by Reba Byrd & Carolyn Verdina

Don’t mess with Texas. We Texans are so proud of our state, aren’t we? There is nothing quite like driving through the Hill Country or watching that sunset during the summer months, cold beverage in hand. We all work together to keep our state beautiful, whether we avoid littering the highways, regulate our water consumption, ride our bikes instead of starting up our cars, sort our recyclables from our trash or buy locally to support our friends’ businesses.

Sustainable. Recyclable. Reusable. Organic. These are descriptions we see almost everywhere. Maybe, just maybe, our supporting those efforts and products will help to keep our great state and our world a little bit cleaner.

At Cowgirls & Lace, we are proud to say many of our products support the environment, even in a small way. Our estate finds are used furniture and furnishings that might have otherwise ended up in the trash. We often spruce up those pieces with a touch of paint from our Amy Howard line, restoring a discarded table into one that can become the pride of your home.

A recent addition to our store is Hilde Leiaghat’s environmentally-conscious line of Pom Pom at Home Linens. Hilde grew up in the Belgian countryside and frequented flea markets with her father, where her love of antiques and linen began. Linen is derived from flax, a major crop of Belgium. Flax farming requires little to no irrigation and no harsh chemicals, keeping the soil and atmosphere free from pollution. Pom Pom at Home fabrics are 100% linen, recyclable, biodegradable and allergy-free – a beautiful combination of environmental sustainability and a lived-in, elegant look for your home.

Let’s all keep making those daily choices to keep Texas beautiful. That means supporting sustainable and environmentally-conscious businesses, campaigns, products and consumables. The smallest purchase in support of a company like Pom Pom at Home can make a positive environmental impact. Just remember – don’t mess with Texas!

Reba Byrd is the owner of Cowgirls and Lace and Le Ragge Ruggs with locations in Dripping Springs. With 21 years of experience they specialize in custom window treatments and bedding as well as complete lines of furniture and accessories. Le Ragge Ruggs now carries the Amy Howard at Home products and offers classes in the various painting techniques.goog