We are firm believers in food as medicine, and while that philosophy is fundamentally what our business has been built upon, our values draw from the source of something even deeper rooted. At the Nectary, our values lay in conscious consumption, from the foods that nourish our bodies to the products that soothe our skin to the sustainable sourcing of all products. All business decisions are made in alignment with our ethos. If a decision does not benefit the greater good of the company, it is not a decision worth making. We do not compromise the quality of our ingredients, and often pay a higher price because we believe in their benefits. We pride ourselves on using whole food, true to the source ingredients. The healing powers lay in the nutrition of food, not an over manipulation of said food. The same reasoning applies to each and every retail offering in our stores. In order to bring the idea of conscious consumption to light, we cannot do it alone. We cross-pollinate with extremely talented creators and makers who are mindfully crafting products for the good of the individual and the environment.
As a truly conscious consumer, one must be aware of what we’re exposing ourselves to on a more broad spectrum sensory level: what are we watching, reading, listening to…? As well as what we are consuming in and on our bodies or quite literally, as consumers in the marketplace. How are we “voting” with our dollar, or from another perspective, if you see cash as a form of currency, what are we investing our energy in and what is the ultimate return on that investment?
Being on the leading edge of this movement towards conscious consumption, The Nectary is dedicated to promoting healthy choices for our community through our brick and mortar locations and will be expanding this availability to an online platform, making these options accessible to all people seeking on their path of wellness in this world. In addition to our exceptional plant-based drink and functional food offerings, we are emerging as a leading global Natural Lifestyle Brand through our website that will be synchronizing our authentic approach to health and wellness through food as medicine and promotion of conscious consumption for mind, body and spirit.
This all comes back to and stems from our foundational beliefs that are based in an uncompromising commitment to purpose, planet, people and shared profit. We align ourselves with other businesses and practices that encourage and support this belief system. Unfortunately, much of the consumer industry thrives upon degradation of the planet and it’s resources while exploiting people and entire communities. Greed is a motivational force and profit is the overwhelming and uncompromising bottom line, regardless of the impact a decision might have on the environment, social justice or the CEO’s conscience. The American economy is built on this dysfunctional and destructive model, and conscious consumption is the way that we the people, can make a difference in our lives, the health of our communities, and our precious planet. Educating yourself is a responsibility as an aware human being and consumer in these times and we are here to guide you, every step of the way, to making choices that are healthier for yourself and for future generations.
While we could wax poetic on this topic all day, what we would really like to do is proudly introduce you to:
Pollen Nation… our local, organic and sustainable apparel company.
Pollen Nation began in the wild west of Sonoma County under the creative genius from Trina and Jolene, of Hinterland Empire and we’ve been offering up the Pollen Nation brand at our shop for over 2 years. We’ve been simmering on expansion of our brand to include a more holistic lifestyle approach and when they came to us about merging the brands, we couldn’t resist… they’re perfectly synergistic! Because as we said before, it’s not just about the superfood smoothies and cold-pressed organic juices. Pollen Nation is a natural extension of our core mission and values. The clothing is purely American made, always organic threads and hand-printed locally with ecologically friendly inks in Sebastopol by Redthread.
The fashion and apparel industry is one of the most notoriously exploitative in the consumer marketplace. Pollen Nation is committed to being American Made for several reasons: stimulating the economy through job creation, limiting our impact on the environment, investing in human rights and supporting conservation. We are simply building upon Hinterland’s legacy and are grateful for their steadfastness towards American made. Local and national jobs drive the economy forward. Any dollars spent on American made goods remain within the economy, circling back to pay wages of American workers. Within the United States, there are laws and regulations surrounding production, environmental safety and human rights, all of which are not always regulated in other countries. Labor laws guide business practices to ensure employee welfare, whereas in other countries, child labor and extremely long work days define the norm. The longer the distance, the less we know about the quality and production of a good. Supporting the local economy reduces pollutants and gas emissions. When it comes to conscious consumption, each step of the process matters, from sourcing to processing to production to sale and economic value. While the American economy is a work in progress, moving towards sustainable, American made is a step in the right direction towards creating a healthier system.
As if that wasn’t reason enough, a portion of all proceeds are given back to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, an international nonprofit conservation. Their core programs focus on habitat conservation and restoration, species conservation, protecting pollinators, contributing to watershed health, and reducing harm to invertebrates from pesticide use. Over the past 40 years, the Xerces Society has successfully protected rare species through the creation of hundreds of thousands of new habitats. Founder, Dr. Robert Plye, recognizes their successes as well as the need for more. He says, “Conserving the diversity of invertebrates is, after all, the biggest job in the world.”
Please show your support for a higher purpose,
our home planet, world citizens and pollinators!!!
Pollinators who are an essential and integral part of all ecosystems, working selflessly to pollinate crops of food that we enjoy eating everyday, while contributing to the survival of wildlife and the health of our environment.
Purchasing Pollen Nation apparel has a positive and direct impact and is the perfect example of conscious consumption in action. You can go directly to our website to check out our new pre-sale offerings, our limited edition first runs, as well as what we currently have in stock on-line and in-store.
These garments make great gifts and are something you can truly feel good about giving, while making a real difference. Please stay tuned for more information about our lifestyle brand by reading our blog posts where we’ll be offering recipes, product reviews and be the first to find out about new releases in the Pollen Nation line.
Thank you for being a woke and conscious consumer... the world definitely needs more of us, so please feel free to forward this post to anyone you feel might benefit from what we have to share!
In Good Health,
The Nectary
Photo Credits: Shelby Edwards and Renewable Energy Choice