Gratitude is in Our Nature

Fall is in full swing! Along with pumpkin spice and apple-picking, fall marks a change of pace. It’s the perfect time to reflect and express gratitude. 

At Sherpani, we are grateful for nature. Even as the days get colder, we still enjoy winding through the mountain trails near our headquarters. Seeking adventure off the beaten path has guided our identity since the very beginning. We get so much from nature; we think it is time to give back. Our new Open Your Eyes collection celebrates the simple beauty of nature with a renewed awareness for how we fit into the ecosystems around us. 

Open your eyes.

We all rely on the vibrance of nature. Trees provide us with oxygen to breathe, wetlands filter toxins out of waterways, and bees pollinate many of the crops we consume, like apples and squash. Economists have attempted to translate the worth of ecosystem services like these into a number—estimates land around $29 trillion. But a number can’t possibly capture the intangible connection for which we’re most thankful. The promise of adventure can’t be accounted for in dollars and cents.

We believe that nature restores the human spirit.

And we believe that humans should restore nature. But that reciprocal relationship is damaged when human actions hurt ecosystems. Around the world, plastic waste is a growing environmental concern. Plastic that is not recycled or secured in landfills ends up lose in environment, harming wildlife and breaking down into microplastics that infiltrate our food chain. It’s hard to feel restored and inspired looking out on a landscape filling with waste. The rising tide of plastic is harming the health and livelihoods of coastal communities around the world.

We want to change this.

We all have the power to make a positive difference in the world. Sherpani has been using fabric from recycled plastic bottles in our essentials collection for over ten years, and we’re excited to see the trend of recycled materials taking off across other brands. By repurposing plastic packaging into durable products, we can keep trash out of the environment.

We’re not stopping there though! Sherpani is donating 25% of the profits from the Open Your Eyes collection to eliminate ocean plastic pollution. The Open Your Eyes collection was created to celebrate the human relationship with nature and provide sustainable solutions to plastic pollution. We think everyone deserves an unspoiled adventure.  You can learn more about Sherpani’s sustainability initiatives through the Blue Verve Project page.

Our actions are motivated by gratitude.

On your next adventure, take a moment to appreciate the vibrance of whatever ecosystem you’re in, whether it’s a city street lined with autumn leaves or a rugged mountain trail tinged with frost. We can work together keep every ecosystem free of plastic trash. We can make a difference, and for that we are grateful.

What are you grateful for this fall?

By women for women, the Sherpani Travel Blog talks about all things travel (& all things Sherpani!). Explore topics like solo travel, destination guides, women's travel safety, personal essays, and much more! This is a space to amplify female voices and celebrate our belief that travel restores the human spirit.