By John Ivanko •
November 19, 2009
The only thing I could easily find in the whole place — with a “Made in the USA” label — was underwear. What I didn’t expect to find, was a mall heated by the sun (and body heat).
Forget the “conservative right” or “liberal left.” If America has a religion, it’s that of the consumption culture that has become the centerpiece for our economy. Now 70 percent of our GNP is based on its citizens purchasing stuff, on credit cards or otherwise.
This religion of consumption has its Mecca, too, called the Mall of America. A concept designed and constructed by the Triple Five Group — a privately held corporation owned by the Ghermezian brothers of Canada — Mall of America attracts more than 42 million visitors a year with their retail stores, restaurants, Nickelodeon Universe amusement park and Underwater Adventures Aquarium. While Mall of America is the most visited mall in the world, Triple Five Group also owns the biggest shopping mall in North America, the West Edmonton Mall.
Just for fun, I set out to find something that was made in America (and, ideally, without negatively impacting the environment). No, I didn’t think this was an insane goose chase. After all, more and more ecopreneurs I write about in ECOpreneuring are seeking to sell their “green products” through more conventional retail outlets – even big box stores and chains. That’s why Seventh Generation toilet paper can be now found at your local supermarket and nearly everyone, it seems, sells compact fluorescent bulbs these days. Perhaps one or two products might be here, in America’s megamall composed of 520 stores and 50 restaurants – housed under 4.2 million square feet of enclosed roof space. My odds should be good.
By Emily Konkler •
November 10, 2009
Okay, so, I feel sheepish. The last article I posted I claimed that American Apparel is not eco-friendly. To my delighted surprise, American Apparel carries an organic line called The Sustainable Edition. This is not new news, but well, it’s new to me. I love American Apparel, so I’m incredibly pleased to know that this huge well known company is slowly trying to make the switch to carry only organic clothing.
By Alex Felsinger •
February 6, 2009
Phoenix apparently told the company that he’d make a statement of support, but from this video [below], you can tell he’s less than enthusiastic. But hey — he probably got a free trip from LA to San Francisco!
After four hours, the planning commission did not approve American Apparel’s proposed store and the company is expected to drop its attempt to open it.
By Mary Casper •
January 30, 2009
For nearly a month now, the feisty residents and independent retailers in the Mission District of San Francisco have been abuzz over the national retailer’s bid for a new space at 988 Valencia St. The hippest corner of San Francisco, most widely known for its incredible burritos, vibrant street scene and eclectic culture, has long prided itself on being free from stores like the Gap, Banana Republic and Starbucks. Instead they have the beloved Four Barrel Coffee company, taxidermist’s paradise Paxton Gate and veritable treasure trove of all things printed, Little Otsu. Shopping on Valencia Street is not like shopping in any other place, and the neighborhood’s residents intend to keep it that way. No formula stores, no chain stores, not even if it’s American Apparel.
By Courtney Maum •
January 12, 2009
Five Places You Might Not Expect to Find Stylish Yoga Wear:
As environmentalism enters into the collective conscious, designers and retailers alike are looking to the healing arts for inspiration and guidelines as they embrace a greener lifestyle. Here is a list of the top five places to find affordable, well-designed yoga wear near you:
Even the brand names are jumping on the bandwagon of sustainability. In honor of earth day, Banana Republic unfolded an eco-fashion line of 50 summer staples in April of 2007. For the duration of Earth Week, the retailer pledged 1% of all its in-store sales to the not-for-profit Trust for Public Lands. This eco-friendly initiative is part of the company’s quest to reduce their environmental impact in the coming years.
Inspired by the enthusiasm of its customers for the practice of yoga and the parallel ease and simplicity of this ancient art, J.Crew launched a line of yoga wear for its 2008 fall collection. In an article from Women’s Wear Daily, J.Crew CEO Millard Drexler explains, “We kept hearing from our associates about yoga, hearing from our customers about yoga, and hearing from people who do yoga. We always want to be where our customers are, and where they are going. That’s our mission. Today, any retailer’s job is always looking to the road that has to be traveled.”
By Kelli Best-Oliver •
September 25, 2007
A friend came to me and asked about making greener choices when shopping for clothing. A new eco-clothing boutique just opened down the street from our workplace, and it was filled with cute, stylish clothing that I would wear to work or outside of work. Unfortunately, most of the clothes weren’t fitting into my teacher-salary budget. When it comes to buying greener clothing, most people have two options: buy used or
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By Victoria Everman •
February 22, 2007
AA's Organic Baby Rib Dog TWhether you choose to focus on their youth-based image or not, American Apparel sells some quality clothing. Made entirely in their Los Angeles factory, AA's collection continues to grow each season.
Launched a few years ago, their organic cotton line began with only a few tops for men and women. Since then, 21 of their classic styles have become available in some of
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The only thing I could easily find in the whole place — with a “Made in the USA” label — was underwear. What I didn’t expect to find, was a mall heated by the sun (and body heat).
