The Sequoias of the Sea
May 24th, 2021
The decision to design our Summer collection around the idea of marine life proved challenging at times. We made this collection to help teach children about a part of our ecosystem that is currently severely affected by oceanic warming, and the gravity of that isn’t lost on us. As our company's mission is to encourage our children to live and play in ways that celebrate Mother Earth, we believe environmental issues like these deserve our attention.
Often referred to as “The Sequoias of the Sea,” because of their amazing ability to sequester carbon emissions and regenerate at an exponential rate, kelp forests across the globe are diminishing. Sarah’s Silks being based in Northern California, the case of our kelp forests hits close to home. As our oceans continue to experience heat waves as a result of global warming, scientists say that reversing the deterioration of our kelp forests will be a nearly insurmountable task - unless we raise a generation of citizen scientists, with an inherited reverence for our planet’s many ecosystems, who are ready and willing to rise to the challenge. Reading about all of the innovative ways that scientists are addressing the issue of kelp deforestation, it’s easy to have hope for future generations.
Why is preserving our Kelp Forests so important? When kelp does flourish, it actively combats the effects of climate change by capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and sequestering it deep below the ocean surface. Once sequestered, carbon dioxide can stay securely locked away for thousands of years - and time is the most precious commodity in our fight to reverse the damage caused by CO2 emissions.
We’re excited by the work of young people within the scientific community, who have been developing innovative solutions to encourage kelp growth along the United States’ East and West coasts, such as kelp micro farming projects and volunteer dives aimed at restoring healthy kelp off of the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts by harvesting the sea urchins that, because of the decrease in the sea star population, are taking up more space on the ocean floor than ever before.
Despite the threat to kelp forests that is posed by sea urchins’ overgrowth, we weren’t going to exclude them from our Summer collection! Their presence is a reminder that when our ocean’s natural ecosystem is in balance, its creatures can coexist harmoniously, with each one serving an important role in the system’s maintenance and preservation.
Since we’ve taken such inspiration from kelp forests in designing our Summer collection, we’ve decided to give a portion of the of profits from our Kelp Forest mini silk, illustrated by Michelle Mackay (@danceypantsdisco) to support the admirable efforts of the Greater Farallones Association as they work to preserve the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, all while championing values of diversity, education, and community involvement. We, too, firmly believe in the power of education, and are committed to making toys that encourage young ones to step into their role as stewards of the natural world.
xoxo,
Sarah & Aila