Hip huggers for tree huggers
Super Citizen / Sandra Fowler, owner of Super Citizen, a downtown sustainable lifestyle store, might as well add “Supermom” to her list of titles. Stella, her almost two-year old daughter, attempts to re-merchandise the store and Fowler must figure out how to keep her busily playing with beads while tending to a new customer. “She’s my new merchandiser,” she says.
The spacious, well-lit store features environmentally friendly and socially responsible products like her best-selling soy candles, Malie. Racks of American Apparel tees and tanks catch a customer’s attention and remind her of how rare it is to find a “Made in America” tag. A line of recycled denim jeans and skirts seem to be one of Fowler’s favorites. “Eighty percent of the denim used in this product is recycled from all over the world,” she says. The R.E.U.S.E (Recycle Environment U Save Earth) brand appeals to those who care as much about the environment as they do about heir hip-hugging jeans.
In the back room, a make-your-own ‘ukulele kit stands alone on a shelf, uncrowded by knick-knacks or cheap frills. Japanese beauty papers and grow-your-own wheatgrass kits fill a center isle, and near the window, a spinning display of SKOY, earth-friendly cloths, claims to save 15 rolls of paper towels. Klean Kanteens (hygienic sippy-cups) again catch Stella’s attention, and Fowler re-directs her to the Global Green Pals doll collection.
Locally made soy-ink bags are lined against the back wall next to hand-painted cards. Another rack of brightly colored, solid, organic cotton tees fills another corner, inspired by Fowler’s desire to offer the basics to Honolulu residents who want to model their lifestyle on green practices.
Fowler practices what she preaches. “I bought all of my fixtures and display racks on Craigslist,” she says. “It was important for me to let my customers know how I really feel about recycling and what it means to leave a footprint.”
It seems that Super Citizen has something for everyone who is interested in going green. From trendy skirts and shirts to children’s recycling pop-up books and bamboo utensils, Super Citizen reminds us how easily we can reduce our footprint, or forkprint, in style.
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