Shopping Around: New Year Wear

A cute cutting board, a shoe source for kids and wearable organic clothing

Green Scheme
Sara Seumae never went to fashion school or dreamed of conquering the runway. But in 2008, when the Mercer Island mother of two started looking for affordable and fashionable organic clothing and found none, the entrepreneurial Seumae (her Iranian parents have started three companies since immigrating to the U.S. in 1986) launched clothing line Spun, featuring comfy, chic, affordable (prices range from $25 to $95) organic cotton garments for everyday wear.

From cozy, exaggerated cowl neck tops to long, layering cardigans and tummy-concealing wrap dresses, Seumae’s garments are made in the U.S. with certified organic fibers and environmentally safe dyes. She also designs with real women in mind. “I design pieces women can pull from their closet and use five different ways with layers and accessories.” True to her eco-spirit, Seumae gave last season’s leftover garments new life by recycling them into feminine rosettes and extra flounces for her third collection, light spring basics, available in March online at fashionethic.com.

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Do the Polka
Take the drudgery out of chopping, slicing and dicing with a spunky polka dot cutting board from Ellensburg-based Bergren Cutting Boards. Handmade from light ash with contrasting rich mahogany and black walnut hardwood circles, each rectangular board is crafted with scraps from the family wood shop (where the Bergrens also run an interior finish carpentry business) for a heavy-duty, uniquely fun board that may finally be the trick to conquering those tear-jerking onions. 10-by-14-inch board, $45; 13-by-18-inch board, $60, at cuttingboardsstore.com.

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Sole Search
With an inventory that includes puddle-friendly pint-size boots and petite flats, TinySoles.com gives harried parents a happy naptime distraction. The online kiddie shoe retailer first launched in 2007, after Chalese Smartt of Olympia and Jenny Bossick of Rainier had difficulty finding cute, comfortable shoes for their growing broods. Carrying favorites like colorful paddle shoes from Seattle’s See Kai Run and soft leather and faux-fur-lined baby booties from Canadian company Jack and Lily, the site is tabbed—by age, style and brand—to help users navigate the enormous shoe inventory. The duo recently added their favorite accessories to the mix: Seattle-based Baby-Legs leggings, miniature Klean Kanteen sippy cups and cozy SmartWool knit hats—approved by the most discerning of judges, their kids.