What it Means to be a Socially Responsible Business

Social responsibility is an ethical or ideological theory that an entity whether it is a government, corporation, organization or individual has a responsibility to society. As a socially responsible business, we at aesthetyX feel we have an obligation to certain areas that should be measured regardless of the outcome needed. These areas are as follows: economic function, quality of life, social investment and problem solving. In other words, gaining financial success in ways that honor ethical values, and respect people, communities and the natural environment is our goal for aesthetyX.

James Pearson of Acholi Beads talks about his unique "socially proactive" business in a thoughful way, "...our beads are made from paper that is being discarded by printers in Uganda, the East African country where they are made. By using this paper productively we cut down on waste and help curb deforestation. This is socially conscious. And our workers are far from sweatshop laborers. They work from their homes on their own time to make our products. And we pay them more than their asking price, because we know their prices are tailored to a local market where poverty is status quo. But we also go the extra mile. Instead of just hiring any Ugandan, we sought out refugees from northern Uganda, where a terrible war has ravaged the population for over 20 years... That is socially proactive."

Evolving To Fair Trade

At aesthetyX, we strive to be a sustainable, socially responsible business that offers you unique, fair trade merchandise. We are moving in the direction of bringing you even more fairly traded and sustainable products that are authentic and rich in cultural diversity. We believe shopping with a purpose is the only way to shop!



What it means to be Fair Trade

Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as social and environmental standards in areas related to the production of a wide variety of goods. It focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit, chocolate and flowers.

Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South. Fair Trade Organizations, backed by consumers, are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.

Fair trade is, fundamentally, a response to the failure of conventional trade to deliver sustainable livelihoods and development opportunities to people in the poorest countries of the world. Poverty and hardship limit people’s choices while market forces tend to further marginalize and exclude them.

We thank you for shopping with aesthetyX and supporting our efforts to evolve with the fair trade world and socially responsible movement. Please let us know if there is anything you would like us to carry, and we'll look into finding it for you.

Friends to Build a Nest

Nest has been a great inspiration to many women, including all of us at aesthetyX. The mission of Nest is to support women artists and artisans in the developing world by helping them create sustainable entrepreneurial businesses. To do this, Nest provides micro-credit loans to be used for the purchase of the supplies and materials necessary to begin and/or maintain art or craft-based businesses. We will be meeting with a team of San Diego Nest volunteers to discuss our partnership and continued support of this wonderful non-profit. We will either start carrying new product from the women they support or donate a percentage of our store sales back into Build a Nest so that they may continue their important work with artisans. We are proud to be a Friend in a ongoing partnership with Nest. We'll keep you posted after our meeting with Nest! In the meantime, enjoy the sunshine and surf! Oh and check out Nest.

Buen Viaje

As we approach our next trip to Mexico this August, we would like to share with you some of our past travel adventures to Mexico. If you have any travel stories that you would like to share with Aesthetyx, please send them our way. We'd love to hear about your eXperience... Just submit them by leaving a comment in this blog entry. Buen Viaje...

If you'd like to read a travel blog, just click below on the city of your choice. Enjoy!

Guadalajara 1 Guadalajara 2
San Miguel de Allende

Aesthetyx Summer Solstice Sale

There are only three days left to find the most amazing deals at Aesthetyx! Enjoy the savings this summer! We will be holding a HUGE sale June 20th-30th. You may save up to 50% off select items for 10 days only! See you at the SALE!

Celebrating World Fair Trade Day!

BIG BANG!! is a global festival of events scheduled for May 9th, 2009 to promote a fair trade solution to poverty, climate change and economic crisis. Check out: http://www.worldfairtradeday09.org for more information.

During the BIG BANG global celebration, fair trade events will pass through every continent, country, city, town and street over 48 hours and Aesthetxy will be celebrating as well by holding an event featuring global artisans from Barro Sin Plomo (BSP), Acholi Beads and more.

Our event will take place Saturday May 9th from 4 P.M to 8 P.M. at the Aesthetyx gallery in Encinitas located at 466 N. Coast Hwy 101 Suite 5. During the celebration, Aesthetyx will serve Fair Trade coffee from The Pannikin as well as Fair Trade chocolate from Askinosie Chocolate.

We are excited about participating in this global event in celebration of Fair Trade. We are supportive of the efforts of all retailers who strive to purchase their goods fairly and responsibly.

Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a "fair price" as well as social and environmental standards in areas related to the production of a wide variety of goods. It focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit, chocolate and flowers.

Fair trade's strategic intent is to work with marginalized producers and workers in order to help them move towards economic self-sufficiency and stability. It also aims to allow them to become greater stakeholders in their own organizations as well as play a wider role, and achieve greater equity, in international trade.

Please join us in this celebration! We will be showcasing more Barro Sin Plomo pottery and you will have the opportunity to meet BSP's developing director Anna O'Leary.

Celebrate World Fair Trade Day with Aesthetyx

April = Environmental Month

Spring is here so it's a perfect time to celebrate Mother Earth on April 22nd - Earth Day!

We at Aesthetyx are taking the 3R's mantra 'Reduce - Reuse - Recycle' to heart
by supporting gloabal artisans who take the 3R's to a whole new level. By supporting these artisans, you support their efforts toward independence while protecting the environment and giving or receiving a unique gift!

Come see some of our green and sustainable products by these talented artisans next time you're in the store:

* Acholi Beads made of discarded magazines by displaced women from the Acholi tribe of Northern Uganda.
* Barro Sin Plomo (clay without lead) lead-free pottery hand-crafted by artisans in Central Mexico
* Kenyan Soapstones carved and painted by hand by artisans from Kenya

SAVE THE DATE - Saturday, May 9th
for our First Aesthetyx World Fair Trade Day Celebration
featuring Anna O'Leary and Barro Sin Plomo

Barro Sin Plomo and Aesthetyx- Working Together

Aesthetyx proudly welcomes Anna O'Leary to our new gallery! Anna is the vice president of Barro Sin Plomo (BSP) Mexico and has worked in Mexico for over two years on the design and implementation of its projects. Anna was previously a consultant to Aid to Artisans in Mexico as well as the marketing coordinator of lead-free pottery. She is currently the Director of Development for Barro Sin Plomo USA. And she is working out of our new gallery in Encinitas! We are happy with the change, and hope that all of you will soon have a chance to check out the new space with all its beautiful BSP pottery. 10% of all sales of BSP pottery out of the Aesthetyx gallery will be donated back to Barro Sin Plomo. Come by and have a look at the exquisite work by these talented artisans!


A LITTLE ABOUT BARRO SIN PLOMO:

In 2003, anthropologist Victor Aquila Sanchez and ceramist Barbara Garrido, founded BSP as a non-profit Mexican organization dedicated to lead-free pottery production. Barro Sin Plomo is now working in five Mexican states with 300 potters who have or are transitioning to lead-free glazes.

In 2004, BSP helped launch a for-profit social enterprise, Echery Pottery (www.echerypottery.com) which specializes in packing, shipping, and exporting of lead-free pottery. BSP and Echery Pottery are both based in Patzcuaro, Michocan Mexico.

Barro Sin Plomo has ongoing efforts to eliminate lead glazes in traditional pottery production in Mexico and now in the U.S., construct fuel-efficiant kilns, introduce lead-free glazing technologies and equiptment which will enable these family based businesses to re-enter and reclaim important international markets for their products. The primary focus for BSP right now is to eliminate lead-glaze in the states where there is the hightest population of potters currently using lead glazes and where there are hundreds of artisans requesting assistance from BSP's training team.

The two most important ways people can help people expand this effort right now is by making a tax deductible contribution to BSP USA or by purchasing lead-free pottery.

Please stop by and visit the Aesthetyx gallery, and see what's new in the world of pottery.

A Big Change for 2009

Happy New Year from all of us at Aesthetyx!

In 2004 we began our business in order to achieve a higher mission to create a socially responsible company that would give back. Inspired by the artesianias (arts and crafts) of Central Mexico, we decided to showcase and sell the work of worldwide artisans in order to help support and sustain these talented individuals and their families. Through the years, we have worked directly with many artisans to achieve this goal but, there is much more important work to be done.

Our goal is to be able to further assist artisans who do not have the means to market themselves and get their products to those who will appreciate them.

In line with our social mission we have decided to refocus the concept of
our Encinitas store to become 'Aesthetyx- an Artisan Gallery and
Showroom' beginning in February 2009. Together with the multinational
organization that unites Mexican non-profit, 'Barro sin Plomo' and Barro sin
Plomo USA (clay without lead), we will feature the work of many talented
artisans that this wonderful non-profit assists. Barro sin Plomo's (BSP)
mission is to end the use of lead in traditional Mexican pottery
substituting lead-free production methods which protect the health of the
artisans and their communities.

Within the new gallery we will continue to carry most of your favorite artisans in addition to the Barro Sin Plomo featured artisans. With our new concept we will be
phasing out some of our merchandise before we temporarily close
our Encinitas store location to do some remodeling January 19th - 31st.

Starting January 10th we welcome you to take advantage of some amazing 'AS IS'(items that may be slightly damaged and/or nicely repaired) deals sold at major discounts, as well as significant markdowns of 70-90% OFF select merchandise, and 10% OFF the ENTIRE STORE!

We look forward to having you eXperience our new concept this spring and
thanks again for your support of our store and our mission!

Give Gifts that Give Back

Happy Holidays to you and yours! May your season be bright and full of joy.

We recently published an article on eHow.com that went a little something like this:

Shopping at a socially responsible retailer like Aesthetyx- who buys directly from artisans, is a good way to give great gifts while giving back to local and global communities.

With only a little over a week until Christmas, now is the time to shop! Go on a shopping outing and discover your local socially responsible or Fair Trade retailer (search online to find one if you are not familiar with any where you live). If you live in Southern California visit Aesthetyx in Encinitas or Huntington Beach, California. Both of our store locations offer beautiful and unique gifts,jewelry and home furnishings hand-crafted by talented artisans from around the world. Aesthetyx proudly features a number of talented artisans from Mexico including clay artisan Roberto Tirado and tin artisan Cecilio Hernandez. Aesthetyx also offers great gifts such as Acholi Beads. This exquisite bead jewelry is hand-made from recycled paper by the women of the Acholi tribe of Northern Uganda. These beads help these women sustain themselves and their families by providing long-term work and the ability to develop their skills.

Discover the joy of gift giving while giving back at the same time. Give artisan gifts that really give twice - once, when purchased, by supporting the Artisan and again when received by the recipient. You have a choice as a consumer in the modern world of things made in China.
SHARE the artisan stories - most of our artisan products @ Aesthetyx comes with a story card for each artisan explaining briefly their products and how it helps support them. Please ask your local socially responsible retailer for the stories to go along with the hand-crafted gifts you are purchasing. They are extremely appreciated by the recipient!

When you shop with socially responsible retailers like us you are supporting your community and beyond by purchasing gifts (or things for yourself) that support others. There is a sense of peace that takes over during the gift giving exchange, and you will feel it even more when you give back to the world while giving gifts to your dear ones. We hope you will seek out socially responsible retailers (like Aesthetyx) and see what an amazing experience shopping can be.
Shopping and giving with a social conscience - a winning combination, enjoy!

NOVEMBER NEWS

Bring the kids and don't miss our Sugar Skull Decorting Contest- or participate yourself. We are celebrating our 3rd annual Dia de los Muertos by having another FIESTA! We will be celebrating November 1st from 5:30-8:00 PM at our Encinitas Aesthetyx store.

We will have the traditional offerings of fruits, flowers and chocolate, but we invite you to get creative and bring a photo or memento of your loved one and then an item they would enjoy at our Fiesta. We will also be showcasing artwork by local children from ARTS (A Reason to Survive) a program which supports young people by offering them free art programs. We've commissioned them to design some Day of the Dead tiles that will be for sale the evening of the event. All proceeds from store sales will go back to this ARTS program.

So bring your friends and family to this special celebration and enjoy authentic food, refreshments, and great prizes from the raffle drawings!

We also have a special La Luz candle offer for you. Buy your La Luz candles for your home alter and receive a gift of a travel candle. A gift from us- enjoy! This offer will run through the fall season.

If you haven't seen the new Roberto Tirado sculptures you are in for a treat! They are beautiful. We also just received some new mirrors in all different sizes from Cecilio Hernandez.

We will be holding a holiday sale Thursday 28th-30th on select merchandise. Items will be anywhere from 30-85% off. Get your holiday shopping done with us while supporting local and global artisans.

3rd Annual Dia de los Muertos Fiesta - Saturday, November 1st

Please join us for our 3rd Annual Dia de los Muertos Fiesta
Saturday, November 1st from 5-8pm

Help us build our community 'ofrenda' (altar) by bringing mementos for your loved ones who have passed. We will have the traditional offerings of food and drink but we invite you to get creative and bring a photo or memento of your loved one and then an item they would enjoy at our Fiesta.

The kids will enjoy our Sugar Skull Decorating Contest and we will also be showcasing artwork by local children from the ARTS (A Reason to Survive) program which will be for sale the evening of our eVent. All proceeds will go back to the ARTS Program.

Bring your friends and family to this special celebration and enjoy authentic food, refreshments, and great raffle drawings!

Leucadia Nights

Tomorrow night we will be staying open late along with other Leucadia businesses for an afterhours Walkabout along the North Coast Highway 101. Join us Saturday night October 18th from 6-9PM for this community event. Stroll with family, neighbors and friends through the neighborhood of Leucadia. Enjoy snacks, beverages and games of "Walkabout Poker" in certain businesses. Hope to see you in the cool Autumn evening!

Little Italy Festa This Weekend!

We hope to see you this Sunday in Little Italy!

On Sunday October 12th, we will be attending the Little Italy Festa- San Diego's largest Italian American Festival and Festa! Visit our booth (#DS15) located on India Street between Date and Cedar Streets, right in the Heart of Little Italy. Enjoy the sidewalk chalk art while you browse! Come down and join in the festivities from 10AM to 6PM.