Eco-Chic Holiday Gift Ideas

If you’re at all like us, you’re probably a little bit behind in your holiday gift shopping. With holidays just around the corner, we decided to put together a list of some good gift ideas to get you back on track. The best part about this list? The products are all eco-chic.

And remember, it’s more than just the thought that counts. Eco-fashion website Ecouterre recently asserted (by means of PSFK editor-in-chief Piers Fawkes) that green gift guides are killing the environment because they fail to address the real underlying environmental issues. We just think it’s a step in the right direction for consumers to use their dollars to vote for these environmentally-conscious producters, so shop on!

For the gadget lover:

Etre Fivepoint Texting gloves from fair trade company Fair Indigo

$64.90

For the girl who can’t get enough accessories:

Recycled cassette tape pouch by UncommonGoods

$24

For the Mac geek man in your life:

Computer Key Series Escape Key Cufflinks – upcycled by Creative Dexterity and being sold on Etsy.

$125

For the shutterbug:

Large camera messenger bag by Mari Forssell via Etsy

$219

For the gamer:

Neostich DIY iPhone Case by Connect Design

$18

For the directionally challenged:

Left-right handwarmers by Fair Indigo

$20

For the (technology-loving) bookworm:

Kindle eReader cover by Rebound Designs

$65

For the fashionista:

Hand in Hand Silver Bangle by Kate Spade for her Women for Women International partnership

$58

For the jet-setter:

Braun Weekender by Matt & Nat

$220

For the avid cyclist:

Pop-Up Bike Basket by MIO

$75

For late night outdoor exercise enthusiasts:

Lightning Vest by Dargelos

$95

For the student:

Elephant Daypack by Baggu

$25

For the homebody:

Slipper socks by Gypsy05

$129

For the artist:

Super big twig colored pencils on Etsy

$10

And, of course, find more ideas at Ecouterre, Etsy, Zappos, UncommonGoods, HGTV, and Ecoist. Happy shopping!

‘Tis the Season

With Thanksgiving behind us, it’s time to look toward the new holiday season. No matter your denomination, we know it’s the season for “love and good cheer”. We bring you our interpretation of “Tis the Season” to celebrate this holiday season.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly

‘Tis the season to be jolly

Don we now our gay apparel

Troll the ancient Yule tide carol

See the blazing Yule before us

Strike the harp and join the chorus

Follow me in merry measure

While I tell of Yuletide treasure

Fast away the old year passes

Hail the new, ye lads and lasses

Sing we joyous, all together

Heedless of the wind and weather

Bringing Production back to America

Boston Consulting Group recently published a study titled “Made in America, Again: Why Manufacturing Will Return to the U.S.” In it, authors Harold L. Sirkin, Michael Zinser, and Douglas Hohner draw the conclusion that “rising Chinese wages, higher U.S. productivity, a weaker dollar, and other factors will virtually close the gap between the U.S. and China for many goods consumed in North America.” The implications? The U.S. is, once again, becoming an attractive option for manufacturing.

As a company that prides ourself on our Made in America story, frankly we’re glad to see such conclusions drawn. At the same time, we understand that many companies that put the bottom line above all else may instead just shift production from China to other low cost countries. However, as Sirkin et al point out, “these nations’ ability to absorb the higher-end manufacturing that would otherwise go to China will be limited by inadequate infrastructure, skilled workers, scale and domestic supply networks, as well as by political and intellectual property risks. Low worker productivity, corruption, and the risk to personal safety are added concerns in some countries.”

The point these authors are making is that not only has American manufacturing not met its demise, as predicted, but the U.S. is in fact becoming an “increasingly attractive option, especially for products consumed in North America.”

We at School House couldn’t agree more, and we are proud to say we are part of that trend bringing production back to America.

3 Reasons Why It’s Cool to Wear your College Shirt

When I was in college, I was not at all interested in wearing my institution’s tees or sweaters. It wasn’t that I didn’t like my school, but there just seemed something cheap about wearing my $9.95 generic college tee when it wasn’t game day. Having gone to a big state school that was obsessed with college sports, maybe it was my own form of personal rebellion – wanting to stand out amidst my classmates. But looking back I feel a bit ashamed I don’t have a single hoodie or tee to my name after five years in undergrad and graduate school. So in my bout of nostalgia, I bring you three reasons why you should (proudly!) invest in college merch.

Everyone LOVES their alma mater. There’s a reason why “where did you go to school?” continues to be one of the mostly widely used ice breakers of all time. Whether you believe it or not, where you go to school has a lot of influence on your life during and after college. I’ve used my alumni network to find jobs, connect with old friends, learn something new or find comfort when feeling a bit homesick. It’s crazy how running into someone from your college can boost your spirits, rouse up old stories or just bring back a sense of familiarity that we all miss. For this reason, I’ll throw on an old college tee on a Saturday while shopping, etc. and I’m always surprised by who I’ll meet just because my shirt says “Nebraska.”

Ohio State Shirt, $28, homage.com

There will be more acceptable opportunities in your life to wear college gear than you think. Yes, it’s hard to imagine a time where you’ll wear your college hoodie outside of tailgates and game days, but you will. In nearly every workplace I’ve been at, HR has hosted an alma mater day or sports day where it’s acceptable to forego business casual for your favorite sports shirt. Then there’s the sports bars, theme parties and social gatherings you’ll go to, all of which at some point will include you wearing an old college tee. Plus, at some point you will end up going back to one of your college’s sporting events, and there’s no better feeling than coming back to campus and wearing a shirt you bought when you went there. There’s sentimental value. And what about down the road, when you’ll want to pass that valuable merch onto kids, nieces, nephews, etc. who will ultimately think your “vintage” college gear is cool?

Rutgers Fitted Tee, $28, shopschoolhouse.com

With more fashionable options than ever, why not? When I first started college way back in 2005 (ouch), I had about zero fashionable college options. There were boxy $9.95 shirts or Adidas Climamax shirts, and neither of those fit into my wardrobe at the time (nor do they now). In fact, it’s probably why 3/4 of the college shirts I own were freebies from campus groups. But now there are SO many options. From fitted and featherweight tees and vintage prints/styles to supersoft hoodies, pullovers and zip up jackets that don’t look like they were made for a demographic ages 18-65, you can look cool in college gear. If you can’t find it at your bookstore, LMGTFY. The internet has a wide array of gear, from vintage on ebay to newfound favorites, and it’s all a click away.

UNLV Varsity Cardigan, $70, shopschoolhouse.com

The bottom line? Be grateful that cool college brands and garments exist, and proudly wear your favorite college tee. I promise that it will come in handy someday, and you’ll never regret having an extra college hoodie around.

Hello, nice to meet you.

We’re School House. We design and deliver ethically created, fashionably desirable college apparel.

Our mission is to humanize how the apparel industry does business. Whether its being a better buyer in someone else’s factory, sourcing materials from people we can shake hands with or performing the simple act of paying someone a decent wage for their work, we’re changing the way people think about apparel.

We hope you enjoy learning about what we do as much as we love making it.

Stay tuned and never graduate!

<3 The School House Team