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A Sustainable Stuffie Project for the Eco-Conscious Family In the age of COVID-19, face masks became more than just a necessity; they are an accessory that has woven itself into our daily lives—a reminder of a collective challenge and resilience. But to do with those masks that were a part of everyday life, that are now lying in a forgotten drawer? We partnered with the talented Sara Black of Made to reimagine masks as something fun and unexpected, an adorable upcycled stuffie. Explore this second lease on life for those masks while also creating a fulfilling crafting experience for both you and your little ones.

Happy New Year to you and your amazing family! 🎉 We can't wait to spill the beans on our epic 2023 journey, share our excitement for the adventures that lie ahead in 2024, and reveal the empowering mantras that keep us moms and founders grounded.

It's the BEST feeling when you find that perfect gift and you see your loved one's face light up when they open it. What feels even better? Knowing that a small and purpose-driven brand-owner did a happy dance when your order came through! We’ve curated our favorite small and impactful brands that we LOVE and we think you will too!l By shopping from ethical and sustainable brands, you can help support the planet and the small business working to make a difference. Shop our gift guide for our favorite fair trade, women-owned, and sustainable gift ideas for everyone on your nice list.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGS) are a set of objectives that aim to improve working and living conditions globally, by addressing issues like poverty, workers’ rights, and climate change. Fair Trade USA standards promote direct and meaningful impact within six SDG areas. Of these 6, Mightly’s practices promote Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption. A lot of media attention has been given to the exploitative working conditions at clothing manufacturing factories. Women do a majority of the production labor, by margins of 80-95% in countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. Managerial positions are primarily held by men, creating a gender-based hierarchy between management and the workforce. This imbalance of power is one of many factors that make it challenging for garment workers to voice complaints about hazardous working conditions. A worker may even be blacklisted from working in any major factory if she makes a complaint about just one of them. Mightly’s organic children’s clothes are made in Fair Trade CertifiedTM factories, which ensures that workers have protection from unsafe conditions and toxic management practices. Brands and factories must be committed to non-discrimination, gender equality, and women’s economic empowerment to qualify for Fair Trade Certified status. Fair Trade Certified factories must also provide safe, healthy workspaces - a requirement that is more important than ever in Covid times. By requiring safe and ethical treatment for garment makers, Fair trade practices promote decent working conditions.Other obstacles that stand in the way of decent work and economic growth are low wages, and a lack of job security for workers in clothing factories. While textile manufacturing has grown in developing countries, garment workers have not seen a financial benefit from the increase in demand. 90% of garment workers are not being paid the National Minimum Wage and they are frequently employed under temporary contracts. Factory workers in the textile industry are not being paid enough to have financial security, and they are ill equipped to seek fair compensation as their employee status is at constant risk. These conditions make job mobility impossible for garment workers in a majority of textile factories.Fair trade standards go beyond the conventions of the International Labor Organization by ensuring that workers earn a Fair Trade Premium for every Fair Trade Certified product they make. The Fair Trade Premium can fund social, environmental, or economic development projects that benefit factory workers, farmers, their families, and wider communities. The premium can also go directly back to the workers in the form of bonuses. Workers elect a Fair Trade Premium committee that is in charge of deciding how the premium fund is spent. The Fair Trade Premium promotes economic growth by using money earned from the sale of Fair Trade goods to improve the lives and communities of the people who are actually making Fair Trade Certified products.In order to truly be an ethical company, the production process must be people friendly and planet friendly. In addition to being Fair Trade Certified, Mightly operates under a set of rigorous environmental regulations in order to comply with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). GOTS is accepted as the global leader of processing standards for organic textiles. Mightly’s cotton comes from the Chetna Organic Farmers Association, a farmer-owned nonprofit that works with smallholder farming families in rain-fed regions of India. Chetna farmers practice regenerative farming methods and use 71% less water and 62% less energy than non-organic cotton farming.Before you rush to replace everything in your closet with organic, Fair Trade Certified clothing, remember that the most sustainable piece of clothing is the one that you already own. Ethical consumer practices revolve around making your products last longer. For clothing this means mend and thrift items, swap with your friends, and hand garments down to younger siblings and friends when your kids grow out of them. When you must buy new, purchase from companies that produce durable items using ethical and sustainable manufacturing practices. Read labels, and research companies before making purchases. You can also use the Good On You directory to check the ethical rating of many popular clothing brands. You won’t find Mightly there just yet, but we have submitted our brand information to Good On You and we are looking forward to being reviewed.Mightly promotes responsible consumer habits by focusing production on everyday essential items like organic cotton underwear and pjs that are hard (and perhaps not desirable) to buy second hand. Mightly builds these essentials better, by using durable fabrics and smart designs that keep garments in good condition longer. In other words, Mightly’s Fair Trade Certified clothing is hand-me-down friendly.Being an ethical consumer is a challenging practice. It’s difficult to research every single product you purchase, and oftentimes, brands may not be quite as ethical as they advertise. Not all planet friendly companies treat their employees fairly, and not all people friendly companies are environmentally conscious. Fair trade makes buying better easier. When you see the Fair Trade Certified label, that means that a brand is committed to practices that protect workers and do less damage to the planet. Buying Fair trade is just one of a handful of actions consumers can take to add a little bit of harm reduction to their shopping habits. "I enjoy being on the FT committee. My fellow workers share their ideas with me on how we can implement premiums to help the community. I have received 4 years of Fair Trade premiums and every time, I'm proud to have been part of the program. The first year when we received the premium, I purchased a bicycle for my son, Kaushik Das. He was so happy. When he's happy, I'm happy. I never thought I would buy a bicycle before I had the extra funds from the premium. Since then, I've put my premiums into savings for the future, which is what a lot of the workers favor - helping themselves in the long term. All the workers are thankful for the Fair Trade system and appreciate the chance to take part in a meaningful work arrangement." Deepali Das, 33, from Kolkata, West Bengal, has worked for 6 years at the Paridhan factory of Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills. She has been on the Fair Trade committee for 1 year.

Like many of us, I have felt helpless at times, being stuck at home during the covid-19 pandemic. What can I do to help, I've thought. I am not a doctor or nurse or other essential worker. Neither am I a scientist, public health officer or teacher. Then, when the fires and smoke came to Northern California, where Mightly is based, I was reminded that I wasn’t a firefighter or disaster recovery expert either. And I can’t just go and volunteer, since I am the primary caregiver to two small children. Feeling stuck, and being literally, physically stuck, was exacerbating my feelings of hopelessness. This year’s largest wildfire was only a few miles away and coming closer, just adding yet another fear about my family’s safety.   And then I remembered to think small. When you’re a parent of small children, it’s the small victories that are celebrated. All the pee went in the potty this time! Broccoli eaten without tears! Tucked in before 8:00pm! And all of those small victories add up over time, to the point where the children are happy and well adjusted adults. For now I’m happy to have kids that sleep through the night (mostly) and eat vegetables without complaint (sometimes).   The fair trade movement is also all about small. The idea behind fair trade is that each time you buy a cup of coffee -- or, in our case, an item of Mightly’s children clothing -- a percentage of that purchase goes back directly to the factory workers in the form of a Fair Trade Premium.  Fair Trade USA’s new #JustOneCup campaign is all about transforming small into big. If you are going to drink a cup of coffee each day, then you might as well make it a Fair Trade CertifiedTM cup, because Fair Trade certification guarantees a minimum price to help coffee producers and pays producers an additional Premium for every pound sold that goes to address community needs. Although this idea of fair trade coffee is relatively new, it adds up. Over the last 21 years, Fair Trade USA’s programs have generated over $740 million in financial benefit to producers!   Fair trade textiles -- and that’s where Mightly comes in -- is a newer program than Fair Trade Certified coffee. Mightly’s CEO, Tierra Forte, helped develop Fair Trade USA’s Apparel and Home Goods Program less than a decade ago, when she worked for the non-profit organization. The first Fair Trade Certified textile pilot program ran from 2010 to 2012, with eight factories and 400 workers participating. Over $28,353 in premiums was paid to worker committees and another $7,846 to cotton producers. Too small, you might think? Why bother, for all this effort, for a mere $28k sent back to the workers? Well, like many things that start small, the Fair Trade Apparel and Home Goods Program has grown over the last decade. By 2015, 22 factories impacting 16,000 workers were participating in the program, with factory workers earning nearly $450,000 in community development premiums by the end of 2015. By 2020, the program reached over 75 factories in 13 counties, with 140,000+ fair trade factory employees benefiting. Major companies, like Patagonia, West Elm and Target, began participating. Fair Trade Premiums, sent directly back to the factory workers, have now reached millions of dollars. Small things add up to big things, given time. We started Mightly a little over a year ago with a vision, a shoestring budget and a small collection of organic cotton children’s tees. We now carry not just children’s tees, but pajamas, leggings, hoodies, long sleeve shirts, summer and winter dresses, and, coming this week, face masks and boys and girls underwear. And our products are not just any products, but are GOTS certified organic and, by the end of this year, will be 100% Fair Trade Certified.      So if you’re stuck in one room with your kids and discover that the eight year old has outgrown the pajamas you just bought for her two months ago and the little one has managed to put a hole through her leggings (how did that happen, when we can’t even go outside?) -- do a little online shopping at www.mightly.com. We started this company to make the kind of clothes we want for our own kids: play friendly, people friendly and planet friendly.  Every purchase matters, look for the Fair Trade Certified label, and know that you can make a difference. Subroto Mondal 28, from West Bengal, works in sewing at the Paridhan factory of Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills. "It felt good when the first premium arrived after we produced Fair Trade garments for a year. I never thought something like this was possible. I'm proud to have clothes I have worked on reach the US, England, Australia and all over the world. When people buy these products, it benefits us. We hope consumers will continue and invest in us. The impact of these premiums reach far beyond the factory - each worker has a home village and relatives that in small and big ways truly benefit. I personally left school after the 10th grade. My hope is to invest in my children's' futures so they can have a better future. Working here in a Fair Trade factory, I believe this is more possible." Mightly Made for Mightly Kids #ShareYourFair ∙ #MightlyMe ∙ #WeWearFairTrade     

The covid-19 pandemic has affected us all, deeply, and in so many different ways. Like many others, the garment industry has been greatly impacted. Just this month, several major American clothing companies have announced they are filing for bankruptcy, including Lucky Brand, Brooks Brothers, Ann Taylor, LOFT, Lane Bryant, Lou & Grey, and Justice. To minimize their losses by shifting the financial burden of the crisis down to the bottom of the supply chain, major clothing brands and retailers are canceling factory orders right and left, leaving millions of low-paid and mainly female garment workers out of work and destitute.   In India, where Mightly’s fair trade clothing is produced, the situation is especially bad for migrant workers, who are also left homeless without a way to get back to their villages. Young women, who often use garment factory jobs as often the first opportunity to work, achieve economic independence, and defer marriage, have also suffered disproportionately. Where factories remain open, many workers report being forced back to work without adequate precautions, even in the United States.  In this time of crisis, fair trade apparel is more important than ever.  When you see a product with the Fair Trade Certified™ seal, you can be sure it was made according to rigorous social, environmental, and economic standards. Mightly, Inc., was founded in 2019, with the idea of bringing certified organic, fair trade children’s clothing to market, at prices parents could afford. Our first fair trade collection debuted in 2020, and 100% of Mightly’s organic clothing will be Fair Trade Certified™ by winter 2020. Fair Trade business relationships are true partnerships, which require joint problem solving and brands and factories both being willing to prioritize long term business relationships and worker protections over maximizing profits. The garment factory in Kolkata, India, where Mightly’s clothing is produced, Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills (RCM), was one of the first factories in the world to achieve Fair Trade Certification. In contrast to those factories working with – and having orders canceled by – major retailers, RCM, which works exclusively with ethical clothing brands, has not had any orders cancelled and has been able to continue to provide employment for their workers. "When I talk to other workers, friends from other factories, they're always very curious about the Fair Trade program we have and ask how they can join specifically because of the Fair Trade premium program." says Tharun Sardar, a screen printer who has worked at RCM for 6 years.    In addition to providing personal protective equipment for workers, many fair trade factories have used the Fair Trade Premium to deploy emergency cash payouts to workers affected by the covid-19 crisis and government shutdowns for groceries, rent, school fees, and hygiene products. To learn more about how to support fair trade factories and workers, Fair Trade USA has a Covid-19 response program.  #MightlyMe ∙ #FairTradeCertified ∙ #OrganicCertified   Mightly Made for Mightly Kids

"By working at this factory, I'm able to support my family and meet daily needs. Every year when we receive our Fair Trade premiums, I'm able to put them into savings - which may become important later in life. I remember the first year when the factory joined Fair Trade, I was able to buy a bicycle for my son to ride to school - I was so proud! If the customers buy our products, we can benefit and improve our lives while also providing good clothing for people all over the world." Rehana Middey, 34, works in finishing at the Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills in Howrah. Fair trade is a global movement made up of producers, companies, consumers, advocates, and organizations working towards the mission of eliminating poverty and enabling sustainable development for farmers, workers, their families, and their communities around the world. When you see a product with the Fair Trade Certified™ seal, you can be sure it was made according to rigorous social, environmental, and economic standards. Fair Trade USA, the non-profit organization that pioneered the fair trade movement and oversees the certification process, works closely on the ground with producers and certifies transactions between companies and their suppliers to ensure that the people making Fair Trade Certified goods work in safe conditions, protect the environment, build sustainable livelihoods, and earn additional money to empower and uplift their communities. Just last year, purchases of Fair Trade Certified products and other donations from supporters helped improve the lives of nearly one million farmers, workers, and fishermen in more than 45 countries. Tierra Forte, Mightly’s CEO, is a Fair Trade USA alumna, and was a leading member of the Fair Trade USA team that developed the Fair Trade Apparel and Home Goods Pilot Program. This program was the first global program to certify facilities making clothing, accessories, and linens with a consumer label to signal social and environmental sustainability, while delivering direct economic benefits to both cotton farmers and cut-and-sew workers. The pilot program evolved, and developed into Fair Trade USA’s Factory Program, in which Mightly currently participates. It was through Fair Trade USA that Tierra met Rajat Jaipuria, the owner of Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills, in Kolkata, India where Mightly’s GOTS certified organic children’s clothes are made. Rajat’s family has been in the textile business since the 1930s and a leader in sustainable manufacturing for decades. In 2012, Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills become one of the first factories in the world to achieve Fair Trade Certification. Mightly, Inc., was founded in 2019 by Tierra and two other Oakland mothers with the idea of making certified organic, fair trade children’s clothing, at prices parents could afford. Our first fair trade collection debuted in 2020, and 100% of Mightly’s organic clothing, designed for children ages 2 to 12, will be Fair Trade Certified™ by winter 2020.   When you buy Fair Trade Certified™ children’s organic cotton leggings, pajamas, dresses, hoodies, or shirts, the garment workers at Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills earn an additional Fair Trade Premium that goes into a Community Development Fund. A democratically elected committee of workers, called the Fair Trade Committee, votes on how the funds will be best spent based on dialogue and proactive problem-solving around their community’s greatest needs. In normal times, that may mean putting money towards education, home sewing machines, and clean bedding; in the current covid era, that can mean more funding for emergency funds for basic necessities, and financial support for ill workers. By purchasing Fair Trade Certified clothing, you are supporting better working conditions for the people who make them.  Mightly Made for Mightly Kids #MightlyMe ∙ #FairTradeCertified ∙ #OrganicCertified    

Ever had that nagging feeling in the back of your head that that “organic” product you bought wasn’t really organic? What does “organic” mean, anyways? Does it mean the same thing in the United States that it means in the rest of the world? What about products imported from other countries? And, although most people tend to be familiar with the concept of organic food, how can clothing be organic?   Many of these questions can be answered by GOTS, which is the gold standard for organic certification in clothing. GOTS stands for the Global Organic Textile Standard, which is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain. GOTS certification, which is internationally recognized, ensures not only that the raw textile material -- the cotton Mightly uses, in our case -- is truly organic, but that it also undergoes environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing. As raw materials and unfinished product proceed from cotton farm to cotton gin, and pass through the spinners, fabric mills, dye houses, and on to the final sewing factory, each step requires a GOTS Transaction Certificate to ensure GOTS compliance at every part of the process.    GOTS certification focuses on three aspects of textile production: first, the quality of the raw organic materials; second, ensuring that the manufacturing procedure is as non-toxic and environmentally-friendly as possible; and third, that the factories producing GOTS certified products meet certain labor conditions. More specifically, a textile product carrying the GOTS label grade “organic” must contain a minimum of 95% organic fibers certified based on recognized international or national standards.  All dyes and processing chemicals must be non-toxic and biodegradable, and toxic heavy metals, formaldehyde, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and chlorine bleaches are prohibited. Factories producing GOTS-certified organic textiles must meet the norms of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), including safe and hygienic working conditions, the right to unionize, the right to living wages, and prohibitions against forced labor, child labor, discrimination, excessive working hours, and harsh and inhumane treatment.    As of August 10, 2020, Mightly, Inc., is proud to announce that the company has received its GOTS certification (License number OT-034929.)  Although Mightly’s products have always been made from organic cotton by a Fair Trade Certified factory, it took some time for Mightly itself to go through the GOTS brand certification process.  Look for the GOTS labels on all Mightly products from now on! Mightly Made for Mightly Kids #MightlyMe ∙ #FairTradeCertified ∙ #OrganicCertified