We’re continuing the celebrations of Boody Lounge with the latest interview in our #FindYourDowntime series. Perth-based Molly Harris is the founder and writer of MFARAI – an environmentally and socially-conscious blog where she shares her adventures in ethical and eco-living.
From the inspiration behind her blog and how she lives an environmentally-conscious life to her favourite Boody Lounge pieces and how she finds her downtime, we catch up with the WA-based eco-warrior and big-time Boody fan, Molly Harris.
Tell us a bit about your blog, MFARAI.
Where do I begin?! For me, it’s usually safest to start with the elephant in the room: the name.
Simply, MFARAI is my name. M is for ‘Molly’ and Farai is one of my middle names, meaning ‘to rejoice’ in Shona. When I started my blog back in 2016, I chose my own name for it because, with everything I create, there is truly a concentrated reflection of myself and the way I live. ‘Farai’ holds a lot of meaning here as well. Since the get-go, my mission, in all the work that I do, is to live up to this name by spreading the joy that comes alongside caring for each other and our earth.
At the end of the day, that’s MFARAI’s purpose – to inspire and empower more environmentally and socially-conscious actions and lives, globally.
What was the inspiration behind your blog?
Although MFARAI is inspired by so many of my experiences and people who have touched my life, there are really four key elements that inspired my blog to form over the years:
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Our earth. Between climate change, the sixth mass extinction, plastic pollution, soil degradation, air pollution, food waste, melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and all of the above, my heart was slowly sinking. So, I was inspired by moving some of the power back into our hands, as individuals. This feeling of wanting to take control of my environmental impact, take action, and educate others about the seemingly little, everyday things they can do to make a global difference drives MFARAI.
- The fashion revolution. As I was starting my blog, I was beginning to educate myself about the fashion industry and, particularly, fast fashion’s lack of transparency, breaches of human rights and disregard for environmental impact. My self-expression through clothing snowballed as I merged this creativity with ethics and purpose. Now, advocating for ethical and eco brands has become a big part of my blog and my greater work.
- My personal health. MFARAI was greatly inspired by my own need to live healthier, for the sake of preventing illness, managing migraines, and more recently, healing my body after a Blastocystis hominis infection in 2018. My physical wellbeing really inspired the part of my blog that focuses on organic products (including beauty products and organic clothing) as well as organic vegan food (what we feed our body is equally important as what we put on it, and vice versa!).
- Slow, conscious living. At the root of it all, MFARAI was inspired by living more slowly and with greater awareness about what’s going on in the world around and within me, and through sharing my journey to encourage others to do the same so we can live more full and joyful lives. I truly believe that through working more consciously together, we can change the world for the better.
We know that living an environmentally and socially-conscious life is important to you. How do you go about this in your everyday life?
Living more environmentally and socially-consciously, for me, is a matter of being more mindful. Every action I take is done with intention and everything I consume reflects my values and the future world I’d like to see (or, at least, I try to live this way). For me, it’s been a slow and steady process of stacking simple lifestyle changes upon simple lifestyle changes.
It’s still an everyday journey and learning process but with time, and as changes become habits, I’m beginning to master it.
We hear you're a Boody fan. What is it about our everyday essentials you love?
You've got that right! The one thing I love about Boody is that it’s so accessible. Not only are Boody’s everyday essentials so affordable for also having ethical and sustainable accreditations (yay for sustainably-sourced bamboo, too!) but I can find Boody almost everywhere I look, even down at my local health food store! I love that Boody keeps styles simple, wearable and trans-seasonal – and that all my pieces are so incredibly comfy, even after I’ve had them a year or two.
We're so excited you're part of our Boody Lounge launch. What are your thoughts on the range?
I’m delighted to be part of the launch and – boy – wearing the new Boody Lounge range immediately put me in such a state of bliss. It was like the feeling of a soft hug mixed with a warm cup of tea on a wintery day. I can tell that there has been a real focus on the details, as always with Boody essentials. As somebody who works from home, this range is going to make it extra hard to get out of my loungewear every day!
What are your favourite picks from the capsule collection?
It honestly is hard to choose my favourites from the capsule collection. I’m wearing the Chunky Bed Socks right now, so they’re definitely a winner. I’ve also fallen head over heels for the Cosy Knit Wrap – I feel like I could take it anywhere with me and it’s very versatile so that also gets five stars!
What are your favourite ways to #FindYourDowntime?
I’m a busy bee so giving myself time to nourish my mind, body, and soul is not only how I find my downtime but is vital for me to function. Meditation, putting time and love into preparing my food, and giving myself a creative moment to listen or make music and drift off into another world are some of the ways I like to relax. Aromatherapy and gardening have been wonderful for me lately, too – two activities that are very grounding!
How important do you think it is for us all to find ways to unwind in our hectic lives?
If everyone is like me, unwinding is vital. It’s far too easy to get caught in a cycle of focusing on everything but ourselves – and then, before we know it, that cycle turns into a downward spiral of fatigue and illness. Unwinding can be a way of managing our stress and, in turn, maintaining our overall health and wellbeing.
As a Perth-based blogger, do you have any recommendations for what people should see and do when they visit the city/state?
Absolutely! I’m in love with sunny WA (the climate, and maybe a bit of the culture, is like a secret California that the rest of the world just hasn’t caught onto yet!). I strongly believe that WA has some of the best sunsets and beaches in the world, so I’d definitely recommend watching one of those over the ocean if you come to Perth.
WA also has so much to offer in every direction from Perth. North, you can find the Ningaloo Reef, which, in my experience, is on-par with the Great Barrier. Inland East, depending on how far you go, has some stunning desert landscapes and ancient, natural formations like Wave Rock, and down South has some of the most incredible eco retreats and camping experiences. WA really is your oyster!
What are your plans for the near future? Anything exciting on the horizon?
I’m currently in the process of building a directory of brands and businesses on MFARAI that get my tick of approval, which is something that a few people have requested from me over the years. I’ve also been researching more into regeneration (environmental, agricultural, cultural, social, and personal) so you can expect to hear more about this from me over the coming months. Otherwise, at MFARAI, I’ll be steadily flowing along my conscious living journey while working on external projects in my many roles (but more about this at MFARAI or on my Instagram!).
