Bringing in a sustainably fashion forward new year with…The Box!

Our exclusive EcoSalon shopping must-have, the curated product assortment known as The Box, is back. We’re offering $500 in eco-goodies for the New Year for just $99 and these won’t last. That’s a guarantee.

Just because we’re stuck in the middle of winter doesn’t mean we can’t look good and feel good. Slip on your new designer shades, crack open a thick novel and do some DIY…or indulge with a gift certificate or two! Regardless, of what you do with it, this is a curated collection you won’t want to miss and keep all for yourself or share with some friends.

(If you do miss out this time around, our friends at The Frisky are hosting a giveaway for the last remaining Fashion Box standing. Head on over to their site and register to win!)

Just look at what we have in store for you this time around:

Eco by Modo

Designer sunglasses? No, we’re not kidding. Eco by Modo pushes innovation and promotes sustainability with sunglasses made of recycled stainless steel and plastic to bring a radically new perspective into eyewear without sacrificing quality, design or price. All of the sunglasses capture attention by featuring the iconic Eco logo, a circle on the temple tip, which connects directly with the 360°-approach to sustainability throughout the entire product life cycle.

The collection carries a UL Environment Validation, certifying that the products are made from a minimum of 95% recycled stainless steel and plastic. Thanks to the One Frame One Tree initiative, for each pair of Eco by Modo frames purchased, Eco by Modo plants one tree together with Trees for the Future, a non-profit organization that has been helping communities around the world plant trees since 1989. So far over 600,000 trees have been planted…and counting.

We have 15 in black and 15 in Tort Gold just for you (above). First come first serve, so specify in comments when paying!

(Retails for $160)

P.S. – I Made This…

It’s a movement. It’s a call to action: reimagine, reuse, and reinvent. P.S. – I Made This inspires and encourages us to embrace the concept of I see it, I like it, I make it. Part designer DIY, part fashion and lifestyle inspiration guide, P.S. – I Made This was born from Erica Domesek’s wildly popular website of the same name. Domesek’s collection of unique projects will tempt any green fashionista who’s ready for serious DIY style.

The book features more than 25 projects inspired by iconic fashion looks, runway trends, and celebrated style mavens for readers to create themselves. The user-friendly “Designer DIY” projects, ranging from lucite bangles to faux-fur vests to studded heels, are featured alongside inspirational, vivid fashion montages and clear, easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions.

Erica’s projects have been featured in publications such as Glamour and Teen Vogue, among others. Based in New York City, Erica has styled numerous campaigns for big-name fashion brands.

(Retails for $18.95)

Recycled Leather Tote

Edgy street style and a designer price point, yours in this edition The Box. This buttery-soft leather bag has rectangular chevrons and pockets galore for women on the go who need a bigger bag. Large snap pockets fore and aft hold books, your trusty Moleskine or that new vegan lip gloss you just got while two stash pockets wrap around the sides. Toss the adjustable strap over your shoulder, or remove it and slip your fingers around the comfy handle. Perfect for the organized fashionista in us all.

(A $279 retail value!)

Roux Maison Laundry Detergent

Roux Maison’s eco-luxe laundry line includes custom formulated, fabric-specific laundry detergents and a stain remover.  They are all made with the finest natural ingredients and are designed to be both gentle and highly effective. Full-sized, super concentrated formulas allow for 40 loads of laundry with just 16 oz of detergent, regardless of type of washing machine used. Most of Roux Maison’s detergents are currently available in two bespoke natural fragrances, Sweet Tea and Ambrosia, that are both exclusively made from 100% pure and therapeutic-grade essential oils, with no artificial fragrances or additives. Detergents are also available in fragrance-free versions with absolutely no masking ingredients added at all. Enjoy a full-sized vibrant Lavender version in this edition of The Box.

(Retails for $14.99)

$50 Gift Certificate to Soleone + 25% EcoSalon Exclusive Promotion

Soleone garments are crafted from bamboo fibers, which makes them both incredibly soft and luxuriously comfortable. The signature fabric has built-in properties to wick away odor and moisture, keeping you dry. Besides being better for you, bamboo fiber is better for our planet. A sustainable resource grown without pesticides or fertilizers, bamboo is 100% biodegradable, while being hypoallergenic and wrinkle resistant. Stock up on fresh new year skivvies and deliciously silky-smooth lounge wear with your $50 gift certificate and an additional 25% off on any purchases beyond $50 with promo code SoleoneEcoSalon.

(Retails for $50)

$50 Gift Certificate to Future:Standard

Future:Standard is an online boutique that provides ethical clothing and accessories (eco-friendly, fair trade, locally made, and anything made with respect to the planet and those who are making it). Owner Jessica Althoff explains it best: “is waiting for the day that what we purchase does not need to be described as sustainable or fair trade. This assumes that all products are made in the most sustainable way possible and with concern for those making the products. That all of this is standard. This is our Future:Standard.”

(Retails for $50.00)

United by Blue Shark Fin T-Shirt

United by Blue founder Brian Linton attributes “The Blue Movement” to deepwater explorers like Jacques Cousteau, “an avid diver whose own passion for the underwater world transformed a generation,” and to Dr. Sylvia Earle, “whose groundbreaking research continues to inspire a new generation of scientists and discoverers.”

With Cousteau an obvious pick for inspiring ocean love and research, who are the new Blue Movement pioneers? They’re people like Linton and his United by Blue team, who not only sell sustainable apparel and jewelry that contribute and support their cause, but get down and dirty themselves. For every product sold, UBB removes one pound of trash from oceans and waterways through company organized and hosted cleanups.

This super cute shirt is a little longer than most tees, perfect for layering or wearing on its own and flattering to all figures. Specify S, M, or L – first come, first served!

(Retails for $25.00)

AB Designs Upcycled Bike Tube Earrings

From afar, these bike tube earrings look like they might even be made from metal, but in actuality they’re flexible and incredibly lightweight, just the thing for when you want an easy-to-wear statement piece. Handmade in Portland, Oregon out of old bicycle tubes, these earrings represent upcycling at its most stylish.

(Retails for $19.00)

Fisherman’s Daughter Organic Cotton Head Bands

Fisherman’s Daughter is a Cape Cod-based boutique as well as house for sustainable designer Taylor Brown Armour, whose line Fisherman’s Daughter is made from all sustainable materials. Armour’s unique collection of handmade organic clothing  and accessories give a strong nod to ocean themes and is collected by women all over the U.S. who appreciate her one-of-a-kind and bespoke pieces.

(Retails for $36)

Wildlife Works’ Mraba Scarf

Wildlife Works’ mission is to harness the power of the global consumer to create innovative and sustainable solutions for wildlife conservation. They call it Consumer Powered Conservationism. When you buy a Wildlife Works product, you become an agent for conservation. You’re wearing the brand that says you won’t sit quietly by while the last wild things in the last wild places disappear forever.

(Retails for $28.00)

PACT Organic Socks

The PACT organization partners with lots of different causes to promote awareness. Their current Share the Love collection helps bring awareness to Citizen Effect. Citizen Effect is driven by the idea that anyone can make a real and significant impact in the world. Their mission is to provide Citizen Philanthropists the tools and networks they need to work directly with communities in need around the world.

In partnership with Citizen Effect, PACT is sharing the love all over the world. When you buy PACT this Spring, you’re helping them raise money for community projects in Uganda, India, and America. PACT thinks what the world needs now is a little love. And no better place to start then your underwear. And in this case, your socks! Super comfy, one size fits most women’s feet.

(Retails for $10.00)

Orders are processed through Paypal. Simply click to buy!

Notes to EcoSalon

The fine print: Please note there will be an additional $30 flat charge which covers all shipping, handling and sales tax fees. Packages are processed and shipped with love within 7 business days of ordering via UPS Ground. We cannot ship internationally (we wish we could!). You’ll receive a confirmation email once your order has gone through. Due to the extremely limited nature of these special assortments, we regret that refunds are not possible if you change your mind. If any items you receive are damaged, the participating brands and EcoSalon are happy to replace them for you as soon as the item(s) is available. If the exact item is not available, one of similar value will be offered. Enjoy your assortment of green goodies! We’re excited to send them your way.

How to knock off Blake Lively’s Vegas party look, in true eco-fashion.

Making an outfit work with so many shiny elements is truly a challenge, but for the opening of Las Vegas club Marquee, pop culture sensation’s Gossip Girl Blake Lively rocked a Vegas look to the last sequin. Here’s how we would have sustainably re-styled her.

Skinny Sequin Pants
While Lively’s blue sequin pants from Isabel Marant look absolutely stunning, we’ve found a more eco-savvy option for you: these (equally sparkly) leggings, handmade in San Francisco from deadstock fabric. The sequins don’t go all the way up the leg, which is practical but requires that you pair them with a longer top (which you’ll want to do anyway). They’re one-of-a-kind and made to order, so you can be sure no one else will be copying your style. (If you absolutely want blue ones, here’s another option from Etsy. No word on the eco-creds though.)
$79, Etsy/PeekoApparel

Chunky Glam Earrings
Any Vegas-inspired party look needs to be topped off with something sparkly dangling from your earlobes. These are handmade in Brooklyn, NY, from upcycled metals.
On sale for $65, DLC Brooklyn

Loose-Fitting Black Shirt
The way to pull off sequin pants without looking like you stepped out of an episode of Dynasty is to pair them with something casual, like a loose-fitting black shirt. We’re not sure where Blake found hers, but this one, by Loup Charmant, is made from soft 100% Organic cotton. Order one or two sizes up for that ultimate borrowed-from-my-boyfriend look that covers the top of the pants.
$220, Loup Charmant

Black Suede Booties
Instead of the Louboutins Miss Lively is rocking here (which are overpriced and notoriously uncomfortable), slip into these ethically made ones from Coclico. Your feet, wallet and conscience will thank you.
On sale for $276, Coclico

Chunky Ring
Big finger bling is as essential to a Vegas night on the town as champagne. This gorgeous one from Jamie Joseph features a large lapis lazuli stone, which nicely brings in that pop of blue color that we love in Lively’s look.
$685, Twist

Layered Gold Bracelets
In this case, more is more, so layer on those bracelets and let your wrist sparkle almost as much as your smile. These, from Lulu Frost, are made from vintage, upcycled jewelry. Combine with a few of your own, and you’ve got the look down.
Multi Chain Bracelet, $265 & Heirloom Bracelet, $360, both Lulu Frost

We searched high and low to find these eleven iPad 2 cases that are both eco-friendly and stylish.

It’s an email machine, e-reader (imagine, a floor without magazine stacks) and app-wonderland, all wrapped into one sleek little case. If you don’t already have an iPad, chances are an iPad 2 is high up on your wish list and a stylish case to put it in would be second. We made that part easy for you with these top eleven picks of stylish and eco-friendly iPad cases.

Nau Pad Stash
Featuring clean lines and a slim profile, Nau’s Pad Stash combines old world style with new world functionality. Die-cut from wool felt, this case has a flip-close front cover, four accessory pockets and doubles as a stand for easy viewing. On the inside, recycled wool felt insulates and protects your iPad from scratching.
$75, Nau

Laser-etched Natural Bamboo Case by Grove
These all-natural bamboo cases are entirely hand-made in Portland, Oregon. The company doesn’t outsource, but creates everything, down to the packaging and website, on-site. Production is kept small-scale and limited and Grove believes in slowing things down in order to maintain the highest quality product. What really makes this one special though, is the wide range of beautiful laser-etched designs available. You can even design your own or, if adornment is just not your cup of tea, get a plain one.
$139-$169, Grove

Rickshaw Sleeve for iPad 2 in Earl Grey Performance Tweed
Made to order in Rickshaw’s San Francisco factory, this case comes with plush, laptop-grade padding and a plush, soft liner that works double duty protecting and cleaning your screen at the same time. Available in four different colors.
$40, Rickshaw Bags

Cork iPad Sleeve
This sleeve made from cork, brings your iPad a little closer to the earth. Cork is naturally water-resistant and durable and its soft, textured surface will protect your laptop from scratches or wear. It will also work kind of like a coaster to keep your iPad in place on slippery surfaces. Handmade in Spain, the Cork Sleeve will develop a unique patina with use.
$39, UncommonGoods

Felt iPad Sleeve by ribandhull
This sleeve features a simple, classic design and a flap with two metal snaps that are fully lined and reinforced (so they don’t cause any damage to your iPad). All of ribandhull’s products are entirely designed and produced in their Warsaw studio from the finest materials. This one is made with vegetable tanned leather and a thick 100% wool, German designer felt, which is water repellent and anti-pilling. More colors are available.
$52, Etsy/ribandhull

DODOcase for iPad 2
The DODOcase exterior gives your iPad the look and feel of a hard-bound book, which not only makes you look smart and book-ish but prevents theft as well. Made from solid core bamboo and black Moroccan cloth and constructed using traditional bookbinding techniques, the cover folds back to be used as a stand. The DODOcase’s magnetic insert also activates the iPad’s auto wake/sleep feature to wake and sleep your iPad instantly. Available in a variety of interior color choices.
$59.95, DODOcase

Michael Roger Landmade Cork iPad 2 Sleeve
This iPad sleeve (which also works for Netbooks) is made with sustainably harvested cork from Spain and features a beautiful, unique pattern (two different kinds are available). A zipper ensures that your iPad stays securely in place.
$69, Michael Roger Bookbinders

Recycled Mink iPad sleeve
This is for you glamor girls out there. This iPad sleeve is handmade to order from a 1960s vintage mink stole. It has beautiful, soft fur on one side and pre-loved black leather, upcycled from old jackets and pants on the other side (for an extra charge, you can get it in wrap-around mink). It’ll surely get your friends talking.
$175, Shannon South/ReMade USA

Kork 2 for iPad 2
This upgraded version of the Kork is lighter and thinner than its predessor and comes with many new features such as Apple Smart Cover integration, tray-mode, natural sound amplifier, and a camera hole. The company calls it “a complete ‘Swiss Army Knife’ for your iPad” and ensures this is the only cover you will ever need.
$49.95, A Produkt

Plaid Doctrine iPad Sleeve
Sewn in the USA from water- and stain-resistant high performance fabric made from recycled bottles, this sleeve features two large front pockets to hold accessories like chargers, headphones, and phones. It’s ultra lightweight, foam-padded, and fully lined in recycled, ripstop nylon. Comes in three different styles of on-trend plaid.
$59, Plaid Doctrine

Voltaic Spark Tablet Case
It may lack in the style department, but this clever case will not only protect but also charge your iPad. Featuring 8 Watts of solar embedded into a streamlined shell made from recycled PET, (which is waterproof, lightweight and UV resistant), the Spark stores over a full iPad charge of clean, green solar energy for you to use anytime. It also charges most other tablets, phones and professional digital cameras. Ten hours of sunlight will fully charge the battery.
$299, Voltaic

These eight iPhone 4S cases (which work for the iPhone 4 as well), are both eco-friendly and stylish.

Everyone has had the moment of total panic that comes with dropping their smartphone on the floor, fearing that this will be the time it shatters into a million little spider-webbed pieces. Before this happens to you, get a case. Here are the top eight eco-friendly options we found for the iPhone 4S (which will also work for the iPhone 4 as well).

Laser-Etched Natural Bamboo Case by Grove
These all-natural bamboo cases are entirely hand-made in Portland, Oregon. The company doesn’t outsource, but creates everything, down to the packaging and website, on-site. Production is kept small-scale and limited and Grove believes in slowing down their production in order to maintain the highest quality product. What really makes this one special, though, is the wide range of beautiful laser-etched designs available. You can even design your own.
$89-$119, Grove

Re-Case by Miniwiz
Made entirely from “trash” as they say on the case, this option really walks the talk. Rice farming by-products, usually discarded as agricultural waste, are reprocessed and added to post-consumer thermo-plastics to form a highly durable material of architectural grade. It is also recyclable and able to be manufactured at an unbeatable minimum of CO2 emissions.
$24.95, Miniwiz

Case-Mate Jett Metal Case
Machined from a single block of aircraft billet aluminum (a sustainable metal that can be recycled over and over), this sturdy metal case is for those of us who need some serious protection. Without changing the design profile, it completely encases your phone for optimal protection and even comes with a tool set for assembly.
$50, Case Mate

Ribandhull Bridle Wallet/iPhone Case
This tan leather bridle wallet not only holds your cash and cards but your iPhone too. How stylish is that? Entirely handmade in Warsaw from premium Italian vegetable tanned bridle leather, this case will only grow more beautiful with age.
$95, Etsy/ribandhull

Shannon South ReMade USA iPhone Sleeve
If you still like your phone un-cased as you use it, a sleeve is a good way to protect it from being scratched and damaged in transit. This simple, stylish idea by ReMade USA comes in black or brown and is made entirely from recycled leather jackets.
$29, Shannon South/ReMade USA

Felt iPhone Cozy
Boasting some serious personality-traits, this felt cozy is for those of you who like to give your electronics names (you know who you are). Hand sewn with 100% Eco-fi Polyester Felt Fabric (which is entirely made from recycled bottles) and in double layers for extra protection, this mustached option is fade-resistant and washable. The cozies are made to order in the color of your choice, and you can get them adorned with your initials instead of facial hair.
$7, Etsy/ILOVEfelt88

Wood Camera iPhone Case
This one is for you hipstamatic-addicts out there. In addition to your snapshots looking like old photos, now your phone itself can look like a vintage camera. Each case is made using sustainably harvested walnut wood (lined with felt to prevent scratching) and surface-engraved using lasers.
$42, Photojojo

Eco Wool and Brown Vegan Leather iPhone Wallet
This wool felt cell phone case is handcrafted using dark gray wool made from recycled PET bottles. Your phone is held in place by a faux (vegan) leather strap with a snap closure (the snap is lined on the inside to prevent it from scratching the glass). There are also two inside pockets for stashing your cash and cards.
$20, Etsy/Cartergray

10 stylish bags for your everyday lifestyle.

You’ve got tons of them in your car, looped around your bike handles and hanging from closet doors ready to be filled with farmer’s market produce and flea market finds. Come to think of it, you’ve got more than you ever use but when it comes to that special bag that stays close at hand, you want something stand out that says you can be stylish picking up groceries wherever you roam.

Our top 10 most fashionable and reusable bags will have you reconsidering your image and the fact that worldwide 1 million plastic bags are used every minute.

Artecnica

Made from 100% colorful advertising campaign billboards and a clever die cut, this no-stitch shoulder bag is inspired by the strength and symmetry found in nature. The minimal 2-D design stretches into 3-D to form the biggest bag with the smallest amount of waste. Stretch Bag can support up to 33lbs. It’s available in different colors of recycled billboard or in natural brown leather.

Baggu

Baggu’s collaboration with sustainable fashion brand Mociun is a graphically pleasing testament to eco fashion and reusable bag. Send back your expired Baggu and the company will recycle your old bag and give you a $1 credit towards a new one. Not likely you’ll be getting rid of this one for how great it is.

Flip & Tumble

Flip & Tumble’s wide-banded shoulder design feels a little softer than regular reusable bags and with stretch compacting, will fit lots of whatever you want to throw in it.

ECOBAGS

Made from certified organic cotton, this produce bag from ECOBAGS is a shopping necessity to shake the dirt from fresh from the field produce. Stuff away as this bag can hold up to 40 pounds. We love the sexy netting and the fact that it’s black.

PaisleyMagic

How can you not love this graphic from PaisleyMagic? Made from 100% Cotton, this durable, multipurpose canvas tote is great for hauling books, groceries or a change of clothes.

RuMe

Denver, Colorado-based RuMe was launched on Earth Day 2008 to meet the growing need of environmentally conscious consumers who don’t want to sacrifice style and functionality. The flat-bottomed bag stands easily for even the most inept supermarket baggers and with the metallic sheen, makes you the star of the check-out. We love this bag so much we’ll use it for anything really.

Alchemy Goods

Constructed from reinforced vinyl mesh, seatbelt, and inner tube, the Ad Bag is a strong and lightweight carryall. Durable and easy to wash, this bag just might last forever. Try figuring out what the billboard ad once was while you sit on the subway to occupy your travel time.

Envirosax

Envirosax is a pretty recognized name in reusable bags. These colorful, ethnic prints reminiscent of exploring bazaars and spice markets make us want to order more so we look fully sophisticated in a sea of people choosing plastic. That these bags fold up tight and can fit in your purse makes them all the more accessible and easy to carry around.

Sleeping Bags

Founded by social entrepreneur Andy Marks, Sleeping Bags takes retired hotel bed linen and makes beautiful yet practical bags, adorned with artwork from leading individuals in the arts and creative industries. We love.

Gecko Traders

Made from 100% recycled rice bags and handmade in small batches by a women’s co-op in Cambodia, these stylish bags are all one of a kind. The graphics will make you imagine shopping at a Cambodian floating fish market, picking up a sack of rice along the way and spices to create a culinary treat. At the very least, you can come and go from the gym in style.

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 Embrace your inner geek with these sustainable duds and accessories.

Most of us have come far enough in our lives to know that the nerds are really the cool ones. Embrace your own inner geek by stepping into fall wearing a hand-knit sweater vest, a recycled cotton backpack, high-waisted pleated pants, consciously chic glasses, fair-made booties and a friendship bracelet, while carrying a cleverly bookish iPad case. Smart is the new black.

Jamie Fair Isle Tank
This cute vest sports a colorful Fair Isle design and is hand knitted in 100% wool in Nepal.
approx. $120, peopletree.co.uk

Baggu Backpack
We’ve used their reusable shopping bags for years, why not upgrade to something a bit more interesting? This backpack with adjustable shoulder straps comes in nine different colors and is made from 100% recycled 16 oz. cotton duck.
$32, baggubag.com

Dace Kelp Pants
These pants feature classic, stylish nerd-attributes like a high waist, pleats and slouchy fit. All pieces by designer Dace Moore are made locally in Canada and adheres to socially responsible and environmentally sound manufacturing practices.
on sale for $88, futurestandard.com

DODOcase for iPad
DODOcase aims to help keep the art of book binding alive by adapting it to the world of iPads. It’s made locally in San Francisco using black Moroccan cloth with a solid bamboo core. It’ll look like you’re carrying a book, but the DODOcase is a clever little thing that also folds back as a stand for your iPad.
$59.95, dodocase.com

Begley frames from Warby Parker
This new take on a circular frame style first popular in the 1930s is not just the epitome of nerd-chic, Warby Parker also donates a pair of frames to someone in need. The company also works with non-profits to train low-income entrepreneurs to sell affordable glasses.
$95, warbyparker.com

Love Friendship Bracelet
What says eco-nerd more than swapping friendship bracelets with your sustainable friends? This one is by Etsy seller Marly D, but check out this simple tutorial on how you can make your own.
$4, etsy.com/shop/MarleeD

Osborn Red Suede Kinder Booties
These limited run booties are fairly hand-made by cobbler artisans using genuine Napa suede. To up the eco-factor, they also have laces made out of hand loomed cotton and a recycled tire heel cap.
$188, osborndesign.com

Embrace life as an uncomplicated tomboy in classic oxfords and feminine button downs.

As the leaves and temperatures start falling across the country, it’s time for us to get comfy and cozy. Good news for us ladies is that flat shoes, especially oxfords and brogues, are all the rage right now. Worn with thick socks, they’ll be good through the winter, and your feet will thank you for giving them a break from heels. Plaids have been around for a while now, but are still going strong in the trend-department. Instead of just a plain plaid shirt, try a figure-hugging skirt, á la Mad Men-era secretary, a below-the knee shirt dress, or steal a shirt from your boyfriend, belt it, and make it a dress (or just wear it to snuggle up in the sofa, under a cozy eco-wool blanket).

Herbert Organic Light Twill Shirt by Nudie Jeans
This shirt was made for boys, but looks equally good (or better) on their girlfriends. Just add a belt, and wear it with a short skirt or shorts.
$199, shop.nudiejeans.com

Black & White Spectator Lace-Up Oxfords
These classic two-tone oxford brogues are made in contrasting black and white man-made leather, for all you stylish vegans out there.
$28, lulus.com

Pendleton Eco-wise Plaid Easy-care Blanket
From the sheep to the shelf, Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool® passes strict standards of sustainability and responsible environmental stewardship. It’s made in the U.S., machine-washable and sure to only grow softer and more beautiful with age.
$108-198, pendleton.com

Maggie Shirt Dress from People Tree
This casual below-the-knee dress is hand woven in Bangladesh. Match with a weathered belt and vintage boots.
approx. $118, peopletree.com

Vintage 50s Skirt
Plaid skirts from the 1950s are usually pretty easy to find in well-stocked second-hand stores. Up the trend-factor by making it a pleated one. This one, from Etsy seller Small Earth Vintage, has a classic plaid pattern in red, Kelly Green, white, indigo and yellow and is made from durable linen.
$26, etsy.com/shop/SmallEarthVintage

Vegan Brogues
These classic vegan brogues are made from breathable Vegetan Bucky material, which is a breathable microfiber that looks, feels and creases like supple leather and only gets better with age.
approx. $110, vegetarianshoes.co.uk

Organic Plaid Scarf by Sundance
This mellow-hued plaid scarf is made from soft organic cotton. The diamond shape makes it highly versatile and the raw, unfinished edges add a touch of casual cool.
$38, sundancecatalog.com

TOMS Black Suede Women’s Desert Botas
For a more casual alternative to oxfords, try this adaption of a desert boot from TOMS. For every pair you buy, TOMS will donate one pair of shoes to a child in need.
$68, toms.com

Berlin, Germany has become the world’s contemporary creative capital not in spite, but as a direct consequence, of its post-Apocalyptic legacy. In the humiliating and fragile aftermath of World War II, the Soviet construction of the Berlin Wall effectively calcified the society’s healing process, and the city remained a willy nilly bastion of still recent blood-let and stark economic inequity. Officially, the Wall fell over 20 years ago, but its first cracks were but symbols. Its physical dismantling was hard-won, and this is to say nothing of the intervening, painstaking gains toward cultural reunification.

View of Berlin from Hello Etsy conference center rooftop

In the wake of the global financial crisis, Germany’s export driven industry has emerged as an economic powerhouse and finds itself in the awkward position of propping up the entire euro-zone from financial collapse; yet Berlin, a city of artists and ex-pats, remains poor, with unemployment rates hovering around 12 percent. It’s Berlin’s ongoing monetary malaise that has over the past twenty years evolved this locale into a destination spot for creatives the world over – visionaries attracted by the city’s ever diversifying internationalism, cheap rent, and abiding sense of emergence. Berlin is, if anything, a city that is still coming into being and lacks a singular, unified cultural definition – in this marvelous metropolis there is nobody telling you what to do.

These reasons make Germany’s capital the ideal location for last weekend’s Hello Etsy: A Summit on Small Business and Sustainability. A wildly successful, 2005 founded online marketplace for handmade and reclaimed goods, Etsy is even more so an alternative economic template that relies on interdependence and human scale sustainability rather than competitive, winner-takes-all free-market capitalism. The conference in fact wasn’t an occasion for the transaction of wares and currency at all, but rather an international convergence of creatives sharing skills and exchanging ideas about community based initiatives.

ewerk dining hall – note industrial hook in upper-right panel

Hosted in ewerk, the oldest preserved commercial power plant in Germany (constructed in 1885), Hello Etsy held court in this building surviving two world wars, enduring destructive Communist rule, and eventually emerging as one of the world’s most influential techno music clubs. Against this storied backdrop, Etsy was in full form, ratcheting up the DIY factor with all manner of artisanal accents – from bright hued bricks of handmade soap and homespun towels by the bathroom sinks to conference dining hall tables decorated with reclaimed milk cartons repurposed into planters for potted herbs and other green flora.

The line-up of approximately 40 speakers addressed over 500 attendees and delegates from the United States and Europe, and included a broad spectrum of thought-leaders – from Facebook’s Head of Commerce Partnerships, Google’s Conversion Specialist and Twitter’s European Communications Manager, to an urban farmer, filmmaker, and author. Panels and lectures ranged from practical education (nuts and bolts of running a small business, for example) to the theoretical (corporate globalization is unsustainable, unethical and Etsy’s word, “unfun“).

Attendees at Hello Etsy listen and learn

Main Room speaker Judy Wicks, a spitfire social activist in her retirement years with no intention of slowing down, delivered a talk about what she calls the Local Living Economies Movement. This theoretical framework emphasizes an alternative business model in which growth is measured not in terms of market expansion, but rather through maximized relationships-businesses reinvesting profits right back into the community generating its revenue to develop deeper networks of solidarity, belonging and, Judy’s word, “fun.”

Hello Etsy conference organizers also published an event specific compendium of essays penned by the summit’s panelists and speakers, with a wellspring of advice, abstracts, and inspiration from figures like Alabama Chanin founder and designer, whose contributing essay “The Commandments” offered ethical business entrepreneurs advice such as: Quality is its own testament. Run toward fear. Share and play well with others. Get a good accountant (and an understanding of QuickBooks).

Do bricks of handmade soap really hold the answer to our future? Etsy thinks so

At its core, Hello Etsy was a celebration of business, a critical examination of capitalism’s current un-sustainability as well as ideas about harnessing and transforming the existing system to grow a sane, compassionate future. Judy Wicks in her lecture put it well:  The heart of business doesn’t have to be an engine of greed, but rather sharing love within your community to yield a ‘living’ return on investment.

Business, at its core, is about relationships; money is but a tool for building them.

                                 

Sustainable style news from EcoSalon’s West Coast Fashion Editor.

En Plein Air – This fall’s CAPSULE Urban Air Market takes place on Sunday, September 18^th and previews the fashion shopping of the future. You’ll find locally produced, artisanally made clothing and accessories close to the source – free of corporate retail mentality and overhead markup – in a farmers market like setting. The bi-annual, free event spanning 4 city blocks will feature over 130 independent designers of men’s, women’s, and kid’s clothing, accessories, jewelry, paper goods, glassware, and unique home décor. The designers are selected based on their quality, originality and sustainability of design. Some EcoSalon fav’s representing are Earthlust, Mission Thread Clothing and LINQUIST jewelry. We’re liking the forward thinking vision so much, we’re sponsoring it. Come down, check out some cutting-edge sustainable style and don’t forget to say hi when you see us at the scene.

Cause Connect – According to Etsy‘s new European Director, Matthew Stinchcomb, “the prevalent corporate mentality has left us ever more disconnected from nature, our communities, and the people and processes behind the objects in our lives.” The first step in his plan to create a more sustainable future is to create healthy micro-economies by supporting small businesses. Taking place in Berlin, Germany, and partner locations across the world this weekend is “Hello Etsy: A Summit on Small Business and Sustainability” a hands-on gathering for entrepreneurs, which will include training, a talk by Environmentalist Bill McKibben (350.org) and the chance to win five small business grants. West Coast hosts include GOOD in Los Angeles, CA; California College of the Arts in San Francisco, CA; and the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon. Each of these locations will feature their own live speakers, panels, and workshops.

Seattle Strut – Sashay on down to Seattle’s Showbox Sodo for Fashion First‘s 8th annual fashion show this Thursday, the 15^th of September. Sponsored by Seattle Magazine, the long-running charitable event will showcase leading-edge local designers and retailers, featuring the latest looks from La Ree Boutique, Baby & Co., Lizzie Parker, REPORT footwear, The Finerie, Sway and Cake, Ragamoffyn’s, Chez Chic, Mercer, the Art Institute of Seattle and Seattle magazine’s own 2011 Seamless in Seattle winners. Proceeds from the event will benefit Rise n’ Shine, a local nonprofit providing advocacy, mentors, summer camps and more to children and teens affected by HIV/AIDS.

They’re frilly, flouncy, flirty – and you can wear them, too.

These handmade, upcycled hanging lamps are made from bare lamp shades, cotton belts and vintage crinoline petticoats. Cute for stringing up in the yard, under the evening sky as laundry is meant to be hung. Or try hanging them daintily in a dressing room, if you happen to have one of those.

Available for around $110 in white, black, and pink taffeta.

Look for Lustables daily at EcoSalon. 100% gorgeous green finds, and never sponsored. Submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com