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A yellow velvet sofa with tufted seat cushions. There is a marble top coffee in front of it and framed artwork behind it.

9 Midcentury Modern Sofas for Small Spaces

Published by welcomeobjects

When I moved across the country last year, I didn’t take my old Ikea couch. Turns out, it wouldn’t have fit anyway. My living room in Brooklyn is much smaller than my San Francisco one. Here’s a list I put together of loveseats and two-seaters while searching for a petite sofa for my apartment.

I favor a midcentury modern aesthetic, so most of these sofas take inspiration from that era. As quality is important — I want things that last — I also looked to retailers with a reputation for decent construction. I’ve organized this list by size, starting with the smallest.

First photo: Article

Sofas 66 Inches and Under

A brown-grey couch on tapered legs in a room with a console table and window behind it.

Reese
Store: Room & Board
Price: $1,599 & up
Measurements: 65″W x 34″D x 32″H
Seat Depth: 22″
Fabric: 260 options including velvet and jacquard

At 65″ wide and 34″ deep, this structured sofa is the most compact one on this list. It comes in six other sizes with the next size up being 75″. Its 8″ tapered legs are a bit taller than most. Three neutral colors — tatum gray (shown above), charcoal, and ivory — can be delivered quickly. At the time of this writing, custom fabric choices take about three months. Feel-wise, it’s on the firm side.

 

An emerald green velvet sofa with a high back and brass legs.

Avec Apartment Sofa
Store: CB2
Price: $1,499 – $1,799
Measurements: 65″W x 34.5″D x 29.5″H
Seat Depth: 22″
Fabric: 44 options

Inspired by a Parisian flea market find (or so the marketing copy says), this small sofa makes a big statement. The tufted back and cutback arms say retro while the skinny metal legs say modern. Gorgeous emerald green velvet is the standard option. But custom fabrics are also available.

 

A red sofa in a white room.

Smedstorp
Store: Ikea
Price: $849 (fabric), $949 (velvet)
Measurements: 65″W x 37″D x 34 5/8″ H
Seat Depth: 25 1/4″
Fabric: red, light grey, dark grey velvet

This sofa must be new, because I don’t remember seeing it when shopping last year at Ikea. (And I went to Ikea a lot.) I would have noticed the elegant retro look. Even though it has a small footprint, it has the deepest seat depth of the sofas on this list, making it a good contender for those who like to curl up on their couches.

Also, a note on Ikea: While Ikea probably counts as fast furniture, quality across their products varies. I have found some things quite well made and others not so much. My last sofa, from Ikea, served me well for 18 years. When I moved, it still had life left and went to someone else.

A gray loveseat with tufted cushions from Ikea in a white room with large windows.

Morabo
Store: Ikea
Price: $799 (fabric), $899 (velvet), $1,199 (leather)
Measurements: 65 3/8″W x 36 1/4″D x 31 7/8″H
Seat Depth: 24″
Fabric: dark gray, light green, dark blue velvet
Leather: black, beige, golden brown, gray, white

Though the pricing has increased by $170 from last year, this sofa remains the most affordable option on the list. With tufted cushions (sans buttons), Morabo doesn’t look like the typical Ikea sofa but exudes some midcentury modern charm. The cylindrical legs come in metal or solid wood with oak veneer. Curiously, they also come with fabric sleeves that cover the top of the legs. I found it to be medium-firm.

 

Petrie, an olive velvet sofa with tufted cushions. It is in a room with a rug and bookshelves.

Petrie
Store: Crate & Barrel
Price: $1,699 & up (fabric), $3,699 (leather armless), $4,599 (leather)
Measurements: 65 1/2″W x 36″D x32″H
Seat Depth: 23″
Fabric: 187 options

With a 1960s aesthetic and a gently sloping back, this compact sofa features button-tufted cushions and slim track arms. It looks like a more sophisticated cousin to Ikea’s Morabo. Production time is five months at the time of this writing. Also available in the “apartment size” of 76″.

 

A white couch with one large cushion on tapered legs in a white room with a plant next to it.

Harris Loft Sofa
Store: West Elm
Price: $1,399 & up (some colors are on sale for less)
Measurements: 66″W x 38″D x 34″H
Seat Depth: 23″
Fabric: 165 options including velvet and textured fabrics

A minimalist sofa that comes with your choice of tapered wood or metal legs. It comes in four other sizes including 76″. The seat is just one large seat cushion, which can be reversed.

Sofas 70 to 76 Inches

A channel back couch with curved arms in a room with a white rug and white sidetable and lamp.

Olive
Store: West Elm
Price: $999 – $1,299
Measurements: 70.5″W x 31″D x 31.5″H
Seat Depth: 22″
Fabric: 119 options including velvet and textured fabrics

You can customize different aspects of this sofa from the back (standard or channel), to the arms (mailbox or swooped). The combo shown here is the channel back with swooped arms, which creates a romantic look. No matter which fabric you choose, the minimum time needed to produce this sofa is five weeks.

 

A green velvet couch with tapered wooden legs and bolsters from Article. It is below a blue painting.

Sven
Store: Article
Price: $1,099 (fabric), $1,299 (velvet), $1,699 (leather)
Measurements: 72″W x 38″D x 34″H
Seat Depth: 24″
Fabric: gray, dark blue, dark blue velvet, blue-green velvet, green velvet, yellow velvet
Leather: brown, tan, black, dark blue

Bolsters, tufted seat cushions, and ample arms give the Sven a formal feel. While I don’t love the crosshatch look of the fabric option that much, the velvet versions are dreamy. The shades of pacific blue and grass green (shown above), especially call to me. Article is a direct-to-consumer brand that’s online only.

 

A blue couch with tapered medium brown legs and tufted back cushions from Article. There are two skinny windows in the wall behind it.

Anton
Store: Article
Price: $999
Measurements: 74″W x 34″D x 33″H
Seat Depth: 23″
Colors: white, dark blue, light gray

With tapered wooden legs and button-tufted back cushions, this couch pays homage to midcentury modern style while its slim arms give it a more relaxed vibe. The tufted back cushions contain a fiber down blend, so you’ll need to fluff them once in a while.

If you have a couple more inches of space, a few of the sofas in the first section come in longer lengths: 75″ for the Reese and 76″ for the Harris and Petrie.

My Choice

Which one did I buy? For various reasons, I ended up with the Morabo from Ikea. I’ll write a more detailed review of this sofa in another post now that I’ve had it for about a year.

This post contains a few affiliate links but was not produced in partnership with any brand. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Welcome Objects.

A person posting in front of steps in a park, wearing a white sweater, gray pleated midi skirt, and black booties and black hat. The skirt is in motion.

Outfit: Cashmere & Pleated Midi Skirt

Published by welcomeobjects

Love this time of year when it’s a bit chillier, but I can still get away with wearing a skirt without tights. (To be honest, I find tights annoying.) I thought I’d share a recent outfit from a walk in Prospect Park.

I started building this outfit with the skirt. It’s light gray and by Club Monaco. I thrifted it earlier this year at a Goodwill for $8. (You can see the story behind the thrift score in this IG Reel.) I’ve worn the skirt through the summer. But how to style it for fall?

With a sweater, of course. I paired it with an Everlane ReCashmere sweater that I bought a few years back. While Everlane doesn’t make this exact crewneck sweater anymore, they do make this turtleneck version. It has a waffle texture that adds visual interest. I folded the sweater over underneath to give it a more cropped proportion in relation to the skirt. Otherwise the sweater would be too long and cut me in half, which is not flattering. I like to keep things in thirds, visually: one third for the sweater, and two-thirds for the skirt.

A person posting in front of steps in a park, wearing a white sweater, gray pleated midi skirt, and black booties and black hat. They are holding on to the hat.

Everlane Sweater [review, similar] // Pleated Skirt [secondhand, similar] // dr. Liza Boots [review] // Nisolo Tote // Daiso Hat [similar]

What goes with gray and white? Black! So I added accessories all in black to tie everything together. I appreciate these dr. Liza booties because they have an elegant heel, but at two inches, they’re quite walkable. The canvas tote is a recent buy from Nisolo and the hat was a $3.25 impulse purchase from Daiso.

Outfit Swaps

For days I’m doing serious walking, I can swap out the booties for some sneakers. This would make it look more casual.

For colder days, I’d add some Uniqlo Heat Tech shorts. (I have some biker-shorts-like Heat Tech that I don’t see on the site now, but I’m so glad I have them. They’re so handy in the fall.) And if I have to wear tights on even colder days, fine, I’ll wear tights.

And for even colder days, adding a long wool coat would pull it all together.

A person posting in front of steps in a park, wearing a white sweater, gray pleated midi skirt, and black booties and black hat. The skirt is in motion.

Everlane Sweater [review, similar] // Pleated Skirt [secondhand, similar] // dr. Liza Boots [review] // Nisolo Tote // Daiso Hat [similar]

This post contains affiliate links but was not produced in partnership with any brand. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Welcome Objects.

A collage of product photos featuring grey jeans, a brown oversized cardigan, a motorcycle jacket, black ankle boots, and a short black cardigan

My 2022 Fall Wardrobe Wish List

Published by welcomeobjects

With the change of seasons, I’m reminded that I moved from California to New York City a year ago during the fall. I can’t believe I’ve been in New York an entire year. It doesn’t feel like that long ago. I still feel new here and suspect I will feel that way for a while. There’s so many neighborhoods I haven’t visited and my knowledge of geography remains shaky. But that’s the exciting thing about it, too. There’s always more New York to experience.

Wardrobe wise, I’m still learning what I need and don’t here in New York. There are items that remain unworn after a year, like some of my lighter weight jackets. (The window for light jacket weather seems short here.) I certainly have quite a bit to think about during my next closet purge. UPDATE: Right after I wrote this, the weather warmed and we had a spate of light jacket weather days.

In the meantime, here are some items I’m adding to my Wardrobe Wants list for autumn. Here’s my list from last year. While I did end up getting some of the pieces on last year’s list, some items rolled over onto this year’s wish list.

** This post contains affiliate links but was not produced in partnership with any brand. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Welcome Objects. **

Fall Wardrobe Wants

1. Gray straight leg jeans. (Something like this, but without the button fly.) This want is inspired by a stranger who walked past me in SoHo. She was wearing gray jeans, a black blazer, and chunky ankle boots. She looked so chic that I instantly wanted to copy her. Hoping I can thrift something.

2. Black oversized-ish blazer. Something that’s just a bit oversized, not a lot. Now that I know what size I wear in J.Crew blazers, perhaps I can find what I’m looking for secondhand.

3. Short black cashmere cardigan. This was on my list last year. As I mentioned in a recent review of Everlane sweaters, I’ve been looking for the discontinued ReCashmere Varsity Cardigan secondhand with no luck. I might just get the new ReCashmere Cardigan.

4. Cocoon cardigan. Another item from last year’s list. Still admiring this cardigan from Jenni Kayne, but it’s $$$. This oversized boyfriend cardigan from Quince looks similar and is more in line with my budget. I imagine I’d wear it all day as I work from home. Should I go for black or brown?

5. Ankle boots with a short heel. I feel like this item is always on my list because I’m always buying ankle boots and striking out because of fit or comfort. Perhaps I’ll try these Nisolo ones, which have arch support and memory foam insoles.

6. Leather motorcycle jacket. The fabric and faux leather moto jacket I’ve been wearing for years is wearing out. Or rather, the arms, which are the faux leather part, are. (I’m planning to cut off the sleeves and turn it into a vest. Not that I know anything about sewing and upcycling.) Meanwhile, I’d like to upgrade to a real leather jacket. But I need petite sizing for my short arms. Madewell makes one in petite sizing, though they’ve been sold out for a while. Bring it back! In the brass hardware version, please!

What are some of your favorite things to wear for the fall?

A rack of clothing in an Everlane store, with orange crewneck sweaters in front

Fitting Room Review: Everlane ReCashmere & Alpaca Sweaters

Published by welcomeobjects

I love this time of year in New York when the air feels crisp, but it’s not too cold. It’s getting to be sweater weather! The other day I popped into Everlane to try on a few sweaters so here’s a quick fitting room review from a petite perspective.

** This post contains affiliate links but was not produced in partnership with any brand. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Welcome Objects. **

ReCashmere Cardigan

The main reason I stopped in was to try this cardigan. I’ve been looking for a short, black cardigan since last year in cashmere or wool that’s of medium weight, something that’s good for layering.

Here’s a 5’10” model wearing a size S in the tapenade color.

Here’s 5’4″ me wearing the XS.

I, a person with black hair, am taking a selfie in a mirror in an Everlane store, wearing a yellow boxy cardigan.

Style Details: The four-button front and V neckline remind me of the ReCashmere Varsity Cardigan (no longer available, reviewed here), which I bought in 2020 in dark blue. I wear that cardigan so much that I wish I had bought in black too. While the ReCashmere Cardigan has a similar look, it’s shorter in the body.

This cardigan comes in black, tapenade (an ochre), and bubblegum pink. I’d prefer the black cardigan with black buttons instead of contrasting brown.

Fit: Everlane generally runs big, so I mostly wear an XS in this brand. (I am often a S in other brands). Still, the cut in an XS was on the generous side here, especially width wise. So this runs big even for Everlane. For a less slouchy look, I could size down to XXS comfortably.

Petite Friendly?: Yes! I like the short length (20″ for the XS), which works well for petite me. It hits around the top of my jeans. (The Way-High Jean, which I reviewed here.) Sleeves run a bit long, but not annoyingly so.

A hand holding up a sweater that is on a hanger. It is an ochre-ish colored cardigan with V-neck.

ReCashmere Cardigan: A closer look at the fabric.

Materials: The first iteration of the ReCashmere line in 2019 was 60% recycled cashmere and 40% recycled wool. But Everlane has since upped the cashmere content. This cardigan is 94% recycled cashmere and 6% recycled wool. The trimming consists of a bit of nylon (5%) and elastane (1%). Everlane says using recycled materials produces fewer carbon emissions.

Where It’s Made: The yarn is sourced and spun in Prato, Italy. Then it goes to this 700-person factory in Dongguan, China.

I’ve been searching for the ReCashmere Varsity Cardigan secondhand for over a year without much success. Hmmm, should I buy the ReCashmere Cardigan instead?

UPDATE 11/13/23 – I ended up buying this cardigan and wrote a more thorough review.

ReCashmere Boxy Crew

Next, I tried the ReCashmere Boxy Crew. Here’s a 5′6″ model wearing a size XS.

Here I am, also wearing XS. For some reason, this one colorway (bone/camel) has a different color for the end of the sleeves. But the other five colorways are solid.

Person with black hair taking a selfie in a fitting room mirror, wearing a cream crew-neck sweater

Please don’t mind my black bra underneath this white sweater.

Style Details: The body is slightly cropped and true to its name, boxy. It has a ribbed neckline and cuffs. I appreciate that the crewneck is on the wide side. It reminds me of the Cashmere Boxy Crewneck Sweater from Italic (which I reviewed here), but even boxier.

Fit: True to Everlane sizing. Quite loose. An oversized fit and look all around. Also, look at those sleeves. They’re intentionally long (though you could fold them up). Measurement-wise, the sleeves on the crewneck are the same as the cardigan (30.75″ for XS according to the Everlane size chart). But for some reason, they seem longer on the crewneck.

Petite Friendly?: The cropped length in the body works well for a petite person. (20″ in length for the XS.) You’d have to be OK with the long sleeves, though.

Materials: 94% recycled cashmere and 6% recycled wool. Again, there’s a bit of nylon and elastane in the trimming. The itchiness factor is also pretty low. In the past I’ve found Everlane cashmere to bother me, not immediately, but over time. For whatever reason, the ReCashmere items, while feeling a bit prickly at times, don’t irritate me in the long run.

Where It’s Made: The same factory that produced the cardigan in Dongguan, China.

Oversized Alpaca Crew

I forgot that I tried this sweater back in 2019 and tried it on again. Here’s a 5′10″ model wearing a size XS in the “neutral camo” colorway. It also comes in eight solid colors.

A white model wears the Everlane oversized alpaca sweater in a camo print.

Oversized Alpaca Crew – $110 for this patterned colorway, $100 for solid colors

Here I am trying the XS.

Person with black hair taking a selfie in a fitting room mirror, wearing the everlane oversized alpaca sweater

Style Details: It has a slight ribbed pattern and a tighter crewneck. The sleeves, slightly balloon-shaped, taper towards fitted cuffs. While the sleeves are long on me, because the cuffs are fitted, you could push them up some.

Fit: Oversized for sure.

Petite Friendly?: Workable, though not the best proportions for a petite. I found it a bit long in the body for my liking. (It’s about 23″ in the XS.) You could tuck it in to shorten the length. There’s also a cropped cardigan version (yes, even in the above pattern), which I think is cuter.

Closeup of the oversized alpaca sweater, which is fuzzy.

Oversized Alpaca Crew: So fluffy, also very warm

Materials: The composition varies slightly depending on colorway. Some of the sweaters are 60% alpaca, 30% nylon, and 10% wool while others have slightly less alpaca and wool and more nylon (34%). Why so much nylon? I’m trying to avoid synthetic fibers as much as possible, so that’s a no from me.

This alpaca mix, lightweight and airy, has a fluffy, fuzzy texture. Some people reported in reviews that it sheds and pills. In 2019, I found this sweater super itchy on my skin. I wanted to take it off right away. While I don’t find it as irritating as before — perhaps my skin has grown more tolerable — I still found it prickly and would not recommend it for anyone with sensitive skin.

Where It’s Made: Hong Kong

UPDATE 12/19/22 – Just noticing that Everlane seems to have dropped the “ReCashmere” name. The ReCashmere Cardigan is now just the Cashmere Cardigan. Same with the ReCashmere Boxy Crew, which now goes by Cashmere Boxy Crew.

You can find a directory to all my Everlane reviews here. If you found my review helpful, please consider shopping through my link. Thank you!

Buying Fast Fashion — Even When You’re an Ethical Shopper

Published by welcomeobjects

I bought two things in September, both from fast fashion brands. While I try my best to shop from ethical brands, I don’t always succeed.

For me, the most important thing about striving towards more ethical consumption is changing my habits and slowing down my shopping. Buying lots of stuff, even sustainably-made or secondhand stuff, is still buying lots of stuff.

To shop more mindfully, I’ve put strategies into place to think through potential purchases — and they’re working! I buy way less than I used to. (Here are some numbers that I crunched last year). Of what I do buy these days, most of those items are ethical brands.

Reasons To Buy Fast Fashion

But sometimes fast fashion happens. And I think that’s OK. My recent purchase of a blazer from J. Crew illustrates why you might go for a fast fashion item, even when you’re a conscious consumer.

** This post contains affiliate links. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Welcome Objects. **

1. Your size is available.
Many ethical fashion brands are smaller operations that may not produce your size. I’m petite. Often I’m able to make that work when it comes to an ethical brand. I scour reviews and when people complain about something being too short, that’s a hint that it might work for me. With pants I look for ankle or cropped lengths (which become regular length on me.) Or I just take things to the tailor and pay the short person tax for hemming.

The right size means I’m more likely to feel good in it and wear it.

But altering a blazer is a lot of work — and a pricey proposition. I’d rather just find a well-cut blazer in the right size in the first place. The right size means I’m more likely to feel good in it and wear it. I’ve only come across a few ethical brands with petite sizing: Eileen Fisher, Universal Standard, and Reformation. Eileen Fisher’s blazer styles didn’t appeal to me, and while I did find this Universal Standard petite blazer, it was polyester — a material I’m trying to avoid. So, I went to J. Crew because I knew they’d have more options for me.

2. It fits your budget.
Let’s face it. Responsibly-made items cost more and are out of reach for many people. While I’m willing to pay more for a higher-quality, ethically-made piece, I also need to stick to a budget. With sales and a coupon, I was able to buy the J. Crew blazer at a significant discount that comfortably fit my budget.

3. The details are right.
Whether it’s the color, an aspect of the design, the sleeve length, or whatever detail you have in mind, I find that if I’m feeling picky about something, it’s best to stick to my vision or I’ll just end up feeling dissatisfied with my purchase. In this case, I was looking for a dark-ish camel color, and J. Crew had it.

Stock photo of J. Crew parke blazer in camel. It has one button and a shawl collar.

J. Crew Parke Blazer in wool flannel – $228 (original price) but currently 40% off

I also want to note that I tried finding a blazer that fit my requirements on the secondhand market. Shopping secondhand and keeping an item out of the landfill is more sustainable than buying brand new. When I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I decided to buy it new.

How To Shop Fast Fashion More Responsibly

Here’s a few tips for how to make the most out of shopping more mindfully, even when shopping fast fashion.

1. Check for quality.
Whatever I buy I intend for it to last. Does the brand have a reputation for quality? In my experience, J.Crew items (with the one exception of some acetate earrings) have been well made. If you’re shopping in person, turn the garment inside out to check the seams and workmanship. Does the stitching look straight and tight?

2. Materials matter.
I always check the tag to see what something is made out of. I prefer natural fibers, which are often more breathable. (In this case, the J. Crew blazer is wool, though there is a touch of spandex.) Natural fibers biodegrade better than polyester, acrylic, and other plastic-based fibers and won’t shed microfibers. About 60% of clothing these days are made out of plastic! Price, by the way, isn’t necessarily an indication of better materials. I was browsing in a small boutique recently, checked the materials tag on a cute $250 sweater, and found that it was acrylic.

3. Go for classic styles — whatever classic means to you.
Is this a style that you can wear for a long time? Does it play well with your wardrobe? When the camel blazer arrived, I started styling it and building outfits to see how versatile it would be. I saw that it went well with the colors I tend to wear. And I already have the perfect booties to go with it. Once I saw the many ways I could wear it, I decided to keep it.

A hand holding up a glass bottle of karma organic lavender nail polish remover

Beauty Product I Swear By: Karma Organic Non-Toxic Nail Polish Remover

Published by welcomeobjects

I thought I’d start a short recurring feature on here about beauty products that I swear by. Each post will sing the praises of just one product. With a lot of beauty and skincare items, I feel like they’re either not for me, or they might seem alright but who really knows if they’re doing anything. My posts will be about products that actually do the thing they claim to do. (At least for me.) Maybe I’ll quickly run out of things to write about because I don’t think my list is very long. We’ll see!

Anyhow, first up: Karma Organic nail polish remover. Karma Organic is a spa focused on natural nail care with two locations in New Jersey. They produce their own cruelty-free products including polishes, hand lotion, and scrubs. But the only item I’ve tried is the nail polisher remover.

Karma Organic makes several varieties of nail polish remover including orange blossom, tea tree oil, and a halal one made with rose oil. I have a bottle of the lavender.

There’s just four ingredients on the label:

  • Lavender Essential Oil
  • Propylene Carbonate – a synthetic solvent (passes the EWG’s safety rating.)
  • Soybean Oil Methyl Exter – a biodegradable solvent
  • Tocopheryl Acetate – a synthetic form of Vitamin E

The ingredients label is refreshingly short compared to conventional nail polish. (The Target brand nail polish I was using before contains 15 ingredients, including highly flammable acetone.) Is it organic, though? No. “Organic” is just part of the name, but the product itself does not contain organic ingredients. (Confusingly, the label says “Karma Naturals” even though the company name is Karma Organic. Their different products have different label names. The polishes, for example, are called “Karma Hues.”)

The difference between using Karma Organic and conventional nail polish remover is stark. First, there’s no intense chemical fumes. It actually smells nice.

The difference between using Karma Organic and conventional nail polish remover is stark. First, there’s no intense chemical fumes. It actually smells nice. Conventional nail polish remover also dried out my skin and nails. Not an issue at all with Karma Oganic.

As to performance, it works well. It doesn’t smear the polish around your nail. And it removes polish quickly. It doesn’t work quite as quickly as conventional acetone nail polish remover, but pretty quickly — even with metallic nail polish. Oh, and I appreciate that it comes in a glass bottle, too, not plastic.

A 4 fl. oz. bottle of Karma Organic nail polisher remover retails for $12. So yes, it costs more than regular remover. (A 6 fl. oz. of the aforementioned Target nail polish remover is $1.69.) But I think the higher cost is well worth it. It just feels so much better. Conventional nail polish remover always seemed like this toxic thing I had to use because there wasn’t a better option. But there is!

Karma Organic sells their nail polish remover through their website and on Amazon. I’ve also seen it on the shelves at Whole Foods (which, to be clear, is also Amazon now.)

One word of warning, though: wash your hands right after you use it to remove any residue. Do not remove the polish from your nails and then immediately grab your favorite glossy trashcan. Doing so will leave a dull mark on its surface! Ask me how I know. 🙁

A tote bag, tank top, and shorts (all black) along with a pair of minimalist sandals on a gray background.

August 2022 Shopping Diary

Published by welcomeobjects

While there’s still a few days left in August, I’m certain I’m done shopping for this month. I’m finally winding down my quest to obtain summer clothes. Here are the last few things I bought for this season.

** This post contains affiliate links. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Welcome Objects. **

Wardrobe Buys

Pact Coastal Daily Short and matching tank top – I reviewed both in this recent post. I’ve been wearing this set as I work from home. (Unless I have a video call. Then I change out of the tank top into a more work-appropriate top.)

Pact Field Reversible Tank Top (It’s sold out, but I’m leaving this link here in case it pops back into stock) – I raved about this top when I first bought one in yellow earlier this year. At the time, I wanted to buy it in another color, but the neutral cream color I was after was sold out. Luckily for me, one popped up in my size when I was shopping for the shorts and tank top above.

Nisolo Go-To Flatform Sandal – This is my first purchase from this ethical brand. I’d been looking for a minimalist sandal that had some lift from the ground. The 1″ height is perfect. I went for the colorblocked colorway. Happily, it’s comfortable and goes with everything.

Nisolo Canvas Tote – At first I wasn’t sure I was going to keep this as I already own a good number of totes. (And I mean in terms of nicer ones I paid money for. I’m not even counting freebies.) But none of the canvas totes I owned were black. A strange wardrobe gap for someone who wears a lot of black! Well, this bag fixed that.

Wardrobe Subtractions

Kicked a skirt and shirt out of the wardrobe for fit. They’re both too small now. Plus the shirt was slim to begin with. I just don’t like to wear things so tight anymore. I’ve now removed as many items as I have brought in to my closet this year.

Welcome Objects 2022 Wardrobe Count To Date
Additions: 20  (I have now officially surpassed the number of items I bought in 2021)
Number of Additions That Are Secondhand: 4
Subtractions: 21

What I Read in Fashion, Sustainability, & Cleaning

A New York Times profile on Eileen Fisher – I respect this OG of sustainable fashion.

“In an industry in which, by some measures, a truckload of clothes is burned or buried in a landfill every second, she was an early pioneer of environmentalism as a core brand value. She’s a founder of a company who, in 2006, decided that rather than taking her business public, or getting acquired, she would transfer ownership to her employees instead.”

Are clothes made from recycled materials really more sustainable? – A friend was proudly telling me how she bought some shoes made out of recycled plastic bottles. I had to break it to her that recycled plastic clothing is not that green. It’s more like greenwashing. I only became educated on this myself in the past year or so. The Guardian story I linked to goes into detail, but basically PET bottles are part of a closed-loop recycling system where they can be recycled at least 10 times.

“The apparel industry is “taking from this closed-loop, and moving it into this linear system” because most of those clothes won’t be recycled, said Bédat. Converting plastic from bottles into clothes may actually accelerate its path to the landfill, especially for low-quality, fast-fashion garments which are often discarded after only a few uses.”

A writer recalls in The Cut how she ditched 40% of her wardrobe. – In rebuilding it, she’s looking to Amy Smilovic, the founder and creative director of Tibi for guidance. I started following Smilovic on Instagram recently-ish too, after Xin wrote about Smilovic’s approach to personal style.

Your towels are way dirtier than you think. – This is an old article, but I looked it up after some friends and I discussed how often you should wash towels. We thought once a week was good, but apparently you should be swapping out your towels every two days. Two days! That seems excessive to me. But the reason for two days is that a microbiologist found that “nearly 90% of bathroom towels were contaminated with coliform bacteria and about 14% carried E. coli.” Ewww. I don’t even have enough towels to swap them out that often, though. And it seems like a lot of water. How often do you change your towels?

A person (me) with black hair wears a faux romper with a crew neck, posing for a photo in front of a white and black fence.

Pact Apparel Review: Coastal Collection

Published by welcomeobjects

Other blogs may be moving on to fall fashion. But I’m still very much thinking about the recent 90-degree weather that made misery here in New York. Anyways, this is all to say that I bought more summer clothes from Pact. I’ve been pleased with the items I bought and reviewed a few months back from this fair trade, organic cotton brand. So, I went back for more.

** This post contains affiliate links, but was not produced in partnership with any brand. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. As always, all opinions are my own and I only write about items that interest me. **

The items I’m sharing today — a dress, shorts, and a top — are from Pact’s Coastal collection. Pact has just put these styles (and others) on sale today too as part of their end-of-season clearance. 

Made of double-gauze cotton fabric, the items have a breezy feel and look. To be honest, I probably wouldn’t have gone for this fabric a few years back, deeming it too casual and wrinkled-looking. But after trying out these pieces, the fabric has grown on me. It’s light and the texture is actually a plus because it doesn’t require any ironing. (My most hated household chore.)

Closeup of cotton gauze fabric in blue.

A closer look at the double gauze fabric. This is a stock photo from Pact’s site. I found it accurate.

The Coastal Cami Maxi Dress

The first item from this collection that got my attention is this tiered maxi dress.

I was in the mood for something long and flowy that wouldn’t cling to my body in the heat and humidity. This dress met those requirements — and it has pockets!

Here is a 5’10” model with a 33″ bust wearing a Size S in black.

A model wear a black flowy tiered dress from Pact.

Coastal Cami Maxi – $58 (originally $98)

And here’s 5’4″ me with a 33″ bust wearing an XS in maritime navy.

Me, a person with black hair, wearing a blue maxi tiered dress and a straw hat and brown sandals.

Pact Dress // dr. Liza Sandals // Hat [secondhand, similar] // Cole Haan Purse [secondhand]

Sometimes I style it with a shirt for more sun protection.

Me, a person with black hair, wearing a blue maxi dress with a blue and white striped shirt tied on top. I am holding the straw hat on my head so that it partially obscures my face.

Pact Dress // Target Shirt [old, similar] // dr. Liza Sandals // Hat [secondhand, similar] // Cole Haan Purse [secondhand]

Fit: Small is my usual size and while the S felt true to size, it was a bit too voluminous for petite me. I decided to go with XS for a more flattering shape and length. (With the tiered shape of this dress, it didn’t seem like a good candidate for hemming.)

Details: The only thing I don’t like about it was that it came with a metal tag on the back of the dress. I’m not a fan of branding so I removed it. It also seems incongruous to put a metal tag on such a soft piece of clothing. A waste of metal, in my opinion.

A metal tag with the Pact logo.

I put this tag in the recycling bin, but will it actually get recycled?

The Coastal Daily Short & Tank Top

Next, I decided to try the Coastal Daily Short because I could use more shorts. These have a cute paperbag waist look. Then I saw there was matching tank top — and I’m a sucker for matching sets. So that went into my cart too.

Here’s the 5’10” model again wearing a medium in the shorts. She has a 25 inch” waist.

A model wears a tank top and shorts in gauzy cotton material. The set is red.

Coastal Daily Short & Tank – $34 (originally $58) & $32 (originally $54)

And here’s 5’4″ me with a 28″ waist wearing a size S in both the shorts and top. I love wearing both pieces together for a faux romper look.

Fit: Both pieces fit true to size.

Details of the Shorts: These are high waisted with an 11″ rise, a 4″ inseam, and an elastic waist. The fit is generous in the legs. There are side pockets, but no rear pockets.

Details of the Tank Top: Untucked, the tank has a relaxed fit and billowy shape. I think it looks cuter tucked in. But I also like to wear it untucked because it’s just so darn comfy. A nice design detail with the top is that the straps are adjustable via a button.

Closer look at the straps of the Pact Coastal tank top.

Since my straps are on the shortest setting, sometime the excess material at the end of the strap sticks out. Gotta watch out for that. Maybe I’ll sew them down to prevent them from moving around. This top also came with a branded metal plate at on the back, which I also removed.

Good Summer Buys

The collection includes some other pieces I didn’t try including a jumpsuit. There was also a short-sleeve V-neck shirt that was sold out when I bought these other pieces. Too bad. That also would have made for a nice faux romper look with the shorts. (But it seems some sizes are back. Sometimes things pop up after what I assume must be returns.)

Overall, I like these pieces. They are lightweight without being too thin. They’re easy to wash and dry relatively quickly. (Wash on cold, line dry). The shapes are comfortable for the summer and don’t cling to the body. I can even get away with not wearing a bra in them. All in all, a successful buy for summer.

But by the looks of what Pact is planning, this material also works for fall and transitional weather. In the works are full-length pants, a popover shirt, and a long-sleeve shirtdress.

If you’re interested in Pact, you can use my coupon code WELCOMEOBJ15 to get 15% off  your first order. Not sure if you can stack this on top of the sale, but if you try it, let me know!

Three rolls of Who Gives a Crap toilet paper next to a potted tropical plant.

Why I Switched My Toilet Paper to Who Gives a Crap

Published by welcomeobjects

The Issue with Toilet Tissue

Probably the most impactful thing I’ve done for the environment when it comes to my bathroom is swap out the toilet paper.

When I learned about the “tree to toilet” pipeline, I was horrified. Conventional toilet paper is terrible for the planet and climate change. Most toilet paper sold in the United States comes from old growth trees in the Canadian boreal forest, which stores the carbon equivalent of twice the world’s oil reserves.

Keeping tabs on the industry is the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which released a report, the Issue with Tissue.  It also created a toilet paper sustainability scorecard. Among those getting an F are some common products you’d find at big box retailers, like Quilted Northern Ultra Plush, Angel Soft, Charmin’s Ultra products, and Kirkland.

** This post contains affiliate links but was not produced in partnership with any brand. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. As always, all opinions are my own and I only write about items that interest me. **

A scorecard from NRDC showing the grade for different brands of toilet paper and their impact on the environment. In the A column is Who Gives a Crap and Seventh Generation. In the F columns is Amazon Basics, Cottonelle, Quilted Northern and many other brands.

What Can We Do?

We can use less toilet paper. (In our home we installed this bidet.) And we can switch the toilet paper that we do use. Americans use more toilet paper than any other country in the world. The average American uses 3 rolls of toilet paper a week. Holy shit that number seems high! I am below average in that regard. Our household of two uses a new roll about every four days. (Yes, I tracked it.)

While switching your TP may seem like a small move, collectively it saves trees, sends a message to corporations that they need to do better, and supports smaller companies offering alternatives. Just three manufacturers — Proctor & Gamble, Kimberly Clark, and Georgia-Pacific — sell an estimated 80% of the toilet paper in the U.S.

More sustainable TP options include recycled paper or bamboo. Each have their own issues, though.

More sustainable TP options include recycled paper or bamboo. Each have their own issues, though. According to a 2011 study, recycled paper products may contain BPA. Why? Because people throw their thermal paper receipts into the recycling bin. (In many cases, they’re encouraged to. San Francisco and New York City, two cities where I’ve lived, both accept receipts in the recycling.) Seventh Generation says they periodically test their recycled paper and have found small amounts of BPA in their products.

Fast growing and requiring little water, bamboo generally uses fewer resources than trees. But because of its popularity, in some cases farmers cleared forests to grow bamboo. One way to make sure the bamboo was sustainably sourced is to buy FSC-certified products. The NRDC has a great Q&A about various options.

A friend’s solution was to buy bamboo TP for her kid, but to use recycled paper for herself. Her reasoning? “I’m already old and have been exposed to lots of chemicals.” In my household, we switched to recycled paper. (We, too, are already old.) Prior, we had been using Target’s Up & Up or Quilted Northern; both got an F from NRDC.

We’ve tried some of the products that received an A from NRDC including Seventh Generation bathroom tissue, Target’s Everspring recycled toilet paper rolls, and 365 brand TP from Whole Foods. (Note that only the 365 recycled toilet paper gets an A. 365’s Sustainably Soft toilet paper scored a D.)

However, all of this toilet paper comes wrapped in plastic.

Who Gives a Crap? I Do!

While looking for recycled paper toilet tissue that wasn’t encased in plastic, I came across Who Gives a Crap, which wraps each roll in a colorful paper wrapper. The certified B Corp makes both recycled toilet paper and bamboo toilet paper. Their recycled toilet paper gets an A+ from the NRDC. However, their bamboo toilet paper only scored a D.

The NRDC writes in their 2021 report, “For bamboo products, the system evaluates whether the product has FSC certification, the type of bleach used, and, if not FSC certified, whether the company avoids sourcing fiber from primary forests or bamboo plantations that were converted from primary forests after 1994.” So Who Gives a Crap must not have done well on one or more of these criteria for their bamboo products.

A shipment of Who Gives a Crap toilet paper. Looking down into a box of colorfully-wrapped toilet paper rolls.

Gone are the days when I trekked to the store for TP. Now it ships to my doorstep, which counts for a lot in New York. Because I’m not in the mood to lug TP home on public transit.

I’ve been using Who Gives a Crap’s recycled TP for almost a year now. While it’s not as soft as what I was using before, I don’t really mind. The rolls also aren’t as big as the mega rolls from your typical big box store, but I prefer the smaller rolls. When you live in older buildings like I do, the mega rolls don’t fit the toilet paper holder. That’s why toilet paper roll extenders exist now as a product to accommodate mega rolls. How ridiculously American is that?

When it comes to the bottom line, I find that recycled TP isn’t even costing us more than conventional toilet paper. A box of 48 toilet tissue rolls from Who Gives a Crap cost $62. While it’s hard to compare products exactly (different roll sizes etc), I did the math and it’s roughly the same.

However, I noticed that Who Gives a Crap’s product shrunk over time. My last shipment, which arrived in June, contained 3-ply, 400-sheet rolls while the website now advertises 2-ply, 385-sheet rolls. The price has also gone up from $48 a year ago. But the cost of paper, along with many other materials, has risen during the pandemic, so that’s not surprising. We’re still working our way through the June shipment, so I’ll have to update this post later on whether I notice a difference between the 2-ply and 3-ply rolls. (Most TP is 2-ply, so the 3-ply was another distinction that had set Who Gives a Crap apart.)

Nevertheless, I think we’ll keep using them. In addition to being better for the environment, Who Gives a Crap donates 50% of their profits to help build toilets and improve sanitation in the developing world. Now that’s a TP brand my behind can get behind.

A poster featuring vehicles hung above a crib.

Easy Wall Decor: Quality Posters from Photowall

Published by welcomeobjects

Blank walls in a home can be a design choice. But sometimes, it just means you haven’t gotten around to decorating. Today, I’m sharing an easy way to decorate with posters from Photowall, a Swedish company that makes wallpaper, wall murals, canvas prints, and posters — all printed on demand.

Photowall reached out to me to ask if I’d like to try their products. I said yes as I was initially interested in their wallpaper. A goal of mine is to upgrade the most dated room in my apartment, the bathroom. I even picked out this botanical deco design. However, Photowall doesn’t make any temporary wallpaper. And like most New Yorkers, I’m a renter. I was not about to install something that would be hard to remove when I eventually moved out.

So I looked at their canvas prints and posters instead. Since I already have a decent collection of art on my walls, I decided to pick out some designs for my young nephew and his parents. They moved during the pandemic and haven’t had the time to decorate.

These posters were gifted to me by Photowall and this post contains affiliate links. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. As always, all opinions are my own and I only write about items that interest me. Thanks for supporting Welcome Objects!

Ordering Experience & Pricing

Photowall has thousands of options with an array of styles — there’s no unifying aesthetic — so it helps to have an idea in mind. Current obsessions of my 3-year-old nephew include numbers and vehicles, so I searched for those. If you need ideas getting started, Photowall has some handy categories, like abstract or nature. You can also search by color. There’s also the option to upload your own photo or artwork.

Once you’ve chosen a design, select the size you’d like. In the event that an entire image can’t fit the size, you can adjust the image and choose how to crop it.

Posters start at $27 for an 11×14 print and go up to $66 for 46×33, which seems fair considering the quality. Photowall says their printing technology is of museum quality and the prints are UV-resistant. You can also purchase a wooden poster hanger or a simple frame with acrylic glass for your print.

For one design I chose, Funky Numbers, the costs for an 18×24 print were:

  • $46 for just the poster
  • $57 for the poster plus a poster hanger
  • $101 for the poster framed

For my nephew, I chose poster hangers. I figured they’d be easy to switch out with new posters if he outgrew the designs and wanted something different later.

Shipping is free. After ordering, it took a week for my order to arrive — not bad considering Photowall had to print the posters and ship them from Europe to the U.S. The posters arrived rolled up in a poster tube, which was packed into a larger box with the poster hangers. For some reason, one poster arrived in a separate package from the rest.

A poster featuring numbers hangs on the wall above some shelves of toys.

Funky Numbers – 18×24 – $57 including poster hanger

Closeup of the magnets inset in wooden poster hangers.

The poster hanger is simple to use. The front and back attach with magnets.

A hand holds the wooden poster hanger at the bottom of a poster.

A closer look at the poster hanger in natural wood. There are four color choices for poster hangers: black, white, natural wood, and dark wood.

Quality & Sustainability

The posters were printed on a matte, thick paper (200 g/m² to be exact). The paper is also FSC-certified. FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council, a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable forestry worldwide. FSC certification means that the products are made from wood that originated from responsibly managed forests.

The ink “contains no solvents or hazardous chemicals, and is biodegradable.” For their wallpaper, Photowall uses a biodegradable glue.

Photowall is also environmentally-minded in other ways. Because they only print when someone places an order, they don’t overproduce. They also recycle waste material and work with Vi Agroforestry, a Swedish development cooperation organization, to plant 5,000 trees a year.

As to quality, I found it to be great. The paper is thick and the print job was nicely rendered. Photowall says, “The paper provides outstanding tonality and sharpness of detail and works perfectly for photographs and illustrations.” I found this to be true.

City of Vehicles – 40×28 – $97 including poster hanger

A closeup of a poster featuring illustrations of buildings, roads, and vehicles.

A closer look at City of Vehicles. The print quality is great and rendered the details of the illustration nicely.

A Few More Thoughts

Overall, I’m happy with these posters — and I think my nephew is too. I was able to decorate my nephew’s spaces within minutes. Posters have always been a quick and economical way to decorate. But the quality of the paper and print job at Photowall take these posters to another level. The poster hangers are also a handsome way to display the posters without much effort. I could see these posters working well not just in a kid’s room, but in other spaces that might need a little something: over a dresser in the bedroom, in a dining area, above a desk in an office. Pretty much anywhere.

But I pine for the wallpaper. If you own your home, the wallpaper and wall murals make a striking impression. I would love to have the space to do something like the photo below. Some day!