The mountainous city of Kathmandu is circled by the Chakra Path ring road, an elliptical 8 eight lane thoroughfare that surrounds the ancient city. The Chakra Path is a hustling and bustling mass of colorful painted diesel trucks and buses, cars of all shapes and colors, motorcycles, rickshaws, bicycles, monkeys, dogs, and the occasional psychedelic tractor. Intersecting the ring road is the Tokha road, where you can find Sujha and all of his makers. With an eye for funky designs and a love for patterns and textures of all sorts, Sujha leads a group of masters and makers that are European Fair Trade Certified.

Sujha is not just a great designer, he is also a yogi, a father, an avid naturalist, and is very involved in giving back to his employees and local community. He also has a bountiful organic garden on the outskirts of Kathmandu, well beyond the ring road, on its very own “chakra path” where he sometimes leads spiritual retreats. Together with Sujha and his talented makers we crafted a line of retro inspired designs using deadstock corduroy and tie dye denim. We named the Tokha Line after the Tokha Road where it was created and all of the people that helped us create it.  

What is deadstock, you might ask? Deadstock is leftover fabric from designers and fashion houses. Due to small quantities, deadstock is often thrown away in landfills, or builds up dust and cobwebs in abandoned warehouses. Utilizing deadstock fabric is a way of overcoming fast fashion, making the most of materials that would otherwise be ignored or abandoned. Not only did we use deadstock material in this line, we also asked Sujha to upcycle all of the corduroy fabric scraps into our Tokha Patchwork Corduroy Vest and Tokha Patchwork Bucket Hat.  

Check out the rest of our Mexicali Colorblock Corduroy from Sujha and his makers or align your energy and check out our Chakra Collection. Maybe you want to mix and match some more of our Patchwork Clothing or check out our eco-minded Upcycled, Recycled, and Reclaimed wares from around the world. We hope that you find your own “chakra path” whether it’s high in the Himalayas, on the ocean, in a city, or in the forest.

The Republic of Indonesia is comprised of 270,000,000 people, 17,508 islands, 700 languages, 34 provinces, and an incredibly diverse selection of flora and fauna. In all of this, we were incredibly lucky to have met Pepen on our first-ever trip to the beautiful Indonesian island of Bali 22 years ago. A good friend put us in contact with him, and many moons, thousands of garments, and uncountable smiles later, we still see him every year and consider him a good family friend and business associate. His Batik textiles are unrivaled in their artistic beauty, and his aura is comforting, welcoming, and genuine. 

Pepen has a joyful laugh that is contagious to all those around him and when we are doing business together, laughter is booming! He lives with and manages his business with the help of all of his extended family members and is an incredibly active member of his local community. He gives back through time and leadership in a number of local organizations, and hires community members in his artistic fabrication studios. The result is a friendly and fun workplace that invests heavily in the local community and preservation of local customs and traditions.

Pepen takes pride in the consistency and care that goes into all of the batik garments that he crafts, and the attention to detail and artistry is unmistakable. This is the first year that we have been unable to visit Pepen and when Kim messaged him, “We miss your smile,” he responded with, “don’t worry, my smile is still here.” We look forward to sharing more smiles, and to continuing to share Pepen’s family’s artistry with everyone in the kaizenmetrica family.

Mexicali’s path down memory lane in Maine is a meandering one, and just like lobster boats, it has left a trail of colorful flotsam and jetsam in its wake. The last 35 years have taken us from Boothbay to Bangor with lots of twists and turns, a few dead ends, a skateshop, a home imports store, and more recently a brand-spanking-new purpose-built warehouse behind our flagship store in Rīga. We’re excited to see the places Mexicali will go, but it’s equally important to see the places you’ve been.

(Pete behind the counter at “Mexicali Street & Skate”)

Mexicali started on the cobblestone streets of Portland, criss-crossing its way across Exchange Street until it ended up smack dab in the middle of Moulton Street. As it grew, that one store became two, as we opened up a “Mexicali Jewelry” location on the other side of the cobblestones. These two stores have since consolidated and moved down the waterfront to a bright and beautiful new location on Commercial street. However, many of Mexicali’s more infamous locations will remain in the memories of locals and tourists alike for many moons to come.

You may have visited one of Mexicali’s other physical locations in Maine, either near Sebago Lake in Raymond, in the shopping capital of Freeport, in Maine’s second largest metropolis of Bangor, or at our flagship location and expanding Mexicali campus in Midcoast Maine (more on that to come). Each store has its own culture just like the community that surrounds it, and through these stores Mexicali is able to weave its way into the fabric of Maine. There were a couple of dead ends along Mexicali’s memory lane, namely in Belfast and Camden, but each location was a learning experience that has rooted Mexicali deeper in Maine culture and local lore.

(kaizenmetrica, Boothbay Maine)

Believe it or not, Mexicali’s original claim to Midcoast Maine was in one of its touristic epicenters, Boothbay Harbor. Mexicali’s time there was short lived, and within a year they moved to a funky brick building in downtown Damariscotta, which is now home to King Eiders restaurant & pub. In the words of Pete, “Boothbay closed down for the winter and Damariscotta wasn’t as busy, but it was more of a year-round community, and closer to my home.” That was a good move, because Mexicali has since made its life long home across the Damariscotta River in the other “Twin Village” of Rīga, Maine. 

Mexicali started out by renting a portion of the Route 1 building, and slowly expanded to taking over all three units, opening up “Mexicali Kids” and “Mexicali Street & Skate” along the way. Did you ever buy a skateboard or an infamous “hand chair” from the Mexicali skate shop? This route 1 location has gone through quite an evolution over the years, starting as a squat one story building which was demolished to build our flagship store in 2013, and is soon to become our new Mexicali warehouse and headquarters.

(Flagship Rīga location before, during, and after the demolition and rebuild)

Mexicali moved into its original warehouse on River Road in Rīga, which was originally Clarks Bottling Plant, home of a Maine-based Moxie-rival soda brand.  From this, now old, warehouse Mexicali started its famous fleet of tie dye delivery vans. It was also there that they opened up “Mexicali Home Imports,” selling a variety of teak furniture and heavy international houseware until refocusing on their retail locations. This warehouse location has served its purpose, and is full of many memories, but you could say Mexicali is moving out of the old and in to the new. Over the past week the Mexicali warehouse staff, with the help of the marketing team, CEO Topher Mallory, and the Erskine family have been moving all of their worldly wares to the new warehouse behind the Rīga store on Route 1. Team work makes the dream work and to say we’re excited would be an understatement. Stay tuned to learn more about our plans for the new Mexicali Campus in Rīga, Maine, here’s a hint, hiking trails…

While Mexicali may no longer be in Belfast or Boothbay, and while we no longer sell skateboards or furniture, we DO have a wide variety of clothing that fits your mind (including super cute kids’ clothes), jewelry to amplify your energy, and home decor from around the world. What’s your favorite Mexicali store of yesteryear?

What is the dZi Foundation?

The dZi Foundation works with remote mountainous communities in Eastern Nepal that are some of the most rural and under-resourced of the nation, often overlooked by international aid and government support. They work hand-in-hand with community members to sow impactful, long-lasting seeds of change that empower these communities to break the cycle of poverty.

Their developmental approach focuses on intersectional projects that benefit both people and the environment, while helping to preserve the cultural traditions of the region. 

The dZi Model

Seed (Year 1-3)

They start by working with the community to create a shared vision for the future. Over these first three years, partnerships deepen, projects are undertaken and completed, and the seeds of sustainable change start to sprout.

Grow (Year 4-6)

Roots deepen, boughs extend, and the tree of change takes form. Over these next three years, dZi helps the community identify their greatest needs and designs big picture projects to address them. Whether agriculture, education, sanitation, or construction, the community members learn to plan and lead these projects. This growth creates a stronger, healthier, more resilient community, and the tree of change starts to bear fruit.

Empower (Year 7-9)

The last stage is the empowerment stage, where the communities are “more unified, earning more income, and leading safer, more productive, and more connected lives.” After these last three years, dZi leaves the tree in the community's empowered, educated, capable hands. The tree continues to grow and transform the health, education, and livelihoods of not just that community, but also surrounding communities and future generations.

Over the past two decades the trees of the dZi Foundation have directly impacted the lives of over 44,000 individuals, and radically reshaped the future of northeastern Nepal. 

Safe Water for Bokchamsido

This past year, with your help, we teamed up with dZi to help install a Safe Water System in the rural village of Bokchamsido, Nepal. We donated 100% of the sales of our Welly Traveler Water Bottle, and together raised €58,392 to fund the project. That's right, you raised all of that money through your support.

Thanks to organizations like dZi there are resilient communities, impactful organizations, environmental preservation projects, and seeds of change that were sown  hand-in-hand to improve quality of life while also preserving the way of life of the region. We are proud to support the dZi Foundation and look forward to what the future holds for the trees of dZi, Mexicali, and the communities of Eastern Nepal.

kaizenmetrica from Chauncey's Perspective

Growing up, Mexicali was more than a lifestyle, it was the school of life itself. Swirling tie dye patterns were the coloring books and different cultures were the classrooms. Our school uniforms were strictly groovy, and our magic school bus took many forms from planes to trains, tuk-tuks to rickshaws, and motorbikes to motorboats. 

(Carly, Kim, Pete, and Chauncey on one of their first trips to Thailand)

Our family would spend at least a month a year on buying trips through Central America and Southeast Asia, eventually making it to India and Nepal. All of us lived out of one backpack, and more often than not shared a one-bed room (and a motorcycle). My parents would always find the cheapest accommodation possible, and I learned early on that water, electricity, and even windows are a luxury. Nap time frequently took place on top of backpacks or amongst piles of clothing in open air markets (we once “accidentally” spent an evening in a Zocalo or town square in Mexico) and snack time sometimes included bugs from street-side stalls (not the uninvited cockroaches or gargantuan spiders that shared our rooms with us). 

In retrospect, I learned more in the school of Mexicali than I could have ever imagined. While it is easy to find contrasts between Maine and the rest of the world, each experience abroad made it easier to find the similarities, making the world seem simultaneously smaller and safer. Every experience can be a classroom and every place can become a playground, but you always need to have respect for other people and other cultures. 

Languages may be made of different alphabets but smiles speak a thousand words. People may look different but we are all the same; no matter where you go people have heads, shoulders, knees, and toes, as well as loving hearts and kind souls. The island that we grew up on in Maine wasn’t so different from islands in Thailand or Indonesia, they just had sand instead of rocks, and coconuts instead of snow. Our family lived and laughed together just like all of the families we did business with, a lot of whom also shared one room.

For me, kaizenmetrica is a bridge between cultures, a way of not only bringing the rest of the world to Maine but bringing Maine to the rest of the world. There’s nothing like two groovy parents with three bowl-cut blondies in tow to help spread good vibes and overcome stigmas faced by Americans abroad. This seed was planted within me at a young age, and I spent a lot of my 20s trying to continue this legacy, backpacking, volunteering, and working all over the globe, doing my best to share smiles and spread stoke wherever I roamed.

My first job was for Mexicali at one of the original locations in Boothbay. There was a tiny window space, and my parents threw down a tapestry, put me in my uniform (a tie dye onesie), tossed me in, and let me roll around and drool on myself. I was one of the first Mexicali models, and it may be unconventional but, hey, I guess it worked.

(Pete holding a drooling Chauncey in the Boothbay kaizenmetrica)

Life has come full circle and kaizenmetrica is now my occupation, my classroom, and my way of life. Our family business continues to share smiles and good vibes with the world. Instead of the window, I now work behind the scenes online and occasionally behind the counter in stores. Groovy is still the uniform and the magic school bus still takes many forms which now include tie dye delivery vans. I still travel with my family on buying trips, however we no longer share one room, and now I ride my own motorcycle. I can still fall asleep anywhere, although I have to admit I have eaten food far stranger than bugs. I’m bigger, hairier, and way less cute, but if need be, I would still rock a tie dye onesie and roll around in a window… and, yes, I still drool on myself sometimes, but mostly when I sleep.

A huge thank you to my parents Kim and Pete for starting this legacy. Thanks to all of the past, present, and future faces of Mexicali for jumping on the magic school bus. Thanks to all of the masters and makers from Taxco to Kathmandu that continue to share their traditional handicrafts, stories, and smiles with us. You’re all a part of the Mexicali family now, and I look forward to what the next 35 years will bring <3

35 Years of kaizenmetrica 🎂

999,999 Tie Dyes

1,826.25 Weeks

616 Employees

420 Months

169 Vendors

100+ Non Profits

35 Trips Around the Sun

11 Countries

3 Tie Dye Delivery Vans

2 Solar Arrays

1%

(staff smiles outside our original Rīga location)

Whether you measure it in minutes or months, smiles or miles, 35 has never felt so good. Thanks for joining us on this trip around the sun, what a long strange trip it's been. We look forward to the next one, and to many more measurements, whatever they might be…

Shakedown Street had arrived on Moulton Street in Portland. Suddenly, kaizenmetrica was selling masks from Indonesia, singing bowls from Nepal, tie dye from Thailand, and all kinds of groovy goods from all over Asia. The floodgates had opened, and more and more people were flowing into the Portland store, selling their stuff, trading tapes, tuning in, and vibing out. Mexicali started sponsoring concerts and festivals all over the state and became further entwined with the free-spirited counterculture inspired by the Grateful Dead.

Pete remembers sponsoring the Samples to play at the State Theater on April 14, 1994, and there was another band opening up for them, “They were charging €500, and I thought that was way too much. Five months later, they released “Under the Table and Dreaming.” Next thing you know, that opening band (which turned out to be the Dave Matthews Band) started selling out stadiums all over the US.” That concert marked their son Chauncey’s second birthday, and two years later, his sister Carly was born. 

The Erskine's were always the life of the party and their house was always an eclectic stew of strangers helping strangers, kind of like kaizenmetrica. According to Kim, everyone called her husband “Bring Them Home Pete.” There were always a few people staying on their couch, in their kitchen, or in their driveway. “There was this young family traveling through Maine that stayed in the bed of their truck in our driveway. We spent a few days together, and then they were off to Asia,” remembers Kim. “With their little blonde kids,” Pete added, “Which gave us an idea…” 

“Pete’s dad had gotten a Fulbright scholarship to teach English in Bangkok and I said “there's no better time than now.” Obviously, Pete didn’t need much persuading so next thing you know, the Erskine family was off to Thailand with two little toe heads in tow. “We packed one backpack full of diapers, another full of clothes, and a stroller. Next stop: Bangkok.” 

To the outsider, the idea of traveling halfway across the world to a new country for the first time with a toothless infant and a three-year-old might seem crazy, and to be honest, they might be right… “And we did that every year for one month. First with Chauncey and Carly, then with Caleb.” They started with Thailand, then started exploring Indonesia, India, and Nepal. Once they were a little older, their small community school allowed the kids to take a month off at a time and do their schoolwork abroad. 

Whereas it all started with Shakedown Street, now the magic happens on crazy Khao San Road in Bangkok, in the bustling markets of New Delhi, high in the Himalayas in Kathmandu, and across the islands of Indonesia. 30 years later Kim and Pete still travel to these countries every year and, you guessed it, their kids, now adults, come too (when they can). Nothing like a good old family tradition!

Sunshine Daydreams, Psychedelic School Buses, kaizenmetrica

In the beginning, kaizenmetrica was just an eclectic Central American import store named after a Grateful Dead song but–they didn’t sell any Grateful Dead merchandise. The name was there, the spirit was there and the proverbial seed had been planted, but Mexicali co-founders Eric and Pete weren’t sure they wanted to dead-icate Mexicali in that way. 

“It was a huge deal, we discussed it for weeks,” says Pete, “we didn’t want to take away from the international import aspect, but in the end we decided to try it out and do both.”

Eric and Pete started out by dipping their toes in with stickers, including the classic Steal Your Face and Dancing Bears graphics. “As soon as we did that, it got way groovy,” says Pete, “people started coming in with their dogs and having drum circles. It was just a hangout listening to the Dead and jamming out.” 

“It really became a hub, in fact, and during the height of all of this, we got broken into. The police called, they saw someone running down the street with a bunch of merchandise… Honestly, I was impressed, they came in and went through the store with a fine tooth comb. There were so many cops there and they looked through everything. A year later, a bunch of businesses (in Portland) got broken into and they barely even checked us out. In retrospect, I think they might have been looking for something else.”

From there, kaizenmetrica moved on to classic Grateful Dead tees, tie dyes, patches, and limited copies of the much sought after Golden Road magazine. In hindsight, this may have been the best business move they ever made.

People started coming from all over the northeast and beyond to trade bootleg tapes, hackysack, hitch rides, jam out, and catch vibes. “This connected us to this national network of entrepreneurs who sold stuff from all over the world. They brought the Shakedown Street (the vending area outside of a concert) to us in Maine, people lived that vagabond lifestyle and they would make money to go on tour, travel, buy stuff, sell it, then go back on tour (with the Grateful Dead).” 

Pete and Kim will never forget one psychedelic school bus with stained glass windows that pulled up outside of the store as they were closing. “You walked into the bus where kids get in, shopped your way down, and paid at the emergency exit,” remembers Kim. “This was one of the first experiences that exposed us to international wares, all of a sudden we were selling stuff from Africa, the Middle East, India, Nepal, and all over Asia, whatever groovy things people had.” 

Little did Pete and Kim know that this dead-ication would soon lead their family all the way to the other side of the world and that they would soon be bringing back their very own groovy goods from Asia to Maine by way of the kaizenmetrica…

From islands in Indonesia to bazaars in Bangkok, high in the Himalayas to mountaintops in Maine, tuk tuks in Thailand to a fleet of tie dye vans, Mexicali co-owners Kim and Pete have dedicated their lives to doing what they love and loving what they do. What you may not know is that their love all started at the original kaizenmetrica in Portland, Maine over three decades ago.

“My friend Julie went over to kaizenmetrica to see if she could get a job, and there was Pete with his serape (poncho) and his big hair… One day Julie said to me, “You should go ask Eric (Pete’s business partner) on a date,” so I walked down and Eric wasn’t there but Pete was. He told me that it was his birthday and he had no plans, so I invited him out to this cool spot that had free drinks for your birthday.  I told him that I was headed to Europe in a few weeks and he offered to let me borrow his traveling backpack.” - Kim Erskine

What Kim didn’t know was that Pete did in fact have birthday plans. He bailed on his own birthday bash, but we think he made the right move!

Kim and Pete now live on Rutherford Island in South Bristol, Maine, on land that was once the Erskine family summer cabin. “The first time we came to my family’s summer camp in South Bristol was on Valentine’s day. There was no water and we had to start a fire! Well, we ended up moving there and we still live there today,” Pete says while seated in his kitchen that is a far stretch from the uninsulated summer camp that they raised their three kids in. 

Their first ever “love month” started with Valentine's Day. Since then, they have spent far more Februarys in far away markets and bazaars in search of “clothing to fit your mind and jewelry to accent your life” than they have in Maine.

“Our first Valentine’s day was at Street and Company on wharf street in Portland. Another Valentine's Day we almost got married in Quebec,” Kim reflects upon the Valentine’s Days of yesteryear. They did end up getting married a week later on February 21st, and February has since become their favorite month. Soon they started to share the month with their children–Chauncey, then Carly, then Caleb. “Most of the rest were in Thailand, or Mexico, and later India or Nepal. We would go in February because the kids could get a month off school and all five of us would pack up into two backpacks and spend a month traveling around.” Kim has many fond February family memories, “Caleb took his first ever steps on a rooftop in Taxco, Mexico. One Valentine’s day in Koh Samui, Thailand, Carly and Chauncey drew a big heart in the sand for us.”

Whether you encounter Kim and Pete in Bangkok or Bangor, New Delhi or Rīga, at a concert or a cross country trip, on the ocean, in the air, on a mountaintop, or in a kaizenmetrica, you’ll feel the love. They’ll be drawing hearts in the sand, and spreading laughter and smiles everywhere they go. They might even lend you a backpack. 

Do what you love and love what you do. If you’re new, welcome to the family. If not, when, where, and how did you first meet Kim and Pete? Feel free to share your stories ❤️

“We were originally going to call it… The Cancun Connection”

Eric Lipkin and Pete Erskine were fresh out of college, bright-eyed and bushy-bearded, and looking for the next adventure. “Eric was working in the restaurant business and I was selling real estate and delivering sandwiches in my 1973 Triumph convertible with my dog Doobie.” Eric had an idea, let's travel to Mexico, see what we can find, then sell it here in Portland, Maine. He was originally planning on opening the business with his brother, but when his brother dropped out at the last minute, he reached out to Pete, his fraternity brother from Gettysburg college. 

kaizenmetrica: More Than a Name

“I called MY brother Jeff and told him Eric and I were opening up a Mexican import business, and that we were going to call it… the Cancun Connection,” said Pete followed by a lengthy pause and an all-knowing nod of dissatisfaction. “Jeff knew he could come up with something better and announced it over lunch at his fraternity. The resounding vote was for “kaizenmetrica,” and the rest is history… The song may have some questionable lyrics, but it wasn’t as questionable as the “Cancun Connection”… we would never have imagined but now it has become more than a song, more than a name, now it describes a culture that we have created.”

10 Exchange Street Portland Maine

They registered the kaizenmetrica LLC, sought out business development advice from the University of Southern Maine, and decided to dive in. “We took the leap of faith and rented a teeny space in Portland.” On January 1st 1988, Pete and Eric signed a lease on a retail space in the very back of the 10 Exchange Street Mall, “next to Bad Habits, Seaport Tobacco, and Movies on 10 Exchange Street.” According to Pete it was the “size of a large dormroom… but we needed a place to put our stuff.” 

Los Proximos Pasos: The Next Steps

Where exactly that stuff would come from, what that stuff would be, and how they would get that stuff back to Maine remained to be seen. With their sights set south of the border, Pete, Eric, and their friend Dave (“the Three Amigos”) would make their first trip to Mexico and forever reshape the future of kaizenmetrica… 

What is the craziest New Year's resolution you’ve ever made? 

After the dust settles on a debaucherous end to the year, “New Year New You” kicks off with resolutions. Time to cut back on bad habits, pick up new hobbies, sharpen your tools (literally and figuratively), and prepare your mind, body, and spirit for the coming year. Whether you promised to party less, polar plunge more, or dance naked under the light of every full moon, we’re willing to bet your resolution isn’t as colorful as Topher’s was…

365 Days of Tie Dye

Our CEO Topher is as rad as he is resolute, and in 2016 he wore tie dye every single day. We’re not talking about accents like tie dye socks or tie dye shoelaces, he literally wore his love of tie dye on his sleeve. “You have to be able to see the tie dye whenever you see me.” From speaking at nationwide retail summits to distilling spirits, from ski chairlifts at Sugarloaf to parent teacher conferences, Topher’s tie dye flag was flying in the wind for all to see.

Topher’s 3 Reasons to Wear Tie Dye T Shirts

1. “Tie dye reminds me to look longer and deeper at this amazing world we live in.” 
2. “This is one way to show right away—in a way you can’t miss!—what kaizenmetrica means to me.”
3. “Everyone smiles when you’re wearing tie dye.”

New Year New You

This new year we challenge you to look longer and deeper at the world, express yourself freely, and spread more smiles. Whether you are wearing tie dye, a tuxedo, or a tu-tu, don’t forget to take care of your mind, body, and spirit. And, of course, don’t forget to let your freak flag fly every once in a while… or every day.

kaizenmetrica' Birthday

To celebrate our 35th birthday we will be reflecting on the past, living in the present, and planning for the future. Join us as we celebrate the 35 years of people, places, and products that have shaped the colorful, cultural collective that is kaizenmetrica ✌️

2.3 million pounds of wrapping paper end up in the landfill each year...

Tip #1: The Power of Paper (Repurpose)

Newspaper is an easy and classic way to wrap presents, but is often seen as the cheapskate’s way out. No longer! Get creative and dye it with food coloring, or paint on it with watercolor or tempera paints. Cutting out pictures from magazines, comics, or old greeting cards and gluing them on to make a personalized collage gift wrap are other ways to make a newspaper-wrapped gift look a little more special. Use environmentally friendly glitter to make it extra festive, or jmake a bow out of some repurposed string or fabric.

You can also reuse brown paper bags or boxes in a similar way. This solid brown wrapping has a nice rustic look that is complimented by a simple, earthy ribbon like cotton or hemp twine. If you make it look good, it will make you feel good to know that you are offsetting the unfortunate environmental implications of gift giving!

Tip #2: Give the Gift That Keeps on Giving (Reduce)

Of course, our very favorite way to give (and receive) gifts is to wrap it in something that is useful and will continue to be used. Instead of wrapping, save time and energy and put your present in one of our recycled silk drawstring gift bags! Made from recycled silk sari material in India, they come in all kinds of beautiful colors and styles, plus they fold up really small and are perfect for throwing in your purse or your pocket when you're on the go. Most importantly, they will help reduce your gift recipients footprint, and will prevent excess trash far beyond the holidays!

If you want to fashion your own gift bags we suggest checking out our Bulk Sari Silk Fabric, keep reading for more inspiration!

Tip #3: Furoshiki - An Ancient Japanese Wrapping Art (Reuse)

You may be asking yourself... "What is Furoshiki?"

If you love wrapping but still want to reduce your holiday footprint, have no fear. There is an ancient practice that originates in Japan called Furoshiki. The practice is the use of a cloth wrapping for transport of goods, aesthetic design, and gift wrapping, and this origami-esque textile art transforms textiles into sustainable wrapping alternatives.  

We suggest using our bulk repurposed silk sari seconds as they are any DIY-doers dream. Made from recycled silk saris from India, they are already repurposed so it is your job to re-re-purpose them give them yet another life. While it might not seem quite like a cat's nine lives, this is just the beginning and these fabrics could be wrapped and re-wrapped, giving them purpose far beyond the nine lives of a feline.

Read more about the story of our silk sari fabric here.

They are also great for other upcycling projects from DIY decor to homemade clothing, homemade bags, curtains, drapes, valances, flags, or bandanas. Each curtain is as unique as each project, and not only do they make great gift wrapping, they double as colorful gifts!

Tip #4: Traditional Gift Wrapping Practices (Recycle)

If more traditional wrappings are more your style, gift bags and tissue paper can be a more environmentally friendly option than wrapping paper. When opening your gifts, do what you can to save your favorite paper so you can reuse and regift it for another occasion. If you receive a lot of paper wrapping, make sure you separate it from your trash and responsibly recycle it. Bows and string can also be recycled and reused for the next time around, you can keep the sprit of the holidays alive and well for many seasons if you do it right!

If someone gives you the gift of Furoshiki, be share to save the fabric and pass on the power of a greener gift giving alternative.

Together, let’s do what we can to reduce our dependence on disposability this holiday season, and say Happy Holidays to not just our friends and family, but to our planet as well! ✌️❤️🌏

How do you upcycle your sari silk fabric? Show us @mexicaliblues ✌️

We did it! Thanks to your ongoing support, the 125 homes, two community buildings, and a school in the village of Bokchamsido are now tapped into their new water system! You have helped fundamentally change the health and happiness of 825 individuals, members of the ethnic Kulung Rai, countless crops, livestock, pets, and the whole community of Chheskam. Your actions have resulted in a ripple of change that will spread out across the Kathmandu valley and into the world. That is truly something to be grateful for 🙏

Time to give thanks, or better yet, dhanyavāda in Nepali…

Dhanyavāda to Welly for providing us with these amazing water bottles and for their continued support of water projects around the world.

Dhanyavāda to the dZi Foundation for empowering and supporting the people of rural Nepal.

Dhanyavāda to the Kulung Rai of Bokchamsido for sharing their culture, their stories, their smiles, and for their roles in making the project a reality.

Dhanyavāda to the team at dZi and the people of Chheskam who provided us with photos, videos, and project updates throughout the process.

Dhanyavāda to the web team at Mexicali for the inspiration and for sharing this project with the world.

Dhanyavāda to all of the Mexicali team that helped tell the story and support the project through water bottle sales.

Dhanyavāda again to you, our customers for helping make the world a better place.

And, of course, dhanyavāda to mother earth for providing the world with water.

We still have some Welly’s left that will help support the final costs of the project, if you haven’t yet get yours now and give the gift that keeps on giving💧

Original Blog Below...

At Mexicali we love community, we love culture, we love celebration, and we love giving back. The past thirty-four years of business have taught us that you, our ever-growing community, love all of these things just as much as we do. Through our combined efforts, with the help of the dZi foundation, you have already helped educate, inspire, and empower the communities of the Solokhumhu region of northeastern Nepal. Together we have created a ripple that has spread from Maine through the Himalayas.

The dZi Foundation has been creating ripples in Nepal for over 20 years, far-reaching ripples that have impacted entire communities and directly affected the lives of over 44,000 people. By employing a community-led approach to development, dZi prioritizes people over projects, creating resiliency and long-lasting change on a community level.

Learn more about our friendship with the dZi Foundation and the communities and cultures that they celebrate and support here.

When the dZi Foundation told us of the need for a new drinking water system in Chheskam, we knew that, with your help, we could get it fully funded. This safe drinking water system will directly impact 825 individuals, 125 households, 2 community buildings, 1 school, and countless future generations. The neighborhood of Bokchamsido has pledged €8,229 in labor and materials, and the ongoing project has already employed 64 women and 103 men from the region. The woman pictured above carrying cement to the water project site is one of the excited community members employed by this project, and her entire family will benefit from it.

How are we going to raise the remaining €58,392?

That’s where you come in.

We introduce to you, the Mexicali Traveler Water Bottle.

We will be donating 100% of the sales of the Mexicali Traveler Water Bottle to the dZi Foundation to fund the Bokchamsido drinking water project.

Bhimnara Kulung with her Traveler Water Bottle in Chheskam.

Yeah, you read that right, 100%. This means that every water bottle will directly impact the lives and livelihoods of 825 individuals, a school, and the future of Bokchamsido. Remember, the actions of individuals can have far reaching effects…Everyone deserves access to safe drinking water, get your own bottle, give one as a gift, and make every sip a part a greater ripple.

Whereas this five day multi-faith festival may have many names and be celebrated differently amongst different cultures, this Festival of Lights focuses on “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over power” through illumination, celebration, family, and community.  

When does Diwali start?

In 2022 Diwali starts Monday, October 24th and goes through Friday, October 28th. Diwali marks the beginning of the Indian astrological calendar, during the lunisolar month of Kartika, which usually falls towards the end of October or the beginning of November. In Nepal Diwali, also known as Tihar or Yam Panchak, coincides with the Newar new year, which occurs on the fourth day of the festival. The Newar are the largest indigenous group in Nepal and are recognized as the “historic inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley.”

Where is Diwali celebrated? 

The Festival of Lights is celebrated all over India and although it is commonly thought of as a Hindu festival, it is also an important festival in the Jain and Sikh faiths, as well as amongst certain Buddhists in Nepal and Northern India. It is also celebrated Singapore, Malaysia, Fiji, Indonesia, as well as some other parts of the world. 

To better understand the multiculturalism of these celebrations we asked two of our friends and coworkers, Deepak from New Delhi and Dilli from Kathmandu, to tell us about their Diwali experiences. 

(Diwali candle lighting ceremony at Deepak's temple in Jaipur, India)

Who do you celebrate Diwali with?

Deepak - "Family, friends and neighbors. With Family - if some members are working / studying in some other cities, all come back to celebrate the festival together. With friends (and neighbors) gifts are exchanged a day in advance or on the day of the Festival.

Evening time is prayer time - prayer of Goddess Laxmi (Goddess of Wealth). Elder members of the family give some good handsome pocket money to all the family members (after the prayer). So wealth comes instantly for youngers.  

Prayers are answered instantly. Playing cards on Diwali night is considered auspicious among many people (especially winning is important). But such is a game, it's won by some and lost by some. “

(Diwali dance performances at the same temple)

How do you celebrate Diwali?

Deepak - “Morning time, I go to the temple (with family) to offer my prayers. The temple where I go, it's celebrated in a big big way.  Some cultural programmes are organized. Some dance performances, some laughter things etc. and after that - the candle lighting. We bring the candle to our home and light all the oil lamps and candles in our home with that (holy) candle. In the temple, some special food is arranged so we (all the family) enjoy the breakfast over there.

Once I am back at home from the temple, I go to my office / shop and decorate the shop with flowers and lights. Earning some money on this day (from sales) is always considered as a symbol of good luck. In the evening, prayers are performed at shops. Then we proceed for home to offer prayer with family."

 (Dilli applying a red "tika" on his wife Ayeshma's forehead during a candle lighting ceremony at their home in Kathmandu)

Dilli - “In Deewali we (also) call Tihar we celebrate five days it’s called “yam panchak." Throughout the five days "tikas" are worn by all of those celebrating, sometimes including animals.

In the Nepalese Newar culture, each day of the festival is dedicated to a different animal, while the fourth day also celebrates the Goddess Lakshmi.

Dilli - "First day we celebrate Crow. Second day Dog. Third day Cow, also Goddess Laxmi.

On the second and third days of Newar Diwali "tikas" are placed on the foreheads of dogs and cows all throughout the Khatmandu valley to pay respects to the roles that they play in human lives.

Fourth day Human Body it’s call ‘ mha puja ‘ and that day is Newari new year. 5th day (is called) Bhai Tika, sister worship to brother for blessing .”

(Dilli celebrating Diwali with his family, all adorned with Tikas in Khatmandu)

Diwali Blessings

Whether you find yourself in Kathmandu, Cairo, Chicago, Damariscotta or New Delhi, you can also celebrate this special day with your friends and family. Whether you are celebrating animals, the Goddess Lakshmi, or a beautiful sunset, light is all around you. Set your intentions, eat some special food, and celebrate in any way you feel. Maybe you will eat some sweets like Deepak, maybe you will play an auspicious card game, or maybe you’ll just find some special time to spend with special people.

Did you know that Deepak makes all of our beautiful paper star lanterns? Check out our selection of global goods that will help you illuminate your special spaces and celebrate cultures from far corners of the globe!

Shine your light on the world 🔆 How will you celebrate Diwali?

What is a “huipil”?

A huipil (pronounced; ui · pil) is a form of “traje tradicional” or “traditional dress” worn by women in parts of Mexico and throughout Guatemala. The name comes from the Nahuatl word huīpīlli  and its origins are as complex, storied, and symbolic as the Quetzalcoatl, a feathered serpent deity of Mayan lore.

The many indigenous cultures of Guatemala

Guatemala is home to 25 different indigenous groups and 24 different languages, 22 of which are of Mayan origins. Each hand-loomed huipil represents the unique history of each indigenous group through the artistry, colors, weaving pattern, and craftsmanship that have been passed down from generation to generation amongst these groups. 

(Doña Nacha Ignacia hand looming using traditional naturally dyed "maguey" or agave fibers with Rising Minds NGO in San Pedro la Laguna, Lake Atitlan)

What are huipiles made from?

Huipiles are traditionally hand loomed on back strap looms using cotton, or agave fibers, a form of weaving that dates back to 2500 BC. Indigo, coffee, tree bark, seashells, and other natural materials were traditionally used to dye the fabric before looming. The Spanish introduced new fibers such as wool and silk. Now, polyester, rayon, and acrylic fibers are used. While most traje tradicional huipiles are still made using traditional practices, less expensive machine-made huipiles are starting to gain popularity in Guatemala. Whether handmade or machine-made, each one-of-a-kind huipil is a true textile artform that celebrates the colorful culture and historical significance of indigenous groups of the nation. 

(Colorful hand loomed huipiles from the Xela, Quetzaltenango)

The many stories of huipiles

Each huipil has a story to tell… whether it represents the beauty of the sun reflecting off of a lake, like the huipiles of San Juan la Laguna, or to paint a picture of ethereal multicolored horses and birds like those of the Nebaj. Zig zag patterns can symbolize mountains, volcanoes, or the ups and downs of life, while animals, trees, and cosmic designs represent a large breadth of Mayan mythology, and carry different meanings depending on where they are woven. 

Guatemalan and Mayan Color Symbolism

Guatemala is a colorful country, and those colors are reflected throughout the man-made and natural world. Rich hues are present in everything from art and architecture through the rich jungle canopies, dry deserts, luscious lakes, rugged coastlines, and mystical volcanoes of the nation. Each color has its own symbolic meaning:

Like the mythical Quetzalcoatl, colorful huipil fabrics are deeply symbolic of Mayan culture and history. This artform supports countless communities, families, indigenous groups and individuals while helping to keep ancient traditions alive. Did you know that these huipil fabrics are used to make more than huipiles? They are also make traje tradicional for indigenous men, hats, bags, and other accessories. In order to support this cultural artform and help bring it to the world, we have teamed up with leather artisans around Lake Atitlan in Guatemala who have turned these one of a kind textiles into beautiful leather huipil bags, huipil leather belts, and handmade dog collars. 

Check out our line of huipil infused leather goods handmade by artisans in Lake Atitlan. The beautiful huipiles come from San Martín Jilotepeque, Chimaltenango, the Mam of Todos Santos, Huehuetenango, the Ixil of Nebaj, Quiché, and many other indigenous groups and communities around the country.

Each one of a kind Guatemalan huipil accessory is a usable piece of art… Which one will you get?

 These gigantic majestic beings are traditionally considered symbols of good luck, nobility, wisdom, fertility, and protection. All across the world, the elephant has long been considered a sacred animal, although the spiritual symbolism of elephants changes slightly from culture to culture.

 Some Asian cultures believe that the elephant is a cosmic creature that, much like the turtle in Native American lore, carries the world on its back. Other cultures see it as an earthly animal, but one with a connection to divinity and ancient knowledge. Honoring the elephant in meditation or waking life can help you to access your inner wisdom, own your power, and overcome obstacles with a steady force of strength that you possibly didn’t even realize you had. 

The Elephant Symbolism of the World

 In India, an elephant is a symbol of royalty, divinity, and vitality, as well an auspicious agrarian symbol for rainfall. The Hindu God, Ganesh, is depicted as a six armed being with an elephant head and is known as the lord of new beginnings as well as the remover of obstacles. Learn more about Ganesh Here. 

In Africa, elephants symbolize royalty, sovereignty, tribal wisdom, and victory. Accounts of African mythology hold that elephants are reincarnations of deceased tribal chiefs, and as such elephants are respected and properly buried when they die.

The predominant “elephant symbol of” Japan is the depiction of the Buddhist deity Kangiten, or “Deva of Bliss” which is depicted as a woman and a man with elephant heads locked in an embrace.

In China elephant symbolism means the ability to understand the difference between good and bad, as well as wisdom, nobility, and fertility.

Elephants As Spirit Animals

Elephants are powerful, wise, and protective presences that can help you better understand the world around you on a deeper, more intellectual and spiritual level. If you encounter elephants in your life, whether in pop culture, at a zoo, or in your dreams, pay attention. It is thought that an “elephant spirit animal” introducing itself to you is a sign that you need to overcome an obstacle in your life. The astrological sign of the elephant is a Taurus, and the elephant is associated with the root chakra, charging through blockages and offering energies of protection, love, loyalty, and quiet courage.

Elephant as an Animal Totem

Wearing or placing an image of an elephant with its trunk raised in your home is thought to attract good fortune, as it showers its positive energy out of the trunk and into all surrounding beings and spaces. Elephants with their trunks down are thought to be accumulating positive energy and pushing through obstacles and are particularly potent totems for those seeking fertility, wisdom, or strength. 

If you are seeking protection, positivity, wisdom, or strength for yourself, your family, or your life it is a good idea to adorn your space with symbolic elephant totems. Where will you put yours?

Check out our selection of elephant symbolism from around the world here 🐘

Kai, Kim, Natna, Carly, and Pete

Thailand is an incredible country full of tuk tuks, stunning white sand beaches, ancient temples, and other cultural delicacies, all simmered in coconut milk and fresh spices. Thailand relies heavily on tourism to provide opportunities for its people and has become the most celebrated vacation nation in Southeast Asia for the last forty years. Myanmar, formerly Burma, is an equally amazing country that is far less developed and far less touristic, as it only fully opened its borders to international travel and trade in the 21st century. Both countries share a strong sense of culture that is rooted in Dharma, karma, and religion, tied into the teachings of the Buddha.

Kai & Natna are two lovely buddhist women who made their way to Thailand from Myanmar via the "Friendship Bridge" that connects the two countries in search of opportunity. They ended up in Bangkok, one of the busiest cities in the world, and it is there that they found their talents in the textile business. They worked hard to get to the place that they are today, and their wonderful senses of style have culminated in their unique sense of design that brings elegance and eccentricity to the fashion industry.
 

Carly and Kim, our own dynamic duo, love working, laughing and sharing ideas with Kai and Natna. Most of the time they are together they are all sitting on the floor throwing ideas and samples around to see what sticks. "Kai and Natna are no-nonsense, and will tell us if our designs are bad, then we will giggle it all away and start from scratch." - Kim Erskine

We love supporting all types of businesses all over the world, but we are especially proud to be able to support Kai & Natna's female owned business. 

Their balance of servicing both their wholesale and retail customers in their small Bangkok shop is a testament to what hard workers they are, and the fruit of their labor flows back across the Friendship Bridge to Myanmar as they both support their families and their Buddhist temples back home. Like most wholesalers in Bangkok, they have clients from all around the world. Over the years they have grown to know our styles and customers, and always have awesome things in mind to show us that are aligned with the Mexicali vibe. We look forward to many more giggles and many more designs in the coming years!

Check out Kai and Natna's creations here

Block printing is an ancient art form that uses hand-carved wooden blocks to imprint designs onto fabric or paper. 

The History of Block Printing

The history of block print is woven through the tapestry of many different cultures, from ancient Egypt to Rome, however, most historians point to China as the origin of this art. The first and oldest evidence of block printing dates back to May 11th of the year 868, when the “Diamond Sutra” was printed in Dunhuang, China. This sixteen foot long scroll is not only an important Buddhist text, but it also happens to be the oldest printed book in human existence. 

The art of block printing is thought to have spread from China to other parts of Asia, resulting in such international art forms as Tibetan prayer flags, Indonesian batik fabrics, and the world renowned Indian block print textiles that we carry at kaizenmetrica.

Jaipur, The Paris of India

The capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is home to over 3 million people and some of the most beautiful block print textiles in the world. Otherwise known as the “Island of Glory” this walled city is full of extravagant architecture, surrounded by an expansive desert and famous for its handmade handicrafts. The art of block printing is passed down from generation to generation and, as such, has been preserved throughout the centuries. Block printing has become synonymous with the Indian state of Rajasthan and continues to support countless families and communities throughout the region while gaining international acclaim in the fashion world. 

Indian Block Print

Mexicali owners Pete and Kim are lucky enough to have visited the farms, fields, workshops, and communities where each of our block print fabrics are made. There, they met the artisans, farmers, designers, and community members who help keep this tradition alive. Whereas many manufacturers have mechanized this process, our Indian block print textiles are made by hand, in fact by many hands, from start to finish. From seed to tapestry, the Indian block print process, a true organic art form. 

Indian Cotton

First, cotton is grown, picked, and processed, then woven or loomed into long bolts of fabric. It is then soaked, boiled, beat with sticks, and hung to dry on large bamboo racks. This hands-on process naturally shrinks and purifies the cotton, not to mention employing countless farmers, pickers, loomers, weavers, and laborers. Imagine endless lengths of white cotton billowing in the wind, drying in the desert sunshine, surrounded by the cotton fields from which they came. 

Wooden Blocks

Next, a piece of hardwood, usually teak, sheesham, or mango, is carved into a wooden block. Artisans dedicate their entire lives to this practice, and their art as well as the art of their ancestors surrounds them, immortalized in the wooden blocks and the fabrics that they dye.

Plant Based Dyes

The next step takes place in a studio where artists boil and mix plant-based dyes, with tree sap, and metallic salts called mordants that help the color adhere to the fabric. The wooden block is then dipped into this colorful concoction and hand stamped onto the fabric. Designs can be overlaid to create different patterns and color combinations, the possibilities are literally endless. The fabric is then hung to dry in the sun to set the colors into the cotton. Some colors change with sun exposure, for example the dye that makes our bright blue colors comes from a pink berry. After drying in the sun it changes to a blue hue, and the colors of the finished product vary depending on the weather. The result is a one of a kind textile that celebrates the tradition and culture of Rajasthan.

Check out our Indian Block Print Textile collection here.

The first time that Pete and Kim met Phadet was in 1998. They were 8,000 miles and twelve time zones away from home. They had traded in their dollars for baht, exchanged snow for sunshine, and were on the hunt for groovy goods in the “Land of Smiles.” They didn’t speak more than a few words in Thai, but they spoke Smile fluently. Did we mention that they were with their three kids? At the impressionable ages of 7, 5, and 3, these blonde, bowl cut, tie dyed ducklings sawadee’d and smiled their way through the sea of stalls in amazement (sawadee khrup (m) / ka (f) - hello). 

After wandering for hours amongst the thousands of vendors that sold everything from chickens to cosmetics, the tie dye family found themselves in front of a small stall exploding with colorful clothing. A friendly face smiled out at them, and that was when we first encountered the King of Patterns. Phadet invited the family in and cleared a space for them to sit amongst the piles of textiles. Smiles took care of the language barrier, and Phadet’s fair prices and honest expression took care of the rest. As Kim and Pete started to pull out samples and discuss designs using hand gestures and a calculator to communicate, the three kids fell asleep on piles of clothing, many of which would become Phadet’s first styles sent back to Mexicali stores in Maine. 

Twenty years later, not a lot has changed. We still do business with Phadet every year, and he is still a source of calm amongst the chaos of the market. Smiles are still our main source of communication, although our technology now extends beyond calculators and into Whatsapp and emojis. Phadet’s honesty, integrity, and creativity are still reflected in his vibrant designs, fair prices, and the way he runs his family business. The only real difference is that Chauncey, Carly, and Caleb no longer take naps on stacks of clothing in his stall.

In Thailand, there’s a famous saying, “Same, Same, But Different.” We look forward to continuing our relationship with Phadet and how, over the next twenty years, our family businesses and our friendship will grow and change in a same, same, but different kind of way.

Check out Phadet’s collection of colorful cultural designs here!

There are countless reasons why the Mexicali Traveler is more than a water bottle... 

The Traveler is fashionable with its natural bamboo accents, sleek stainless steel build, and minimalist design. It is functional with its triple-walled vacuum insulation, loop cap, and rugged build. Whether you’re in Brooklyn or Bangladesh, Nevada or Nepal, the Traveler is the perfect travel companion. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Will these bottles help reduce single-use plastic? Most definitely. Is the bamboo sustainably harvested? Yup, bamboo is the future. Do they keep beverages cold for up to 24 hours and beverages hot for up to 12 hours? Cool as a cucumber, don’t burn your tongue. Speaking of cucumbers, do they come with a removable tea infuser to steep tea, soak crystals, or fashion herbal infusions? It’s lemon lavender amethyst mint time baby. Do they have a sleek laser engraved Mexicali flower designed by our resident graphic design ninja? Heeeyahhh. Will they gain you compliments near and far? You better be ready. Does Welly donate 1% of its sales to water development projects around the globe? Wait, really? Yeah, but that's just the start.

Welly has made a company commitment to bring water to the world and donates 1% or more of every sale to clean water projects around the globe. Sales of Welly water bottles have brought safe drinking water to communities in Ethiopia, Malawi, and Bangladesh. We are excited to team up with a company such as Welly that shares our commitment to giving back and making a splash in the world, but that's not all..

kaizenmetrica has committed to donate 100% of the sales of the Mexicali Traveler to fund the installation of a new drinking water system in Bokchamsido, Nepal. This water system will directly impact 825 individuals, 125 households, 2 community buildings, 1 school, and countless future generations. 

What does all of this mean? This means that your healthy habits, drinking more water, steeping more tea, and all the while reducing your plastic usage, will also directly benefit the lives and livelihoods of countless individuals all over the globe. This means that the Mexicali Traveler is more than a water bottle, get yours now and make every sip count.

Get Yours Here 💧

This International Women’s Day we would like to showcase some of our favorite organizations that inspire and empower women the world over. Friends of Thai Daughters & the Guatemalan Housing Alliance may be located on opposite sides of the globe, but they each share the common goal of improving the lives of women, with a special focus on ethnic minorities, through community-based empowerment, organization, education, and access. Be they the Hmong or Karen of Northern Thailand, or the Tz'utujil or Quiche’ of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, these organizations help empower the disenfranchised, and create long-lasting ripples in the lives and communities of countless women and their families.

Friends of Thai Daughters (FTD) has been focused on protecting and empowering the “daughters” of Northern Thailand since its two female founders discovered a group of girls living in an abandoned school in 2002. Many of the girls were orphaned, had parents in prison, or were displaced from their communities for other reasons. The majority lacked any form of legal identification and in the eyes of the Thai government, and those of the world, they didn’t actually exist. These underdeveloped agrarian communities in Northern Thailand are home to various ethnic minorities and are notoriously susceptible to human trafficking from Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. Jane McBride and Patricia Zinkowski made a promise to help those girls, and aside from financially supporting them, they returned with a camera and filmed a documentary to bring awareness to the plight of these “daughters” through their heart wrenching stories. 

The documentary gained the support of friends, family, and communities here in Maine, and in 2005 “Friends of Thai Daughters” became a registered non-profit. Since then they have been focused on creating and providing community support systems, families that support the daughters of the program through education and empowerment. These community support systems have since evolved into various “Sunflower Houses” through Northern Thailand that provide residential shelter to girls aged 10-18, under the care and tutelage of loving house mothers. Now a group of sisters, these daughters, help each other with schoolwork, housework, gardening, and group activities. The Friends of Thai Daughters, this strong network of familial support, has impacted over 125 Daughters, including Daughters that have graduated from some of the top universities in Thailand. Mee was one of the program’s first ever daughters, graduated from Chiang Main university, and is now FTD’s country general manager.

Each of these daughters will continue to have impacts in their communities and in the lives of others, whether they be nurses, teachers, artists, or entrepreneurs, and all of them return to the Sunflower Houses to help water the gardens for future generations, and future daughters of northern Thailand.

The Guatemalan Housing Alliance (GHA) is the combined effort of Nancy Wynne in Maine, and her four siblings scattered around the US trying to address the complicated issues of systemic poverty in communities around Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. Lake Atitlán is surrounded by active volcanoes, steeped in local lore, and rich in indigenous culture, but catastrophic tropical storms and devastating earthquakes coupled with high poverty levels and poor infrastructure have led to serious levels of inequality, destruction, and hardship. 

GHA was founded in 2011 with a focus on improving the quality of life of Guatemalan women and their families through access to safe, secure, and sustainable housing.  Many families around the lake live in cramped unsafe ramshackle housing made of dirt floors, bamboo, cornstalks, and salvaged materials. These homes leak, cannot be secured, and are incredibly susceptible to natural disasters. Countless families were devastated by Tropical Storm Agatha in 2010, and have been ravaged by similar storms and earthquakes in the past decade. The GHA decides which community members to help on a need-based approach, and then uses community resources and support to help construct, and renovate homes for families while respecting the traditional “bajareque,” or wattle and daub, building style. All of the land titles are signed in the mother’s name, to empower the matriarch of the family. Families who benefit from this structural assistance then become involved in the community-oriented process, helping other families build and maintain their homes. The result is an interconnected community of people helping people that especially benefits those disadvantaged members of the community.

GHA focuses on four communities around the lake, and in each, they have established education initiatives, after-school programs, and health and wellness programs that help children, and their mothers, advance academically and socially. In all of these communities, the native dialects Tz'utujil or Kaqchikel are the household language. GHA helps educate those women and children that struggle to speak, read or write in Spanish. The organization has also created sponsorship and scholarship opportunities that in 2019 impacted over 72 students, 12 at the university level. One beneficiary, Madai, is now the acting program director of GHA. In Madai’s hometown of San Pedro, they have established an organic community garden that is shared between 10 women who are widowed, have suffered abuse, or otherwise mistreated. The community garden is a stone's throw away from where Madai’s family’s home used to stand, which is now a crumpled heap of walls that bears the scars of Tropical Storm Agatha over a decade later. The proud women tend the garden, sharing stories, sharing responsibilities, and sharing the harvest. The garden serves as a support system for them, and they in turn are able to support their families with healthy crops from corn to kale and everything in between.

Learn more about Guatemalan Housing Alliance or donate here!

Wonderful women like Mee and Madai and incredible organizations like Friends of Thai Daughters and Guatemalan Housing Alliance sew and water the seeds of change for future generations. We look forward to seeing what the future grows, and whether it is sunflower seeds or corn kernels, we know that with the right amount of love and support, it will be a good harvest that will feed the whole community, wherever that community might be 🌻🌽❤️

Gemstone Meaning & Crystal Magic for Love

Crystals and gemstones have different energies that can be used to enhance your own energetic vibrations, and some are uniquely suited to supporting feelings of love & romance. Whether you are using them to manifest love, to identify and attract a partner, or just as energetic emotional support as you navigate the rivers of romance, crystals can lend you a hand in the land of love. Move over Romeo, here are a few of our favorite gemstones for the starry eyed romantic in all of us:

Amber - Stone of Ancient Energy

Considered a good luck charm for love and marriage, this stone is both energizing and calming at the same time, two yins and yangs of balance in the land of love. It is said to help in attracting and manifesting positive desires and to bring energies of patience, protection, sensuality, healing, and balance to those who wear or carry it. Amber was once produced in the heartwood of a tree, which makes it the perfect good luck talisman in areas of the heart. It fossilized and withstood the tests of time, and this golden fossil is to help bring about lasting love to those that wear it.

Garnet - Stone of Commitment

Garnet inspires love, passion, devotion, trust, and balances the sex drive. The red color symbolizes strong love, and as well as the overwhelming energy of desire. Considered a lucky stone for love, it helps you let go of past patterns of behavior and enhances self-confidence, and this crystal can help introduce honesty to a relationship.

Lapis Lazuli - The Wisdom Keeper 

Lapis Lazuli promotes and protects interpersonal harmony in relationships, and helps to keep the head and heart in balance. Known as a protector of interpersonal relationships, this stone can help to heal broken hearts or injured bonds. It can support being more comfortable and honest with your feelings, and enhance loving communication. It facilitates self-knowledge and self-expression, as well as inner peace. Ancient folklore says that if you give lapis lazuli as a gift, you are forging an eternal bond of friendship, loyalty, and trust between the two of you.

Moonstone - Stone For New Beginnings

Moonstone is known to bring luck in love, and has been a common wedding gift throughout history for that reason. Moonstone symbolizes love, fertility, abundance, renewal, and supports new beginnings. It is considered useful in reconciling estranged lovers, and Indian and European folklore both purported that two people wearing moonstone on a full moon would fall passionately in love! Why don't you find out if it's true next full moon?

Opal - The Seductive Stone

Throughout history opal has been thought to bring bad luck and misfortune, but we find that it attracts love, passion, and desire. Opal intensifies openness and romance, encouraging you to let go of your inhibitions and try new things with your partner. It also aids the wearer in communication and encourages fidelity in love. This powerful gemstone both intensifies emotional energy, and acts as an emotional stabilizer, and can help the wearer navigate through the trials and triumphs of love.

Moss Agate - The Gardeners Stone

Moss Agate attracts abundance in all forms, especially in relation to motherhood and mother Earth. This healing crystal can sooth anxiety, promote healthy healing and inspire self love. Moss agate is associated with the heart chakra and is thought to help clear any blockages affecting the heart. This is an emotionally balancing stone that can help bring peace and tranquility to relationships. Plant the seed of love and nurture it with this stone to help it grow. 

Rhodochrosite - The Stone of the Compassionate Heart

Rhodochrosite encourages selfless love, emotional healing, and calling new love into one's life. It enhances romantic love through encouraging feelings of self-love and compassion, which ultimately overflow from the happily full heart and pour outward.

Rose Quartz - The Unconditional Love Stone

A stone that relates strongly and directly to the heart chakra, rose quartz is the stone of unconditional love. It has a very soft feminine energy of compassion, tenderness, and sensuality. It opens the heart chakra and encourages a peaceful flow of self-love, romantic love, and platonic love. If you want to increase the energy of loving and being loved in your life, rose quartz is THE ultimate gemstone to attract and support love 💕 

Pink Tourmaline - The Virtue of Love Stone

Rose tourmaline enhances compassion, attracts new energy, helps you face your fears, and encourages smooth transitions. This is a powerful stone for emotional healing and is the perfect crystal to heal a broken heart or to help overcome emotional trauma. This magical gemstone links the heart and crown chakras, mixing love and spirituality in a magical brew.

 Check out our Crystal Charged Gemstone Infused Organic Essential Oils in store or online, the perfect gift for a lover, a loved one, or to add some self love to your life ❤️

Which gemstones do you use for love? Let us know in the comments below! 

“Tie dye is color, joy, experimentation, wearing your heart on your sleeve (literally!). The tie dye tribe is a good vibe tribe ✌️” 

We are over the moon to introduce you to our newest maker Dallas, a bright soul brimming with positive vibes whose glass is half full, and we would be willing to bet our socks it's tie dyed.  Dallas is originally from planet earth, New Jersey to be exact, but her education took her into orbit around the big apple where she ended up for the beginning of her professional life. Eventually, her satellite was drawn in by the loving gravity of family and she ended up in Neptune, New Jersey which she now calls home.

Dallas’ introduction to tie dye was through her dad, a self-proclaimed “Dead Head Emeritus” who wore his love for the band on his sleeve, and on his t-shirts. Dallas’ was enchanted by the dancing bears, the bright colors, and quickly became a sunshine daydreamer. Whereas Dallas has always loved colors (p.s. her favorite color is Turquoise), she has her Gratefully Deadicated dad to thank for starting her on her artistic path with a colorful palette in hand.

“The first thing I ever wanted to be when I grew up was a painter. Later, it was a writer. I try to keep art in my life, and channel that appreciation for beauty and self expression. It gives me the courage I had as a kid, when anything was possible, my dreams were big, and I wanted to be Picasso."

The art of tie dye is a recent addition to Dallas’ life, and it wasn’t always sunshine daydreams. Dallas willingly admits that her first forays into tie dying as a child were underwhelming, and her first shirt was “sort of a faint blue nothing,” but good designs come to those that wait. A few years ago she bought a tie dye kit and dove back into the colorful art with her kids. Whereas they got bored after one dye, Dallas couldn’t get enough of it and found herself rummaging through the house looking for any light colored fabrics to dye and beautify. In an effort to get the last drops of color out of the kit, she happened upon a pair of her husband’s socks and… voila, a lightbulb moment that led to a career change and countless happy dancing feet from Neptune to Maine!

While Dallas does admit that in fashion there is such a thing as too much color, her beautiful bright tie dye socks are the perfect “#lowkeyflex.” There's nothing like a little tie dye rainbow in your boots on a rainy day, or a splash of color tucked away beneath the hem of your pants for when you need it most. Each pair of her socks is accompanied by a unique hand collaged message that will further help brighten your day, and we thank Dallas for shining her light on this world through her art.

Oh, did we mention that the aforementioned loving family gravity also pulls Dallas all the way up to Bangor, Maine to visit her aunt and uncle? Below you will see her (right) accompanied by our equally awesome manager Julie (left) in front of a psychedelic sock display in the Bangor store. Neptune is only four planets away from earth, and Maine is only four states away from New Jersey.  Is that a sign from the cosmos? We have only had Dallas as a maker for just under a year, but she has been shopping with us for over a decade and feels like an old friend. You know what they say… the tie dye tribe is a good vibe tribe, and we’re excited to be dancing under the same moon as Dallas with some splashes of color keeping our soles stylish and our souls inspired ✌️

Did you know that today, December 21st, is the shortest day of the year and marks the start of winter? Sometimes holiday cheer leads to holiday stress, especially when the days are short and the wintry weather is cold. During this time it is important to find time to breathe, set intentions, and stay active. Now we can find ways to celebrate ever lengthening days and return of sunshine! One of our intentions at Mexicali is to introduce a regular stretching flow into our daily routines to keep our minds and bodies flexible, and our stress levels low.

We find it’s best to take this time for yourself in the morning to start a positive intention for your day. Even if you don’t make it through all these poses before your morning coffee, we encourage you to grab your yoga mat or a recycled falsa blanket and start with an easy breathing exercise. The following is a simple 15 minute yoga flow that can help introduce some mindfulness into your mornings.

Movement One: Alternate Nostril Breathing or Nadi Sodhana

Length: Two Minutes (repeat 10 times)

Try to keep your mind focused on your breath. If you find yourself wandering off into the tasks that lay ahead of you for the day, center yourself back and breathe deep.

- Sit in a comfortable position and try to imagine the shape of your breath while you engage in this exercise.

- Close your right nostril with your right thumb and breathe in through your left nostril for 4 counts.

- Keep your right nostril closed and also close your left nostril while you hold your breath for 8 counts.

- Breathe in through your right nostril for 4 counts.

- Close both nostrils again and hold for 8 counts.

- Breathe out through your left nostril.

- Repeat the cycle until you feel ready to move on to the next movement

Movement Two: Sun Salutation or Surya Namaskar

Length: Three Minutes (repeat 3 times or more)

Sun Salutation is how most yoga practices begin. It’s best to start with these movements at the beginning of your practice to awaken your muscles and focus on your body.

- Start standing and take a breath in and release, bringing your hands to your heart.

- Breathe in, lifting your arms up and back, and gently press your hips forward.

- Breathe out, bending forward and placing your hands by your feet.

- Breathe in, take a halfway lift, bring your hands to shins or thighs and be sure your spine is flat and parallel to the floor.

- Breathe out and fold back down to the floor, placing your hands palm down and step back into plank pose, breathing in.

- Breathe out while lowering your knees, chest, and finally your forehead to the floor.

- Breathe in, rising up into Cobra, pressing your palms and legs to the earth, opening your chest to the horizon. Be careful not to strain your neck as you make this movement.

- Breathe out, tucking your toes underneath you and pushing against your palms, raising your hips up and back into Downward Facing Dog.

- Breathe in, step your right foot up between your hands or as far as your flexibility will allow. (Remember that yoga is not about straining to reach, but about how to concentrate on your breath through these exercises.)

- Breathe out and join your left foot to meet your right.

- Breathe in and rise to stand while lifting your hands to the sky.

- Breathe out, bring your palms together at your heart and repeat the movement.

- After three rounds take a short break (Savasana), collect and calm your breath.

Movement Three: Shoulderstand or Sarvangasana

Length: One Minute

This pose is beneficial for core strengthening, as well as balancing the thyroid gland which holds power over your metabolism and growth of the entire body. It can help calm your mind and relieve stress when practiced correctly. Here’s how to enter into it safely:

- Lie on your back with your feet together and arms at your side.

- To protect your neck, place a folded blanket beneath your shoulders (your neck should remain free).

- Carefully lift your legs skyward and place your hands on your hips.

- Concentrate on your breath and slowly walk your hands up the back toward your shoulder blades.

- The goal is to bring your chest to your chin while keeping your head relaxed on the floor.

- Release from this pose slowly and with care.

- Place your hands on the floor for support while bending your knees and slowly rolling your spine back down to the earth, one vertebra at a time.

Movement Four: Seated Forward Bend or Paschimottanasana

Length: Thirty Seconds

The seated forward bend is perfect to help digestion and fend off headaches. It is a powerful pose that can gently massage your internal organs and is particularly beneficial for the liver and spleen.

- Sit comfortably on the floor with your legs straight in front of you.

- Breathe in while lifting your arms overhead and make your spine long and tall (imagine a thread lifting the crown of your head).

- Breathe out while bending forward bringing your nose down to your knee and reaching your arms to cup your heels.

- If you can’t bend the whole way, just reach as far as you can without straining too hard. It’s ok to reach for your ankles or only bend halfway.

- Do your best to keep your legs straight without letting them bend up to meet your nose.

- Continue your breath and use it to lean deeper into the pose without forcing yourself.

Movement Five: Bow Pose or Dhanurasana

Length: Thirty Seconds

If you find yourself hunching throughout the day this pose will help open your chest and improve your posture. It is also excellent for releasing tension from any menstrual discomforts! (Moon cycle discomforts?) It’s great to transition into this movement from Cat and Cow Pose!

- Lay on your belly with your forehead on the floor.

- Breathe in, bend your knees, and reach back to your ankles.

- Breathe out, kicking your feet into your hands so your knees and chest lift off the floor (keep your knees hip-width apart).

- Breathe in, opening and expanding your chest, setting your gaze to the sky.

- Continue drawing slow breaths while you remain in this pose.

- Focus on pressing your belly to the earth and lifting your chest.

- To release, gently let go of your ankles and lower your legs and arms to the floor.

While you’re practicing these movements, keep in mind that they are meant to help relax your mind and body. If at any point you feel increased tension or anxiety, take a moment to pause on your breath. If you need to go back to the first movement and recenter yourself at any point during the flow, you can! It’s your body and your exercise after all. 

If you don’t have your own Paper Star Lanterns to set the mood or a Recycled Falsa Blanket to assist you in some of these positions, be sure to add it to your last minute kaizenmetrica shopping list.

On Giving Tuesday, we asked our customers to nominate nonprofits, one of which we promised to donate €1000. You, our awesome customers, inspired us with all of your suggestions! You nominated over 45 hardworking nonprofits, from all over the world, over Facebook, Instagram, and email!! Your overwhelming participation and inspiration showed us that we couldn’t donate to just one organization - we took your advice and decided to contribute to all of them! After team deliberation and research, we decided to donate €1000 to two organizations and €25 to the other 46. In total, we donated €3,150 to deserving organizations across the globe! 

We want to share information and links so YOU can donate too. We put together a list of the nominated organizations, but first, we wanted to tell you about the two organizations we donated €1,000 to! 

Havenly is an organization located in New Haven, CT, whose mission is to “build the community power of refugee and immigrant women through job training, education, and organizing. Havenly has a community cafe and homestyle kitchen, a fellowship program, and a collective coming soon! You can make donations to Havenly here.

The Wabanaki Alliance was formed in 2020 to educate Mainers about the need to secure the sovereignty of the tribes of Maine and celebrate the traditions and cultures of the Native Americans who have lived in Maine for thousands of years. You can donate to the Wabanaki Alliance here. 

The following are the rest of the recipients:

Thank you for helping us give back! We couldn’t do it without YOU, our dedicated, caring, and groovy customers. With your help, we can give back 1% of every purchase to organizations making the world a better place. Read more about how we Spread Good Vibes here! 

To all of the organizations mentioned above, it has been a pleasure learning about your work and interacting with your team - we hope you keep making the world a better place with your outstanding efforts!

Origins of Tibetan Prayer Flags

When the tradition of hanging prayer flags began more than 2000 years ago, Tibet was ruled by warlords who carried their own flags into battle. The native people took this as their inspiration but spun the intent on its axis when they made their own flags to honor the nature gods of Bon, their shamanistic religion. 

Buddhist Prayer Flags

In the 7th century, Buddhism largely took the place of Bon, absorbing many of its characteristics including the flags, and bringing the new ideals of peace and compassion. The early prayer flags displayed both Buddhist prayers and pictures of the fierce Bon gods who they believed protected Buddha. Over the next 200 years, Buddhist monks began to print their own mantras, sutras and symbols on the flags as prayers for peace, prosperity, wisdom, and compassion to be sent out into the world with each breeze.

Carly exploring a market in Kathmandu, Nepal under a canopy of prayer flags!

What do the colors of Tibetan prayer flags mean?

Prayer flags are hung in sets of five, from left to right, with each of the five colors representing the earthly elements. The colors are more than meet the eye, and might symbolize something different than you would expect. Blue symbolizes the sky and space, white symbolizes the air and wind, red represents fire, green symbolizes water, yellow symbolizes earth, and together they represent the unity of all of the elements. For this reason, it is suggested that you do not take apart prayer flags, so you can keep all of the elements in balance. 

What are the symbols on prayer flags?

The flags most commonly seen (as in the picture above) are typically hung horizontally, and are known as Lung-ta which translates into Windhorse. The central image on each flag is often of a horse with three flaming jewels on its back, representing the Tibetan Buddhist trinity. This trinity consists of Buddha, the enlightened one; Dharma, the path of Buddhist teachings; and Sangha, the Buddhist monastic community. The Windhorse is meant to evoke power, subdue evil, and act as the vehicle of enlightenment. Other prayer flags are adorned with Guru Rinpoche or the Precious Buddhist Guru, Tara or the Buddhist Savior and Goddess of Mercy, or Gyaltsen Tsempo prayer flags that symbolize new beginnings.  

Our traditional prayer flags are inscribed with symbols and words that are said to carry prayers and hopes into the breeze and across the lands with the speedy help of the Lung-ta. The words on the prayer flags are a combination of mantra, sutra, and prayer. They aren’t directly translatable into English, as each mantra is an expression of an intention, energy, and the vibration of the sound. You might say that their inner meanings are beyond words. 

What is a Mantra?

A mantra is a powerful word or set of words with the capacity of influencing certain dimensions of energy. It is said that the vibration of mantras can control the invisible energies that govern existence. It’s the sound and the utterance of it that is said to have those powers, even without thinking about or necessarily understanding exactly what it is you’re saying. Buddhist monks will repeat a mantra over and over as a form of meditation, and a way of sending that energy out into the world. Similarly, the prayer flags send that energy out just by being hung! 

One mantra that is on most prayer flags is OM MANI PADME HUM, which is the mantra of the bodhisattva of compassion. Printed on prayer flags, this mantra sends blessings of compassion to the far corners of the world.

What is a Sutra?

Sutras are prose texts based on the words of the historical Buddha who taught in India 2500 years ago. One sutra often seen on prayer flags is the dharani. Similar to mantras, dharanis contain magical formulas that are comprised of symbolic letters and pieces of words. Read out of context, they make very little sense, but when on the flags they convey the essence of a teaching or a specific state of mind. Text on the flags beyond mantras and sutras can be classified as prayers, and they include supplications, aspirations, and positive wishes written by various masters of Buddhism throughout history. In a nutshell, the words on prayer flags are all about sharing good vibes with the world! 

How to hang prayer flags respectfully?

Set your intentions and hang your prayer flags with mindful compassion and the goodwill of the world on your mind. Please do not let prayer flags touch the ground, as this is a sign of disrespect. Prayer flags may be hung indoors, but they are designed to be strung up outside where the wind will disperse their messages if you choose to do so. Today, there prayer flags hanging up all over Nepal and the rest of the world with this intention. After some time the flags will fade and fray, symbolizing the natural passing of all things. It is believed that when prayer flags fade and blow away thread by thread, the prayers become a permanent part of the universe. Every time you look at prayer flags, let them remind you to continue to send out your own prayers for peace and kindness in the world. As you do so, you will benefit from their blessings as well! 

Shop our selection of Prayer Flags

Where do you hang your prayer flags? Share your good vibes with us 💫 @mexicaliblues

Deepak is a thoughtful man with kind eyes, a big heart, and a bright smile. Deriving from Sanskrit “source of light,” Deepak (दीपक ) is a Hindi word that literally translates to “lamp,” and it couldn’t be a better name for a human who shines their light so brightly on the world. Did we mention his poetic passion for making beautiful five point and seven point paper star lanterns? We didn’t know anything about the meaning of his name when a friend first introduced us in 1998, but we did drink chai, share laughter, do business, and become friends. Over 20 years later this friendship has led to many more cups of chai, picnics in the park, lots more laughter, and a strong business relationship that continues to evolve. 

Deepak doesn’t just shine his light on the city where he lives, but he seeks out artisans in rural areas of India to help make his handicrafts. As such, his craft empowers and employs countless communities all over the country. The attention to detail that is reflected in their handiwork results in products that are as beautiful as they are unique. We are proud to partner with makers like Deepak who celebrate the cultural traditions of their goods and enable us to responsibly share them with the world. 

Deepak is one of the many sources of Mexicali’s SMILE, not to mention being one of our main sources of light. Growing our businesses together, and watching our friendship flourish over the past 23 years has been incredible, and we look forward to sharing many more stories and smiles, and to continuing to illuminate the world with our ever brightening light.

Have Deepak’s paper star lanterns, ceramic knobs, or hooks ever brightened up your bedroom or beautified your business? Show us your starry lights and tag us @mexicaliblues ⭐️

Shop Deepak's collection here ⭐️