Substance for Fashion Conscious People

Substance just celebrated its five-year anniversary. The Short North boutique, which offers sustainably made clothing and accessories, recently launched Substance Lofts on its second story. The new Lofts space features custom-made items by Elizabeth Ashleigh Designs; J Squared Organics fair trade soap and candles; vintage-inspired clothing by Isolda Couture; and pieces from C & E Vintage Jewelry.

Armed with a thoughtful trio of fashion, sustainability, and community involvement, Substance thrives in multiple ways. It carries organic tops and dresses, fair trade items, and vegan handbags. Its Design Lab repurposes fabric from discontinued pieces and has saved more than 300 pounds of clothing from taking space in landfills. It donates a portion of all sales to children’s education programs. So where there’s Substance, there’s style — and heaps of compassion.

As someone who owns enough scarves to wrap around the world at least once, I’m giddy about Substance’s Scarfscription. In lieu of fruit or jam, this is the gift that keeps on styling. Those who sign up for a three-, six-, nine-, or twelve-month Scarfscription receive seasonal scarves and/or wraps that match their personal fashion profiles. Brilliant.