Green Options

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!

I’m simply smitten with the current issue of Coco Eco Magazine which features:

• the first yearly International Eco Couture issue.
• ways to stay safe in the sun, from eco-sunscreens to special skin treats!
• a sexy Leila Hafzi outdoor eco-fashion shoot by the shore.
• the hottest green fashion stars in London.
• awesome highlights from fashion designers in the Philippines that design clothing with their traditional pineapple fiber.
• the head of the Humane Society up close.
• a worldwide fair-trade section.
• a complementary guide to San Francisco.
• unique eco-retreat highlights.

Reading a Lunar interview on Eco Fashion World recently I was captivated by the Lunar collection’s textiles from South Africa and the creative thinking from the label’s fashion designer Karen Ter Morshuizen.

The Lunar collection is “reviving old-fashioned techniques:  hand knitting, smocking, felting, African beading and hand embroidery. These crafts are often interpreted into uncomplicated clothes in luxurious fabrics with understated detailing and intelligent cutting. The result is a couture approach to ready-to-wear fashion.”

Lunar is the ultimate eco lifestyle vision of fashion designer Karen Ter Morshuizen and her partnership with Paul Harris. Together the creative eco-design team brought to life the conception of nature inspired merchandise. Since it´s inception Lunar has been keenly sensitive to “environmental concerns, exclusively using natural fibres, and natural pigment dyes in each collection.”

Rani Jones is London’s hot new eco label created by design partners Lucy Jones and Rani Patel.

Their eco fashion line is constructed with hand tailored details such as:

• geometric patternmaking
• pleats and gathers
• draping and panelling
• creative double-zipping

Now they are sharing their lookbooks for the upcoming 2009 seasons, including Fall and Winter.

Oh the excitement of prom season! Selecting the dress, practicing makeup techniques, reserving a corsage, hiring a limo with your GF’s, mani/pedi… who doesn’t want to be princess for a day! With so many choices to make, thinking about the environment & being healthy amongst all the distraction might not automatically be a high priority, but Teens Turning Green & Whole Foods are joining forces to prove just how easy (and stylish), it is to make thoughtful, earth friendly decisions around prom season. The program, called Project Green Prom, is launching with a fun, online video contest for high school juniors & seniors. All you have to do is post your most creative & fabulous three-minute video that answers the question, “How would you green your prom?” Submit between now & March 30th via

Calling all aspiring Eco fashion designers. Here is an opportunity to enter the world of style and fashion. Did you know that “green” is the new black?

Terri Bly reviews the eco-friendly clothing line from Kelly Lane.

Environmental activist, green advocate, model, scientist & gorgeous girl-about-the-green-scene, Summer Rayne Oakes is about to launch her first book titled ‘Style, Naturally’. Touted as a savvy shopping guide to sustainable shopping & beauty, the book will be available at all major locations like Amazon.com, Borders and Barnes & Noble, but also cool, conscientious booksellers like [...]

When you think of Kenneth Cole, timeless fashion, trendsetting shoes and stylish accessories likely leap to mind.  Their commitment to the environment and their eco-tote likely do not top your list.  But behind the well designed exterior lies a philanthropic soul, intent on sparking social change — and helping others do it, too.

Their recent launch of Awearness supports that mission, showcasing 25 years worth of philanthropy, and creating a place for consumers and businesses to get involved in championing the causes that are important to them.  From a blog to a book to a volunteer link up program, Kenneth Cole shows us it’s possible to look as good as you feel. 

Right down to its name, Awearness is the embodiment of Feelgood Style.

Being the slightly bold journalist that I am, I sought out an interview with this fashion icon to learn more about Awearness and uncover any other hidden gems lurking behind the finely stitched fabric of Kenneth Cole.  It started with some light stalking of their Twitter account, a couple of emails and a few [dozen] phone calls before I finally connected with Robert Genovese, Vice President of Marketing & Media at the West 50th Street headquarters in New York City.  Robert was gracious, responsive, and genuinely eager to share the details of the Awearness program, and happily indulged me in the laundry list of questions that I am thrilled to share with you now.

If you’re a fan of all things green, but you’re not willing to go to the hippie dark side, then EcoStiletto may just be for you. From fashion and beauty to green living and kids, EcoStiletto serves it all up with humor and style. And freebies. The online mag is giving away a win a pair of eco-friendly shoes worth at least $500 every month of 2009. January’s vegan hemp boots are positively drool-worthy…but don’t take my word for it, register to win them yourself.

But EcoStiletto isn’t just about pretty things. The company also supports Dress for Success, a non-profit dedicated to promoting the economic advancement of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire and support. EcoStiletto has several fundraisers planned for the charity, beginning with a March 10th event in LA to be hosted by “Gossip Girl” Kelly Rutherford. Additional events in San Francisco, Chicago, New York, New Orleans and San Diego are also planned.

One of the biggest challenges most people face is staying organized.  It’s also one of the biggest new year’s resolutions for those who resolve to start their new year off clutter-free.  But, for many, it’s an elusive process that either starts off strong and fizzles out, or seems so daunting a task that they don’t know where to begin.

Enter Krista Colvin, lifestyle expert, Founder of Organize in Style LLC and creator of The Shebang, The Smart Woman’s Guide to Doing It All, who sees your clutter as a canvas for crafting a well organized masterpiece that’s as eco-friendly as it is stylish.  Best of all, she offers practical solutions that are easy to implement — and maintain — and will save you precious hours to boot.  With Krista’s help, the only thing you’ll need to think about is what to do with all that extra time!