Art
In the 1990s and early 2000s, as Americans grew worried about plastic waste, some shoppers and small businesses turned to containers made from natural materials. This bark container, handmade by craftsperson Ira Blount, represents a quiet effort to shop and carry goods in ways that felt gentler to the earth.
Art · Full story
You fold the supple bark in your hands, feeling its ridges and grain. At the farmers market or a local shop, you'd slip your purchase inside—apples, bread, flowers—and walk home knowing nothing synthetic would end up in a landfill. It's a small gesture, but it feels honest.
Reflect
What ordinary items in your own shopping life do you wish were made differently—or made to last longer?