Find another reason to feel good about shopping small by supporting fair trade and sustainable Alexandria businesses. Opt to reduce your carbon footprint at brand new Mason & Greens, help break cycles of poverty with hand-made gifts from Ten Thousand Villages, find eco-friendly fashion at Threadleaf and more. Keep reading for green inspiration.

Mason & Greens

Find wide-ranging gift options at Mason & Greens, the D.C. area’s first zero-waste grocery and sustainable dry goods store, which opened in Old Town in spring 2020. Mask up and visit its light and airy 913 King Street home to pick up everything from calming scented salt soaks to hand-crafted children’s toys to kombucha on draft. You can also shop online for a quick in-person pickup.

Ten Thousand Villages

Explore Ten Thousand Villages to shop for unique, handmade products from around the world including fair trade baskets, jewelry, crafts and other items from international artisans. Ten Thousand Villages utilizes a fair-trade model to break cycles of poverty while minimizing environmental impact. The marker-to-market model incorporates (and fairly compensates) women, people with disabilities and others often excluded from the global economy in order to preserve indigenous legacies, promote financial independence and provide high-quality artisan products to buyers worldwide.

Threadleaf

Helmed by former Obama administration attorney Nicole McGrew, Threadleaf is an independent boutique and proud to be the only store in the area to offer several slow fashion brands from Japan, Europe and the United States under one roof. The bright and sunny boutique provides an inviting space for considered shopping, but you can also visit Threadleaf’s online shop to view an inspired collection that does not compromise on style or craftsmanship. Threadleaf offers delivery, curbside pickup and phone orders, as well as in-store shopping with contactless checkout. E-gift cards are available online.

Truly-Life Eco Gifts

Shop Truly-Life Eco Gifts for handmade gifts created in Alexandria. Enjoy eco-friendly products including soap, lotion, lip balm, soap infused loofahs, smudge sticks and more. Truly-Life uses natural materials packaged in biodegradable containers, with bicycle deliveries in the Del Ray area. Pick up the perfect little green gift at the Old Town Farmers’ Market every Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon at Market Square, schedule a visit at the garden or browse online. 

Swings Coffee

Coffee connoisseurs will love prepping Swing’s single-origin brews in their own kitchen. 25 million people depend on coffee for their livelihoods, so Swing’s makes sure to honor this industry by sourcing their beans ethically from ground to mug. Pick up or ship stylish clay mugs or coffee beans from Colombia, Ethiopia, Sumatra and beyond.

Cualtzin Salon

Named after the Aztec word for “gorgeous,” Cualtzin Salon is an eco-friendly beauty destination on King Street. Treat a loved one to a rejuvenating and sustainable style spruce up at Cualtzin, or purchase plant-based products made from the highest-quality ingredients with the lowest carbon footprint.

Find more ways to support small businesses in Alexandria here.

Header Image Credits: Instagram account of Mason & Greens