Entering Satya on a Saturday afternoon is a calming experience. The owner, Romy Scheroder, is at ease, talking to a friend who dropped in to say hello. She wears the same clothes that are on display in her store, not out of self-promotion, but because she is passionate about her merchandise. In fact, to her the items in her store are not merchandise, but works of art, each with its own personal appeal.
Satya means "truth" in Sanskrit, a fitting title for this store, as clientele can trust in an honest history of the pieces offered. Promoting a "green" lifestyle, the store sells only clothing and accessories made from organic, recycled materials. The merchandise comes from designers and companies that do not employ socially or environmentally irresponsible practices (such as sweatshop labor) in any aspect of production.
The store's most popular items are skirts by Passenger Pigeon, a Canadian company. One of the brand's skirts has a tan hemp base with a blue, recycled cotton overlay that is silk-screened with the namesake passenger pigeons. Although the skirt costs $135, it is also has a reversible brown cotton exterior, making it an easily justifiable purchase -- not only is it two different skirts in one; it is also socially conscious.
Perhaps the most striking pieces are the accessories, particularly the beautiful clutches whose history makes them worth the $195. One such clutch has a tan background with a geometric zigzag pattern of blues and browns, made from the upholstery of a 1975 Gremlin. Totes that have the elegant appearance of leather are actually made of rubber and are very reasonably priced between $20-30.
Additionally, the store is not exclusively for women. Men's clothing includes such finds as Hempy's jeans. Modeled after late '80s carpenter-style pants, the rich blue jeans are made out of hemp instead of denim and cost $79.
Every item in Satya has a story which owner Scheroder is eager to share, whether it is describing how a co-op of Tibetan refugees created scarves from banana silk or how a shirt was created through a process known as "upcycling." But most importantly, Satya is more than a store -- it's a movement committed to urging consumers to question the origins of their clothing. If you care about what enters your body, you should care about covers your body, and Satya is perfect for those that believe in living organically.
