About
OVERVIEW
Founder's story
We are Peggy English & Patty Nalley, sisters & co-founders of Organic Bug. We grew up in Louisville, Kentucky in the 50’s & 60’s in a typical working class neighborhood where friends gathered to sit on their porches on warm summer evenings sipping iced tea, while children played hide & seek in the shadows of tall trees. Mom was a single parent and although dad provided what financial help he could, she worked full time and had the full-on responsibility of maintaining our home and caring for three children. No easy task! Big thanks, mom! Mom had grown up on a small farm; so although we lived in the city we always had a garden and lots of animals in and around our tiny house. Fresh creamy milk was delivered to our door twice weekly and who could forget the Strawberry Man yelling “Strawww-berries” as he walked the streets of our neighborhood peddling his freshly grown sweet fruit harvest! We watched our dog give birth to several litters of puppies and helped mom nurse injured squirrels & birds back to health. She respected everyone no matter what their lot in life and always showed us the beauty found in nature and the many creatures that inhabit the earth. Fast forward to 2005, after going our separate ways and with our own families now grown, Patty & I found ourselves together again in neighboring sleepy Florida beach towns. Our shared childhood memories, appreciation of the natural world and the four grandchildren we currently have between us led us to create Organic Bug. We are excited to celebrate and support all of the amazing individuals and companies whose products we offer and love being a part of the movement to bring about awareness and change for social justice and a sustainable future.
Our mission
Through the offering of a wide variety of quality contemporary eco-friendly, fair trade and health-oriented merchandise, we invite individuals to use their purchasing power as a vote for social and environmental change, while delivering an incredibly interesting and informative one-stop shopping experience for today's busy consumer.
Our philosophy
Organic Bug was born to nurture the relationship we all have with the Earth, each other and our own inner beings. The spirit of Organic Bug is to build a successful business with a focus on the environment, social justice, personal development and sustainable living. Organic Bug is a destination where one discovers a diverse assortment of goods produced to create a positive and lasting effect. Building a company to promote a better world, we pledge quality products, excellent customer service and an ongoing commitment to provide the newest, most innovative merchandise that contributes to personal enjoyment, relaxation and renewal. We believe that it is in everyone's best interest to care about each other and the planet. If we empower ourselves, we empower others. We can make a difference, one purchase at a time.
The types of products we sell
Offering eco-friendly and fair trade merchandise including accessories and gifts for the whole family, each product is hand selected for sustainability & design, then personally tested by at least one of our "bugs" to insure good quality & durability. Reusable bottles and bags, men's & women's accessories made from recycled materials, organic & natural fiber bedding, non-toxic toys and dolls, eco-friendly yoga mats, recycled glass tabletop & barware are all beautifully produced to pave the way for a better way of being in the world.
Where the producers live and work
Our producers live and work all over the world beginning right here in the USA. Other producers are from Philippines, Kenya, Haiti, South Africa, Thailand, India, Mexico & China
Projects we support
We support 1% for the Planet & TerraPass.
How we select what we sell
We begin with honor & respect for natural resources and all living things. Our products fall into one or more of the key categories of Fair Trade, Handmade, Made in the USA, Natural, Organic, Recycled and Sustainable. We then go to work gathering information from the supplier, manufacturer or producer to insure that the people who actually make the products are paid a fair wage and are provided safe and healthy working conditions. We also make sure animals are not used to test any products.
We pay attention to the materials that go to into the manufacture of each product. What is actually in the soap, body lotion, facial scrub, skin toner, sun screen? We use the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database to research personal care products and their ingredients and never accept cosmetic products, clothing or bedding that are produced using parabens.
No product escapes scrutiny! Is the wood FSC Certified or from sustainable resources? Are the finishes natural, non-toxic or low-VOC? Are the fabrics certified organic by the appropriate third-party agencies? Are the colors produced from natural or low-impact dyes? Have recycled materials been utilized? Are plastics and other synthetics made with the least environmental impact, providing assurances systems are in place to minimize energy & water consumption and environmental discharge?
Our criterion for product selection continues to be re-evaluated as we grow! As always we invite your thoughts along the way! feedback@organicbug.com
What makes us unique
Knowledge is power. That is why we thoroughly research and personally test every product to provide you with the healthiest shopping choices available for you, your family and your home. Time is a commodity in today’s fast-paced world and one can spend hours sifting through the mountains of information available to find merchandise that is produced without the very toxins that research has proven harmful to us and our environment.
And don’t think you have to give up luxury for a better environment! We make it our top priority to only offer products that are of equal or better quality than their mainstream counterparts. For example, we make sure our organic cottons and other eco-friendly fabrics feel wonderfully soft next to the skin, launder well and are woven to last with beautiful finishes you will enjoy for years to come. Our lotions and creams are made without parabens, petrochemicals or synthetic preservatives but are soothing, healing and moisturizing.
In other words, you should expect to personally feel the benefit of making better choices!
More information about us
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