Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Satch & Sol. In Susan's words:
"For the love of family and earth, Satch & Sol partners with fair trade artisan cooperatives worldwide to offer a handmade collection. Satch & Sol strives to be eco-friendly through product selection and business practices."
SouleMama: How long have you been in business?
Susan: Mom-owned and operated in Seattle since August 2008.
SouleMama: What's coming up next for your business?
Susan: Please see the new felted wool hairbands! Like everything else in the online boutique, the hairbands are handmade by a fair trade artisan cooperative in Mongolia.
SouleMama: Tell us about your background - what path led you to where you are today?
Susan: It's a long story about working long hours for large companies, becoming focused on fair trade and environmental practices, beginning a family, and then, just plain luck when we received beautiful baby slippers as a gift from Grandparents, who was working ad traveling in Mongolia. After several months, I tracked down the artist cooperative who handmade the felted wool slippers given to my son. Grandma and Grandpa had purchased them at an outdoor market in Ulaanbaatar. I became inspired by the artists' entrepreneurial spirit, their desire to keep their families together in Mongolia, to maintain their culture, and to build their communities. As a new mom to boys 17 months apart, I was suddenly working toward an effort that I feel so passionate about that Satch & Sol has grown into a full-time business effort and really become part of our family.
SouleMama: What inspires you?
Susan: Mongolia was under Soviet rule for 75+ years. In the 90's, the Soviet Union abruptly pulled out of Mongolia leaving them with little infrastructure and extremely high unemployment. Non-profits and inspired women began forming artist cooperatives and moving back toward the traditions of nomadic life, such as felting wool without the use of machinery. Mongolia is a matriarchal society. I am inspired by the the women who have organized themselves to form fair trade businesses, despite a lack of resources, experience and a connection to buyers beyond their borders.
SouleMama: How has motherhood changed the work you do?
Susan: Being a new mom when I learned about the Artists of Mongolia, I felt a strong connection to their desire to work in their own communities and keep their families together, versus traveling to Russia or China to seek work like many of their neighbors. We are expecting a third child in January, so I expect my work to change even more!
SouleMama: Do you have a favorite inspirational quote?
Susan: "I love you, Mommy."
For today's giveaway, Satch & Sol is offering to one winner:
Any one pair of child size slippers (US 3 baby - 3 youth, EU 18-34) currently available in the online boutique, for shipment anyway in the USA and Canada.
In addition, for all SouleMama readers, Satch & Sol is offering 15% off all orders from the online boutique. Use code soule15 at checkout. Valid through Labor Day, excludes gift certificates.
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Thank you to Satch & Sol!
To enter, please leave a comment in today's post (one entry per person, please). Comments will close on Sunday by 8am EST. Comments closed! Winners will be announced on Monday.
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