Eco-Style: Simply on Union

Lisa Kovatch of Simply on Union has  supported our A.T. Festival as a vendor from the start, and she returns this year with her ever-popular Chestnut's Beeswax Food Wraps—plus more! Her eco-minded wares are a perfect reflection of the festival's mission of environmental protection.

​Here's a guest blog from Lisa:

As a child, I lived in Kenya, where vibrant hues and bold patterns dominate textiles and where the landscape we explored on family camping safaris was vast and untamed. Creativity and resourcefulness abounded, and remain traits I value to this day. I use traditional methods to make useful, eco-friendly products with a whimsical, modern twist. 

When I learned that microplastics are in our waterways and even in the food we are consuming, I was motivated to reduce the use of plastics in our household. My CHESTNUT'S line of reusable Beeswax Food Wraps, a compostable alternative to single-use plastic wrap, has grown to include small-batch, plant-based soap for the kitchen and bath, natural lip balms, and shampoo bars.  I love the alchemy of making cold-process soap and blending essential oils to scent my products, which delight the senses while being kind to the environment and our skin. All my packaging is compostable and/or recyclable. I enjoy helping others achieve a zero-waste lifestyle that is both stylish and fun!

My little studio is tucked into the rolling Blue Ridge foothills near the Shenandoah River in lovely and historic Bolivar, West Virginia. I feel fortunate that there are so many wonderful local trails that I can easily access from my front door, including the Appalachian Trail, and that I am able to watch the seasons unfold in the hills around me. As an A.T. "dreamer" myself, I love looking out my studio window and seeing the thru-hikers walk by on their way north in the summer. I keep my yard kind of wild and it's not uncommon for hikers to remark that they like the "toilet paper" I have growing—mullein plants!

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