Candles. photo courtesy of Thistle Farms.
We mentioned Thistle Farms in our 2009 Valentine’s Gift Guide.
Thistle Farms is a non-profit business that creates (amazing!) natural bath and body products and is run by the women of Magdalene, a residential community for women who have survived lives of prostitution, violence and abuse.
Thistle Farms is revolutionary, grounded and simple. The women of Magdalene create natural healing products that are as kind to the environment as they are to the body. The women have their own organic lavender field from which their lavender products are made. Their balms, candles, sachets, bath salts and body scrubs are made with the purest ingredients, including cotton wicks, soybean-based ecowax, sea salt and virgin olive oil. Each product comes in a recyclable container and includes a Magdalene woman’s story card.
All proceeds from Thistle Farms go to support Magdalene’s houses and residents as well as provide outreach to women who are in jail or still on the streets. To date, Magdalene has raised nearly $5 million. The program receives no federal or state funding.
The products are a great gift, and proceeds support a wonderful cause. I think Thistle Farms’ motto, “Love Heals,†fits perfectly with Valentine’s Day. For more information and to purchase, you can visit http://www.thistlefarms.org/inventory .
