More Pillows + Do-Gooding

Sometimes blog posts beget more of the same. So it was with pillow tossing. No sooner had I posted about Alejandra Dunphy’s beautiful textiles than more pillows started flying through my inbox—this time from a company with the unlikely name Jaya Loves Tekeko.

Geared toward little people, these darling pillows—also blankets and onesies—teach a great green story. They are made with organic bamboo—not the kind that pandas eat—and organic-cotton fabric, stuffed with 100 perecnt natural kapok fill, a seed fiber that is lighter than down, naturally resistant to dust mites, and super fluffy. They use non-toxic, water-based inks and recycled/biodegradable packaging. The Miami-based company uses original art created by founder Laura Launer and local manufacturers to hand print, sew, and stuff the pillows.

Though not yet profitable, this small company with a conscience donates a portion of its proceeds to Planting Peace, an organization dedicated to both helping children in need and saving rainforests. My asking why puzzled Laura. "This is how I see the world," she responded.

Laura’s little pillows won’t save the planet, but each effort like hers—a fledgling entrepreneur trying to make a difference—is a footstep in the right direction just as surely as the more sophisticated and much publicized environmental programs of the big guys.