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A stack of blue jeans.

Fitting Room Review: Target’s Universal Thread High-Rise Skinny Jeans

Published by welcomeobjects

Last weekend when I was at Target, I only had time to try on one pair of jeans from their new denim line, Universal Thread. But that didn’t satiate my curiosity. So I went back and tried on their $24.99 high-rise skinny jeans, which comes in three washes: dark wash, medium wash, and black.

I didn’t get around to any of the colored jeans or the ones with distressing or other details. To be honest, I’m not sure if they were even stocked at the Target I visited. I find the organization on the floor confusing sometimes. Some jeans were folded and stacked on shelves. Others hung from the racks. It’s easy to miss something, so I suggest taking a look online first so that you have an idea of what the options are and what you might want to keep an eye out for in store.

In my last post, I tried on the dark wash. Let’s review shall we?

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Here’s the stock photo for the dark wash. Colors on the website seem pretty accurate — and fitting room lighting sucks — so I thought it best to include the stock photo so you can see what the color is supposed to look like. The dark wash is very dark, almost black.

I tried on my usual denim size and one size up. Visually, they were pretty much the same, but comfort wise, the bigger size won. The fit was great all around — no gaping and no sagging in the front or the back. I’m wearing the short here and the length was perfect for petite me. I’m 5′ 4″ for reference. These jeans also come in regular and long lengths. The fiber content is 90% cotton, 7% polyester, and 3% Lycra and the jeans were made in Pakistan. The dark wash was a little rough feeling, but not distractingly so.

Next, I tried on the medium wash. (Someone get this model a new pair of shoes! She’s hanging off the back of these.)

These had the same fiber content as the dark wash and were also made in Pakistan. I found the fit similar to the dark wash, so again, I decided to go up a size for comfort. I’m wearing one size up from my usual size in the regular length here, which of course, is too long for a shorty like me. It’s wrinkled in the knees, but maybe that’s because they’re too long. Interestingly, the fabric on this pair felt a little softer in comparison to the dark wash. The whiskering detail on the front is a nice touch.

Next up: the same cut of jeans in black.

Me, a petite Asian woman, trying on jeans and taking selfies. Wearing the black high-rise jeans. Image is split in half, and on one half is the front view and on the other half is the side view

These were made in Cambodia and have a different fiber content: 60% cotton, 32% rayon, and 2% Lycra. The fabric is thinner and softer than the other two pairs and I found that I didn’t need to size up in these. They’re so thin and soft you’d be forgiven for mistaking them for jeggings.

Speaking of jeggings, Universal Thread high-rise jeggings exist, so I tried them on too. They’re listed as “short” on the website, which I guess is why they look cropped on the model.

They’re really soft. Super soft. I’ve tried on legging pants from Uniqlo before (which totally do not work for me). Those are more leggings-like whereas these Universal Thread ones retain a denim-ness about them, at least visually. Made in Vietnam, the fiber content for these is 48% cotton, 43% lyocell (a kind of rayon made out of dissolving wood pulp), 1% polyester, and 2% spandex. I tried my usual size and while it was snug to get into, it didn’t feel uncomfortable due to the softness of the fabric.

I also tried a size up and I’m torn! If I were to buy these, I’m not sure which size I’d get. They look the same in the photos, in which case I’d usually go with the larger size for comfort. Yet, I worry they’d stretch out over time and get baggy since the fabric is already so soft to begin with. So go with your regular size? The regular jeans had a tag touting the inclusion of Lycra Xtra Life, which implied they would retain their shape. The jeggings did not. Who really knows, though?

Something different about the jeggings is that they were manufactured via Kitotex (which I went a bit into in my last post) and have a Chitosan finish. That process consumes less energy, water, and chemicals than conventional means. It also involves shrimp. Yes, shrimp. The high-rise jeans I tried on didn’t include any information about how they’re made, so I take this to mean they are made in the conventional, water-hogging way that most jeans are made.

I don’t need any more jeans (especially since I caved several posts ago and bought a pair of Everlane high-rise skinny jeans that were made in a LEED-certified factory). For me, personally, the most environmentally friendly thing I can do about my clothing is to resist the new thing and wear the jeans I already own. I’m trying to consume less in the first place and get more wear out of what I already have.

If you’re in the market for denim, I hope my info about fit has been helpful. If you own some Universal Thread denim, I’d love to hear how they worked for you and whether or not they stretched out.

I didn’t leave completely empty handed, though. I ended up loving the button down shirt (manufactured in Indonesia) that I tried on with the jeans. It’s made out of a gauzy-feeling cotton with just a touch of spandex for warmer weather, something that I lacked in my wardrobe. I’ve worn this outfit three days in a row during a streak of unseasonably warm weather here in the Bay Area and I love it so much that I don’t care!

7 women of all different shapes and sizes, including one in a wheel chair, wearing Universal Thread, Target's new denim line.

A First Look at Universal Thread at Target

Published by welcomeobjects

Target has rolled out another new brand called Universal Thread. It’s an ambitious attempt to tackle denim. The retailer says that it researched 1,000 women “to better understand their needs when it comes to shopping denim.” What they found is that women hate shopping for jeans. So they created a line with a wide range of sizes and cuts. There’s also sensory-friendly and adaptive clothing, according to Disability Scoop.

The line launched February 4 online and in stores. I saw it in person today.

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My first impression is that it has a Madewell vibe going on. I mean, look at these logos.

The lines carries lots of basics like T-shirts.

There’s button down shirts galore.

The blouses have a boho look to them.

Mannequin wearing a red top with flouncy sleeves and riped denim at at Target display

And it’s not just clothes. There are shoes, bags, and jewelry to complete your casual look.

A hand holding a pair of cutout booties that are a white-gray color.

Wenda Cut Out Booties – $32.99 (Looks just like these shoes from Free People)

This tote bag is faux leather, but couldn’t you see a real leather version of it at Madewell? It reminds me of Madewell’s Transport Tote, down to the way the straps end in an arrow shape.

Hayden Core Tote Bag – $29.99 (Comes in 6 colors)

The language about Universal Thread on Target’s website also reminds me of another brand. “Do-good denim,” it says. Everlane, anyone? And just what’s so do-gooder about it? Target says the pockets of the jeans are made from recycled plastic bottles; that their high-rise jeggings are made using Kitotex, which reduces water usage and chemicals; and that some of the jeans are made from recycled cotton.

When I clicked on the link for recycled cotton, just four pairs of jeans appeared.

As to Kitotex, yes that appears to be a real thing. As I learned while writing my review of Everlane’s jeans, it can take 1,500 liters (that’s 396 gallons) of water just to make one pair of conventional jeans. Everlane manufactures its jeans in a closed-water system that uses just .4 liters of water per pair of jeans. With Kitotex, “this innovative process allows a water and energy savings equal to 40% with a consequent 40% reduction of CO2 emissions,” according to Canepa, the Italian textile company that developed the process. Is it as good as Everlane’s process? I don’t know, but compared to conventional methods, it does sound like there’s a significant difference. Vegans may want to avoid Kitotex, though, as it involves “recycling the exoskeleton of crustaceans, a waste by-product of the food industry.”

I’m glad that Target is sourcing fabric that is made through a process that reduces water usage, energy consumption, and chemicals, but they used this fabric only for seven styles of high-rise jeggings, not the bulk of their denim. Textiles production — and denim production in particular — is a toxic process. So good on Target for moving in the right direction. However, it’s a stretch to call this brand “do-good denim” when only 11 styles of jeans out of 102 are made with more environmentally-conscious practices.

Alright, you are probably wondering how they fit. If you’ve been reading my blog, then you know I’m all about the high-rise skinny, so that’s what I tried. But there are many different silhouettes and rises: mid-rise, boot cut, flare, wide leg. There’s also a bunch of colored denim, which I didn’t see in the store, but am very curious about. The Target I visited had three washes in the high-rise skinny. The jeans retail for $24.99 and come in three lengths: short, regular, and long.

I decided to try a dark wash. They were so dark that they almost look black.

Here I am wearing my regular size. I’m wearing the short, which was great length for 5′ 4″ me. I found it a bit tight (though I had also just eaten a big dinner). The fabric is a little rough feeling; it’s 90% cotton, 7% polyester, and 3% Lycra. The tag made a big deal of saying that the Lycra Xtra Life would help the jeans with “great stretch and recovery.” But there’s no way to really know until you’ve worn them a while.

I then tried a size up. That created a few more wrinkles in the knee area. It was still tight, but gave me more breathing room. Looking at these photos now, I don’t know that I can tell the difference between the two sizes, so I would go with a size up, at least in the dark wash. The pockets were not ridiculously shallow like Madewell’s jeans. And the fit was not bad at all! It didn’t sag in the behind, nor did it gap in the waistband or create little rolls of excess fabric across the front. So, I feel the fabric was of OK quality, not great. But the fit seemed pretty damn good. I wonder how these jeans wear over time and whether they loosen up significantly or not.

Style-wise, I think Target’s on point (even if they’re taking heavy inspiration from Madewell). I’m looking forward to seeing more of this line. And I appreciate that Target offers so many styles for all sorts of body shapes — and that they continue to create adaptive clothing for those with disabilities and include them in the visual marketing as well.

However, I wish they would use environmentally-friendly practices more frequently throughout this line (and with all their clothing brands). The bulk of denim in this line runs $25 to $30. The jeggings made with Kitotex are priced at $35. I know that $5 to $10 isn’t in everyone’s budget, but why not use Kitotex more often? I don’t mind paying an extra $10 for a more environmentally-friendly product, and I’d like to know about the labor practices too. (The jeans I tried on were made in Pakistan.) I don’t think I’m the only one. As a huge retailer, Target can make a big difference if it chooses.

UPDATE 2/12/18 – Well, I can’t stay away from Target. Went back to try on more high-rise skinny jeans and jeggings. Read my next review.

A hand washing a pot with a red silicone sponge

Is a Silicone Sponge Better than a Disposable One?

Published by welcomeobjects

About a month ago, I picked up a silicone sponge from Sur La Table. I was intrigued by its claim of drying quickly, not harboring germs, and lasting much longer than your typical sponge. A typical foam sponge lasts how long? I can’t say I’ve been keeping track, but I throw them out when they start to look gross. I hand wash all my dishes so I go through at least one a month, probably more.

Sure, you can sanitize them so that they last longer. The best way to do so, according to this story in SELF, is with bleach and water. (I admit to being too lazy for that.) Then there’s the ever popular microwaving method, which I was a fan of until this New York Times story said it could be making things worse. The strong bacteria survive microwaving and multiply. Ewww.

So I decided to give the silicone sponge a try. I’ve been using it for about a month.

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A hand in a dish-washing glove holding a yellow and green silicone sponge. In the distance is a dish.

Dual-Action Silicone Sponge. Yes, I know these gloves are too big for me.

The sponge has two different surfaces. One side has stubby triangular bumps with the tips of the triangles sticking up. The other side has softer, flexible bristles. It’s safe for non-stick cookware and for the dishwasher, too.

A hand in a dish glove holding a silicone sponge.

Dual-Action Silicone Sponge. Soft bristle side.

For doing dishes, it’s OK, but I can’t say I’m impressed. I’m not sure that the bumps and bristles on the silicone sponge are as effective at cleaning dishes as a regular foam sponge with a scrubby side. There’s also the problem of it not holding on to soap that well. I felt like I was using more soap than I normally would. Keeping a bowl of soapy water to dip the silicone sponge into helped. But it’s hard to get the silicone sponge to generate suds. That stock photo (from Sur La Table) at the top of this post is misleading! What can I say? I like a good sudsy action.

A silicone spoge on a dish in the sink.

Next, I tried it on some surfaces. Something had spilled and dried into a crusty layer onto the bottom of my fridge. I used the bumpy side of the silicone sponge with just a bit of soap and water and it was a champ at scrubbing it all off. It also performed well on my bathroom sink.

One advantage of this sponge is that it dries quickly. Even with a sponge drying rack, typical sponges take a while to dry. They’re moist homes to germ parties. The silicone sponge clearly has an advantage in this area. It’s supposed to be mildew and mold resistant, and in in my month of use, it seems like this is true. It also doesn’t smell. So far so good.

At $8 a piece, a silicone sponge costs more per unit than your typical disposable Scotch Brite sponge. Those tend to go for about a buck and some change. The silicone sponge is designed to be more durable. Given that I go through an estimated 12 to 18 dish sponges a year — and assuming that the silicone sponge lasts a year — the silicone sponge is cheaper. However, it does use more soap, so maybe not.

Perhaps it’s just a matter of me getting used to it. I’m going to keep trying it with the dishes, though I have a feeling that it’s not going to replace my usual kitchen sponges. I prefer the performance of a scrubby foam sponge. But I like the fact that the silicone sponge is not home to a germ city. I’m also trying to produce less waste.

I do think it makes sense for the bathroom. A germ-resisting sponge in the bathroom sounds like a good idea since it’s a room that gets damp and is mildew-prone.

If you want to try one for yourself, you can find the dual action silicone sponge at Sur La Table, which also sells it on Amazon. There’s also a version with the soft bristles on both sides, made by Kuhn Rikon, a Swiss brand. I like having the option of the different textured sides, though. Both sponges are made in China.

UPDATE 5/11/20 – I’ve been using this sponge for more than two years now to clean my bathroom sink and it’s still going strong and looks practically new.

UPDATE 9/25/24 – For dishes, I returned to a squishy sponge that suds. Lately I’ve been using this cellulose sponge from Blueland, which is plastic-free (my review here). So, while it’s disposable, at least it’s not plastic.

A model wears the Everlane GoWeave Easy Pant in olive green with white sneakers and a black sweater.

Fitting Room Review: The Everlane GoWeave Easy Pant

Published by welcomeobjects

OK, I’m over winter and thinking about warmer weather. (I know I shouldn’t complain since I live on the West Coast, but these gloomy, cloudy days are getting to me.) Anyhow, this is all to say that today I’m reviewing something that is better suited for spring: the Everlane Italian GoWeave Easy Pant.

What is GoWeave, you ask? It’s a magical fabric that Everlane says doesn’t wrinkle, keeps its shape, and regulates your temperature. Everlane has two types of GoWeave: Italian and Japanese. The Italian GoWeave is made out of wool yarn that’s spun in Italy, of course. The Japanese GoWeave fabric (used for this dress) is made from triacetate, a synthetic fabric which contains cotton or tree pulp cellulose. It has a silky drape and is cooling.

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As its name suggests, the Italian GoWeave Easy Pant are the wool variety. It comes three colors: black, navy, and an olive green color called “surplus.” Made in an ethical factory in Suzhou, China, it retails for $88. I like the idea of it: casual two-pocket pants with an elastic waist, but made with such nice fabric that you can get away with wearing it to the office. Casual and comfortable, yet polished, you say? Sign me up, please.

Here’s how it looks on the model.

And here’s how it looks on me.

OK, I know I don’t look like a model, but out of all the Everlane items I’ve tried on, these pants are the farthest away from how they appear on the model. Look how big they are on me — and this is after I went one size down from my usual size. They’re oddly proportioned; the crotch hangs way low. The thigh area is quite generous (and I am not in possession of skinny thighs). Perhaps this has to do with my height. I’m 5′ 4″ and the model is 5’10” — we are both wearing the size 2.

Alright, now from the back. Model:

And me.


Dear reader, as you might have deduced, I did not buy them.

I have to say: the fabric’s quite nice. It’s lightweight and has a bit of a sheen. Even though the pants are wool, I didn’t find them itchy. Maybe if you’re tall they might work for you. They do run big though, so I suggest going down a size. Maybe even two?

If you find my reviews useful and are new to Everlane, please consider using my referral link to make your first purchase. (Create your account before browsing.) That helps make my reviews possible. Thanks! You can find all my Everlane reviews here.

Two BAGGU nylon pouches in large and small size, along with a succulent in a pot, as viewed from above in "flat lay" style.

How to Organize Your Purse with Pouches

Published by welcomeobjects

Back when I reviewed the Everlane Twill Zip and Pocket Totes, I wrote about how I used a lightweight purse organizer to keep the contents of my bag in order.

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A mesh purse organizer with items in it, and other items such as a water bottle and sunglasses case, flatlay style.

After a while, I abandoned the purse organizer for what I call The Pouch System. The problem with the purse organizer, at least for me, is that I carry too much stuff. Despite my best efforts to lighten my load, I often carry a water bottle, scarf, magazine, and more. That’s in addition to the purse organizer. All these things piled on top of the organizer. So, if I wanted to grab something out of it — say, a packet of tissues — it was actually hard to get to. I had to remove all the things blocking access to the organizer, or pull the whole organizer out of my bag.

The Pouch System is exactly what it sounds like. I keep things in pouches. When I want something, I root around in my bag and retrieve the pouch that stores that particular item. I keep three, sometimes four, pouches in my bag. Each one is visually different so that I can remember what is in each pouch. I’ve always enjoyed looking in other people’s bags to see what they carry, so I’ll share what’s in mine.

At first, I bought all my pouches from Daiso, the Japanese dollar store, because like most everything in the store, they were only $1.50. Why not! I found the pouch below to be especially handy since it has three zippered pockets. Yay for compartments! In one pouch, I keep things like facial tissues, gum, hand lotion, and medicine. (Yes, that’s a mask in the bottom left corner. It’s handy for allergies and bad smells.)

A pouch with three zippered comparments, and the contents of what's kept in the pouch laid out around it. This includes tissues, hand lotion, gum, band-aids, nail clipper.

In a second pouch, I keep my headphones, ear plugs, purse hook, small tape measure, phone charger (I recommend Anker brand which hasn’t died on me when others have), and a pair of travel chopsticks. (I’m a fan of carrying your own utensils to avoid using single-use disposables. I also carry a spork for this reason.)

A pouch with three zippered comparments and the items stored inside the pouch laid out around it, including a purse hook, phone charger, earplugs, headphones.

In a third pouch, I keep my wallet, a small notebook, a click pen inside a plastic sleeve (in case I forget to click it closed), and a plastic envelope for coupons and receipts.

A pouch with a palm print, a blue plastis envelope, pen inside a plastic sleeve, red notebook, and black wallet, all organized neatly on a white surface.

For this third pouch, I started out with another Daiso pouch but upgraded to a Baggu flat zip pouch. In this particular case, you get what you pay for. The Daiso pouches shed bits of string because the edges inside are unfinished. Sometimes the strings stick in the zippers. Baggu’s pouches are many times the price, but well made from heavyweight nylon. All the edges are finished so they don’t have this annoying shedding problem. Baggu is also an ethical company. (The company says that its nylon and canvas bags are ethically made in China.)

3 zippered pouches stacked on top of each other, largest on the bottom and smallest on top. The large one has a green frond print, the middle one is pink and has 3 zippers, and the small one has white dots on black.

Here’s the Baggu medium flat zip ($12, 10.25″ x 8″), compared with the Daiso triple zip ($1.50, 8″ x 6″), and the Baggu small flat zip ($8, 5″ x 3.5″).

A small pouch with a transit card sticking out of it.

The little one is good for holding cards and other small items.

A woman holds a large nylon pouch in front of her. It is large enough to serve as a clutch purse. The pouch has a frond print.

The Baggu medium zip is actually large enough to use as a clutch in a pinch. There’s even a larger size (15″ x 12.15″ – $15).

I highly recommend Baggu’s pouches for your organizing needs. If you need more room, they also make a pouch with more depth that they call the Carry All (medium size and large size). I wish they made a small-medium size that was similar to the Daiso pouch size (8″ x 6″). Actually, I wish they made a small-medium size that had triple zippers just like the Daiso one, but of course, with better materials and cute prints, as is the Baggu way. I’m still using the Daiso ones even though they have the string-shedding problem because I find the multi-compartment pouch super handy. But, if you’re reading this, Baggu, please make some triple zip pouches!

A green and a black zip pouch on a white background with the text "how to organize your purse with pouches, WelcomeObjects.com"

Top Welcome Objects posts of 2017, featuring a totebag, some outfits, some shoes.

Top Posts of 2017

Published by welcomeobjects

Happy new year, readers! As I look back on 2017 — my first year of blogging — I wanted to share the most popular Welcome Objects posts for the year. These are the five posts that received the most views. Interestingly, these were all fashion posts.

5. Drape Collection at Uniqlo

Uniqlo 2017 drape collection jogger pants outfit as modeled by me, with black heels.

4. A New Day at Target – Fitting Room Review

side by side photos of me, a petite woman, wearing a short sleeve floral shift dress, and a maroon anorak

3. Everlane High-Rise Skinny Jeans Review

Everlane high-rise skinny jeans from the front.

2. Allbirds Wool Loungers Review

Allbirds wool loungers in black, sitting on top of a shoebox.
1. Everlane Twill Zip Tote & Pocket Tote Review

Everlane twill zip tote and pocket tote bags held up side by side for comparison. The pocket tote has a vertical shape with the twill tote has a horizontal shape.

Thank you for reading Welcome Objects. Here’s to shopping more mindfully and sustainably in 2018!

Everlane day heel, as seen from above. It has a rounded toe and elastic back.

Is the Everlane Day Heel As Comfy As Everyone Says?

Published by welcomeobjects

When Everlane released its Day Heel back in April, it was so popular that it sold out in a day, generating a long wait list. People rave about it. As I am always searching for a comfortable, chic shoe, I tried them on recently.

The shoe comes in regular leather, suede, and velvet. They’re all quite soft, much softer than the leather on any other Everlane shoes I’ve ever seen. Inspired by the ballet flat, it has a rounded toe, an elasticized back, and a walkable two-inch block heel. It retails for $145 for the regular leather and suede and $155 for the velvet. (Pssst! Right now for five days the navy velvet and the silver velvet are on sale for as low as $109 as part of their Choose What You Pay clearance.)

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It’s made ethically in Montopoli in Val D’Arno, Italy and crafted out of leather both inside and out. Among the dozen colors that it comes in, this orange is my favorite (Everlane calls it red). What a great pop of color for an outfit!

I haven’t had success with Everlane shoes. Most styles run too narrow for my slightly wide feet, and even when they’re wide enough (as was the case with the Editor Heel), they’re uncomfortable.

Much to my surprise, the Day Heels were true to size for me. I tried my usual size and a half size up. With the half size up, they felt a bit long, like my foot wasn’t matching the footbed in the right place. My regular size felt just right.

Even more surprising, they were comfortable! I’m a person who has difficulty with shoes, probably more so than the average person, and even for me, they felt walkable right out of the box. (Sometimes you put a shoe on and right away it’s ouch!) However, I only tried them on for a little bit. I’ve read that the elastic can dig into the back of your heels, which seems like a deal breaker. Some people have also experienced blisters in the toes, so even though they are made out of a very soft leather, it appears there’s still a break-in time required.

In the end, I decided not to get them. Why? I’m not in love with the look. I’m trying to be pickier about clothing (and stuff in general) in an effort to consume less and use the things I do own more. When I asked myself if I loved these, my heart did not go aflutter. I guess I’m not much of a ballet shoe fan to begin with.

The top of the shoe covered more of my foot than I liked. Perhaps if I were cut lower I’d like the look more. I also don’t love the tab on the back. I can understand the Day Heel’s appeal, though — ballet flats, but with heels! They seem like they’d be a good staple piece for the office if they worked for you. (If you do end up with one of the suede pairs, I highly recommend treating it with a suede protector before wearing them out.)

If you find my various Everlane reviews helpful, please use my referral link to make your first purchase. (Create your account before shopping.) This helps me keep reviewing Everlane products. Thanks so much!

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I Made the Switch to Reusable Produce Bags

Published by welcomeobjects

One small eco-friendly thing that I try to do is cut down on the amount of plastic I use. Plastic takes forever (well, about 1,000 years) to decompose. No bottled water for me. And no plastic bags, especially the flimsy one-use kind. Sure, they’re recyclable, but only if they’re clean. (In most places, they get landfilled since there’s not much demand for them as materials.)

Many people don’t even bother to recycle or don’t have access to recycling. (A 2016 Pew Research Center survey found that only 28% of Americans live in a community where social norms strongly encourage recycling and re-use.) Plastic bags pose such a threat to the environment that some governments have banned them. I live in San Francisco, the first major American city to ban single use plastic bags. Rwanda’s ban is super strict. “Traffickers caught carrying illegal plastic are liable to be fined, jailed, or forced to make public confessions,” The New York Times reports.

I started carrying my own reusable shopping bag years ago. (I reviewed my favorite kind here.) But what about produce bags at the grocery store? My local Whole Foods provides a roll of compostable bags — but only one roll located in one corner of the produce area. The other bags are still regular not-going-to-biodegrade plastic. (Confusingly, they are green, the same color as the compostable bags.) Other grocery stores don’t carry any compostable bags at all, so if you’re trying to avoid plastic, you have to rely on yourself.

The good news is that many companies make reusable produce bags in a variety of materials, from cotton to nylon. Seven years ago, a friend gifted a set of mesh produce bags to me and I still use them, so I thought I’d share about them.

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These polyester mesh bags are made by flip & tumble, a certified Green America Business based in the San Francisco Bay Area. While it’s true that polyester isn’t great for the environment either — it’s made from petroleum and also doesn’t biodegrade in any timely fashion — I estimate that in seven years of using these bags, I’ve avoided about 1,000 plastic bags.

A hand holding a white mesh produce bag filled with a pound of bok choy.

One of my flip & tumble produce bags with about a pound of bok choy.

These bags are strong and light (just .4 of an ounce). They close with a drawstring and they’re a good size — I’ve stuffed leafy greens into them. Because they’re mesh, I can see what’s in my bags and the produce gets circulation. (How many times have you pulled slimy produce from a plastic bag? Gross.) They’re also easy to wash. Just throw them in the laundry and let them air dry. I just add them to my regular laundry, so I’m not using an extra water. I wash the bags after every use (inside a Guppyfriend in case they shed microfibers) because sometimes the bags get an odor after storing veggies for a while. I’m not sure why that is.

Did I mention that they’re durable and that I’ve used them for seven years? The company says it makes its bags ethically in China. Lastly, the price is right. A set of five 12″ x 14″ bags sells for $12.

Four mesh produce bags filled with produce, as seen from above. The tops of the bags are open.

I keep these bags stashed away in my reusable grocery bag so that I’m always ready for a trip to the grocery store or farmers market.

If you’d rather not use synthetic mesh, there are other produce bags in natural fibers, such as cotton. I’m kind of curious about the Vejibag, which is made from an organic cotton terry knit. This writer says it keeps her veggies fresh longer. I don’t think they’d work well for me since I’m a visual person. I like to see what’s in the bags at a glance. (That brand is also pricey, though organic cotton terry knit does sound luxurious.)

Whatever you choose, the most important thing is to make the switch from plastic to reusable. It’s mind-boggling to me that so many people use a bag once and then throw it away. Worldwide, less than 5% of plastic is recycled. I try to do my part and I hope you’ll consider it too. May our small actions add up!


 

Leopard print faux fur jacket from Target. Photo shows closeup of top half.

Faux Fur Leopard Print Coats from Target

Published by welcomeobjects

Recently on a Target run, I was distracted by a faux fur leopard print coat. Of course I tried it on. However, it ran big and I couldn’t stop thinking about how it might look in the right size, so I ordered it and well, here we are.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to think of leopard print as more of a neutral, similar to the thoughts of the author in this Racked article, “Leopard is a Neutral, Fight Me.” Of course, it’s a rather loud neutral. And I love faux fur — so soft! But am I really going to wear a loud, furry coat on a regular basis? In trying to downsize my wardrobe, should a faux fur leopard print coat be one of the things I own? I decided to sit with a couple of them for several days to find out.

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This is the leopard print coat I originally reviewed from Target’s A New Day line.

A New Day Leopard Faux Fur Coat – $39.99, but now on clearance for $27.98!

I found it ran big, so I ordered a size down. I’m a dress size 4 and mostly a small in Target clothes. I’m wearing the XS here.

A New Day Leopard Faux Fur Coat // Everlane Drop-Shoulder Tee [review] // Uniqlo High Rise Jeans [ethical option] // Rag & Bone Slip-On Sneakers [similar]

The faux fur on this coat is decently soft. I like the two slash pockets and the fact the the snap buttons are black — all the better to blend in with the print. However, the fit was a tad tight in the armpits. It’s 16″ shoulder to shoulder and 19″ pit to pit. While fine over the T-shirt I’m wearing here, it wouldn’t be comfortable over a chunky sweater. The sleeves also ran a bit long on me (25″), but then again, I’m petite with short limbs. I think look-wise, it’s a bit much on me, especially from the side, which seemed widening.

Later, I was at Target picking up some paper towels (isn’t that how it always goes?) when I saw this shorter faux fur coat from the Who What Wear line. Ooops, I put it in my cart.

Who What Wear Faux Fur Coat – $54.99, Plus Size $59.99 (both 20% off now now!)

I really like the shorter length of this one (21″). I’m also a fan of the bigger print, and while you can’t see it here, it has a bright red lining, which is really satisfying and a beautiful contrast with the leopard print.

I’m wearing the small, which is the smallest size they seem to make it in. It’s still plenty roomy (without looking too big) and you could wear a chunky sweater under it. This coat also uses a snap enclosures, though I wish the snaps were black instead of silver. The sleeves fit me well, surprisingly. (They measured 23″.) Interestingly, the faux fur on this one is not as soft as the other coat. The whole coat has a slightly crunchier feel to it, if that makes sense. It’s a bit stiffer, construction wise. Not a deal breaker, but not preferable. Between the first coat above this one, I think this shorter length is the winner.

Who What Wear Faux Fur Coat // Everlane Drop-Shoulder Tee [review] // Uniqlo High Rise Jeans [ethical option] | Rag & Bone Slip-On Sneakers [similar] // Baggu Circle Purse [review]

This coat also comes in a light tan color, but for some reason it doesn’t look as good on.

Who What Wear Faux Fur Coat – $54.99, Plus Size $59.99 (both 20% off now now!)

Originally, I meant to compare these Target coats to pricier ones to see if I could discern a difference. This $249 from Kensie (now 30% off) is reversible to a rain coat, but how does the faux fur side compare to the longer Target coat? And how about this $395 one from Rebecca Taylor? It’s 10 times the price of the Target one (even more now that the Target one is on clearance). It is 10 times as good? What about this cropped $348 jacket by Joe’s? These coats are all carried by Nordstrom, so I went to take a look, but disappointingly, they didn’t have a single faux fur leopard print coat on the floor to try. Oh well.

By the time I went looking for the pricier ones though, I realized that I probably wouldn’t wear a faux fur leopard print coat that much if I was being honest with myself. Having these coats for a few days in my home and blogging about them helped me get leopard print out of my system.

Well, almost.

I decided to get one faux fur leopard print item after all.

By the way, as I mentioned in my last review about a wool coat, I’m trying to be better about making ethical shopping choices, so I’m including info about the where, what, and ethics of brands. Faux fur coats are made out of polyester, which is petroleum-based and not biodegradable. Its synthetic microfibers pollute our oceans. These coats and the slippers were made in China and while I don’t know much about the sourcing, I do know that Target was named an ethical company in 2010 by Ethisphere Institute, so that seems encouraging.

Me, a petite woman, wearing a coat with faux fur collar.

Feeling Fancy in Club Monaco’s Evangah Coat

Published by welcomeobjects

Today’s post is a review about a coat, but also about conflicted feelings. One place that I’ve enjoyed shopping is Club Monaco. I like their minimalist aesthetic (though they definitely get into frilly, feminine moods too.)

Club Monaco feels a bit less fast fashion and trendy than other brands — at least that’s my perception of them — and I like that. I don’t care much about trends. I’ve noticed that they keep certain styles around year after year, which I appreciate. Today, I’m reviewing a coat that’s in stores now (and on sale!), but which I bought a year ago.

Before I get started though, a word about striving towards becoming a more ethical-minded shopper. I’m trying to make better choices as a consumer, from beauty products that don’t test on animals, to cleaning supplies that are kinder to the environment, to clothes that don’t exploit labor. But it takes research and sometimes it feels overwhelming because you’re one person asking questions of big industries.

I figure asking questions is the first step, though. So beginning today, in my reviews I’ll include information about where something was made and what’s known about the ethics of the brand. I’ve also gone back to some old posts and added that information.

Club Monaco’s parent company, Ralph Lauren, doesn’t make its labor and environmental practices known, according to Project Just, which collects that sort of data. All I know about this coat is that the tag says it was made in Vietnam. Running some basic info through this quiz, “How Fair is Your Fashion,” the coat didn’t score well. It received a D for conventional wool and “not good enough” for Ralph Lauren. Without knowing specifics about the factory, the quiz noted that Vietnamese garment workers tend to make minimum wage or less.
Screenshot of a "how ethical are your clothes" quiz showing that wool scores a D and wages are below minimum wage in Vietnam.So, it’s complicated, particularly when you’re on a budget. Ethically-made items tend to cost more, though there are brands like Everlane and Grana that offer more moderate price points. I love fashion, but I’m trying to own less and invest in higher-quality items that didn’t harm anyone in the process. Anyhow, I don’t have an answer. I just wanted to share since I’ve been thinking more about this lately.

On to the review…

Models wearing the Evangah Coat from Club Monaco. Model on left is an East Asian woman wearing the pink-ish version. Model on the right is white woman wearing a gray version. The coat is wool and has a faux fur collar.

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The Evangah Coat comes in the two colors shown above: light oatmeal and heathered gray. It retails for $429, but is on sale now for $299. (Pssst… Club Monaco runs promotions now and then where they throw another discount on top of their sales. So, you could snag it for even less, though you run the risk of your size selling out.)

Here I am wearing the light oatmeal, which looks pink on the model, but is definitely less pink in person. I’ve worn it for a season (though not with a lot of regularity). So far it’s worn well and there’s been no pilling. In my experience, Club Monaco is a cut above other stores in the mall (ahem, J. Crew) in terms of quality.

Club Monaco Evangah Coat // Uniqlo Jeans [similar or check out Everlane’s ethical jeans ] // Taupe Textured Heels from Taiwan [similar] // Marc Jacobs for Target & Neiman Marcus Metallic Leather Clutch [similar]

I love faux fur and the one on this collar is quite soft. You can also fold the collar up to surround your neck with warm and fluffy faux fur.

Me, a petite Asian woman, wearing the Evangah coat with the collar turned all the way up.

The material (80% wool and 20% nylon) is warm and of medium softness — not super soft, but not rough either. I wish it were 100% wool, as nylon is a synthetic fiber and doesn’t biodegrade, but at least it’s mostly wool. The lining is satiny soft. I love that it has both snaps and a zipper, so that you can use one or the other or both. They’re gold too, which adds a luxe feel.

Me, a petite Asian woman, wearing the evangah coat open.

I’m petite (5′ 4″) so the sleeves are a little long on me and I should take it the tailor and get that taken care of it. Overall, it hits me right around the knee, which is a good length. It fits true to size. I’m a dress size 4 and am wearing the small. It fits well and is not too tight. I can wear a sweater with this coat.

I absolutely love this coat. It’s simple but also fancy with the faux fur and gold details. It seems well made and I can see myself wearing it for a long time.