Trees are magical. That’s why so much of our alternative clothing features trees. Trees are beautiful. They shade and shelter us, provide food, protect the land, encourage biodiversity, conserve water and give us a sustainable building material that looks fantastic as well as lasting for centuries. And when we spend time with them, they improve our health and wellbeing. No wonder the Japanese have a word for forest bathing. They call it Shirin-yoku. They know, and science has proved, that spending time in woodland reduces stress, anger, and depression. People who live near trees, even if it’s just a tree-lined road, report better health with a slower heartbeat, lower blood pressure, and brain waves that change positively in response to the green stuff. Let’s celebrate trees with a look into the widespread use of the tree of life symbol around the world, and a few of the beautiful, stylish alternative clothes we sell that star trees. Read on, love trees, spend time with them, and choose beautiful alternative clothes with tree of life decor. Welcome to our lovely green world.

The Tree of Life – A powerful positive symbol in many cultures

Ancient history suggests the tree of life symbol turned up in Mesopotamia before being taken up by the Egyptians and Greeks. The symbol meant a lot to the Ancient Celts and still appears in all sorts of religions to this day, including Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism. The Tree of Life is popular in Mayan, Islamic, and Chinese cultures too, a symbol of strength and eternal life. The Quran contains many references to the tree from the Garden of Eden and also to the tree of knowledge. The symbol also represents wisdom in traditional Christian and Norse mythologies. When it comes to Adam and Eve, the tree of life is said to hold knowledge about evil as well as good.

The tree of life is a guardian, protecting people and their land from harm. In some creation myths the earth itself grew from a tree of life with a cross at its centre, symbolising north, south, east, and west. Norse people called it the Yggdrasil, the door between life and death and the guardian of both worlds. The fruit of the Tree of Life matters in some cultures. Take China, where an old Taoist myth tells the story of an ancient peach tree that produces a peach every three thousand years. If you eat it, you’ll enjoy eternal life and happiness.

Some trees have specific meanings. Take the willow, which symbolises magic, healing, and dreams. The Ancient Egyptians they used willow leaves and bark to treat pain and fever, as did the Native Americans. They knew their stuff – the acid in the leaves is the same active ingredient used in modern aspirin.

Trees in science – The magic continues

Science reveals the magic of trees just as powerfully as religion and myth do. Trees cool the land by as much as 12C, as discovered by a 2021 analysis of satellite data from 293 cities in Europe. Grass and other green spaces don’t do anywhere near the same job – it’s a tree thing. And in late August this year the science community announced new research into the ability of plants to learn and make decisions, giving humanity a different view of trees that brings them so much closer to us. They’re sentient beings, and they communicate with each other.

Did you know if a tree falls or is cut down, nearby trees will collaborate to keep the stump alive for as long as a decade? Did you know trees communicate with one another via a connected network of roots and mycelium, and share resources the same way? Their mycorrhizal networks can influence survival, growth, health, and even tree behaviour. Once you know that, you’ll never look at a tree in the same way again. Next time you pass a tree, say hello...

Gorgeous hippie clothes with tree of life symbolism

Search our website for ‘tree of life’ or ‘trees’ to discover wonderful alternative fashion featuring the tree of life. We have tree of life shoulder bags, wall hangings, pixie hooded tops, long sleeve tops and unisex trousers. And we have gorgeous new things arriving all the time, so come back again to explore more.