How did we arrive at November so quickly!  Perhaps we were lulled into the never ending summer weather that lasted through October here in Vancouver.  Then, when the rain hit, we realized we were in fact, well into fall.  We are happy we are receiving the much needed rain, and we love to see all the leaves on the trees are turning those beautiful colours. A feast for the eyes!  That said, we are still dreaming of summer and just for fun, we are including a group shot from our Summer photo shoot.  Our beautiful models are all volunteers and friends.  A big thanks to all who contribute their time to our photo shoots!

We have been hard at work stocking the shop for the holiday gift giving season.  Along with our Marigold Collective-branded products, we also carry a curated collection of high quality and unique products made Canadian-women makers. All of our products are sustainably made with natural materials, paper packaging, recycled materials or recyclable materials. We are going to highlight a few products each newsletter over the next few months so you know what we have waiting for you!

Our Canadian-made goods are available in our retail studio only:

Marigold Collective

4333 West 10th Ave

Vancouver, BC

We discovered these well made, high quality mohair socks a few years ago and visitors to our Vancouver retail studio love them!  They make a great gift for both males and females. Great quality, comfortable, super warm and good value for the price.  We have just fully restocked and they are selling well again, don't delay!

We love Pollen Toques!  Not only do they make an awesome gift for both men and women, they are made of high quality wool and especially useful for BC's wet climate!

Marigold Collective's Pollen Toque collection is freshly stocked and has a wide range of colours to choose from! Toques can roll up for added warmth over your ears, and the natural lanolin content repels water.  The regular size measure approximately 9" wide by 8" tall, and the large is an inch wider and taller. We found that the knit has a good amount of stretch.  The regular size seems to suit most women's noggins while the large is suited to those with a lot of hair or just a larger cranium!

These styles differ from our classic brass collection as they include Cambodian Silk detail into their beautiful designs.  Have a peek at the gallery below and let us know your favourite!

Leslie started volunteering with us a year ago and we can't believe how fast that time has flown.  We are so pleased to have Leslie with us!  Her experience as an administrator at UBC is our gain - she pays close attention to detail and is always very helpful with receiving stock, placement etc.  She is awesome with customers and enjoys speaking with people coming in and telling them about our projects, product information etc.  Leslie has become a solid member of our volunteer team and we feel very fortunate to have her.  Thank you Leslie!

A few words from Leslie...

"I’ve been a part of the Point Grey Community for over 40 years. Raising 4 kids here and working at UBC, I know the area well.  Once I retired, I started to look for new ways of giving back.   I knew whatever I got involved with needed to hold meaning, creativity, service and fun!  I was delighted to discover Marigold Collective, something so meaningful, in my own ‘backyard’.  Family is important to me.  Knowing all products at Marigold are ethically sourced and help support women provide for their families, motivated me to inquire about volunteering.  It’s been a pleasure working with Paula at Marigold Collective!"

One of the cool things I did while in Oaxaca was to visit The Ethnobotanical Botanical Gardens with my travel pal, Yoka.  This is so well worth going to see - it was like its own small world.  I just loved it and we wandered the grounds for a few hours.  Both Yoka and I are avid gardeners and so of course, we were in heaven.  El Jardin Etnobotanico de Oaxaca sits on 2.3 acres of the former monastic ground of the Church of Santo Domingo and is an incredible example of the biodiversity of Oaxaca, especially its cacti variations.

The Mexican military once occupied the 16th-century Santo Domingo monastery and used the surrounding land as a home base for more than a century. Twenty years ago when the military moved out, the Mexican government wanted to build a luxury hotel in its place.  Many public artists protested and lobbied to have the environment used to celebrate the incredible plant diversity of Oaxaca.  The public garden, designed by Oaxaca artist Francisco Toledo, tells the region's history via its plants and the garden is an amazing display of cacti and other vegetation indigenous to Oaxaca.

We invite you to share this newsletter with your friends and family and anyone you think may enjoy our work. 

The bigger our reach, the more we can share the story of all the women artisans we work with.