Green Options » sustainable clothing

A Simply Gorgeous 100% Certified Organic Cotton Clothing Company with Awesome Taste in Fashion.

Lucille Chi — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 02:51:12 +0000

I am simply smitten with the cute organic cotton blouses from the Velvet Leaf ~ a sustainable clothing company.

Velvet Leaf defines sustainability as:

The ability to provide for the needs of the world’s current population without damaging the ability of future generations to provide for themselves. When a process is sustainable, it can be carried out over and over without negative environmental effects.
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Five Affordable Eco-Clothing Options

Kelli Best-Oliver — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:25:01 +0000

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 buy eco-sensitive. I love thrifting, and I get a lot of my clothes that way. Sometimes, though, particularly when buying professional clothes, I can’t find what I need, and it’s time-consuming (although fun!) When I need something new, I don’t have a problem finding clothes I love that are made more sustainably. My problem is finding affordable wardrobe solutions.

Yeah, yeah, I know that cheap clothing is cheap for a reason (or several): exploitative labor practices and environmentally-destructive materials, to name a few. And I support paying a premium for items that are ethically made, just like when I grocery shop. It’s still hard for me to plunk down my hard-earned cash for upscale sustainable goods; I just don’t have that disposable income, and, frankly, clothes aren’t so important to me that even if I did have the cash to spare, I’d probably use it for something else. But a girl needs to feel good in her clothes, and I do have to exercise a modicum of professional dress when I’m teaching kids about renewable energy. So I set off on a quest to find five places where I could make better clothing choices without breaking the bank.

Disclaimer: "affordable" is a weighted word. What some people see as a bargain, others would and/or could never pay. My idea of affordable can best be described as middle-class: I’m a teacher, my husband is a teacher, we don’t come from money, and we have bills to pay. I’m not really looking for high-fashion here, but mostly basic pieces I can use in a variety of ways with my existing wardrobe.

I’ve loved American Apparel for a long time. I’m a t-shirt and jeans kind of woman, so AA clothing fits my style, and their t-shirts fit like a dream. Almost all of their entire line is cotton, and about 20% of the cotton they use is organic. The company has plans to expand that to 80% in the next four years. Most of the organic cotton they use now is in their Sustainable Edition line. They also recycle over a million pounds of fabric scrap per year and have solar panels on the roof of their LA headquarters. I like their clothes because they are comfortable and versatile; I’ve worn their skirts and shirts all over. Warning: there are claims against AA, mostly stemming from union-busting and sexual harassment accusations against owner Dov Charney, but their environmental record is promising.

Levi Strauss has been a leader in greening up denim, and their organic cotton jeans, t-shirts, and polo shirts for men and women also incorporate recycled rivets, zippers, and buttons; they also use natural indigo to dye their denim. Although their RedTab line is way out of my price range, their non-RedTab Eco’s are quite reasonable for new jeans: less than $70, and they’ve got very contemporary styles (although I don’t really have the courage, or the body, to wear skinny jeans.) If I can’t find jeans at the local thrift store, or wanted something more current, I’d try to find these. They also had some bargain men’s polo shirts at their online store that I’d probably get for my husband to wear to work.

Victoria E wrote about Jonano back in May, but I waited to check them out until recently, and I wish I hadn’t. What a jackpot! Jonano produces certified organic cotton, bamboo, and hemp clothing, along with their popular ecoKashmere blend, and their clothing is made using Fair Labor practices. Jonano’s fabrics are dyed using low-impact dyes, and their packaging and mailings are printed on recycled paper. Their lines are women-heavy, with hardly anything for men, but I fell in love with many of their pieces, including some beautiful dresses, shorts, and pants. I can’t wait to order from Jonano the next time I’m in the market for clothing.

Rawganique offers sweatshop-free organic hemp, cotton, and linen clothing from Ecolution, Blue Canoe, and their own line of clothing. Although many of their items seemed a bit pricey, I found some dresses, skirts, and sports jackets that were reasonably-priced, and they offer hemp and linen alongside the widely-found organic cotton. I’d use this place in a pinch if I couldn’t find what I wanted elsewhere, but they’re definitely walking the walk as far as sustainability. Check out their About Us for proof!

Finally, REI gets my vote for affordable outdoor gear that can double as everyday wardrobe. I wrote at length about their sustainability efforts last week. The versatility of their clothing — I can wear it to work or around the campsite — makes many of their pieces sustainable choices, and I didn’t gasp when I checked the price tag: $50 seems reasonable for a durable pair of pants for my husband or a warm recycled-PET fleece jacket. If you are looking for well-made basics that will take a beating, don’t be afraid to try this performance gear — it’s not just for the backcountry.

These are five places that fit into both my aesthetic and price range. I also recommend you check out discount websites that offer more expensive clothing at cut-rate prices. For example, I found Loomstate jeans at over half off on Bluefly.com.

Global fashion or Global Warming consciousness?

Martha Soto — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 19:22:18 +0000

New t-shirt company Bangledox uses environmentally friendly materials in their clothing line

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

June 21st, 2007, Chicago, Ill
–With emerging standards in mind as well as combining cool styles, and
the company’s deep concern for the planet , Bangledox Clothing was
created.

Introducing Bangledox [ban'gel-dox] Clothing® , a new
Latino owned t-shirt company is helping set the standard while
incorporating environmentally safe materials such as organic cottons
and earth friendly inks and dyes in their clothing line.

Organic
clothing and green eco friendly fashion have entered mainstream
consumer consciousness with a slew of media attention, and for good
reason. Its great for the environment and it helps draw attention to a
very important topic.

After a humble start at local flea markets in St.Roberts,MO in 2003 the company decided to launch its first online store recently to the public.

The
company was determined to roll out a new t-shirt line that they could
be proud of and know that they were not harming the planet, as well as
help draw attention to a very important topic.

They feel they are achieving this.

The
new site will also have helpful tips on saving energy as well as other
useful environmental information that its visitors can use to help do
their part.

Bangledox is grounded in the concept that the
clothing industry and environment can co-exist, all of their clothing
is sweat-shop free and produced in U.S.

Bangledoxclothing.com

We’re more than just a Brand. We’re a movement. ®

Thank you.

Contact:
Martha Martines
marthafocused2@yahoo.com
773-759-3815 - Chicago

Green Fashion: Why It Matters

Victoria Everman — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 13:48:59 +0000

Editor’s note: Please welcome our newester writer, Victoria E. Victoria is a writer, model and environmentalist, and will cover green fashion and apparel for Green Options on Thursdays.

Maybe you heard that Levi started a line of organic cotton jeans? Maybe you’ve seen the RED Gap ads, featuring numerous celebrities trying to raise money for AIDS in Africa? With a fractional amount of media coverage compared to Al Gore’s impeccably honest documentary, eco-conscious fashion is a key aspect of reducing your footprint on the planet.

Just as important as the food you eat, the clothing that you wear each day affects more than your own health. A whole host of farmers, field workers, factory workers, shippers, and sellers are involved; each purchasing decision you make has an impact on them and their business. If there is a clear demand for planet-friendly styles, then most brands will happily comply (i.e. Levi and Gap). But wait … why should you demand green fashions in the first place?

The Environmental Protection Agency considers seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton in 2000 in the United States as "possible," "likely," "probable," or "known" human carcinogens. It takes roughly one-third of a pound of chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers) to grow enough cotton for just one T-shirt. With facts like these (provided by the Organic Trade Association), it is hard to believe that anyone would want to buy anything made of non-organic cotton. Over 65% of what comes into contact you’re your skin is absorbed directly into your bloodstream; makes me think twice before I buy another top. Sheep’s wool is another fiber that comes from a questionable background. Similar to issues in the meat and dairy industries, cruel acts against sheep raised for their wool have come to light recently, especially in Australia.

As savvy consumers, we have the ability to change the current state of the market by demanding safer and healthier products. Alternative fibers, such as organic cotton, bamboo, and hemp (much softer yet still as durable as it was in the 60s), are great options for fashion brands of all kinds. Unfortunately, fabrics aren’t the only issue to be addressed in modern-day clothing production; labor issues factor in as well. Sweatshops around the world; especially in South America, Asia, and Africa; continue to produce the major of our fashion purchases. As buyers, we owe it to give the creators of our garments an honest wage, as well as access to healthy food, clean water, medical care, and safe housing. Current conditions for millions of workers do not provide any of the previously mentioned daily needs.

Every dollar that you spend can be used to make a difference by buying organic, natural, local, or sustainable goods. You might be surprised to learn that it is becoming more convenient and affordable than ever to buy green fashions. The options are plethoric and I’ll be back next week to tell you all about them. Thursday, Feb. 22nd: How to find green fashions you can afford (a.k.a. why being stylish and green doesn’t have to be expensive.