Eco-Fabulous on Any Budget

Unlike many trends, eco-fashion is becoming not just the thing of the week, but the thing of all of our futures. Eco-fashion is taking hold because consumers, who have long since integrated responsible buying practices into other facets of their consumption habits, are demanding the same from their clothing. They want products that are produced without pesticides, made using recycled materials whenever possible, and manufactured by textile workers who are being paid a fair wage.

Alexis, our fashion forward contributor and stylist wears a vintage leather coat, del forte skinny organic "calla" jeans, a same underneath black scooped shirt, melissa black flats, and a matt + nat "sade" silver clutch.

From the catwalk during NYC's fashion week to clothes from environmental stalwart Patagonia, there is a style and price point for every palate and budget. Here at tenways, we decided to head out on an eco-fashion finding mission of our own. We started at La Rousse in Seattle, where we modeled some of our favorites (keep in mind that vintage is an ecologically sound way to go as well). I have also put together a list of our favorites along with reasons why they are sustainable, stylish, and sexy.

CASUAL

Fashion designer Rogan Gregory has teamed up with Bono and Bono's wife Ali Hewson to create Edun, a fashion line that works to support causes in Africa, South America, and India by not only manufacturing clothes there, but also by contributing a portion of the proceeds to humanitarian causes on these continents. Oh yeah, and the clothes are really cool too.

For more from Rogan Gregory, check out his organic denim products at Loomstate.

Bamboo is a versatile, renewable textile resource and companies such as Bambooclothes, Loyaleclothing, and Bamboosa are using this sustainable fabric to make everything from casual wear to intimates.

Sameunderneath also uses fast-growing bamboo mixed with cotton, to make their line of cool clothing for both men and women. Another advantage of bamboo is that it naturally wicks away moisture and prevents odor, while still being soft and luxurious. My favorite shirt is now my Same Underneath scooped top.

Del Forte makes seriously sweet denim duds using 100 percent organic cotton. In addition to their project rejeaneration recycling program, Del Forte also donates a portion of their proceeds to the Sustainable Cotton Project.



From top to bottom, Lesley is sporting Grace Gow earrings (local!), Del Forte organic jeans, a same underneath pewter long sleeved scooped shirt, the melissa black "boot JB", and a matt + nat "julia" purse in pewter. I am wearing a Suzabelle grey dress (made in Seattle - localvore clothing -perhaps a new movement?), Melissa black lace "glamah" shoes, a matt + nat pewter "autobahn" purse, and an Abloom designs necklace (local again!).

From fleece to footware, Patagonia continues to be the place to buy outdoor clothing for men, women, and children. In addition to using recycling plastic soda bottles and organic cotton to make their clothing, they have established an extensive garment recycling program. Other eco-initiatives include a land trust and founding membership in 1% for the planet.

Stewart & Brown's infinitely wearable designs (I love just about everything in their collections) is made using organic cotton, Mongolian cashmere (from a co-op in Mongolia that benefits the
producers directly), renewable pesticide-free materials like hemp and linen, and factory surplus materials.



Linen lace tank dress and organic peacock tee from Stewart & Brown

COUTURE

Anna Cohen's line of women's fashion seamlessly intertwines Anna's knowledge of "Italian street couture" and her commitment to using sustainable materials and a globally responsible business model. The best part though is that her designs prove that clothes can be socially and environmentally-conscious AND classy, sophisticated, and hot.

Pieces from the Anna Cohen Spring/Summer '08 Collections

Deborah Lindquist's versatile designs made from vintage fabric and recycled materials can be seen on clients from celebrities to dogs (I'm not kidding - she makes incredible wedding dresses, "sophisticated" dog sweaters, and lots of sexy styles in between).

Linda Loudermilk creates her lines of "luxury eco" using such sustainable materials as bamboo, soy, and sea cell. Loudermilk is a groundbreaker in the field of sustainable fashion, and she continues to produce glamorous clothes that set the standard for eco-fabulous.

Carol Young's Undesigned line is made using such materials as recycled fabrics, eco-friendly tencel, and organic cotton, all with the modern woman in mind.

ACCESSORIES

There are many more choices that I will mention in subsequent blogs (lots are made from funky recycled materials), but here are the ones we used in our shoot:

Mattandnat - I mentioned them in a previous blog and bought a purse from them that I love (see the one below on the left - enough said!) They make cruelty, free vegan purses in a style and size for just about anyone.

"Johnny Black" from the Metal Collection (top) and "Clash" from Japanese Paper Collection

Melissa Shoes - A team of designers from all over the world makes shoes made from recyclable plastic, and all overstock is also recycled into new shoes. I have not found the Melissa Shoe website to be very helpful when trying to find their product, but you can check out Olivine, who sells Melissa shoes online. Of course, if you live in Seattle, you can visit La Rousse, which will also have an online store up and running within the month. Otherwise try doing an internet search with the name of the shoe design you like.

A lot of these designers can also be found online at Coco's Shoppe. So go ahead - buy eco-fashion and be eco-fabulous. You will find that a supermodel is included with every purchase (you).

It's December Again...

...and that means what, exactly? For many of us, it is a time of numerous obligations and/or celebrations. I hope you find yourself experiencing mostly the latter. By now we have all heard about cutting back, relaxing, enjoying the true spirit of the holidays - time with family and friends, etc.

So why is it that every year many of us find ourselves up until midnight the night before whichever holiday we celebrate wrapping presents? Not just any old presents either; these are often presents that we grabbed at the last minute. Worse still, we find that we are wrapping them in the last of the reindeer wrapping paper from Wal-Mart - Yes, Wal-Mart, which equals, "I panicked on December 24th again."

But what to do about the inevitable last-minute frenzy? Please indulge me as I throw my bit of advice into the heap.

Most importantly, try to align your holiday practices with your sustainable practices from throughout the year: Conserve energy (both yours and the kind that comes from the power grid), eat and cook good local/organic/seasonal food, and if you participate in a present giving holiday, use the opportunity to give gifts that are produced in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. In addition, shop online because it is not only less stressful, it is also energy efficient. According to StopGlobalWarming.org, "e-commerce warehouses use 1/16th of the energy used to operate retail stores. And even overnight air shipping uses 40% less fuel than the average car trip to the store."

So chill out, stay home, hang those solar-powered or LED lights, skip the gift wrap (use newspaper or reusable gift wrap like scarves, jars, or reusable boxes), and check out a few of my favorite gift ideas:

For the Person Who Has Everything They Need (And really that is most of us isn't it?):
Choose a charity that matches your recipient's interests and make a donation in their name. These charities are ready to help you spread those glad tidings. Most of them are set up to send off an email or card to your loved one as soon as they receive your money. If you are not sure which charity to choose, Guidestar offers a free search service that classifies and rates nonprofit organizations, and Guidestar just added a new feature that enables you to donate directly from their site.

For the Kidlets: If you have been paying attention to the news at all this year, you are probably as scared as I that that cute little doll you have your eye on for your niece will turn into next year's leadsicle. Lucky for us and all of the little tots in our life, Coop America has put together a list of Ten Green Toys for the Holidays.

For the Discerning Ladies in Your Life: An excellent new online boutique has just opened called Mico Boutiko. They sell accessories such as bags and belts as well as a variety of home decor including blankets, vases, and sculptures, which are made with natural and recycled materials. Here are a few of their pieces:


Vase and bowl made with recycled paper

Bio-jewelery made with renewable resources

For a little pampering, Pangea Organics continues to be my favorite company for beauty products. All of their products, from facial scrub to lip balm, are organic and made without synthetic preservatives, parabens, or petrochemicals. They have also extended a limited time wholesale offer to Ten Ways readers.

For the Mamas and the Mamas-to-be: I have not had any babies yet, so I can only take this on secondhand authority, but apparently the products from Earth Mama Angel Baby are the bomb. They offer everything from ready made gift baskets for the new and expectant mama to healing salves and teas - all organic of course. Their website also offers a plethora of information, and your expectant mama will be grateful that you introduced her to this company.

Housewarming: Shitbegone. The name pretty much says it all. What started as an amusing art project has grown into a legit business. It makes a hilarious gift and is made using 100% recycled paper. Their website is full of helpful hints too, in case you need some guidance.

For the Gardeners (and Eaters!): Seeds of Change will send gift boxes of organic apples and pears to your fruit fanatic friends around the country. You can also order them gardening gifts or gift certificates to encourage them to enjoy an organic bounty during the upcoming growing season. As true gardeners will tell you, the best time to start thinking about your next garden is when there is still snow on the ground!

For Everyone Else: Fair Indigo sells "clothing and gifts made by paying a fair wage to those who make them." Fair Indigo's artisans from around the world produce clothing and accessories for men and women (often made with organic cotton), bath and spa products, gifts for babies, and gift certificates.

Big Dipper Wax Works makes beeswax candles of all shapes, sizes, and scents. While most candles are made with paraffin, which is a petroleum by-product, Big Dipper uses beeswax, a 100% renewable and natural resource. In addition, paraffin is a pollutant when it burns, and beeswax burns soot free. To read more about the benefits of beeswax candles, visit Big Dipper's website.

For the Green Greenie: If you know someone who is just getting started making environmental practices a part of their life, send them a starter kit from Greensender. The box contains a reusable SIGG water bottle, a reusable organic cotton bag, an energy efficient cfl light bulb, and an organic cotton t-shirt.

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search Co-op America's National Green Pages, which is a directory of screened and approved green businesses.

Lastly, please comment on this blog and tell us where you will be finding your fair trade/sustainable gifts this year, as well as how you will be saving energy (and money!). Check back later this week to see what other great sustainable holiday ideas the Ten Ways Crew has come up with!

Hot Summer Clothes? No Sweat!

One of my favorite environmentally and socially conscious directories has done it again! Coop America has put together a list called “9 Ways to Avoid Sweatshops”coopamerica. In it, you can find everything from men’s undies to bath towels that are produced without using labor from sweatshops.

As an added bonus, most of these companies are also environmentally friendly (the two tend to go hand in hand after all), and many of the websites from Coop America have links to other environmentally and socially conscious designers. For example, a virtual trip to again.nyc (#7 on the list) yielded an entire page of designers that purse designer Allison Teich loves. You could be done shopping for that new socially conscious summer wardrobe in a day.

My new assistant Charlotte and I are heading into New York City soon to check out some of these designs in person. We'll keep you posted on our adventures in sustainable fashion hunting, and please let us know what you find as well. Contact Us