By Gennefer Snowfield •
November 30, 2008
Going green isn’t as difficult as it used to be with the array of vegetarian delights and eco-friendly products available on the market today, and environmentally-conscious clothing is becoming as popular as the fashions themselves. But M641 takes it one step further with a philosophical approach to designing clothes that are living, breathing representations of the spirit, passion, and friendship that created them. For Ina and Subu, earth-minded fashion is about a lifestyle — not a trend — and the result is a stunning experience in heart couture.
I had an opportunity to talk with Ina, one of the founders of M641, and learned more about the designs, the philosophy and the friendship that foster feel good fashions and plaid with a pulse.
By Gennefer Snowfield •
November 6, 2008
While eco-fashion is becoming more mainstream with an increasing number of environmentally conscious designers serving up sustainable styles and earth-friendly frocks, the runways are typically reserved for regaling the glitz and glam of overly indulgent attire.
But this week, Vancouver turns the spotlight on sustainability with its first ever eco-focused fashion night, Friday, November 7th, 2008.
Vancouver Fashion Week, a hotbed of haute couture and leading west coast designers, is one of the premier purveyors of popular pageantry, unveiling some of the world’s most sought after styles and trends. This year, VFW is showing its support for the environment with a dedicated evening for designers to promote their leading edge sustainable artistry and eco-conscious craftmanship. From eco luxury, showcasing the art of organic handmade silk, to the unique beauty of recycled fabrics like cashmere and wool, an impressive range of techniques and designs will be featured.
A tagua nut sure has a lot of names. Like The Rain Forest Ivory or Vegetable Ivory. Other titles are Corozo (also spelled Corrozzo), Binroji Nut (Japanese), Steinnuss (German), and Coquilla Nut. A tagua nut is the fruit of a palm tree, primarily Phytelephas macrocarpa, which flourishes in tropical rain forests from Paraguay to Panama.
Natives replant palm trees for their seeds instead of logging them, which saves a bit of the rain forests. They polish the shell of the seeds and typically carve them into the shape of a button, living creature, or beautiful jewelry. Just think: an object much like a gem with all the qualities of ivory, but without harming wildlife.
By Megan Prusynski •
June 15, 2007
Screen shots of Design Can Change
In my first report on Green Design Dialogues, I introduced the six participants of our May 25 discussion on green design and summarized a bit of what we talked about. Obviously, sustainability and design is a huge topic, and one these green designers love to talk about, so here is a continuation of our first Green Design Dialogue.
The energy
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"Mr. Green" poster design by Von Glitschka
Sustainability is becoming a pressing concern to the graphic design community. Designers are buzzing about it as they try to green their own practices and make sense of it all. In order to tap into this buzz, I organized a round table virtual discussion with several people involved in the design industry to chat about green design and the growing sensibilities
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