Panda Hero - the first iPhone/iPod game that plants real live trees

Hello! I wanted to introduce all you wonderful eco-mommies to a new concept in iPhone/iPod gaming for kids. I am involved in another eco-company called Barefoot Explorers, and we create 'Games for Good'...our mission is to create a movement to reforest the world through games! For each game we sell, we plant 3 live trees on Earth in honor of the player. We are inspired to excite kids about the impact they can have on the world, and to teach them about conservation and the environment through really fun games!Our first game launched a few weeks ago and has had tremendous press and customer reception. It is called Panda Hero - check it out at pandahero.com. We have received great reviews and write-ups in Wired, Appcraver, iphonemom.com, gamepro, theiphoneblog and more. Gamepro said Panda Hero is "extremely enjoyable."During the game, players roll, tilt and jump their way through the beautiful Chinese wilderness as they work to rescue endangered pandas. They tilt their way through bamboo forests, rushing rivers, ancient villages, snow fields, mountain cliffs, hanging bridges and more, all the while avoiding dangers like poisonous mushrooms, spiders, snakes, poachers, traps, broken bridges and more. And once they rescue the pandas, they get to relocate the pandas to a sanctuary where they take care of virtual 3d pandas.Please try us out and tell your friends about Panda Hero - you can help us create a movement to reforest the world through games! Get Panda Hero on the App Store today!Also, check out this inspiring video from our tree planting partners, Trees for the Future. We work with Trees for the Future for both Born on Earth kidswear (we plant 1 live tree per tee sold) as well as Barefoot Explorers. They are so amazing and we are proud to work with them.

Happy Earthday!

Happy Earthday!!! Our adorable, 100% cotton and made-in-the-USA tees are being featured today at Noodle Soup in Corte Madeira (Northern California)!

Come stop by and say hello if you are in the area!

Avatar's James Cameron Inspires at Earth Day Fest

"What kind of ancestor do you want to be?" This is the question James Cameron says we need to be asking ourselves.

Academy Award winning director, James Cameron, made an appearance at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival on Sunday, speaking to the sun-drenched crowd of his life-long concern for the environment.

The Community Environmental Council, who hosted the event, honored him with their Environmental Hero Award for bringing environmental awareness to millions thru his eco-inspired film AVATAR.

Cameron said that his concern for the environment was awakened by the devastating oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1969. He hopes to awaken in others a similar concern for the environment and a deeper connection to the beauty of nature through his film work and environmental activism.

Cameron spoke passionately about how we as a society must awaken to the reality of global warming, that this is the problem of this century and that there is a fundamental disconnect. He said its "the big disconnect that we as a society don't believe what the scientists tell us," that we must become 'science-literate' and that education is the key.

Cameron, who had just returned from a trip to Brazil to stop the third largest damn in the world from being built and dislocating thousands of indigenous people, ended with an inspiring quote he was given from the indigenous North American leaders there, "walk lightly upon the earth for the faces of future generations gaze up at us." Coincidentally in the photo here, captured by photographer Sarah Fretwell, the face of a future generation gazes up at a man who is walking lightly.

Photo provided by Sarah Fretwell

Its 'Summer For Kids' in Montecito, CA

Owner Adriana, and her baby, Summer - Summer For Kids

Summer For Kids, a unique children's store in Montecito, California, is a treasure trove of environmentally friendly and organic children's toys, products and clothing. We're excited about them of course because they're currently selling our tees :) - but also because their commitment to having only the very best products for children clearly shines thru. All one needs to do is take a peek inside the store. I found (with the help of their able staff) some

chic bamboo threads for a friend's baby boy, and I hear he and mama are loving the soft yummy organic fabric... If you are in the local Santa Barbara area and you are seeking must-have organic items for children, you should come on by and discover this 'green' emerald gem in Montecito. As if any additional encouragement is needed to shop this store, ALL store

profits go to local children's charities. Wow!

Summer For Kids is at:

1235 Coast Village Road, Montecito, CA 93108

Born on Earth launches on GreenEdgeKids

We are thrilled to be the latest designer eco brand to launch on GreenEdgeKids! Annie Kinkaid, GreenEdge's owner, is a passionate eco-mom committed to finding the most fashionable, eco-friendly designers for kids. GreenEdgeKids has the most adorable selection of kids eco-wear I have ever come accross, and Annie does an incredible job of finding unique high-end style for kids from age 2-14. We are excited to be in the GreenEdgeKids family!

We also spent last weekend with Annie and her husband Jim at the SF Greenfest where Born on Earth showcased our hip eco-tees for kids in GreenEdgeKids' booth. It was so much fun seeing parents and kids get excited about our sustainable tees, and really understand the importance of made in the USA, organic cotton, water-based inks and the fact that we plant a tree for each purchase.

Born on Earth tees paired with GreenEdge Denim in the GreenEdge Kids Booth at SF Greenfest

GreenEdge Kids SF Greenfest Booth

Julie, Annie and Jodi at SF GreenfestTa Da!

Annie and Jim have also just launched an incredible line of premium eco-denim for kids...think True Religion for kids but 100% sustainable! They are the first to do this and there jeans should hit stores in the next few months - check them out at GreenEdge Denim.

NEW: Product Reviews on Born on Earth and giveways!

Hi, I'm excited to share that Born on Earth organic kids tees have been very positively reviewed on DK Mommy blog, check it out here: http://dkmommyspot.com/born-on-earth-nature-rocks-kids-tee-giveaway/

Also, we are currently being profiled on Ecobunga as well:-)

Born on Earth Website Goes Live

I am excited to announce this morning that our Born on Earth website has gone live! Just in time for back to school, we are launching our brand new website with our first line of limited edition eco-chic kids tees. Please come find us at http://www.bornonearthkids.com/ , and check out our unique line of eco-friendly tees for kids.

L.A. Baby - Where It Happens

L.A. is where the magic happens they say, (I think - or is that Hollywood?) and for our business, Born on Earth, this is the truth. Jodi and I made an important visit to Los Angeles last week to visit our manufacturing contractors, get a close up look behind the scenes while our organic tees are in production, and to take pics and video (more to come) of where 'the magic' happens. Jode with Danny, owner of the print and dye house

Zoila at work on our girls tees, at her sewing shop

Zoila, hand-crafting our tees

Jodi with Zoila at the sew shop...so exciting to see OUR shirts being sewn!

Jules with Danny - proudly holding up our finished product

While there is a glitzier side to the fashion industry, the behind-the-scenes, of where it gets made, stands in bare-boned, stark contrast. There is nothing glamin' up these manufacturing businesses, like the lovely specialty shops where the finished product gets sold...and its not needed either, its just people at work 'gettin it done.' There is a lot that goes into the making of a tee - many people hard at work before it gets to that specialty clerk, and many stops on their journey to completion. Sharing this journey seems important and of interest, because in a world of mass consumption, where cheap and disposable fashion is desired, it is often lost upon the consumer what all goes into the making of a single clothing item. And let me tell you people, there is a lot! We hope to share more of what goes into the making of our tees, their journey, and to share as well the people behind that journey, because what they do has a lot of value, and they are the ones hard at work making it happen.

Photo Shoot!

Voila! A few candid shots from a magical photo shoot in Santa Barbara....enjoy! Our ecommerce website will launch in about 2 weeks - we'll keep you updated and the site will have all the gorgeous professional shots on it.

Photo Shoot and Other Updates

There has been so much going on with Born on Earth these last few weeks as we near our launch date...I wanted to share a little update:

beautiful Santa Barbara

Tomorrow the girls, Jacques (my hubby) and I are headed down to Santa Barbara - our photo shoot location. We are very excited to be working with Sara Fretwell Photography who is a total pro and a great artist. And the two locations in SB are just gorgeous. We hope to create a fun, untamed, spirited shoot with amazing kids, to embody the Born on Earth brand.

While Jules and I are there, we are also going to catch up with Kelly from Kelly B Couture (our amazing advisor who has helped us newbies along our journey), and go visit our manufacturing partners in LA. We are working hard to keep all parts of our manufacturing local - cutting, sewing, dying, washing, printing, applique-ing, tagging, etc. - and we are working with a number of great small shops and artisans. We will post some photos / videos on the blog after we meet with our LA team.

We are blessed to be surrounded by so many skilled artists, artisans and business people!

Born on Earth 2009 line officially launches on July 7th! We will be at www.bornonearthkids.com. It has been an incredible journey and I can't wait to see us actually online with amazing clothing to sell to other eco-moms! We are also going to be rolling out a really fun promotion on July 7th (that is also for a good cause!) - stay tuned for more info soon.

Finally, Jules and I are also SUPER excited about our 2010 line which is in progress right now. While we are in LA, we will also be working with our manufacturing partners for this line to get samples done by August. We have learned that the fashion business never sleeps - we are literally always in the midst of juggling three balls - future line design, manufacturing of next line, and marketing of current line.

White House Veggie Garden

Check out this fun video on the White House's vegetable garden - organic, healthy food for the first family and staff! Love it!

Born on Earth: our new clothing line samples!

4 out of 5 of our design samples basking in the sunshine

Well everybody, we are almost there! Today feels like Christmas! After working for many months and finalizing countless details and decisions, we finally got our 'close-to-final' eco-clothing samples today for Born on Earth. We have one more design that we are waiting for and then we can move forward manufacturing our unique, fun and fresh, limited-edition totally eco kids line!

We are nearing the finish line to go to manufacturing (which by the way we will video for everyone to see).

The almost official unveiling...

Introducing 'The Bluebird T'

Introducing 'The Birdwatcher T'

Introducing 'The Everest T'

Introducing "The Breathe Free T"

Born on Earth Ts are designed to be unique, hip and artistic and to have a hand-made feel to them. We make them extra special with fun, fresh graphics, creative embellishments, appliques, embroidery and little rhinestones (for girls only of course!). They are made with 100% organic cotton that is buttery soft, and are cut, sewn, dyed, manufactured, embroidered, printed and finished all in the USA right in LA. They were designed by a couple of hot LA designers, and manufactured by people who share our passion for the environment.

Some of the fun details

The samples you see above are not final yet - they are missing some elements like rhinestones on The Birdwatcher T, and we will be tweaking some of the art pieces a bit, but they are close. We are on our way! They should be through production by early June and available mid-June. Please let us know what you think!

Blessings,
Jodi & Julie

Little Green Star

Today I found a fresh fun line for eco-babes...'little green star' - this company makes cute little onesies and Ts for eco-babies. Started by two environmental consultants turned mommies, their goal is to create a line of organic baby clothes that promotes green living. Their designs are fun and fresh, and they are available online and in many retail outlets. One of my favs is 'Nature Lover'...enjoy!


Also FYI I found this fun company through a neat new tool - GenGreenLife.com - a company focused on connecting people with local, green resources.