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Sisters Monica and Aidee San Miguel have created a sustainable household and self-care products business, VOLVERde, in honor of their Mexican heritage and their grandmother, whom they called “Mamapina.” The store, which opened in August 2022 out of Monica’s home in Pilsen, Chicago, partners directly with artisans across Mexico to sell products they have encountered on their travels. The business represents an emerging trend of sustainable stores owned by people of color who embrace sustainable practices their families have practiced for generations, a trend also observed in cities worldwide. Semillas Plant Studio, another sustainable store in Pilsen, is a community flower and plant shop that can be rented out for events. The store views its brick-and-mortar model, which is different from VOLVERde, as a means of bringing sustainable models to communities that already practice zero-waste. Semillas’ owners, Angelica Varela and her husband, Miguel Rivera, represent the second generation of migrants in their families.
