Your Weekend Bag for a stay at the Treehotel in the North of Sweden includes local eco-labels and modern takes on Swedish classics — designed to keep you warm.

When packing for a weekend at the Treehotel, a gathering of fantastical dwellings nestled high up in the trees of Northern Sweden, you need to keep in mind that Nordic winters are just a tad colder than most of us are used to. Embrace Swedish style with local eco-labels and updates on classics like clogs, a Sami parka and Lovikka mittens. It may also be a good idea to pack a thermos and fill it with one of Swedes’ favorite warming winter beverages — glögg or vargtass, a mix of vodka and lingonberry juice.

Thin Finn Dry Flat Selvage Denim
Swedish denim brand Nudie’s The Dry Selvage line is a special concept made from select selvage denim from Japan, Italy and Turkey, featuring the highest denim qualities — denim with cashmere, hemp and organic cotton, and so on. Styles are all unisex, and the Thin Finn is one particularly favored by the ladies.
Approx. $340, Nudie Jeans Co.

Fjällräven Luhkka Cape
We love this Luhkka Cape, inspired by a traditional Sami garment, by classic Swedish outdoor brand Fjällräven. Even if there is a snow storm, you will have to leave your treehouse to eat, use the facilities or warm up in the sauna. The lightly insulated G-1000 material provides protection against rain, snow, sleet and bitter winds, and the large kangaroo pocket in front is great for keeping your hands warm and toasty. Best of all, this cape will look just as good in the city as it does in the Nordic wilderness.
$299, Fjällräven

Hildur Cashmere Cardigan
If you go to the Treehotel, chances are you came to relax. This cozy, slightly over-size cashmere cardigan by Swedish eco-label Righteous Fashion will certainly help you do that. There’s enough fabric that you can almost wrap yourself in it like a blanket. Handmade in Nepal from 100% Fair-Made Cashmere Wool.
Approx. $420, Righteous Fashion

Shearling Clog Boot
What’s more Swedish than a clog? This updated take on the classic everyday footwear has a shearling lining that is sure to keep your toes warm when trudging through the snow. Sven’s Clogs are handmade with pride in a 36-year-old factory in Chisago City, Minnesota. What we like most is that you can choose the style, leather option and color, as well as the base color to make your own perfect clog.
$360, Sven’s Clogs

 Lovikka Mittens
Every Swedish kid goes through many pairs — usually knitted by a grandmother — of these traditional Sami-style mittens during their childhood. They are supposedly easy to make if you feel like taking on a DIY project (try this pattern). If not, they can be purchased from Swedish arts and crafts stores, perhaps a good souvenir to bring back from your trip?
Approx. $45, Hantverkstan

Ambika Boutique Front Fold Hat
Ok, so it’s not Swedish, but we so love this fluffy hat with front and earflaps, made with friendly fur. On her farm in Upstate New York, designer Ambika Conroy raises angora rabbits that are shorn every three months according to their natural cycle. The fibers are then hand-carded and spun into the yarn Ambika uses to create her designs. Best of all, because of the angora rabbits’ long fibers, it doesn’t shed.
$275, Ambika Boutique

Your weekend bag for a stay at the Pantone Hotel — versatile basics in bright solid colors.

When packing for a weekend at the Pantone Hotel in Brussels, go with the theme and bring colorful basics that ensure that you blend well into the surroundings. It’s a bit chilly in Brussels right now, so versatile basics that will keep you warm is a must.

Organic Woven Scarf – Pantone 144
A big scarf is a must-have when you travel anywhere. This one, by fairtrade fashion company Indigenous Designs shines on a bright shade of orange (Pantone 144) and dyed using low-impact, eco-friendly dyes.
$19, Indigenous Designs

Organic Sweater with Tail – Pantone 3945
This lemon yellow (Pantone 3945) sweater by Organic by John Patrick is longer in the back and shorter in the front, perfect for matching with anything from your favorite travel tights to a fancy skirt.
$212, Otte

Braided Hat with Tassels – Pantone 290
With earflaps and fun braided tassels, this bright blue (Pantone 290) hat is a fun addition to your cold-weather wardrobe. It’s hand knit by formerly disadvantaged mothers in Njabini, Kenya.
$26, Njabini Apparel

Baggu Backpack – Pantone 184
This neon pink (Pantone 184) backpack is made from 100% recycled cotton duck. It’s great for carrying all those essentials with you while exploring Brussels. If pink is not your color, there are several more to choose from.
$34, Baggu

Olsenhaus Wedge Booties – Pantone 249
“Bring comfortable shoes” is one of the cardinal rules of traveling. But we think you should also pack something a little more suitable for evening pleasures, like these bright-purple (Pantone 249) vegan booties by Olsenhaus.
On sale for $150.50, Cow Jones Industrials

Merino Silkweight Crew – Pantone 570
This top from Patagonia combines the technical merits of merino wool with travel-savvy style. The lightweight fabric is designed to keep you dry, comfortable and odor-free — it’s a mix of chlorine-free merino wool from non-mulesed Australian merino sheep and 100% recycled polyester.
$65, Patagonia

Slim Color Pant – Pantone 172
Give those black pants you usually travel with a rest. This deep orange (Pantone 172) slim color pant is the perfect colorful travel companion. Each pair is handwoven in Romania and are absolutely unique (you can enter a special code located on the inside seam to find out how).
$145, Kaight

Eight eco-friendly dresses, in flattering shades of red.

The holidays are here and that means a lot of parties. This year skip the standard LBD and put on a LRD (Little Red Dress) instead. Dressing in brighter colors just seems more festive, doesn’t it? But, instead of Santa-red, go for a darker shade, such as ruby, bordeaux, rust or maroon this year. Here are our top eight eco-friendly LRDs, in no particular order. Of course, you can also use them year-round.

1. Feral Childe’s Goldbird Shift
Elegant with personality, this shift dress by Feral Childe will take you through any day and night with great style. Made in New York, from 100% hammered silk, this lovely piece works just as well as a dress as it does a tunic.
$242, Embodies

2. Prairie Underground’s Fringe Tribe
This one is for those nights you know you’ll end up dancing to the wee hours. The three tiers of fringe in front (and two in the back) will move with you. Made in Seattle from 100% Organic cotton.
On sale for $185, Embodies

3. Prairie Underground’s Basque Dress
Sweet and flirty, this dress by Prairie Underground will carry you through the seasons in ethical style. Features a soft draped neckline and close fit. Made ethically in Seattle from 100% organic cotton.
On sale for $79, Equita

4. Clothes by Majestic’s Button Down Charlie Dress
For the more casual family gatherings, this comfy dress from Clothes by Majestic is a perfect fit. Made in Portugal from a fabric made up of 40% Linen, 40% Lyocell, and 20% Cashmere. The check pattern gives it a hint of that Lumberjack Girl style we talked to you about last week.
On sale for $185, Juno & Jove

5. H. Fredriksson’s Drip Dress
Featuring a great pattern and skillful draping, this dress can easily take you from a day at the office to a night of festivities. Designed by Helena Fredriksson of H. Fredriksson, it’s made in New York from 100% silk.
On sale for $260, Juno & Jove

6. Indigenous Designs’ Organic Cotton Little Knit Dress
Perfect for a holiday party, or a hot date, this pretty little dress is hand knit by a women’s weaving cooperative in Peru. Indigenous Designs has a longstanding commitment to the environment and to the communities in which they work, which means everything they make is Fair Trade. This dress is made from organic cotton and tencel and dyed using certified, eco-friendly dyes.
On sale for $89, Jute & Jackfruit

7. Suzabelle’s Alexandria Dress
Suzabelle creates timeless pieces that are guaranteed to make every woman feel a little bit more like a lady. Each piece is ethically crafted by hand and to help offset the impact of production and transportation, designer Suzanne Jaberg donates a portion of all profits to Conservation International.
$189, Olivine

8. Stewart + Brown’s Jersey Gown
The simple, elegant draping in front and back and a subtle side slit makes this maxi dress by Stewart + Brown a good choice for the most glamorous of holiday parties. Made from 96% hemp and 4% spandex jersey it’s also insanely comfortable. Stewart + Brown are members of the 1% for the Planet Foundation, which means that 1% of total sales is donated to charity.
$210, Beklina

Look lovely in lace in Indigenous Design’s summer wardrobe update piece.

Looking for an easy piece to keep the chill off at night but not quite ready to count summer out just yet? Plump for this season’s lace trend, which looks set to stay strong as a key detail through fall. Indigenous Design’s lacy Pullover Sweater is hand loomed in the highest quality, 100% organic cotton by fair-trade artisans in Peru. The chic, flattering boat neckline shrugs off cooler temperatures and helps resist the inevitable fall into Autumn.

Shown in Cashew, also available in Black.

$130.00

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

Fair Trade USA, the only third-party fair trade-certifier in the U.S, has launched a clothing certification that guarantees consumers that the clothing they purchase was not made in a sweatshop.

Heather Franzese, Senior Category Manager for Apparels and Linens at Fair Trade USA has led the development of international fair trade garment certification standards, meeting with cotton farmers and garment factory owners all over the world. I was told by the company that “On any given day, she might Skype with or visit in person workers and factories in India, Peru, Liberia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, or Nicaragua. She can speak about Fair Trade garments from the perspective of a worker, a factory owner, a cotton farmer and a U.S garment business owner.”

Pretty impressive.

Both the farms where the cotton is grown and the factories where the clothing is sewn are inspected and certified to ensure that there are both better working conditions and higher incomes for both farmers and traditionally underpaid garment workers.

Hopefully, Fair Trade USA will eventually work with the U.S where many farmers and garment factory workers stateside could use the help as well.

I caught up with Franzese to find out more about the launch of the certification for garments and textiles currently being set up in underdeveloped countries. Here’s what she had to say:

When did you launch the new certification?

Fair Trade Certified clothing is brand new in the U.S. The pilot standards for Fair Trade factories were published in March 2010 after several years in development. During a public comment period last year, we heard from 55 organizations in 15 countries and incorporated that input into the certification standards and process.

What brands have joined on as part of the certification?

A dozen pioneering companies have committed to launch Fair Trade Certified apparel and house wares. Organic pioneers like Maggie’s Organics and Indigenous Designs, as well as brand new eco-fashion brands like Liberty & Justice, which produces tees at a factory in Liberia that focuses on women’s empowerment.

Are there any Fair Trade farms you’re working with in the U.S?

Not at this time. Fair Trade was started in order to level the playing field for poor farming communities in the developing world, to extend the same social and safety protections that we enjoy here in the U.S but don’t exist in developing countries, and to help empower farming communities through vibrant, global trade. That said, we know there are also inequities here in the U.S and that farmers and workers could benefit from Fair Trade certification.

Today, Fair Trade cotton is grown by 37 certified cotton farmer groups in 10 countries: India, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Senegal, Egypt, Peru, Brazil, Nicaragua and Kyrgyzstan. A little goes a long way in these countries. In Mali, for example, 95 percent of children of Fair Trade farmers go to school because farming communities receive more money. This is more than double the national average for school attendance in the fourth poorest country on earth.

Do you think Fair Trade certifications empower us as consumers?

Yes. We believe that certification helps consumers make every purchase matter. Fair Trade Certified apparel gives you a way to vote with your dollars for an alternative to sweatshops. For 15 years, we’ve been hearing about companies sourcing from sweatshops but the only information on the tag inside your shirt is the country where it’s made. That doesn’t tell you anything about the working conditions. Now, for the first time, you can walk into a clothing store and translate your concern about sweatshops into real dollars and cents for the farmers and workers that make your clothes, just by choosing apparel with the Fair Trade Certified label.

How are you able to monitor the farms and manufacturing facilities?

Fair Trade USA works with a network of local partners to conduct training and inspections at cotton farms and sewing facilities in countries like India, Peru, Costa Rica and Liberia. We also train workers on their rights and how to contact us if they feel that Fair Trade standards are not being met. This empowers workers to become monitors of their own workplace.

Can you explain how your “Fair-Trade Premiums” and “Worker-Controlled Funds” work?

Fair Trade premiums are funds that are specifically earmarked for social and community investment. For each item of Fair Trade Certified clothing you buy, the company selling it pays a percentage of the cost directly into a fund that is controlled by workers in the factory where the clothing was sewn. Workers collectively decide how they want to spend the money.

In my travels over the last year to factories in India, Peru and Liberia, workers have told me they want computer and literacy classes, scholarships for their children to go to high school and college, child care, health clinics and small business loans. In essence, the same kinds of things we want for our communities.

Cotton farmers also earn a Fair Trade premium. I visited cotton farmers in India in January that had used Fair Trade earnings to buy a mill to process lentils and sell them locally to earn more for their families.

When we talk about the idea of sustainability, how does Fair Trade fit in and how important is it?

In Fair Trade, we see sustainability as both an environmental as well as a socio-economic issue. Fair Trade has strict environmental standards that prohibit GMOs and limit or prohibit the use of pesticides on the Pesticide Action Network’s Dirty Dozen list. These can be harmful to the environment and to farmers’ health. Nearly half of Fair Trade Certified products imported into the U.S. in 2009 were also certified organic, and even more producers are using earnings from Fair Trade to fund their transition to organic production. Farmers also establish local environmental plans to manage waste, water and energy, and reduce soil erosion.

And then there is socio-economic stability. Fair Trade provides the foundation for vibrant trade through access to credit, international markets and training so that communities become empowered.

It’s a development effort to build trade and independence, not simply give aid that can result in dependence.

Image: upyernoz

The current economic climate has been nothing short of brutal for many eco-designers, but where there are challenges, there are also opportunities for growth.

SUST, an eco-label out of San Francisco, sees their own challenges as a way to reconnect with America and carry the torch for sustainable apparel.

Kicking off a “Sustainability Across America” tour co-sponsored by EcoSalon, cmarchuska, Indigenous Designs, I love Ryann, Restore Clothing and Guayaki Yerba Matte tea, the tour will tape interviews with industry experts, specialty clothing boutiques and “friends” along the way, which will be shared via social media like Twitter and Facebook as well as at their blog, getsust.

The brainchild of Kevin Baum, CEO of SUST, the trip will serve not only to increase awareness of the SUST brand, but act as a grassroots marketing effort to create connections at the store level and garner a greater knowledge about how real Americans view words like “organic” and “sustainable.”

Despite what you may think, Baum says collaborating with the other designers on the tour isn’t competition, but rather, collaboration.

“We help each other whenever we can, share ideas, and work together to grow the market for organic and sustainable goods,” says Baum. “We’re much more complementary than competitive. Our competition, by contrast, comes from companies who are not organic or sustainable in their practices, and who can offer their goods at much lower prices because of that.”

From San Francisco, mobile meetings with Baum will involve SUST’s  brand ambassador (and van driver), Laura Jones.

Jones will not only promote her three-month trip across America through personal interviews with the eco-community but will also feature some of our nation’s most beautiful parks and monuments. The SUST crew hopes that by taking this approach documenting the natural splendor of a place we call home, it will remind us all of the resources and landscape this new sustainable generation represents and works hard to protect.

I caught up with Laura before she took to the open road.

What is the most exciting aspect of this trip for you as brand ambassador?

I’m excited to experience the sustainable movement coming to life by meeting the people who are its motor and experiencing the nature that is protected as the fruit of their labor. This journey began as an exploration of the country I’ve called home for many years, but has grown into an endeavor to experience not just the place, but the people, culture and even the commerce that make it what it is.

It’s exciting to take this broad notion of the green movement and a love for fashion and marry them together in a totally unique, fun and collaborative way. This is really an opportunity to meet our fellow partners in both fashion and green commerce and to make friends, learn about their missions and projects and help champion their successes. I think the most rewarding aspect of the journey as SUST’s ambassador is the opportunity to connect with like minded people, learn about their contributions, and to be able to paint a real picture of the industry, the movement and the nation in a very human way.

What do you hope this campaign will promote first and foremost for SUST?

I hope this journey will help promote the collaborative energy that fuels the sustainable movement. The movement itself seems like a very high-level, ethereal concept, but the reality is that it’s individual people, working to build and change the way we think and live.

This trip is an effort to extend the hand, to engage our community and to build friendships so that together we can all help one another thrive and achieve in our efforts towards a common goal.

Where can we follow you on social media and will you be making daily posts?

You can all follow me on our Facebook fan page – www.facebook.com/getsust – on Twitter @getsust, and on our blog at getsust.blogspot.com.
I’ll be posting as often as possible, but will have to recess into the wifi-free wilderness of our National Parks every so often! You can expect to hear a lot from me while on the road and in urban areas, and to get full reports of the back-country adventures when I get back in range.

One sentence that sums up how you see the future of sustainable design?

Sustainable design is already going mainstream, continually making inroads into the fashion industry with something that not only feels good and has a sense of style, but is better for the environment as well.