Mich says he’s committed to ethically and ecologically manufactured apparel. First glance of the inventory proves sourcing and production expertise, with an artful eye to combine a broad variety of styles. What really stands out is that there are no hippie, sloppy, burlap sack-type fashions. Even long-time diehard supporters can gain a new and refreshing perspective of hemp clothing at The Hempest.

Now back to this great sun dress, know that there are three convenient and functional pockets. How does a woman treasure the gift of multiple pockets and flatter her figure at the same time? The answer is bias cut.

A bias cut requires more fabric and typically cost more, but this is reasonable at $98. I love the fact that it can be a throw-on casual or dancing dress, — and probably everything in between.

This wouldn’t be true if it weren’t for quality detail. The side zipper is hidden, for example. That minor stylemark supports the elegant mode. Then the tie-off shoulder straps can be adjusted for another look. Oh, and 100% Hemp Dress Black is an option too.

What Mitch doesn’t say is that he’s literally changing the public fashion image of earth’s most versatile and beneficial Cannabis Hemp plant. He deserves your blessing!

That’s great for people reading this blog and other green crafting blogs, but large scale change is going to require many, many crafters demanding organic and other earth-friendly products. If all the products are sequestered in little green boutiques, that’s going to be a slow process. What about the crafters who aren’t reading this blog? Do they know these products exist? Have any of these products gone mainstream? I went on a hunt through some of the biggest mainstream fabric shops’ websites to find out.

First up, online mega-shop EQuilter. Doing a plain text search for organic products was tough here, because they also use the word organic to describe some of the designs. Once I found the right category, though it was easy to see their products. ORGANIC Solids, Textures & Threads offers YLI organic cotton thread, Michael Miller organic cotton sheeting, herringbone, fleece, terrycloth, and “fuzzy sherpa” (anyone want to tell me what that is?). They also offer “organically dyed” handmade cotton fabric “dyed by hand with natural elements such as vegetables, berries, minerals, and more.” The cotton itself is not organic, but the dyes are earth-friendly. They have eco-spun fleece in one color, latte tan.

My next stop was Hancock’s of Paducah. They carry the Michael Miller fabrics, including the gingham check that EQuilter doesn’t seem to have, as well as organic cotton batting.

What about Joann.com? They have Lion Brand and Bernat organic cotton yarn, plus organic cotton batting on a roll, but nothing else. (They do have recycled paper cardstock for scrapbooking, which is kind of cool.)

Keepsake Quilting is near and dear to my heart, since I once got stranded there for four hours when a friend and I drove up from Boston on a pilgrimage and then had to call a tow truck to jump her ailing vehicle. Yes, stuck in Keepsake Quilting for hours. It was HORRIBLE. (Kind of. Not really.) I was really hoping they would knock my socks off with organic products. They have the YLI organic cotton thread, as well as two fabric medleys: the lightweight Oasis Canvas Medley in solid colors and the Woodblock Vegetable Dye Medley, which is kind of paisley and stripey and floral. The former is organic cotton fabric, the latter is printed with vegetable dyes.

Hobby Lobby doesn’t sell online; they partner with Crafts Etc. All they have is some recycled paper sketch pads.

Michaels, though, had even less. They had nothing.

So what does this mean for green crafting? Autumn has asked crafters what would be in the green craft store of their dreams, and I have to say that I had no idea we were so far from it. I don’t go to craft stores very much, and when I do I’m looking for one specific thing. I’m more used to grocery stores, and in crunchy Austin, organic products are popping up left and right even at the corner market.

I try to think about the average crafter in mythical Middle America and whether she or he would be interested in greener options. I think so. Crafters are a thrifty lot, and we pride ourselves on using our supplies wisely. So how do we get the word out to them about greener alternatives?

The company was honored to display their messenger bag beginning May 15th at the Sustainable Fashion Symposium in The Design Museum of University of California at Davis, which runs until July 13th, 2008. So exciting that a blog was created just for the event.

I’ve been told that artistic Seattleites in the Emerald City are famed for introducing grunge music, and that the craze made unkempt appearances a trend. This cool unisex bag can style you either way; vogue or grunge!

Well speaking of messenger bags, Artisan Gear in Oregon offers a mini version made of hemp. Being an AG backpack owner, I understand why their craftsmanship brings awards. This one is unisex, compartmental, and with optional shoulder strap. Check out the other styles. All so hemp-practical and handsome!

Larry Duprey manages his Bazura.biz in Toronto, yet he offers bags from everywhere. Some are constructed in the Philippines, some Vietnam, and now India. I didn’t mean to get obsessed with messenger styles, but this one is so cool, made from used rice bags and lined with recycled aluminum. It features multi compartments and a long adjustable over-the-shoulder webbed strap. The BaZura shop even sells a bowling bag with all kinds of other accessories.

English Retreads is in Colorado where founder and designer Heather English gained inspiration from floating down Boulder Creek on an inner tube. One of her first bags in 2001 is still a classic, named Model T, that has seatbelt straps.

Goóc, which means “your roots” in its home country of Brazil, inspires customers to embrace nature’s laws of imperfection and reuse. They recycle canvas tarpaulins into stylish bags with a style that is urban chic, original and unconventional. No website until 2007 and already have representation in 12 countries. The story of founder and Vietnam refuge Thai Q is amazing.

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My favorite is the Funky Kewl, designed for women with exposed outer seams, a small zippered pocket and attached key ring. Indeed, recycled waterproof canvas never looked so stylish before.

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Appropriately named HER Design, Helen E. Riegle founded the company in Massachusetts 2004. Bag materials are hemp, organic cotton, recycled PET, treetap, and cradle-to-cradle certified wool. Sensuede, a/k/a Microsuede, is made from 100% recycled fibers and looks as terrific as it sounds. The Poppy is precious. Each item is inspired by nature with a clear goal to promote greener living with contemporary style. That’s connected Helen to a celebrity clientele.

Well we traveled far, but haven’t passed half the alphabet. So, to be continued. Meanwhile, respond if you have any trouble finding any of these wonderful items. Or better yet, share your comment if you own one of these fab bags!

Stay tuned …

EcoSpun felt is made from post-consumer recycled PET plastic bottles. It’s sold in a 72″ width for $5.99 a yard with a minimum order of one yard.

PET, in case you were wondering, is polyethylene terephthalate. PET is the plastic used to make #1 bottles. There are issues with plastic recycling, and I’d rather see fewer plastic bottles made and used in the first place, but since they exist I’m glad there are some options for using them to make new products.

Here are the color choices for EcoSpun felt: blue, yellow, gold, orange, baby pink, shocking pink, fuschia, red, ruby, baby blue, cadet blue, royal blue, navy, grape, orchid, purple, apple green, pirate green, kelly green, white, antique white, cashmere tan, cocoa brown, silver grey, charcoal, and black.

Yes, I just did all that so I could type in “pirate green.”

They also carry organic cotton and organic cotton blends (woven, stretch jersey knit, fleece, several lovely colors of canvas, and terry), hemp and hemp blends in some nice warm colors, and eco-friendly pillow forms and batting.

Other Fabulous Online Fabric Shops

• Fabrics Ltd (UK)
• PM Organics
• Near Sea Naturals

State Joins North Dakota in Seeking Permission from Feds to Grow Hemp

The Hemp for Vermont Bill was allowed to become law by Governor Jim Hughes on May 29th, without his signature. The bill overwhelmingly passed both the House and Senate several months ago, setting the stage for Vermont’s entrance into the industrial hemp arena.The non-profit advocacy organization Vote Hemp made the announcement, saying the new law regulates growth of industrial hemp by Vermont farmers. The interest in Vermont is for using hemp in food products and bedding for some of the state’s 140,000 cows.

Rural Vermont’s Director Amy Shollenberger is quoted as saying,

“The Hemp for Vermont bill is another step toward legalizing this important crop for farmers. The United States is the only industrialized nation in the world that doesn’t allow this crop to be grown. Looking at the Canadian experience, hemp provides a good return for the farmer. It’s a high-yield crop and a great crop to mix in with corn.”

Shollenberger went on to say:

“The Vermont law is significant for two reasons. First, no other state until now has followed North Dakota’s lead by creating real-world regulations for farmers to grow industrial hemp. Second, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont is Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, as well as a member of the Committee on Agriculture – relevant committees that could consider legislation. We also have a friend at the USDA in new Secretary Ed Schaffer who signed North Dakota’s hemp bill as Governor. I plan to visit Washington, DC and try to figure out what Congress and the Administration intend to do.”

Vermont is not a large producer of corn, growing an average of 90,000 acres of corn each year. Hemp, according to the article, would provide an excellent rotation crop.

The next step is to convince the federal government to leave farmers in Vermont alone and allow the production of industrial hemp.

Eric Steenstra, President of Vote Hemp, says:

“Vermont’s federal delegation can now take this law to the U.S. Congress and call for a fix to this problem of farmers missing out on a very useful and profitable crop. North Dakota farmers who want to grow hemp per state law are currently appealing their lawsuit in the federal courts. The real question is whether these hemp-friendly state congressional delegations feel compelled to act.”

A resolution is currently sitting in a congressional committee, awaiting action this year. HR 1009, the “Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2007.” Should it die in committee, a similar measure would have to be introduced once again in the new session of Congress when it convenes next year.

If the court rules in favor of North Dakota farmers, can Vermont be far behind? And what about California, whose governor vetoed a bill that would have allowed farmers in four counties to grow industrial hemp?

Amenity’s fabric designs are based on nature, with names like “river” and “cove.” Don’t think about cute little leaf prints, though, except in their nursery collection. As you can see from the pillows above, made up in their “trail” fabric, we’re talking about some seriously bold and funky design.

Amenity was founded by longtime friends Nicole Chiala and Kristina de Corpo in 2004. Their website describes the evolution of the Amenity collection:

Conscientious manufacturers from the start - producing their goods locally and only with eco-friendly dyes and minimally-processed, natural fibers - Nicole and Kristina launched their first certified organic bedding collection in 2006. [...] This season, with the transition of their accessories collection onto organic fibers, Amenity has realized its longtime goal of offering organic design exclusively on organic or sustainable materials.

The fabrics are all 54″ wide, with a 20″ repeat, and they retail for $65 per yard. Yep, this is another one of those higher end home dec fabrics, and those cost money. But it’s hard to beat these Amenity fabrics for environmental friendliness and wow factor. And hey, they offer free UPS Ground shipping on orders over $100.

If you need to try out a fabric, you can contact them to request a swatch. You may also want to check out their sale section, because right now it’s full of cute pillows and wall art panels with prices from $30 to $55.

Other fabulous home decorating fabrics:

• Oliveira Textiles
• Mod Green Pod
• Harmony Art Organic Design

PM Organics, like Near Sea Naturals, is an online shop crammed with “Textiles You Feel Good About.” PM Organics is currently closed as they move cross-country, but I thought I’d highlight them anyway since they are such a great source of eco-friendly fabrics and other supplies. You can sign up for their mailing list if you want an update when they get settled and re-open.

Their knits section includes organic cottons and blends in jersey, rib, fleece, terry, thermal, and interlock. Wovens include a few sateen sheetings, hemp and hemp blends, and twill. They also have organic cotton lace in three widths and 3/4 inch organic cotton twill tape which they note is “perfect for stabilizing seams, drawstrings, reinforcement or trim.” Organic cotton bias tape, elastic, and thread is currently sold out, but folks on the email list will get updated when they become available again.

The black floating seed crepe pictured above is 50% Organic Cotton/50% Tencel Crepe, and it’s only 10 bucks a yard. It also comes in nutmeg and seafoam. I had no idea what Tencel was, so I went to find out.

It turns out that Tencel is a brand name for a fiber called lyocell which is made of the cellulose found in wood pulp. That sounds great from a sustainability point of view compared to synthetic fabrics. But as with all products, you have to do your homework and be aware of the whole picture before making decisions.

The Organic Clothing blog, run by the folks at Lotus Organics Clothing, had a piece back in 2005 called Tencel: Sustainable but not necessarily healthy. It turns out that just like with bamboo, there are parts of the process in making lyocell that aren’t as green as we wish they were. I’m not saying I wouldn’t buy it, but it’s good to keep in mind that nothing is perfect and we just need to make the best informed choices we can.

PM Organics was founded by two moms who were looking for organic fabrics to use for making children’s clothing and cloth diapers:

We were tired of not having reasonably-priced sources of organic fabrics and were sure that others shared our feelings! As word of our fabric co-op got out, more and more people joined. Clearly, people wanted these fabrics, but like us, could not find them, at least not at affordable prices. So, we gathered all the cash we could, bought as many rolls of fabrics as we could, and started offering these wonderful organic knit fabrics as an on-going business venture.

Shops like PM Organics are a great resource for the rest of us, because they bring together so many different fabrics in one place. We wish them well in their move and look forward to updates as they get settled in their new home.

Previous Posts in the Fabulous Fabrics Series:

• Fabulous Vintage Kimono Fabric at Ah! Kimono
• Fabulous Fabrics: Michael Miller Organics
• Fabulous Fabrics: Hemp Linen And Twill From Earth Friendly Goods

Aussie Klara Marosszek has developed a commercially viable hemp building material. Fire and pest resistant hemp concrete is made by mixing hemp hurds (the pithy core of the stem), lime-based binder, water and a little sand. This is not a new technique, as century old bridges in France were made from hemp concrete.

Via: Treehugger

Related posts on hemp and marijuana:

• 5 Pounds of Pot Recycled in San Jose

• Pasties, G-String and Skirt, All Made from Hemp: Meet The “Pastie Lady”

• Audio: Rep. Ron Paul on Medical Marijuana Legislation, in His Own Words

It has many uses, but I’d never thought of decorative until seeing the story about the “Pastie Lady”. You want to publicize hemp and other natural resources, take a cue from 32 year old Jennifer Moss of Ojai, California.

That’s her on the left, decked out in a g-string, skirt and pasties, all made of hemp. Now, who could turn down a better reason for letting our farmers grow hemp, and establishing an infrastructure to produce such interesting clothing items?

Jennifer is a native of a small town near Corvallis, Oregon, but sought out a more eclectic, forward thinking place to live, like Southern California. She finally chose Ojai, and has been causing a stir ever since.

She’s been arrested twice and ticketed several times while bicycling down Ojai’s main street with a small trailer containing earth-friendly signs and a smiley-face pillow. She used that to do a head stand and kick her legs in the air one day. She received a lot of attention.

Jennifer also celebrated Easter Sunday by showing up at a Catholic church while parishoners were leaving the sanctuary. She admits it was poor judgement, but felt it necessary to send a message that there are many bad people who are destroying the Earth, and yet many of them go to church.

It’s said that before moving to Ojai, she entertained parade goers in Ventura, California during the Fourth of July parade in 2007. By-standers were shocked to see Jennifer zipping past on in-line skates, wearing only suntan oil.

She’s quoted in the article as saying:

“Nudity is natural, but a lot of people are uncomfortable with it,” she said. “It’s OK for children to play video games where they are killing each other, and it’s patriotic to murder people in a war. But women’s breasts in public? You better watch out!”

Pasties, in case you don’t know, are used to cover the nipples on a woman’s breasts. Somehow, you can show naked large or small breasts, but the nipples must be covered. What’s wrong with nipples? After all, nearly all of us have dined there in our earliest days.

Well, I for one hope Jennifer, known in town as the Pastie Lady, remains safe as she parades her causes in Ojai, and think I’ll start a petition drive to legalize industrial hemp.

Hey, it’s gotta start somewhere.

Source

The latest case in point comes from Seattle, where a man was denied a liver transplant, after a University of Washington Medical Center committee denied him a place on the liver transplant list.

His crime? Using medical marijuana, even though it is authorized under Washington state law.

The victim, 56 year old Timothy Garon was authorized by his doctor to smoke pot to relieve abdominal pain, ease nausea and help him eat. Garon was suffering from hepatitis C, which he says he contracted as a teenager by sharing needles with what he called “speed freaks”.

He died one week after being denied a place on the transplant list.

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Earlier, I had written a story on Rep. Ron Paul’s new legislation that would make medical marijuana legal in states that wish to offer it to patients who are suffering extreme pain. As it stands, six states have legalized the use of marijuana for that reason, but the feds still believe people are using the law as a means to legally receive marijuana, without having an issue with pain.

As a result, federal agents have raided clinics and arrested physicians and patients.  Rep. Paul says his new legislation will stop the harassment of innocent people.

I thought you’d like to hear the Congressman talk about the legislation, in his own words.

Image: www.goodwillhinton.com

Paul has introduced the “Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act”, H.R. 5842, which would bar the Federal Government from intervening in doctor/patient relationships that violate no state law. This, by the way, is the second legislation co-sponsored by Congressman Paul dealing with the cannabis plant. More on that later.

As a physician, Paul states his position that doctors and patients should make health care decisions, not politicians or federal agents. His legislation would call off the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) “dogs” that regularly hassle state-sanctioned clinics and their patients.

He cited the plight of K.K. Forss, a resident of Minnesota, who suffers pain from a ruptured disc in his neck. Forss is unable to work or attend church due to the debilitating pain. $18,000 a year was paid by Medicare each year on various medications that were useless.

Then, Forss took a chance and tried marijuana, illegal in his state, and found it helped him regain 38 pounds he had lost, calmed muscle spasms and helped him sleep. If he could continue using cannabis for his pain, Forss believes, according to Rep. Paul, that he’d be able to work occasionally and attend some church services.

The Congressman cites a study by Scientists at the University of Calfornia at Davis that says cannabis demonstrates significant relief of neuropathic pain. Twelve states have passed legislation allowing marijuana, under certain conditions, according to Paul, but those clinics, physicians and patients are still under fire from the Drug Enforcement Administration.

In summary,. the Congressman says,

“The bottom line is that K.K. Forss should be treated as a free American. Mr. Forss is one of many who would like to use marijuana medicinally because it helps him. Politicians and bureaucrats have no right to interfere”.

INDUSTRIAL HEMP

Congressman Paul is also co-sponsor of H.R. 1009, calling for the legalization of industrial hemp as an agricultural product. Hopefully, these two bills will begin to chip away at the DEA and it’s stranglehold on the issue of industrial hemp and medical marijuana.

Two North Dakota farmers have taken their case to a U.S. Court of Appeals Court in an effort to force the DEA into a “hands off” position when it comes to industrial hemp cultivation. In case you haven’t heard, industrial hemp is a lousy smoke, resulting in a bad headache and no high.

Of course, this action will not lead to legalizing recreational marijuana, but it will sort out the differences, allow the cultivation of an amazingly diverse agricultural product and promise medical relief for those who would benefit from marijuana.

But right now, the Feds have been striking out at state-sanctioned marijuana clinics, stating in most part that it’s just another way to dispense illegal drugs.

Hats off to Congressman Paul, and North Dakota State Representative David Monson and Wayne Hauge, both farmers, who are trying desperately to put the DEA’s feet to the fire.

Vote Hemp

Anyone See The Irony Here?

You’ve probably read the story about an estimated 10,000 people gathered on the University of Colorado’s Norlin Quadrangle Sunday, puffing joints till the air turned blue. University police stood by to maintain order, but no one was busted for smoking pot.

In the meantime, the DEA is staunchly defending its policy against American farmers legally growing industrial hemp, citing the law that says all hemp is marijuana.

How’s your war on drugs coming along, anyway, DEA? The sun is shining, and if you’d pull your heads out, you’d see it. Pot is here, lots of it available, if this number of people can show up and get loaded on just one day in one city and no one is arrested.

Where did these pot-heads get their stuff, it surely didn’t come out of a couple of bags, and there was apparently enough to go around to get some 10,000 heads high. How many more smoke-outs were held on April 20th, the annual, internationally recognized celebration of marijuana? How many tons of pot went puff?

Now I’m not in favor of marijuana, primarily because of its affect on the lungs. Pot heads will tell you there’s no danger, but the cigarette companies told us that decades ago, and a lot of us are dying of COPD everyday.

My point here is that while these young people are getting loaded on an illegal drug in public as cops stand by, two farmers in North Dakota are trying desperately to legally grow industrial hemp. Their fight is now in Federal Appeals Court, hoping to overturn a lower court’s decision upholding the DEA’s position.

You can read more about the campaign to legalize industrial hemp cultivation in the U.S. at Vote Hemp.

Farmers in Vermont are ramping up their efforts to the the government to allow farmers there to grow hemp, and other states have passed, or are considering legislation to change the law.

Currently before congress is H.R. 1009, (PDF) the “Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2007″

Why have legal hemp? It’s one of the most useful plants on earth. It’s been cultivated for thousands of years and used for everything from food and medicine to clothing and automobile parts. It’s grown legally in many countries, except in the US, so to take advantage of the many products made from hemp, we must import them.

So what can we do to get the government to change it’s position on hemp? Do you think it will ever change?

Source: Daily Camera

Photo: Kasia Broussalian

Breathe Mother Nature, Breathe

UPDATE: We’re so pleased that so many of you are chiming in on this topic, and have created a discussion forum for this topic.  Come by, and continue to chime in…

So I thought it was high time to give this online eco-shop their own day in the sun in our Fabulous Fabrics series. Their collection of cotton, wool, and hemp fabrics, yarns and knitting needles, and notions is sure to warm the heart of any green crafter. Since there’s so much to see on their site, I thought I’d take a moment and highlight a couple of the new fabrics they just added.

The White Sands Safari Interlock, pictured above, is 100% cotton and whitened with peroxide instead of chlorine bleach.

I love their description of what it’s good for (emphasis mine):

Soft and comfortable, the interlock feels marvelous against your skin. You’ll love it for sundresses and other summer wear, for a feral baby, for unexpectedly interesting long johns, pajamas, boxer-briefs, and other intimates, for T-shirts and classic tops, …

I didn’t realize feral babies needed clothes, but I guess it does get a little chilly out in the woods!

I also love this pumpkin jersey, also 100% cotton. Although as a pale redhead, I probably couldn’t wear this color, a lack of immediate practical application for a fabric isn’t really a barrier to purchase. (You may have noticed this in my post about thrifted sheets, and look how well that turned out - people have shown up to give me plenty of ideas!)

Near Sea Naturals can send you a swatch of one of their fabrics for 50 cents if you need to see and feel it, or you can get a swatch packet of some of their basic fabrics.

Did I mention the kits? Oh yes, they also have sewing kits. If you need an apron, a tipi, a pair of boxers, or some baby clothes, check them out.

The Near Sea Naturals blog will keep you up to date on new fabrics and products. The pre-cut and clearance page might score you a good deal. What more could you need?

The Canadian media mavens at GreenLivingOnline.com have allowed me to share my interview with Heather and Wendy, which was first published on GLO a few weeks ago. Keep reading for all the juicy details about the past, present and future of Passenger Pigeon - and eco-fashion as a whole!

The label was previously named Calledyourbluff and was changed to Passenger Pigeon when the brand began using sustainable textiles. Why did the collection change to eco-fabrics? Do you find working with sustainable fibers to be more limiting when coming up with designs?

Wendy: Do we feel limited? Yes and no. In the past we’ve dyed fabric because it only came in beige, and the very reason we use prints so much is because much of the available fabric is quite basic. Working within these limitations means that we have to get pretty creative sometimes, but I think that’s where the charm of our line comes from.

There’s actually a good range of eco-friendly textiles, especially for more casual fabrics like knits and twill. The one thing that we would like to see more of is affordable organic wool and other heavier fabrics for winter. However, it seems every week we get new, exciting swatches from different suppliers. There seems to be a lot happening in the textile industry to develop beautiful, new, sustainable fabrics.

Heather: A common theme found in my art work while I studied for my BFA was that of solid waste and responsibility with material use. After graduation, and during the first year of selling clothing and accessories I had made to local stores, this theme kept resurfacing within my mind. So, in order to curb my sense of guilt for manufacturing goods that would inevitably end up in the landfill, I opted to use materials that had a lighter bearing on the environment during their production and manufacturing. In addition, once these materials do decompose, they will leach a lot less back into the environment than their non-organic heavily dyed counterparts. I love making clothes and other items and being green alleviates my guilt for doing so!

In many ways, working with sustainable fibers is more limiting, for there is much less to work with, and fewer colors to choose from. However, in some ways this makes it easier for me and Wendy, since our decision process is that much shorter. I only wish there were more eco-liners (lightweight fabrics to line clothing) as well as more affordable organic wools (and I so miss working with herringbone and hound’s tooth woven wools!!)

Do you find people often asking you about the plight of the passenger pigeon, your brands’ namesake and a now extinct species?

Wendy: A lot of people ask about where the name came from. I’m surprised the story isn’t better known, so we end up telling it often. I love the part about passenger pigeons being so plentiful that when they flew by people held up umbrellas as protection from their droppings. I still think it’s just the perfect name for our company. It works as a great reminder that some of our resources are finite and we have to preserve them.

Heather: I have been surprised to find out that very few people are aware of the Passenger Pigeon. Wendy and I often find ourselves educating people about this extinct species. The plight of the Passenger Pigeon is found on our website as well as in Wikipedia and other websites dedicated to this fine bird. [Editor’s note: The Smithsonian has an excellent web page devoted to the bird.]

You design, screen-print and sew everything in Toronto. Do you find it more expensive to keep your production local or is the cost similar to what you would pay to have the goods made elsewhere and then shipped back to you?

Wendy: We know other designers who have made the move offshore for production, and we can’t believe how cheap it can be done! Despite all the shipping involved, producing garments offshore is undoubtedly cheaper than producing them in Toronto. It means that our garments work out to be more expensive than mass produced clothing that you find in the malls. However, our prices are competitive with other locally made clothing lines. Although it is sometimes tempting to cut production costs so dramatically, supporting local economies is a major priority for us. For us it goes hand in hand that we avoid exploitation, both of the environment and laborers.

Heather: We have never considered sending our clothing off shore. We believe in supporting local industry, and we try to keep shipping to a minimum. However, we have compared notes with other local designers who do produce off shore, and their costs are lower.

Between the two of you, your college careers involved studying sociology, photography, print making, drawing and painting - how did the two of you team up to make an eco-fashion line?

Wendy: Heather and I met through friends a few years ago, as she was transitioning into an exclusively eco-friendly clothing line. I was really inspired by the direction she was taking. She had always talked about wanting a hand with pattern making and garment design and I had graduated from a course in just that. I guess we were both drawn to each other and it worked out that our different skills were so complimentary.

Heather: Wendy and I had a common friend who introduced us at a fashion show. I immediately knew I wanted Wendy to become my business partner, for she possessed strengths, talents and skills that complimented my own. It has been true delight working with Wendy, and the clothing line is so much stronger now that she is onboard!

Is Passenger Pigeon involved in any local or green-based charities, helping to give back to the community?

Heather: We donate to Greenpeace as well as WSPA. In the past, I used to volunteer with FLAP– a group that collects dead and injured song birds that have hit buildings during their bi-annual migration (I hope to help again this spring). We also donate our off-cuts and bolt ends to local schools, where they reuse the fabric to make paper or for other textile projects.

The wind turbine screen print from the Fall/Winter 2007 was really popular with a range of consumers and the Spring/Summer 2008 collection features awesome bicycle and plastic bags prints. Will we be seeing hybrid cars and corn stalks in 2009?

Wendy: Hmm, I don’t know about hybrid cars! Heather and I aren’t really into cars so much. Heather is the one to come up with the print designs, depending on what’s on her mind at the time. Last summer she was on a garbage theme. I was skeptical at first - piles of garbage didn’t seem like a good idea - but the prints turned out to be so lovely!

Heather: As much as I try to veer away from bird imagery, I tend to come back to it season after season. I have dabbled with alternative energy symbols as well as bicycles; however, my heart is with objects, creatures and shapes created in the natural world. I may just consider corn stalks in the future!

Passenger Pigeon’s fashion and accessories are made with organic cotton, hemp, tencel and lyocell. Do you intentionally avoid using bamboo because of the heavily chemical processes used to produce it or do you just find it to be too popular?

Wendy: We do actually use bamboo in our line. There’s this beautiful bamboo knit that we like to use for wrap dresses for our fall/winter collections. We also use soy a lot too. The lighter knits are great for summer. It’s true that bamboo is not a miracle fabric in regards to sustainability. However, we feel that it is better than many fabrics such as rayon or conventional cotton. No fabric is 100% ideal, so we try to make responsible choices given what is currently available.

Heather: We do use bamboo, and have received a very small amount of scrutiny from a couple concerned citizens. We have explained to them that, although processing bamboo does use some chemicals, this chemical use is much smaller than say, with cotton or petroleum products. Bamboo is a sustainable fiber, for it grows rapidly. It is a much better solution to conventional cotton.

What do you say to the folks that still believe global warming is just a myth?

Wendy: Wow, do people still believe that?! I think we don’t run into people like that so often. I feel like there is always a way to connect with people, even cynics, when the topic of the environment comes up. It’s really so much more than global warming. I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t agree that reducing waste and conserving resources is a good thing.

Heather: I can not believe some people still believe this to be a myth!!! Just ask the world’s top scientists and they will all say it has been a true trend for the past century!! (Since the industrial revolution).

Do you have any other nifty, secret projects in the works that you could hint at?

Wendy: Personally, I’m interested in doing more custom work for weddings — bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses in sustainable fabrics. I got married last fall, so I did a lot of thinking about how to design a good eco-friendly wedding. For Passenger Pigeon, though, you’ll just have to stay tuned!

Heather: We do in fact have something up our sleeves! We will be sending out a surprise treat with each and every garment this spring. It is up to our consumers whether or not they will want to use this tool attached to their purchase.

Please don’t make the hemp jokes. Please. I live in Austin, Texas, which is full of hemp enthusiasts of all types, so I promise that I have heard them all. And truth be told, I didn’t think I would be that impressed by a web page full of hemp fabric.

Yes, I was one of those ignoramuses who envisioned only scratchy off-white canvas when I thought of hemp fabric. Victoria has profiled hemp yarns from Lanaknits, Autumn has opened my eyes to the beauty of macrame, and I even profiled a fabric that’s a blend of cotton and hemp. But 100% hemp? I clung to my preconceptions.

The hemp linen and twill at Earth Friendly Goods has won me over, though. How?It’s in multiple colors.

It doesn’t take much, does it? Splash a little purple on it and I’m all “Ooooh, pretty.” But honestly, hemp has a lot to recommend it from an environmental standpoint. And as Victoria said, “similar to wool, every time you wash it, hemp becomes softer and more luxurious.”

The linen comes in 10 colors, including black. The twill comes in 14 colors, including bleached and semi-bleached options if you’re going for the classic off-white color. In addition, there are natural color textured herringbone and basket weaves, a terrycloth in a hemp and organic cotton blend, and even painter’s canvas. The hemp/organic cotton plain weave comes in four colors named Barley, Raspberry, Pistachio, and Thyme. Rounding out the collection are fleece, french terry, and jersey knit, also in the blend. There’s even a blend of hemp and recycled poly.

At $25-30 per yard for the linens and twills, these fabrics are less expensive than some of the more upscale interior design and home decorating fabrics we’ve looked at so far in the Fabulous Fabrics series. Some of the other fabrics are less.

So don’t fall prey to my delusions about hemp! Take a look and see what you think about including some of these fabrics in your next craft project.

Salis Fingerpaints come in six colors: yellow, red, black, green, blue, and white. These paints can be mixed to form more colors giving children hands-on experience with color theory. They can also be diluted with water to be applied with a paintbrush, if your child is the type that doesn’t like to get his/her fingers dirty. Salis Fingerpaints can be used on stone, wood, unglazed clay, paper, cardboard, salt dough, etc.

These hemp-based vegan paints are made from water, mineral pigments, hemp oil, methyl cellulose, extract of gentian roots, and preserved with food/pharmaceutical grade substances. According to KidBean:

These chemical-free hemp-based paints are made without heavy metals, VOCs, or other harmful ingredients, and derive their colors from vegetable dyes or all-natural mineral pigments. They are the only recommendable fingerpaint under the Swiss Consumer Association, No. 177, 10/90, and correspond to the German Voluntary Agreement upon Fingerpaints.

Standard food preservatives are not suitable for the finger paints because of the low activity in the paints, and many standard cosmetic preservatives are known allergens (e.g. pHB-esters or isothiazolinones). In Germany, Benzalkonium Chloride is used in eye-drops and is permitted for the use even on mucuos membranes. LIVOS has chosen this preservative because the available evidence shows it to be the best and most harmless option.

My daughter was so excited to have natural fingerpaints, she immediately created this rainbow, in addition to a treasure map. There’s something about using your fingers that gets the creative juices flowing in young children. You can read more about the toxicity of art supplies and alternatives at our sister blog Crafting a Green World.