Green Options

Designer Carrie specializes in chic hand-embellished organic baby clothing. She customizes onto organic cotton and/or recycled felt. That makes each design unique, (just like real babies), and it doesn’t hurt that garments are worn and tested on her son or friends’ daughters.

Organic New Zealand Merino wool is truly the finest and purest wool in the world. The characteristics of wool alone make it a natural wonder. It insulates, is incredibly warm in winter, cool in the summer, and breathes. Every climate can appreciate wool.

Wool is the most hydrophilic of all fibers and wicks away excess moisture, drying quickly. It’s a natural fire retardant that can resist flame without chemical treatment and wool is a renewable resource that regrows on the sheep after shearing. It is biodegradable and kinder to the environment than oil-based synthetics that contribute to global pollution. Wool is durable, remarkably elastic for growing children, and is free of dust mites.

Thanks to Organic Baby Products 101, I discovered Satoko Asai is the impressive designer for Sckoon, a division of Nagyar Group, Inc. The company has been making baby clothes at least six years from Demeter-certified 100% Egyptian organic cotton.

The Demeter Egyptian cotton is super-soft, absorbent and breathable. Plus it’s the rarest, most luxurious fabric in the world. Both individuals and retailers are invited to shop online for baby clothes, toys, diapers, and women’s menstrual pads.

Zia & Tia Pure Luxury Organics offers collections for babies and toddlers. The passionate design team directed by owner Julie Jonas is loyal to everything sustainable in Montreal.

These hand-knit items are made from the finest 100% certified organic Merino wool, spun entirely from unbleached, 3 ply or 8 ply un-dyed Merino fleece. No harsh chemicals are used in dying processes and garments are BIO-GRO certified.

Have you interior designers learned about the USBGC Suite Design Competition? This is not only for professionals, but students as well. And it’s global!

Beware the entry deadline is fast approaching on August 31st, 2009 and judging will be completed by October 1st, 2009. The competition is sponsored by USGBC, The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and The Hospitality Industry Network (NEWH).

The contest winner of Chic Eco’s 2009 footwear designer poll is Cliff Drill for Splaff Inc. Perfected simplicity is where he’s at with only three style offerings for men and women. Read the previous entrepreneurial story and company history here on FGS.

Cliff has lots of supporting fans who took the time to write sincere favorable comments with their votes. A few of many testimonials follow.

The BCE Environmental Leadership Awards recently praised Camira Fabrics as a major innovating business for a low-carbon economy. Their Sting Plus fabrics were featured. Four years research for development was funded by UK’s government with academic and scientific input.

The BCE intention is to honor businesses that meet current commercial demands without compromising the environment for future generations. It is UK’s most prestigious environmental award to be had.

Indigenous Designs is a fabulous fair-trade, organic clothing company based in Northern California.  Since 1994, the founders have been working directly with international artisans in India, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Peru to bring you uniquely sustainable fashion wear. Committed to delivering fair wages, Indigenous Designs works with non-governmental organizations around the world to ensure that the men and women who craft these beautiful garments are set on the path to self-sustainability.

“With Indigenous Designs, we haven’t created just a charity situation,” says co-founder Matt Reynolds.  “It’s about taking responsibility to better our communities.”

This Fourth of July, Indigenous Designs and Feelgood Style are giving you the opportunity to win a gorgeous piece of clothing, constructed from all natural and organic fibers and eco-friendly dyes!

Green building is about healthy settings with visual appeal. The goal is to create rooms for physical, emotional, mental and spiritual benefits. That means avoiding things like airborne allergens, chemicals, and clutter.

Yet the study of indoor air pollution can get complex. Hence, no surprise of this month’s announcement that the LEED accreditation system introduced by the U.S. Green Building Council was revamped.

Ecotique and The Nature of Beauty announce their Eco-Design Contest, giving creative types everywhere the opportunity to submit design ideas for an exclusive reusable tote to be sold at Ecotique and The Nature of Beauty, displayed at their shoppe on Grand Avenue in St. Paul, and on The Nature of Beauty’s home page.

It was 1997 when Splaff Flopps joined the green wave, — and in more ways than one! El Presidente Cliff Drill and El Ambassador Craig Wallace got creative in a garage. Their materials and tools were a tire, a bike tube, and a shoe knife. Indeed they had a vision. The goal was to make durable, comfortable and reasonably-priced sandals from recycled materials.