Curiously, the most esteemed and luxurious material of the past several millennia is one created by caterpillars. It is the fate of these caterpillars, or silkworms, that has animal rights organizations concerned. Many thousands of silkworms are killed in the processing of just one pound of silk; if any two or four-legged creature were involved this would be considered outright cruelty.

Somehow the situation is less clear when it involves the lowly worm – albeit cute worms that eventually become moths and fly freely. Becoming more curious about the origins of your silk garments can empower you to choose designers who walk a sustainable path on the silk road of fashion.

Though access and products are very limited, there are growing options. “Peace silk” or “vegetarian silk” is produced with a more humane approach to harvesting the silk strands; you should buy it when it’s available (unfortunately, usually it’s just not). In this style of production, moths are often allowed to mature and emerge unscathed from the cocoons, which are then salvaged and spun, rather than discarded. (To the discerning fashionista, the so-called vegetarian silk does have a slight discoloration and rougher touch than other varieties.)

Another option is wild silk – which is silk harvested from cocoons in the wild where the silkworms and subsequent moths are allowed to live free lives in their natural habitat. The silk is simply harvested from abandoned or damaged cocoons. Manufacturers cannot always use wild silk because it contains a different protein sequence making it harder to dye.

The silk of your garment may have come from a small supplier or an enormous corporate silk plant. Silk from a small village vs. an enormous corporate plant will generally contain fewer chemical additives (used to add extra luster). Buy from reputable companies that support fair trade artisans and you’re more likely to get the better kind of silk.

Organic and sustainability standards are still in the development phase for silks. The cruelty issue is largely separate from the “organic” issue, since silk can be produced with no pesticides or chemical additives, but still be processed in a way that kills the pupae before they become moths. The Ahimsa Silk company is one at the forefront of the peace silk movements, providing detailed documentation of its manufacturing processes.

The entire debate over the situation of sustainable silk helps us to recognize that “organic”, “sustainable” and “ethical” are three separate code-words, each with their own complex set of guidelines.

The word ahimsa (non-violence) embodies the core of sustainability practices can be applied when we inspect other animal-based textiles for their ethical practices. Defining sustainable practices for silks is starting to show on the radar of eco-fashion designers and consumers, who are encouraged to ask questions. “What became of the silkworm?” is increasingly a question on the list.

Image: Jason Gulledge

The post Free Range Worms appeared first on EcoSalon.

Canadian designer Jessie May’s self-named line of casual knitwear has been making its way into U.S. boutiques over the past few years and the pieces have become a sleeper-hit among eco-minded notables.

The newest lines feature an increasingly organic selection of bamboo, creamy cotton “cashmere” and modal jersey knitwear. The line is divided into three distinctive categories: “organic tribal glam”, “coastal prairie nostalgia” and “sunny vintage tropics”.

Jessie May had me at ‘”organic” and enticed me with her philosophy of using a “therapeutic color pallet”. An earthy rainbow of hues ranges from vanilla to poppy, buttercup and chamomile. Easy on the eyes would be an understatement – these pieces are mesmerizing.

The integration of lyocell into many of the fabric blends offers a sexy, silken touch. Lyocell is a sustainably produced wood fiber sometimes called a “cotton alternative”. The soft feel of lyocell graces much of Jessie May’s playfully elegant inventory.

Jessie May’s designs are like sexy lullabies – delicate, flowing and surprising.

The post Canadian Chic with Jessie May appeared first on EcoSalon.

As a Scrabble addict and general bibliophile, I could not resist the recycled typewriter key earrings in Larkyn’s post. So, I decided to seek out more designers using recycled typewriter parts.

The typewriter jewelry by What’s Your Type satisfied my hankering for wearable letters, in a diversity of pieces from earrings and bracelets to cufflinks and watches.

By rescuing these beautiful machine parts from the landfill, Whats Your Type provides a service to eco-minded letter-lovers.

The post Just Your Type appeared first on EcoSalon.

Urge to Adorn creates exclusive, retro motif, themed belt-buckles. The handmade, antique-finish buckles pop with vintage illustrations inspired by nature, mythology, western motifs and Asian art.

The buckles are crafted of 100% lead-free pewter and covered in 10 layers of toxin-free coating to create a distinctive “weathered” veneer.

Collect a series of buckles to adorn one of the belts that come with each purchase – your choice of a pliable latigo leather belt or a recyled rubber belt made entirely from agricultural tires.

If the collectible buckles don’t have a design you fancy, you may send your own photo to create a custom design.

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From the schoolgirl mini to tennis-court chic, the pleated skirt has been a paragon of prettiness for much of the past century. Pleats are the chameleons of eco-fashion, showing up in designs that range from punk to prim-and-proper.

As a wardrobe statement, this structural pleated skirt with is a knockout autumn piece. Camilla Norback modernizes the pleated mini in organic cotton ensuring pesticide-free pleats.

From left to right, below:

To prance with pleats into winter like a sophisticated schoolgirl, try on this pencil-skirt from fair-trade designers Myth and Ritual. On sale for just $139.

EcoSkin opts for a more subtly pleated dress design, flattering with pleats in all the right places.

For an ultra-luxe option, explore some of the pleated designs from Swiss eco-conscious label Akris, like this jewel-neck dress.

The post Eco Style, if You Pleat appeared first on EcoSalon.

Allison recently scouted out some adorable eco booties.

Luckily for those of us who love to cover a little more leg in winter, there is a cozy selection of sustainably manufactured, eco-friendly full-length boots, lined up for the first sign of snow on the ground.

These boots represent the various faces of the full-length green, from downtown dressy to snuggly to casual urban trekker.

For a touch of urban rugged, Patagonia‘s Wild Thyme boots are sturdy, streamlined and ready to hike. These beauties have a natural cotton upper and a 70% natural latex outsole with a coconut-fiber heel. (On sale for $99)

The Banjo boot from Terra Plana, a knee-high stunner with several delectable eco-features including a comfy rubber and rice-husk sole and vegetable-tanned leather. (£175)

From Simple, these Toetally wool felt boots warm your toes and your conscience. They lace up down the back of your calf and snuggle your feet in organic bamboo liners secured with jute laces.($120)

From Spanish eco-luxe shoe company El Naturalista, a rustic-but-refined look emerges this winter. Natural rubber and breathable carbon insoles are a draw, as well as this adorable knee-high sweater-boot design of the Duna.

Bonus boot: because winters are wet, we can’t resist mentioning Hunter Wellington boots. They were a hit last winter and given their 100% recyclable materials and luscious color selection, the trusty all-weather standbys are here to stay for another hibernation!

The post Walk Your Eco Talk in Earth-Friendly Winter Boots appeared first on EcoSalon.

Where would you be without your USB?

These ports are used to power an array of gadgets and gizmos.

The USBCELL company’s mission to provide ever-eco-friendlier energy solutions has been bolstered by its line of USB rechargeable batteries. Batteries have been slow to achieve a greener status, giving their disposable nature and a lack of options for recycling. With an estimated 15 billion batteries needlessly discarded each year, the problem looms large.

The solution? Recharge!

USB ports are omnipresent and easily-accessible in our home and work lives, and USBCELL wants to exploit them to conveniently recharge batteries. For those of us eco-tech-fashionistas, the gadgets are now available in an ultra-pretty pastel series, with models capable of recharging basic alkaline batteries, and a host of cell phone and pda-device batteries.

Enjoy your greener, prettier USB ports!

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Alkemie Jewelry is forged from only relcaimed metals, as well as leather from a cattle ranch dedicated to zero waste. 

The USA-made pieces of Alkemie’s current line, “The Maiden Voyage” is a nod to the sophisticated organic contours of the Art Nouveau style, and to nature’s most awesome creatures and their mythical counterparts. The circle-laden necklaces and earrings bring a vintage sensibility to the classic hoop earring and drop-pendant.

Where Art Nouveau and nature meet, for Alkemie, is a ripe intersection of conscious consumerism and artistic collaboration, eschewing the toxic-filled world of the gold minining industries.

Alkemie’s cuffs are a standout of “The Maiden Voyage” line, the bold gold wristpieces capturing stunning creaturely motifs from octopi, bats and owls to peacocks and Egyptian scarabs.

The husband-and-wife team, Dara Gerson and Ashley Lowengrub, are forging forth in the world of Eco-bling on the power of their potent, vintage and organic aesthetic.

The post Birds and Bees, Flowers and Trees, Octopi and Bats appeared first on EcoSalon.

Sometimes, the complexities of fashion boil down to just one word: fit.

We’ve all seen that gorgeous dress, looming in decadent splendor on the botique floor, only to try it on and – flop. Frei Designs aim to provide unparalleled fit, inspired by deep study of the history of dress. With inspiration from current trends and time-tested construction, the pieces are both high-design and wearable. This shows in their hand-dyed creations and elegant embellishment.

This deep ruby dress from their Fall 2008 collection borrows some elements from 19th century design but adds relaxed, gentle volume for a modern fusion. The result is uncommon – and fitting.

The post Flaunt Your Figure with Frei appeared first on EcoSalon.

So states the playful tagline of a hot eco fashion house. Eco designer Twice Shy pays homage to the world’s first fashion icons: Adam and Eve. Likely feeling quite shy indeed, clad only in those fig leaves, these two iconic muses set the stage for a model of sustainable fashion. (Fig leaves, are, after all, a sustainable and 100% natural "textile".)

However, the watchwords of Twice Shy are not so shy at all – fun, saucy and boldly earth-centered. Twice Shy has built a repertoire on gorgeous organic bamboos and cottons with an irresistible artisan attention to detail. There’s a range for the whole family – Fig is for children and features organic textiles and friendly fits. The women’s line features expertly constructed, tailored and lightweight menswear-esque vests, jackets, suiting and plenty of feminine casual wear, as well. All very flattering and nothing to be shy about at all.

The post 'Organic Fashion for Sinners Everywhere' appeared first on EcoSalon.