The Here I Am Sourcing Manifesto

Self-care is not a commodity. It is a human need.

We source from small businesses led by people making decisions based on their values. We do not expect perfect choices. Just intentional ones.

These are the kinds of partners we work with.

1. Founders who won't compromise on fairness and respect

We work with brands that:

  • Are women-owned because women are under-represented as business owners.
  • Handcraft or produce in small batches, taking responsibility for their waste and energy use.
  • Pay people fairly and treat people with dignity, even when it costs more.

If a maker compromises these things, we don't work with them.

2. Makers who are transparent about tradeoffs

We source from brands that:

  • Read their own labels and can explain what's in their products and why.
  • Disclose when they use synthetics and explain their reasoning.
  • Make their tradeoffs visible, not hidden.

If a maker won't explain their sourcing decisions, we find ones who will.

3. Brands that make intentional choices and defend them

We work with makers who:

  • Say no to things that don't align with their values, even profitable ones.
  • Stand by their decisions publicly.
  • Keep their product lines small and considered.

Being selective is by design.

4. Small makers who take responsibility for their impact

We prioritize brands that:

  • Understand how their choices affect their people, their communities, and the planet.
  • Scale intentionally instead of chasing growth.
  • Stay committed to their values as they grow.

Bigger is not better.

5. Makers who support rest, not extraction

We work with founders creating products that:

  • Support nervous system regulation, not productivity or the pursuit of eternal youth.
  • Encourage slowing down, not overconsumption.
  • Make rest feel normal, not earned.

You don't need to deserve care. 

6. Founders building relationships, not just transactions

We partner with small brands that:

  • See their customers as people, not units.
  • Honor their pricing and refuse to undercut themselves.
  • Build communities, not just markets.

This is a relationship, not a transaction.

7. Businesses that choose integrity over trends

We source from makers who:

  • Build for the long game, not the algorithm.
  • Nurture their customers, their communities, and their impact.
  • Stay committed to their values, even when nobody's watching.

Commitment is part of care.

8. Businesses making political choices

Every brand we carry is making a choice:

  • To build differently.
  • To consume more thoughtfully.
  • To create a slower, kinder way of living.

Money has impact. Where we spend it matters.

In short

We don't claim our products are perfect. We claim our partners are thoughtful.

If a brand is here, they've made hard choices based on their values. They've made tradeoffs in the open. They're doing the work.

Shop with intention. Support makers who are thinking hard about their choices.