Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. While YBC® was compensated for the post, we are committed to working with small businesses we believe in, whose products we love and would purchase for ourselves. If you have an email address that you use for marketing purposes, use that one, because by entering to win the giveaway, you agree to have your email shared with our sponsors so they can be in touch with future promotions. Thank you for supporting the companies that support YBC®.
As a kid, I always loved the start of the school year. For me, it felt a lot like the New Year - holding the promise of a new chapter in my life. With the exception of a few of the high school years, I truly loved going to school. Given that we spend so much of our life in school, I guess it only makes sense that so many of my happiest memories or formative moments have been school-related. I remember the joy of learning Spanish and German in fourth grade in Steiner School. I remember Ms. Feikema's English 101 class at UCONN, where she dedicated so much time and energy to my writing, and whose lectures I recalled as I wrote my book Namaslay. I remember my second grade teacher Mrs. Neary addressing racism head on, making it clear that it was important to stand up for any injustice we saw. I remember the joy that singing brought me in the a cappella group I was a part of in high school. I look back at those years and miss the excitement that came before the first day of school. Those were good times. And that's why I'm psyched that the YBC® team has put together this little giveaway featuring some amazing small businesses, that all strive to be eco-friendly, in celebration of the start of the school year ahead. Also, some of these amazing vendors are also offering a discount to YBC® shoppers using the discount codes listed throughout.
One person within the US will win everything here. To enter to win, just leave a comment on this post telling us a funny, favorite, or horrible story from your school days. Then, record that you've commented using the rafflecopter widget below. One lucky winner will be announced here on the 22nd, and in our newsletter that Sunday. Thanks for supporting small business!
1. Raven + Lily - Addis Backpack - $172 - Raven + Lily is a lifestyle brand offering trend-forward fair trade fashion, accessories, and home furnishings with its core underlying mission to empower women on a global scale. Today, the brand employs more than 1,500 at-risk women in 10 countries around the world and counting, providing them with a fair trade wage and access to a safe job, sustainable income, healthcare, and other tools they need to thrive. Additionally, every purchase of a Raven + Lily product benefits the Raven + Lily ecosystem while also funding micro-loans to female entrepreneurs. You can follow them @ravenandlily.
2. NoFeathersPlease - USA Made, KING Size Organic Cotton Sheet Set - $169.00 - Heading back to the dorms in the fall? Then it's time to invest in high quality sheets that will help you sleep well. No Feathers Please specializes in USA made organic cotton and wool bedding products. Their website and products support small family farms and businesses while providing organic, non-toxic and USA made bedding for you and your family. Use code DIS1018 with $99.00 purchase for a discount.
3. Stovetop Roasters - Ethiopia Deri Kochoha - $17.00 - Early morning classes? No problem, we got you. At Stovetop, they approach some things very seriously, like sourcing, roasting, brewing, and dancing, and approach other things very playfully, like drawing, designing, daydreaming, and dancing. (The best dancers, as you know, are both serious and playful.) They are excited about specialty coffee because it tastes good and it smells good and it feels good in your mouths, but more than anything they're excited about coffee's knack for bringing people together. They're eager to share this Ethiopian with you. It's named "The Swaddled Hound," and it has a bountiful stone fruit/honey sweetness. You can follow them @stovetoproasters.
4. Yo Dog Yoga - Yoga Mat Strap - $24.95 - After a long day in class, you're going to want to grab your mat and get to practice - and what better way than with a new yoga mat strap? Yo Dog Yoga is a lifestyle brand focused on selling the coolest most unique yoga mat straps in the industry. They want to inspire customers to have fun and enjoy life while helping out animals at the same time! Yo Dog Yoga is passionate about their mission and will change the world one strap at a time. You can follow them @yodogyoga. Use code YOGA15 for 15% off your purchase.
5. A signed copy of Namaslay - $27.16 - For all the yoga teachers/students out there, this book makes the perfect gift. With hundreds of yoga poses that are broken down with cues and alignment points, the book will help you on your yoga journey. And with Candace's story of overcoming the a mystery illness woven throughout, the book is an uplifting and inspirational read for the book lover.
6. HAVERN Watches - Wood Watch | The Calvin - $77.98 - No excuse to be late for class anymore! Their minimalist watch designs offer eye catching style at an affordable price. All of the watches are constructed of 100% wood. This ensures they are doing our part to help keep our footprint light while providing the highest quality product possible. Make your watch extra special by adding a custom engraving or handwritten message to back of any of their watches! You can follow them @havernwatches. Use code YOGA15 for 15% off your purchase.
7. ODE - Verde Feather-Light Hydration Body Oil & Organic Lavender Olive Oil Body Balm - $62.00 - ODE natural beauty of McEvoy Ranch combines their estate-grown extra virgin, certified organic olive oil with nutrient-rich botanicals for daily hydration and glow. Verde Feather-Light Hydration Oil is an intensely moisturizing yet light-weight full-body treatment that absorbs easily, leaving skin hydrated with no oily residue. Organic Lavender Olive Oil Body Balm is a sensuous blend of olive and jojoba oils beeswax, and vitamin E and is rich in natural antioxidants and is easily absorbed into the skin to deeply nourish and protect. You can follow them @odenaturalbeauty. Use code NAMASTE for a discount.
8. The Hemp Temple - Juniper Jumpsuit - $120.00 - Everyone loves planning their first day of school outfits. This jumper is a no brainer for comfort, style and sustainability. At the Hemp Temple, they are for the people and for the planet. Their vision is to reclaim hemp as the fibre of a global revolution. Holistic Sustainability is a term they have coined to describe their perspective on sustainability that reaches beyond the relationship between business and consumer. The Hemp Temple aspires to influence individuals to reassess the central beliefs that are the impulses of their daily choices. You can follow them @thehemptemple. Use code YOGA15 for 15% off your purchase.
9. Avistar - Charcoal Teeth Whitening Powder + 20 Bamboo Toothbrushes - $45 - Want to make a good first impression on your teacher, classmates, or students? It all starts with a smile. Safely clean and polish teeth, strengthen enamel, improve gum health and freshen your breath with the power of activated charcoal and bamboo toothbrushes - Avistar never uses harsh chemicals, fluoride or bleach. You can follow them @avistarcare. Use code YOGA15 for 15% off your purchase.
10. Lakeshore Dry Goods - T-shirt Hair Towel - $26.00 - Created by Pam and Christian Colby out of Petoskey, MI, Lakeshore Goods originated after reading a beauty tip about using a t-shirt to towel-dry hair gently, they designed a medium-sized towel made with organic knit cotton under the brand name Sunrise Bliss®. They wanted a name that related to the morning since that’s when most people get ready plus a sunrise is so renewing and a beautiful start to the day. And they also wanted the brand name to capture the goodness of what the towel is all about, from the soft and gentle fabric to the benefits on your hair health to the organic aspect, so that’s how “bliss” came about. And together, Sunrise Bliss just sounds like something very pleasant you would want to add to your morning. The towels can also be used for yoga, for tea, and for anything else you need. You can follow them @lakeshoredrygoods. Use code YOGA15 for 15% off your purchase.
11. Apeiron Yoga - Terrene Yoga Mat - $97.00 - Even during the busy school year, it is also important to get back on the mat and focus on your practice. Earth, sea and sky unite on Apeiron Yoga's chic and stylish Terrene yoga mat! Unleash your inner zen with an amber blaze of energy, tempered by a turquoise calm to create a perfect balance. Apeiron yoga mats are made from 100% natural tree rubber with a sweat activated, slip-proof vegan "suede" surface (perfect for hot yoga classes!). You can follow them @apeiron_yoga. Use code CANDACE30 to save 30% on your Apeiron purchase.