It’s not what you think.

Swinging singles? Just by its very sound it seems unsustainable, as if one person can have so much fun, an item should only have a single use or, god forbid, it might take more than one person to save the world. This week’s Friday Five focuses on the extraordinary number one, the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.

As a young woman you had sex just to tell the story. You traveled the world looking for romance finding it in the most unexpected places. Your life was full of it. Your cherished secrets nobody can (to this day) take away but one morning you woke up and realized it had gotten complicated – and maybe even a little crowded. Sex by Numbers columnist Abigail Wick discusses her new life as a single woman in 6 Months and Single: “My habitat is quiet, my heart is crystalline in its clarity, and my mind is no longer buzzing with white noise. It’s just me, my professional ambitions, my new friends, and an abiding sense of silence. ”

We believe there’s a special place in hell for single use kitchen products and thought a nice list with images to show you how dumb we’ve become as a society to want them was in order. Enter The Rachel Ray Garbage Bowl and Other Ridiculous Kitchen Products. If you have any of these things…we don’t want to know.

One of the hardest things you might be faced with as a woman is being single and people not thinking you’re doomed to spinsterhood, not to mention facing people who don’t understand you also don’t want children or the low sex drive that comes with long term marriage. In 9 Things You Don’t Need To Be Happy, writer Kim Derby celebrates celibacy and gives the middle finger to being forced to find a home for her eggs.

You have clothes with only a single use? That is so ’80s. Here in 2011 we like to maximize the use of our clothing to do double and triple duty and how lucky are we that more designers are jumping on the bandwagon to accommodate us. From the Video Vault: Convertible Clothing features designer Lara Miller whose Callie Cardigan made us freak out the first time we saw it in this video.

Critics warn that large-scale eco-communities aren’t all they’re hyped up to be. Shelter Editor, K. Emily Bond, writes that “despite all of your personal homesteading, composting, upcycling and permaculturing efforts, one-off sustainability is simply not enough to make a meaningful impact on the world. Rather, it takes a village to raise the world to a higher standard of living.” In Does it Take an Eco Village to Save the World?, we learn that plus one might just be one of the most empowering things we embrace.

Behind-the-scenes footage with some of our favorite indie designers from EcoSalon’s video archives.

Nowadays, designers are really having to develop their collections in a holistic way, being attuned not only to seasons and color trends, but to how versatile their pieces can be. We caught up with Lara Miller at Market in New York City, showing A/W ’11 and got her to show us a piece that does double-duty, triple-duty, and more. Enjoy this behind-the-scenes footage – we’ll let Lara show you how much her clothes can do.

We were in awe.

Behind-the-scenes footage with some of our favorite indie designers from EcoSalon’s video archives.

Nowadays, designers are really having to develop their collections in a holistic way, being attuned not only to seasons and color trends, but to how versatile their pieces can be. We caught up with Feral Childe at Market in New York City, showing A/W ’11 and got them to show us a piece that does double-duty, triple-duty, and more. Enjoy this behind-the-scenes footage – we’ll let them show you how much their clothes can do.

Image: buglugs

Lara Miller brings back the fun of wearing shorts this summer.

The perfect summer short? Does it exist? Lara Miller has found the way to our hearts with her side zippered Jay Short. Made from hemp and organic cotton stretch twill, the fabric is light enough to carry you through summer but thick enough not to show all the BBQ feasting you’ll be doing. Plus, with a little stretch and a whole lot of style, you’ll be able to tackle those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer with ease.

$165

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

Designers offer insights on why some styles sell more than others.

Designers will be the first to admit that when it comes to their collections they have their favorites. But does their cloth-crush sometimes outshine the actual needs of the buyer?

A boutique owner has to be part fortune teller, part knowledgeable curator. A smart buyer realizes that above all, they need to be prudent. Getting caught up in the hype of Market Week with a designer telling them something is “Amazing!” and “Will sell through,” can translate to merchandise that doesn’t move.

What this means for you is an uninteresting store selection and a buyer whose investment isn’t going to give much return.

I caught up with a handful of sustainable designers at Market in New York this past week and had them show me a piece they loved, but was it what the buyers were choosing for their Fall 2011 assortments? Not necessarily.

Alice Wu, founder and designer of Feral Childe (above), says the Paganini Practice Shift was her favorite but the more colorful signature prints of her line were buyers’ favorites.

Lara Miller, founder and designer of Lara Miller: “The Callie Flip Cardigan was one of my best sellers and is also one of my favorites. Buyers like that they can wear it more than four different ways and get so much from one piece.”

Tracey Forrest, Owner of True Collaborative Showroom, representing Pendleton’s Portland Collection: “The Cape was placed by every buyer but the men’s pants were sometimes overlooked which typically happens in bottoms that are not denim or khakis-This is often a missed category for men’s clothing.”

Raina Blyer, designer and founder of Creem: “These two were my favorites and the buyers’ because they’re different, but not so different to alienate any type of customer.”

Moriah Carlson, co-designer and founder of Feral Childe, said her Rabbit Bump Dress was a bright spot for buyer’s ordering because she loves it and thankfully, so did they.

Lizz Wasserman, founder and designer behind the line Popomomo, says her A/W ’11 Ferus Shirt is a favorite of hers as well as the buyers: “It’s a shift in silhouette for the buyers but they’re able to see the piece has cross-appeal and accommodates lots of body types.”

I love a good sale and I’m going to take a wild guess and say you do too.

Here’s another round of Stylish Steals to take you into the next season, based mostly out of Body Politic in Vancouver (belts from Beklina and shoes from Juno & Jove).

I started with the pants, because of the name (Spine Pant) but also because of the sexy ladder like stitching up the back. On sale for $179.

This Dani Tunic by Lara Miller top (made from bamboo) with a cute poof on the sleeve is a nice contrast to the organic cotton of the pants. On sale for $151.50

You’ve got your slim fitting pants and your looser tunic top but now you need to pull it in a bit. I can’t stop belting things lately and love these slim, recycled leather belts from Lina Rennell. Love the fun colors, but for this outfit I’m going with the brown. Not on sale ($155).

A Teich handbag on sale? Yes! This little clutch has black to pull in the pants and brown to pull in the belt without being to matchy matchy. On sale for $119.

These Maggie May earrings from Dotted Loop pulls everything together and throws in a splash of color. No other jewelry needed. Not on sale but priced right at $48.

Shoes could be key putting this outfit together and advise these Olsen Haus Babylon Flat to keep it simple but feel free to rock this outfit with heels too. Just keep the embellishments on the shoes low key.

I couldn’t make up my mind what to do for making this more fall-focused but listen, there’s a lot of jackets and cardigans over at Body Politic, so play around a bit.

If you love beautiful clothing with a conscience and haven’t heard of Lara Miller, it’s time to brush-up on your eco fashion facts.

Chicago’s eco-darling and one of the sustainable design world’s pioneers, Lara is tireless in her pursuit to design, encourage, promote and re-create herself. And as executive director of Chicago Fashion Incubator, she mentors and supports up and coming designers.

Her own fresh designs are poster children for modular clothing, having the ability to be wrapped, reversed, and most distinguishably flipped to reveal an entirely different look – watch this video to see what I mean.

Manufactured in Chicago, Lara’s work is strongly influenced by the city’s architectural and cultural landscape while being fashioned from eco-friendly fibers such as organic cotton, hand-loomed bamboo, hemp and vegan silk. Lara says her designs are created with a playful geometry that connects to the personalities of the women who wear them.

“I see my company as a way to support my community – not only by using organic materials while adhering to a “˜green’ lifestyle and workspace – but also by manufacturing locally and working to sustain the sewn products industry in Chicago.”

St. Lara, I have no problem connecting with your line at EcoSalon Shops! on June 4th and will, I swear, finally slip into one of your dresses.

Image: Courtesy of Ecouterre

Hey there, lady readers! For over two years, we’ve been bringing you stories about the stylish side of sustainable living. We’ve been chatting, we’ve been tweeting, we’ve been friending something fierce – but we’ve never met in person! It’s time, don’t you think?

Join EcoSalon’s EIC Sara Ost, Fashion Editor Amy DuFault, and a host of other EcoSalon writers when we host our first ever event, EcoSalon Shops! at Green Spaces on June 4, 2010, from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. at their 394 Broadway, New York, NY location.

Our susty soiree will be haven to 20 sustainable clothing and accessories designers including Lara Miller, Study by Tara St. James and Cri De Coeur shoes, four eco-boutiques, Buddha Nose organic body care and A Perfume Organic. Designers from all the lines will be on hand to chat with you as you peruse new looks and try on your favorites.

You should come prepared to shop, mingle, sample sustainable goodies and organic cocktails – and participate in a Twitter #FollowFriday eco-fashion tweet up.

In addition to shopping, Save The Garment Center‘s Erica Wolf will be on hand with Save The Garment Center t-shirts to answer your questions about the status of New York City’s historic Garment Center and how you can help the cause. Though there won’t be an admission fee to the event, we do suggest making a donation to our friends at Save the Garment Center.

Whether you’re in the market for a sexy strappy number or a new pair of kicks, you can do it all in eco style with us as we toast to green fashion with delicious organic wine, Divine Chocolate and Fair Vodka, and much more. Swag bags filled with sustainable gifts are available for the first 50 shoppers. Throughout May, we’ll be featuring all the participants for EcoSalon Shops!, and answering any questions you may have about the event, so stay tuned. (You can also bookmark this post for daily updates about each designer.)

For more info, check out some of the designers we’ll be showcasing:

• H. Fredriksson
• Feral Childe
• Ecowrist
• Doucette Duvall
• Divine Chocolate
• Fair. Vodka
• Cri de Coeur
• Buddha Nose
• A Perfume Organic
• Ryann
• Lara Miller
• NatureVsFuture
• Rebecka Froberg
• RESTORE
• Tara St. James’ Study
• T-Luxe Lingerie
• Zhena’s Gypsy Tea
• Foundfuture
• Juno & Jove
• Mission Savvy
• Feisty Elle

We can’t wait to meet!

While some sites carry tried and true lines we’ve been following for years, others are peddling cutting edge sustainable fashion – making conscious consumption more provocative than ever.

Here’s a list of what I consider the top 10 eco boutiques. Have at ‘em!

Beklina

I just can’t convey how much I love this site, from the photos to the clothes. Always clean and easy to navigate, Beklina loves their indie designers and is willing to experiment with styles other boutiques are hesitant to try.

Love the Lina Rennell and Mociun offerings as well as these vegan moccasins by Manimal.

Beklina’s site says “Our fashion is modern organic, reflecting Northern California’s grace and beauty,” says Beklina, who believes clothing and design can be “precious, radical, nurturing, healing and wonderful.”

Guess it’s working cause whenever I go to their site, I’m instantly happy.

Embodies

I met Embodies owner Kenlynn Wilson last year at a trade show in New York. I could tell by the look in her eye she was the real deal when it came to being serious about eco.

She bases her criteria on a few things: What fabrics are used in the clothing, where the items are manufactured (and under what conditions), what types of dyes are used in the clothing as well as the packaging the clothes are being shipped in. Curating with a careful eye, Wilson’s due diligence yields a great stable of fashion-forward eco-designers.

Look for Alabama Chanin, Calleen Cordero cuff bracelets and select Linda Loudermilk.

Greenloop

Besides running a fabulous online boutique, Greenloop owner Aysia Wright is commonly used as a resource for both designers and the eco-community. She’s everywhere.

Having just wrapped up her Project Green Search in L.A., Wright’s returned to her home base of Portland, Oregon where she recently moved the brick and mortar Greenloop inside Seven Planet.

Check out the site for a veritable who’s who of eco-designers including Del Forte denim, Charmone shoes (crazy close-outs on them as I write) and Loomstate.

Arboretum

Guided by William McDonough and Michael Braungart’s Hannover Principles on our inter-dependence on nature, Arboretum owners Kate Morison and Andrea Barrett have created their own eco-study of beautiful designed clothing and accessories to show us.

Both women hail from Sonoma County where, they say a connection with the land is a part of their everyday life.
“From the rugged coastline to the majestic redwoods, we have drawn vast inspiration from our environment. Our inspiration and shared vision led us to build an Arboretum.”

Love their picks of Stewart and Brown, Rag & Bone and Prairie Underground.

Clary Sage Organics

After a busy day wearing my blogger and retailer hats, I want to slip on lounging wear with comfort and ease.

Clary Sage is my go to brand for comfy but stylish yoga pants, camisole tops and my very favorite, Convertible Wrap (feels delicious).

In addition to their own line, they have an “After Yoga” section with easy slip on skirts, tunic t-shirts and go-to hoodies.

Just when you thought you were completely satisfied with their clothing selections, they offer a great range of Lotions and Potions including my favorite body care line, Farmaesthetics and perfumes by Tsi~La (Ylang Ylang is mmm…). Search the site for your own new favorites.

Kaight

Kate Macgregor, the founder and owner of Kaight has carefully edited her boutique for men and women that dig clothing and accessories “thoughtfully designed” with organic and sustainable textiles.

Like most of the eco-boutiques listed here, Kaight specializes in emerging and independent designers who use organic, recycled and sustainable materials.

Love their Ashley Watson bags, Melissa Shoe selection as well as Dream & Awake vintage dresses.

Tobi

In addition to their traditional shopping, Tobi offers an Eco-Tobi site which I hope continues to grow.

If you can’t get to the actual brick and mortar shop in San Francisco, their 1-to-1 shopping experience can be had online which involves live chat with one of the owners to get style advice or sizing questions answered before you buy.

Lots of great natural body and hair care lines including Pangea, Hamadi and Pure Fiji as well as basics from Alternative Apparel and tried and true lines by Edun, Prairie Underground and Stewart and Brown.

Jessa Brinkmeyer, owner of Pivot

Pivot
This Chicago-based online boutique is run by Jessa Brinkmeyer on the premise that being eco doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Brinkmeyer says “A big part of building an eco-smart wardrobe is finding pieces you can keep and love.”

Very true. By picking even one sustainably designed article of clothing from Pivot, you’ve in fact begun your journey.
You might want to start with a great fitting She-Bible cardigan or Lara Miller sweater that will stylishly last you for years.

Sodafine

Sodafine has got to be one of the sweetest shops going.

Based in Brooklyn, the boutique’s owner Erin Weckerle focuses her buying on “innovative and unique handmade clothing, accessories and gift items.”

Weckerle also carries a selective collection of vintage clothing, (I recently was gifted a beautiful vintage slip from a friend who stopped in there) as well as lines utilizing eco-friendly fabrics and sustainable labor practices.

The site says “Many of the items you’ll find at Sodafine are made by individuals who call themselves artists and see their production of clothing/accessories as just one facet of their artistic process”¦We are eager to assist young artists and craftspeople with information(and inspiration) for marketing their wares. We intend to provide an interesting model of the intersection of art, craft, and fashion at work in everyday life.”

And they have.

Check out great pieces from Feral Childe, Popomomo as well as Sodafine’s own in-house line.

Kind

Kind states that their boutique is for “Living happy, living gently,” which makes me love them all the more.

Mixing sustainably designed as well as vintage finds with things for your nest, Kind is a one-stop shop with quality pieces, consciously handpicked to really reflect their store.

Check out clothing by Mika Machida and Nixxi as well as shoes by Neuaura and Olsen Haus.

Poppomomo

Hells bells. Stop eating that Halloween candy, girl!

Like an epiphany, it dawned on me today that spring is just five months away, and I chucked my Heath Bar into the compost. True, we’re scarcely into winter, but the spring fashion alert is already on: Cutouts are everywhere and will be forcing us to bare regions more sacred than Area 51 (that’s the nether land just under your armpit, by the way).

Pieces like the one above, by Poppomomo, which I love, invite us to engage personal trainers to target Area 51 proper.

And this little ditty from Reif screams I’m pretty from the front, but what about my back? Is it tight enough? Moles all in a row?

Lara Miller isn’t remiss, either, with her floor-length goddess dress. I want to wear high ponytails just like her model. It says, Hey, I left the gym and just happened to throw this on.

Isn’t there any rest for the wicked who love pies, hearty soups and fresh-baked cookies?

Apparently not. So pay heed, oh darling bundled one, in your over-sized organic cotton number, in your Peruvian Highland wool and stretchy skinny jeans: Five months from now, you will be asked to bare.

Will you be ready for this warmer weather trend?