Orange Harp, a San Francisco-based shopping app for ethical fashion and beauty is now available for free download at the app store. The app, built for more than just shopping, “it’s about attaching meaning to the products we bring into our lives.” Curating community- and energy saving-centric products of high-quality, Orange Harp is the first socially conscious shopping app. Through videos, images and text, it’s a sophisticated shopping tool with great stories.
We caught up with the creators of Orange Harp to find out more about the app, why we need it and what is the big deal about ethical fashion.
Juilette Donatelli: Why the need for an app like Orange Harp?
Kacie Gonzalez: Buying socially-conscious products is an incredibly fragmented and time consuming experience. To find the right products that meet your standards usually takes many hours of research, and buying is no longer just about products, people want their purchases to be meaningful.
Orange Harp makes it easy by curating an amazing selection of high quality products for every day life. We do all the research for you and allow you to buy seamlessly through the app.
JD: How did you pick the designers/brands for the app?
KG: We pick our brand partners through careful research and personal sampling. We want the makers we choose to reflect our own personal values and the values of Orange Harp—being socially conscious and responsible. It’s been a true honor and privilege to get to know these wonderful people and we hope you like them too!
JD: Is there more to come?
KG: Yes, definitely. We have many more makers in the pipeline, spanning across a wide range of products. You’ll just have to stay tuned!
JD: Why the name Orange Harp?
KG: Our home base is San Francisco, and we chose Orange Harp to honor its most famous landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge. Its official color is International Orange, and when it was first built the newspapers said it looked like a big harp.
JD: What is the sustainability community in San Francisco like?
KG: The conscious community here is quite large and active. Being conscious is a way of life for most people in San Francisco, they almost don’t even think about it. There are farmer’s markets here every day, most people bike or take public transportation to work, and you can actually get be fined for not composting!
JD: What is sustainability to you?
KG: Being mindful about the way we live and consume is a natural part of my life. Living in San Francisco has certainly had an impact on how we live, reading the labels, going to farmer’s markets, buying ethically sourced products, etc. The great thing about the sustainability movement is there are so many moving parts and pieces that you feel involved with even just the tiniest bit of effort, whether it be recycling, reusing your paper bag, or biking to work. Making an effort can make a big difference and it’s easy for it to just naturally become a part of your life.
JD: Why does ethics in the fashion industry matter to you?
KG: We think it matters just the same way that ethics in the food industry matters. We care very much about what goes in our bodies, so why not what goes on it? We live our lives in these garments, and it’s important to us to know the story behind where our clothes come from and how they were made.