Green Envy Eco Boutique

Tucked away on a small side street of Newport, Rhode Island is an amazing eco-friendly boutique store. Earlier this year I passed by this unique storefront during an early morning walk in downtown Newport. Unfortunately that early in the day the store wasn’t open yet. So I tried to make a mental note to stop by later in the day.

By the time we got settled in our hotel room, I nearly forgot to stop at the store. Since I had never been to an eco-boutique before, I wanted to make sure I could check it out. I called up the store at 5:50pm and unfortunately found that they closed in 10 minutes. But to my delight the store owner, Rachel Lessner happily offered to stay and wait until we arrived and shopped before she closed for the night. I hadn’t even stepped into the store yet and I enjoyed such wonderful customer service!

It is not an exaggeration to say that everything in Green Envy Eco-Boutique is one-of-a-kind and totally unique! Most items in the store benefit other people in third-world countries. These people may have created the item or the proceeds from the sale benefit them. I love that this store considers others and stocks items that are not about making a profit but are about making life better for others.

Green Envy has a lower level area that is filled with awesome second hand clothing and vintage accessories. That is where I found my foreign coin necklace. When I saw it I knew I just had to have it, as it 100% reminded me of a bracelet my grandpa made me years ago, which had many foreign coins attached as charms. The coins are very old, so I never wore it, afraid I would lose them. So instead, I picked up this necklace to wear as a reminder of the more fragile bracelet.

Once I found the coin necklace, I was on a roll and found several other items that fit my perfectly. Created by a local artist, I found myself loving telephone wire rings. The wiring that can be found in your landline phone was repurposed to create stylish and lightweight rings. I shared my new ring purchase with my Mom and found out that she used to make rings from the same exact material when she was younger. I guess our generation isn’t the first to enjoy repurposing items. As a child, I even remember braiding telephone wire to create “friendship bracelets.”

These plates were so absolutely beautiful in person, I really wanted to purchase them all!  Sadly I didn’t even purchase one, which I have come to later regret.  I sure hope I get another chance to enjoy these plates at my dinner table sooner than later.

As I was about to purchase my items, I saw this sparkly necklace by the register. It was my type of “fancy” too (read: I’m not that fancy.) I asked Rachel about it since it didn’t look like the other handmade pieces in the store. She said yet another local Newport artist created it from second hand (found at a garage sale) Swarovski crystals and beach glass (found locally.) I love the reuse of all the items I purchased, it makes them much more one of a kind than something purchased from a mass market.

As we left the store we enjoyed this really beautiful Newport sunset!

If you’re interested in any of the unique items Green Envy carries check out their newly launched online store. As they recently closed their brick and mortar store in April, so that Rachel could travel to foreign countries and meet the artists that make the jewelry that she sells.