African-inspired prints are perfect for summer. Mix them all together or make a statement with one bold piece.

African-inspired prints are a trend that’s been around for a while, but we think it deserves some attention since it’s so perfect for summer. Be daring and mix your prints, there’s no such thing as too much – anything goes with this trend. You can even wear all these picks together if you want to. Support sustainable development in Africa by ensuring that you buy pieces that are made by local artisans who make a fair living wage.

ASOS Africa Bra Top in Rhino Print
A quirkier take on the print trend, this handcrafted stretch bra top features a cute hand-drawn rhino print in poppy greens and oranges. The ASOS Africa collection looks to traditional East African fabrics and prints and reworks them with a modern sporty aesthetic in a punchy acid color palette. It’s produced in collaboration with several small communities in Africa, enabling them to earn a sustainable living through their craftsmanship.
$41, ASOS

Light Gives Heat Bold Moss Pearl Necklace
This necklace is the perfect complement to your African prints. It’s hand-crafted by the Suubi women in Uganda from beads made from recycled paper. By making and selling these beaded necklaces, these women are able to make a living wage, helping them create better lives for their families.
$20, Light Gives Heat

Della Treasure Hunt MacBook Case
Since you’re looking all stylish, your computer should too, right? Dress your MacBook up in this fun, protective case from Della. It’s 100% vegan, made from sustainable materials, lined with local Ghanaian fabric, and thinly padded for protection.
$38, Della

Doreen African Print Peplum Top
The ultimate convergence of two trends – print and peplum – this African print peplum top is one-of-a-kind and handmade in New York. Made from 100% cotton blue printed fabric with gold detailing it works really well with a pair of skinny jeans.
$35, Ann Jodes/Etsy

Wrapped Bangles by Mikuti
Mikuti‘s original banana bark bracelets have been all dressed up with local Tanzania wax fabric. Made using a unique wrapping technique, the vibrant colors of the fabric enhance the natural earth tones of the bark, creating gorgeous printed bangles that are surprisingly versatile. They come in stacks of three and should really be worn together.
$68, Mikuti

AFIA Staple Skirt in Neon
AFIA’s bright, colorful staple skirt is the perfect summer piece. It’s easy to dress up or down, but always makes a statement. It’s made from handpicked cotton wax fabric from the markets of Accra and hand-sewn by cooperatives in Ghana who are paid a fair wage for their craft.
$100, AFIA

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For a weekend of rainforest activities in Ecuador, fill your bag with laid-back basics that can handle long jungle hikes.

When packing for a weekend stay at the gorgeous Mashpi Lodge, a rainforest biodiversity reserve in Ecuador, bring laid-back eco-friendly basics that can stand a good day-long hike through the jungle. Functional fabrics that can breathe are crucial, and whatever you do, don’t forget the natural bug repellent.

Light Gives Heat Classic Bracelet
This chunky cuff bracelet is made from a random assortment of colored SUUBI beads, made from recycled paper. It wraps around the wrist 4-5 times and is the perfect way to dress up a casual outfit. Each bracelet is 100% unique and hand-crafted by the Suubi women in Uganda.
$18, Light Gives Heat

Degree Six Her Bamboo Razorback
This bamboo razorback tank is easy enough to wear on long hikes through the jungle, but cute enough to wear out and about too. Green-hued burnout fabric treatment and contrast stitching make this tank a great wardrobe staple. Made in Los Angeles, from 100% bamboo.
$25, Degree Six

Patagonia Women’s Torrentshell Jacket
One thing you need to be prepared for when you’re in the rainforest is, well, rain. Pared-down and packable, this Torrentshell jacket by Patagonia is a no-frills, 2.5-layer hard shell with a waterproof and breathable barrier made for seriously wet weather.
$129, Patagonia

Eco Swim Eco Covers Shorts
A good pair of shorts is a must-have when you’re out and about in nature. These recycled poly-textured woven cargo shorts by Eco Swim have pockets to fit all your essentials and can stand to get wet.
$64, Everything But Water

Blissoma Backyard Bliss Sprayable Lotion
Whenever you’re in tropical climates, it’s a good idea to bring insect repellent. Backyard Bliss summer sprayable lotion by Blissoma is 100% vegan and 100% natural and has a pleasant, essential oil scent that feels more like a perfume than a bug spray. It also contains organic aloe vera, which keeps your skin cool and protects it from sun stress.
$13.25, Blissoma

Mountainsmith Alder 30 Women’s
Traveling to unusual places usually requires a good backpack. With a capacity of up to 32L, this one, by classic outdoor goods purveyor Mountainsmith, is made especially for women. It’s big enough to hold all your stuff, even for a more extended trip, but also small enough to take as a carry-on for flights. Made with 450d recycled PET fabric, the Alder 30 utilizes 17 recycled 16-ounce plastic bottles.
$124.95, Mountainsmith

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Greet spring dressed in tie dye prints that echo the hues of sea and sky.

Along with this spring’s big print trend comes a new wave of classic tie dye patterns, this time with a bend toward nature and all her glory. Tie dye in rich shades of blue echo the sea and the sky, taking you from spring into summer. Easy-to-wear, pair with closet classics like a loose-fitting white shirt.

Shabd Element Leggings
Pair these water print element tights by Shabd with a flowy white shirt for the ultimate summery look. Dress them down with TOMS or add a pair of chunky white wedge heels for a more casual evening elegance. Designer Shabd Simon-Alexander dyes all her fabric by hand in her NYC studio, and the entire line is made in New York’s Garment District.
$88, Juno & Jove 

Mujus Billy Earrings
These earrings by Mujus are the perfect complement to blue tie-dye prints. They’re made from small slices of tagua nut seeds – which are also known as vegetable ivory and are fallen seeds from a palm tree that grows in the Amazon. Local communities harvest the seeds without any damage to the rainforest and dry them for eight months before they’re made into jewelry.
$29, Mujus 

Frei Parachute Dress
The cream and gray stripe material of this dress is specially dip dyed by hand in indigo, making each piece completely unique. It’s made in Chicago using plant dyes and 100% organic cotton, sourced from mills that support farmers in the U.S. and abroad who do not use harsh pesticides on their crops.
On sale for $216, Embodies 

Anchored Blue Bracelet by Light Gives Heat
This bracelet is made using recycled paper SUUBI beads with large light blue seed beads in between. The beads are set on a wire, which allows the bracelet to wrap around the wrist for a perfect fit, or be used as a choker or anklet. Each SUUBI product is 100% unique, hand-crafted by the Suubi women in Uganda and made of recycled paper.
$15, Light Gives Heat 

Workshop Naturally Dyed Silk Scarf
This gorgeous naturally dyed 100% silk scarf will lend a light airiness to any outfit. Pair it with a long flowy dress or denim and a perfect white tee. Workshop is a shop, studio, gallery, classroom and garden housed in a hundred-year-old building in Chicago.
$90, Workshop (available in late spring)

Envirosax Surfrider Tote
Envirosax reusable bags hold 44 lbs of weight, are water resistant and roll down so they can easily be carried everywhere. This limited edition style will not only reduce plastic bag usage but help to save marine animals as well with a 50 cent donation for every set sold made to the Surfrider Foundation’s Rise Above Plastics Campaign, which aims to reduce single-use plastics in the marine environment through education and advocacy.
$27.95 (for set of three), Bright and Bold 

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