of more sustainable materials and by people whom are respected with fair trade practices.

Bohmo.com adds Reform Sustainable Furniture to home section

2008-01-11T18:01:00.000-08:00

Bohmo is excited to announce the addition of the Reform Sustainable Furnishings to their online store.

Reform (http://www.reform.biz/) partner Neu-Wa O'Neill and Bohmo owner Bryan Maecker agree that the style and ethics of both companies make for a perfect fit. The Bohmo consumer is searching for unique, funky and hip apparel and home furnishings that are made with ethics in mind. The Reform designs offered on Bohmo.com push the envelope in both design and build materials.

The Bedworks laptop tray (http://www.bohmo.com/home/rehf001.html), for example, inspires with it's clean and modern oval shape, as well as it's bamboo construction. Bamboo matures in just 3-7 years, compared to oak which takes about 120 years. It also does not need replanting and requires very little fertilization and pesticides. And bamboo also consumes 17 times as much carbon as softwood forests.

The Frog Table (http://www.bohmo.com/home/rehf003.html) is innovative in both it's frog-like shape (with a unique storage shelf) and it's aluminum build. Aluminum is 100% recyclable, so this table should never find it's way into a trash heap.

Reform is dedicated to designing, fabricating, and retailing quality sustainable furnishings. Reform believes that business can be a platform for positive change and thus is committed to building a network of like-minded individuals and businesses to achieve that goal. Bohmo is proud to now be in that network.

For more on the Reform line, visit www.bohmo.com.

Bohmo appears in Mama Speaks Holiday Guide

2007-11-21T18:20:00.000-08:00

Mama Speaks blog recently created a Holiday 2007 Gift Guide and elected to list Bohmo under their "Fresh and Green" section. Thanks Mama Speaks!

http://www.mamaspeaks.com/reviews/2007/11/fresh-and-green.html

"...If you're still searching for some green check out Bohmo- a green boutique, for more things baby."

Bohmo appears in California Apparel News

2007-11-21T18:16:00.000-08:00

In the November 16-22 2007 issue, Bohmo appears in the E-Tailing section.

http://www.apparelnews.net/news/details?article_id=1797

Bohmo Launches Eco Web Site

November 09, 2007
Sarasota, Fla.–based Bohmo has launched an e-commerce Web site at www.bohmo.com, featuring eco-friendly apparel and home furnishings.

All products at the site are made from organic, renewable, recycled or reclaimed materials. The company purchases from vendors that employ fair trade, sweatshop-free production, organic farming and lowimpact dyes.

“Most people are not aware that the average shirt uses 17 teaspoons of pesticides and insecticides, which is not only bad for the environment but human health, as well,” said company founders Bryan and Jen Maecker, citing National Wildlife Federation data. They added that one-fourth of all pesticides applied in the United States are on cotton.

Home furnishings employ materials such as bamboo, which matures in just three to seven years, compared with oak, which takes about 120 years. Bamboo also does not need replanting and requires very little fertilization and few pesticides. Bamboo also consumes 17 times as much carbon as softwood forests.

Bohmo sells products from Stewart and Brown, Loyale, Passenger Pigeon, Speesees, Sckoon, Kate Quinn Organics, Look Organics, Bohmo Organics, Lotus Bleu Design and Twenty Gauge vintage furniture. All goods fit a “bohemian modern” design aesthetic and are hand-picked by the store owners.

“We understand that everything from the food we eat, the products we bathe with, to the clothing we wear has a profound effect on our family and the environment,” said the Maeckers. “We want to help promote companies that, while having great design and style, strongly consider their social and environmental impact.”

Before founding Bohmo, Bryan spent 10 years as a Web designer for multiple companies, including Sutter Home Winery and The Body Shop. His design aesthetic interweaves raw, weathered elements with clean, simple lines to create a bohemian- modern feel. Bryan created the Bohmo brand identity, Web site and Bohmo Organics line of clothing.

Co-founder Jen is a modern dancer and choreographer with Fuzion Dance Artists and fuses her knowledge of sustainable living with her art background to provide Bohmo with eco-friendly, stylish products. —Robert McAllister

Thanks Giving Sale - Up to 40% off Organic Clothing!

2007-11-21T18:07:00.000-08:00

Check out our store, http://www.bohmo.com, to see our Thanks Giving Sale with discounts available on select products. Organic baby clothing from speesees, Sckoon, kate quinn organics and bohmo organics are on sale. Also, organic and bamboo women's clothing from loyale, Stewart+Brown, Passenger Pigeon and bohmo organics are discounted. Men's organic shirts from bohmo are on sale, and for the first time, furniture from Twenty Gauge and Lotus Bleu design are discounted.

Our Thanks Giving 07 sale runs fron 11/18 to 11/25. Check it out!

Remember what we are.

2007-10-25T05:34:00.000-07:00

Stop. Don't move. Where are you? What are you breathing into your body? What is your skin touching? Odds are, since you are no doubt reading this blog on a computer, you currently have your fingers touching either a plastic keyboard, a plastic mouse, a formica desk, or a cardboard container holding a Grande Triple Decaf Soy Caramel Macchiato (hold the whip) at Starbucks. No, really. Stop for a second and think about what your body is coming into contact with. And since we do live on a planet with gravity, there is ALWAYS a part of you touching something. Are the dyes used on the keys non-toxic? How about the keys themselves? They are obviously a man-made material that one would not find in a natural setting.

How about the clothes you are wearing? They are also touching your skin, 24 hours a day (unless you sleep in the nude, in which case you are still in contact with your sheets ;). What are they made of? We generally feel comforted in knowing that we are wearing cotton - a natural plant that has been used for centuries to clothe people. Most of us do not understand, however, that in the agricultural process of growing cotton, tons and tons of pesticides are applied throughout the world to maintain "healthy" crops - free from mettlesome insects and other potential dangers. So much pesticides and insecticides are applied, in fact, that the outfit you are wearing at the moment likely had over 40 teaspoons of chemicals applied to the cotton during it's growth. And that is what we ALL wear, day in and day out - since the birth of the industrial age.

Why does this all matter? Because we are animals. It's something that we often forget in modern America. How can anyone blaim us? I mean, how can we truly be connected with our natural selves when all that surrounds us is unnatural? Touching metals and plastics, viewing glowing screens, eating magically over-processed foods - all these things contribute to an altered sense of what we really are.

True, the indusrial age and modern science have combined to bring us so many incredible things. But as with everything else in our world, when profits and losses get factored in, compromises in integrity occur far too often. Unfair labor wages and conditions, lower quality materials and questionable environmental practices are not only common, they are prevalent in our society. And not just environmental hazards such as dumping chemicals into rivers - which is something anyone would object to. But common everyday hazards found in our everyday purchases. The clothes we wear, the foods we eat and the air we breathe - all these things are potential risks for us all, because so often, carcinogens are unnecessarily added to them.

As animals, we are very trusting of one another. There is a common belief that the things we buy are safe for us, and that there was no suffering by other animals (and humans) in it's manufacturing. And it is this blind belief that keeps things moving along status quo.

Hopefully our animal instincts and incredible brain power will lead us into a new age of clarity, compassion and understanding. And may you lead the way.

Hip Organic Clothing for Fall 2007

2007-10-05T18:51:00.000-07:00

Hooray for Fall!

We are excited to announce the arrival of new designers at Bohmo. Passenger Pigeon (Ontario), Loyale (NYC) and Bohmo Organics (Sarasota, FL) are all new additions to our growing store. We also have new women's Fall clothing in from Stewart & Brown.

Passenger Pigeon - All products are designed and made with sweatshop-free labor in Canada and are made with organic cotton, hemp, tencel and ecospun. We are excited to spread the word about this innovative company's design and ethical practices.

Loyale - All products are designed and made in the USA. Loyale uses bamboo jersey, organic cotton and surplus fabrics to make their clothing. We just love the vibe of these women's clothes and think you will too.

Stewart & Brown - All products are designed in the USA. Stewart+Brown uses organic cotton, mongolian cashmere, hemp, flax and tencel fabrics. We have gushed about this brand before, as it truly embodies the bohemian modern aesthetic.

Bohmo Organics - All products are designed and made in the USA using organic cotton and sweatshop-free labor. The shirts are made by American Apparel in L.A. and all graphics are designed by Bohmo owner Bryan Maecker. They are printed using vegetable inks by Planet Ink in Ft. Myers, FL. We currently have 3 women's tops, 3 men's tops and 3 infant top styles to choose from. For more, check out our store at bohmo.com.

Till next time...

Organic isn’t just for food

2007-06-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

It seems like ever since the release of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth”, the buzz around the country has been all about “green living”. “Green this”, “organic that” - even the previously unglamorous term “sustainable” has hit the mainstream.

The word “organic” simply means that a fruit or plant had no pesticides applied while grown and harvested. Farmers instead use other, more eco-friendly means to ward off potentially invasive and destructive insects.

At first, the organic craze was with food. Organic foods have been making their presence felt in recent years at such mainstream supermarkets as Publix and Shaw’s.

But in case you haven’t heard, the latest buzz is all about organic clothing. For more progressive individuals, this sudden attention is considered long overdue. For the rest of us, the idea of organic clothing may seem downright radical.

Recently, in response to the launch of my new online green boutique, bohmo.com, a family member jokingly asked if my clothing was “free-range” in addition to being organic. Of course my sarcastic reply was “Yeah, my shirt grew up in a wide-open field of waving grass, while yours was mercilessly confined to a cage…”.

Funny thing is, if I told him that I was going to sell “chemical” clothing, with about 18 teaspoons of cancer causing pesticides and insecticides in each tee, he likely would have given me a similar snicker. Little does he know, however, that what we all buy on a regular basis is just that – filled with pesticides (source: National Wildlife Federation).

For one reason or another, there is a disconnect that occurs in many of us – we want to believe that everything is fine just the way it is, and that people who want to change things are just out-of-step. But in the case of organic goods, the movement isn’t really to something radical. It is to attain what most of us already think our clothing and foods are. And what’s so radical about that?

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So how does one make smart purchases without having to devote hours a day to discovering new options? Read our simple tips list below to get started.

Find a retailer you can trust
Much of the success of stores like Whole Foods is that their consumers trust that they did their homework and will only sell products from companies with sound business practices.

Buy Organic
Wearing clothing produced with chemicals and eating food produced with pesticides has a similar negative impact on our health and environment. 1/4th of all pesticides applied in the US are on cotton. (source: Sustainable Cotton Project) Conventional cotton (with chemicals) represents 99.9% of the world's cotton supply, but with your help, this can change. (source: National Wildlife Federation)

Buy Sustainable
Buying goods manufactured from sustainable materials positively impacts the environment for many reasons. Bamboo, for example, matures in just 3-7 years, compared to oak which takes about 120 years. It also does not need replanting and requires very little fertilization and pesticides.

Buy Fair Trade
Support companies that provide fair wages to their employees. Poverty, in any and all locations of the world, takes an environmental toll – not to mention the negative impact on humanity.

Reduce
Reduce the consumption of resources in all aspects of your life. In terms of clothing, consider focusing in on the items you truly love and will wear repeatedly for years to come. This concept applies to other material purchases as well: knick-knacks, picture frames, toys, etc are all items which we all could purchase more selectively.

Recycle
Not only can you recycle your own personal goods, but now you can purchase products made of recycled materials. Buying items made of recycled goods reduces the manufacture of new, virgin materials.

Reuse
Think twice before throwing out items you no longer have a use for. Take the extra step to bring unwanted items to your local thrift store, a friend, family member or neighbor. Also, consider buying reused goods instead of items that have been manufactured from conventionally produced virgin materials.

For more tips and info on green living, visit http://www.bohmo.com/begreen

weekend of firsts

2007-06-03T18:28:00.000-07:00

Wow. What a great week(end) it has been. Here are a few breakthroughs that have taken place:

- We launched our site on Thursday, one day ahead of schedule! Things have been going very well, and we plan to be getting many new products in the coming weeks. Jen and I are just loving our store, and hope you all do to. The only problem we have been having - as many of you notified us - is occasionally our site isn't showing the products. That's KIND OF a problem. We have the Y! team of professionals examining the error, and hope to have things resolved asap.

-Berkeley (our 5 month old daughter) sat up almost totally unassisted for the 1st time! As a friend put it, she was "spine surfing"; wobbling all over the place but keeping her balance. It's so cool watching her develop.

-We got hit by our 1st tropical storm! Woo-hoo! Almost a direct hit by Barry. Lucky for us, it was just a bunch of relatively light rain and gentle breezes. It did make for quite a nice yoga session on our back porch, with the clouds flying by at a rapid pace, and the lush tropical trees blowing all over the place.

-We went to our first vegetarian dessert party! Go vegsarasota! Thanks Michele for having all of us over, we had a blast. It was great seeing Chris, Kris, Dill, Ray, Aurelia, Barry, Sam, Patrick, Patrice, Cheryl, and uh, well, all of you! Jen made our killer Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. (No offense to anyone else there, but I live for these cookies...)

-Berkeley went into the Gulf of Mexico for the first time! She was a little intimidated because there was a ridiculous amount of waves today. (we just about never have waves like this - it looked like the Atlantic Ocean) Plus, the water was around 80, which is a little cooler than Berk is used to. But Momma and Dad couldn't resist getting some saltwater in their hair for the first time this year.

Well, that's it. Definitely a great weekend, and we look forward to making Bohmo grow.

Till next time,
Bryan

bohmo.com launches on may 31, 2007!

2007-05-31T20:39:00.000-07:00

about the store

Bohmo.com is a green, sustainable and organic online clothing boutique featuring organic baby clothes, trendy designer organic clothing and sustainable / reused / recycled furniture and accessories for the home.

what we do to be green

organic or sustainable new products - all of our products made of new or virgin materials are produced without the use of insecticides or pesticides.

supporting a cause - we participate in the "1% for the Planet" alliance by donating 1% of our sales to environmental organizations worldwide.

animal-free - livestock cultivation contributes to both global warming and water pollution. We do not carry products made from animals or animal by-products. (source: Tufts Climate Initiative)

fair trade - we only sell products from companies that utilize humane practices such as sweatshop-free and fair trade labor.

reduce - we help reduce air pollution by participating in FPL's Sunshine Energy Program. By contributing to the use of solar power facilities, each year we reduce the carbon equivelent of a car driving 11,000 miles (over 9,000 pounds of C02 emissions).

reuse - we offer reused products in our home section including reused desks, lockers, credenzas and the like from Twenty Gauge. Also, we offer reupholstered vintage chairs from Lotus Design. All of these products are refinished to look just like brand new.

recycle - we currently ship products using recycled packaging. We are also researching goods that are made partially or entirely from recycled products.

about the owners

After the birth of their daughter, Bohmo founders, Jen and Bryan Maecker wanted to provide a non toxic, natural environment in their home. "We understand that everything from the food we eat, the products we bathe with, to the clothing we wear has a profound effect on our family and the environment. We want to help promote companies that, while having great design and style, consider their social and environmental impact."

Before founding Bohmo, Bryan spent 10 years as a web designer for multiple companies including Sutter Home Winery and The Body Shop. His design aesthetic interweaves raw, weathered elements with clean, simple lines to create a bohemian modern feel.

Co-founder and life partner, Jen, a modern dancer and choreographer, now a new momma, has a passion for all things natural and chemical-free. She fuses her knowledge of sustainable living with her art background to provide bohmo with eco-friendly and stylish products.

As outdoor enthusiasts, both Bryan and Jen have a profound respect for nature and want to their daughter, Berkeley, to have a toxic free environment to grow up in. They hope to inspire others to make informed decisions on the products they buy.