The best of EcoSalon’s stories this week.

French writer Albert Camus was a thoughtful man, and pondered many of the great questions through his strange, beautiful fiction (Why are we here? What does it mean? Why do we keep messing important things up, like our own planet?). Never encountered his work? Let Scott Adelson take you on an introductory tour.

For artists, cardboard is an evocative medium to work with, for its associations with poverty and its ephemeral nature. Cardboard sculpture is powerful – as these recycled cardboard portraits from Ali Golzad so clearly demonstrate.

Ad agencies are experts at getting into our heads and getting us to support brands. We celebrate the work of five advertising campaign experts, and the benefits and hazards of letting them play with our minds.

Anthropologie releases a new collaborative design project meant to shine a light on small fashion brands – and we all cheer? If only it were that simple. Jessica Marati investigates.

We hate plastic bags. No, really, REALLY. But while we might rail against urban tumbleweed in its larvae stage, there’s no denying that carrier bags are hard to give up – and yet that hasn’t stopped Rachelle Strauss from doing just that. So, are you up to the Zero Waste Trash Challenge?

The post The Friday 5: Got a Head Full of Thoughts Edition appeared first on EcoSalon.

Are Anthropologie and sister company Urban Outfitters supporting independent designers or ripping them off?

Earlier this month, indie fashion lovers went wild when Anthropologie debuted Made In Kind, its new “project in collaborative design.” With an initial offering of 11 exclusive, limited-edition capsule collections, Made In Kind shines a spotlight on independent designers and small brands, including sustainable favorites like Samantha Pleet and Organic by John Patrick.

But as excited as we want to get about Made In Kind, we can’t ignore accusations that both Anthropologie and its sister store, Urban Outfitters, have previously ripped off independent designers. In the world of independent fashion, there can often be a fine line between finding inspiration in another product and downright copying it. In this week’s Behind the Label, we explore the difference.

Anthropologie’s first store was opened by current president Richard Hayne in Glendale, Pennsylvania, in 1992. Under Urban Outfitters Inc., which also owns Urban Outfitters, Free People, Terrain, and BHLDN, the chain has since expanded to more than 135 retail locations that offer, according to its website, “a one-of-a-kind and compelling shopping experience that makes women feel beautiful, hopeful and connected.”

It’s this kind of aspirational marketing that has created thousands of loyal customers and dozens of fan blogs with titles like You, Me & Anthropologie and Breakfast at Anthropologie, dedicated to proclaiming the gospel of the clothing chain (for a good laugh, also check out the satirical blog Anthroparodie).

Anthropologie’s “secret sauce” is in careful curation and inspired retailing. “Part of our business is this idea of the found one-of-a-kind object, antique or craft,” said Aaron Hoey, Anthropologie’s general merchandising manager, in an interview with The Toronto Star published in February. “It has to be this authentic for it to feel authentic in the store. Otherwise it would just be the same thing as everywhere else.”

The Good

Anthropologie has a history of seeking out unique items from independent designers around the world. In fact, an entire Sundance Channel reality television show, Man Shops Globe, was dedicated to buyer-at-large Keith Johnson‘s round-the-world hunt for global treasures. In a separate article in the Toronto Standard, also published in February, merchandising manager Hoey said that the chain is particularly fond of supporting local designers in their various markets.

We love to localize. So if you have a great ceramicist in Toronto and he or she can only make a couple hundred units – because a lot of people aren’t set up to manufacture – well, that’s great, because we’ll send them to five stores. We’ll see them in Toronto, of course, and we’ll also shoot some to California, where this artisan wouldn’t have naturally been exposed.

Anthropologie also has a great record of working with not-for-profit and fair trade organizations in the developing world. Recent examples include the Thousand Hills Cowl, made in Rwanda with women’s co-ops through Indego Africa, and the Perfect Skippers Necklace, handcrafted by artisans in the mountains of Ecuador through The Andean Collection.

As for the Made In Kind project, a big plus is that it gives small designers great exposure to Anthropologie’s large and loyal online community. Each brand is highlighted with a special landing page, and many of the designers are written up in the online Anthropologie magazine. Plus, with a new crop of designers launching each month, Anthropologie is able to satisfy online shopper cravings for new, fresh merchandise.

The Bad

While Anthropologie’s indie aesthetic is a big reason for the store’s popularity, sometimes it hits a bit too close to home for people in the fashion and handmade communities. Though no major scandals have arose (yet) Anthropologie is consistently scrutinized for releasing items that look remarkably similar to items found on Etsy – so much so that an online game called “Etsy or Anthropologie?” has developed on the Regretsy blog, asking readers to guess which item comes from which source.

More evident are the accusations levied against Anthropologie’s sister store Urban Outfitters, which has come under fire for everything from anti-Semitic t-shirts to politically incorrect Navajo-inspired undies. One of the biggest controversies came last spring, when Etsy seller Stephanie Koerner claimed that Urban Outfitters had stolen the designs for its line of I Heart Destination necklaces from her United States of Love collection.

Her story swept through the social media world, forcing Urban Outfitters to issue a formal response denying the claims:

In her recent blog post and on Twitter Koerner claims that Urban Outfitters stole her designs or was inspired in some way by the items in her Etsy shop for our I Heart Destination necklaces. In fact, a quick search on Etsy for ‘state necklace’ reveals several other sellers with similar products (as seen here on Regretsy) who offered their wares as much as a year earlier than Ms. Koerner. We are not implying that Koerner stole her necklace idea from one of these other designers, we are simply stating the obvious—that the idea is not unique to Koerner and she can in no way claim to be its originator.

The Questionable

Urban Outfitters’ response raises an important point: in the world of independent fashion, which is inspired and informed by many different sources, how is it possible to claim a design as original? While Koerner’s accusations against Urban Outfitters were great at galvanizing attention, the validity of her claims was later questioned by Regretsy and larger blogs like Fashionista, which pointed out that the idea of stamping a heart on a metal outline of a state had been done long before Koerner’s Etsy line.

Still, it’s undeniable that both the design of Urban Outfitters’ destination jewelry line and its marketing bore a striking resemblance to Koerner’s. And hers isn’t the only accusation against the chain; similar claims were levied by jewelry designers at the Brooklyn Flea in 2010 and by t-shirt designers in 2006 and 2007.

One thing is for sure: if Urban Outfitters Inc. wants to continue highlighting its collaborations with independent designers, it needs to be extra careful about any claims – against any of its brands – that the company is knocking off the very designers it purports to celebrate. Where Anthropologie is concerned, Hoey has denied association with Urban Outfitters:

We operate like a mom-and-pop at Anthropologie. We actually know nothing about Urban Outfitters. I don’t know a single person that works there. While it is a sister company because it’s owned by the same parent company, we don’t know what goes on there. I would encourage them, if they’ve done any of these things, to clean up their act. I don’t want our reputation damaged by anything that’s happened in the past at Urban; it’s not what the CEO wants, either. For me, it’s a lesson: I’ll never let that happen at Anthropologie.

But as much as Anthropologie wants to distance itself from Urban Outfitter’s alleged sins, it’s difficult to ignore the fact that both stores are owned by the same parent company. To ease these kinds of consumer conflicts, Urban Outfitters Inc. needs to do a better job at enacting policies across all of its brands to prevent knock-offs and preserve its support of independent designers.

SEE ALSO:

Behind the Label: H&M’s Conscious Collection

Behind the Label: Levi Strauss’ E-Valuate Program

Behind the Label: TOMS’ One for One Campaign

Behind the Label: Puma’s Vision and Clever Little Bag

Read more Behind the Label here.

Image: pjinomaha, Regretsy [2]

The post Behind the Label: Anthropologie’s ‘Made In Kind’ appeared first on EcoSalon.

Will Anthropologie’s new online platform inspire the kind of innovation the fashion industry desperately needs?

Anthropologie debuts an intriguing new website today, called Made in Kind, to showcase its take on the popular trend for designer collaborations. In a release, Anthropologie states the new online platform will function as a gallery “housing multiple exhibitions per month, each dedicated to a single designer or concept.”  Presenting editorial content to go along with the eleven new lines – priced in the $120-$300 range – the collaborations will be available in some stores, online and via the catalog.

Despite featuring small, emerging designers and sustainable brands, including British bohemian brand Place Nationale – makers of one-off garments using European antique fabrics – Brooklyn-based eco fashion designer, Samantha Pleet and John Patrick of Organic, the launch is ambiguous on the subject of it’s sustainability.

Treasure by Samantha Pleet

The eco credentials of the designer’s collaborations with the brand are yet unclear, the decision to avoid tagging the new venture, “ethical,” “conscious” or “sustainable” by Urban Outfitter Inc. owned Anthropologie is interesting.

In contrast, other chain stores are loudly launching eco lines left, right and center. H&M’s exclusive Glamour Conscious Collection – which will be available April 12 in around 100 H&M stores across the globe – has been widely promoted, coming across as an act of contrition for its past year offenses that saw the mega chain accused of not performing proper clothing disposal practices, destroying damaged or unsold clothes that could easily be used elsewhere or recycled for other items.

Place Nationale

Why would a company not shout its eco-friendliness from the rooftops? It happens more than you might think. Because of the difficulty in greening every part of the supply chain, the inability to guarantee every factory involved or fabric used (a small amount of bias tape required, for example) along with ethical fashion’s former “granola” reputation – many brands have been shy of admitting their behind-the-scenes green involvement.

Marketing is often accused of selling something people don’t need but the reverse can also be true. Smart companies restructure their offerings to suit customer demand. Hopefully it is only a matter of time before all businesses are competing to be the most ethical. By tapping into the “zeitgeist” that supporting independent designers keeps America’s workers working, Anthropologie is focusing on the growing preference and appreciation for smaller brands.

In her recent article, Could Small be the New Big for the fashion Industry?, Ilaria Pasquinelli explains the recent shift and how “the era of big” has come to an end.” She writes, “Small organisations are often led by visionary product specialists or designers, particularly in the fashion industry. The small scale allows companies to be flexible, this is crucial in order to adapt to very diverse market conditions and economic turbulence.”

Pasquinelli documents case studies where large corporations have successfully collaborated with small fashion businesses as pioneers in sustainability, such as British supermarket Tesco’s in-house brand F&F, which partnered with the pioneering upcycle fashion brand From Somewhere; Levi’s campaign to refit vintage Levi’s 501 in collaboration with Reformation, a fashion brand that repurposes vintage clothing and materials in their studios in New York and Los Angeles; and Worn Again, a tiny company that successfully worked with large corporations such as Virgin, Royal Mail and Eurostar to help them re-use textiles, such as disused uniforms, they would otherwise discard.

Small companies have proven themselves to be leaders in innovation – something desperately needed in order to green the monolithic fashion industry – Made In Kind may well bring a whole new meaning to the popular concept of “designer collaboration.”

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ColumnThe connection between the clothes we buy and the clothes we are already wearing.

Julia Ramsey is intent on sharing an awareness about textiles with others. “I think it’s important to know the connection between the materials and the end product and the human and how it all comes together; a lot of times, I think it’s taken for granted.”

In a recent event at The Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn, NY, Ramsey unveiled her freshest fashion endeavor: Pelt. Textiles and their individual stories are integral to the inspiration and creation process for Ramsey. Pelt reveals an experience that weaves together raw materials, innovative construction, and an intimate relationship with your clothing and shelter.

Grounded in ideas of estrangement, Pelt sought to deconstruct society’s tendency to disconnect from the clothing on your back. “Normally, when you’re wearing a sweater, it’s completely devoid of an origin; since I’m inspired by materials that I work with, I think it’s really interesting to make the materials the center of attention.” Each piece of the creamy, cloudy, milky, and comfort-driven collection harbors the potential to perform as a second skin. “They kind of take on a life of their own, and when you’re wearing them, you feel like you have this second skin; it makes you take on another persona and they almost speak for themselves.” For Ramsey, your “pelt” can serve to shelter you or to give you additional strength. Evolved from observations of animal skins, animal hides, and furs, the cozy pieces make you want to curl up in them and hibernate for a long winter ahead.

While Ramsey seems clearly comfortable in her own skin, being a “fashion designer” wasn’t something she could always easily identify with. Growing up, she loved to sew and make dresses, but fashion wasn’t really part of her life. “When I went to school, I couldn’t look anyone in the face and say ‘I’m going to be a fashion designer’.” In turn, early in her journey as a designer, she contemplated and analyzed the question of what truly makes a garment special. For her, the fabric is key; even if the design is simply cut, an amazing fabric can elevate a piece to another level. Through studying textile design with a specialization in knitting, Ramsey’s curiosity in the fabric behind her fashion has taken her even deeper into an investigation of the naked elements beneath: the raw material.

Pelt was constructed from a collection of unprocessed sheep’s fleece from around the globe. Ramsey’s design exploration led her to discover wool sourced from a little girl who raises sheep on her parents’ organic farm in Connecticut as well as an organic line of super fine merino wool imported from South America by a U.S. trader company. Wherever the sheep were raised, Ramsey’s wool comes practically direct from the animal’s back to yours. The wool is carded and the fibers aligned, but it’s raw and in a sense, that still maintains its connection to the animal. “It’s animalistic, and wild in a way, because it is so close to the sheep.”

By feeling and touching each pelt, it’s possible to realize that it came from a sheep. “You don’t think about that all the time and I think it’s important to be conscious of it.”

Organics go far beyond the materials for Ramsey. Designing is an evolution that unfolds before her in a very free-flowing and intuitive way. “I like to keep it really hands-on and I like to be making with my hands. I think that’s important: to be close to it.” In Pelt, she began working with a Barbara Walker knitting swatch book and let the shapes develop naturally. “Just putting rectangles [of the knitting patterns] onto the form, they kind of take on a life of their own and I can visualize how to build them out.” Guided by the body and a mixture of the material and the body, Ramsey’s work pairs an interesting balance between emotions of strength and femininity.

Drawing upon the embedded concept of skins, animal hides, and fur, Ramsey’s romanticized photo shoot for the collection took an even further look at the significance of coverings and the meanings behind their expressions. The true model in the images exists behind a styled facade, as in reality, she has long red hair. In addition, her freckling from head -to-toe covers her skin and creates a pattern upon her own body. Layers of coverings – animal and human – overlap and almost become entangled in a merging of raw and wild, comfort and spectacle.

Ramsey’s Pelt undoubtedly connects human with animal; the shearing from a sheep’s coat is woven into a covering to shield a human from the cold. We may not generally think so directly about the origins of the fabrics draped upon our shoulders, but Ramsey’s exploration reminds us that our garments contain stories that have already been written before they reach us. Questioning those stories and pondering their intricacies could aid in reestablishing true and authentic connections with our body coverings.

“I think it’s important to have things that people would love to wear, and are actually wearable, even though they stand out and make an impact.” Ramsey says this collection was potentially her Fall 2012 preview. We hope to soon see her creations available at a nearby boutique; whether it be to shield, shelter, or take on a distinct persona, these coverings are utterly covetable.

The post THREADED: Julia Ramsey Sheds Her Skin About ‘Pelt’ appeared first on EcoSalon.

Let spring inspire a fresh touch in your home.

As spring’s pollen swirls and buds plump up to open, these vivid products will incorporate a bit of charm into your home while channeling the saturated colors and whimsy of nature. Leaf prints, mercury birds, wine bottle tumblers, a notebook to hold your thoughts, organic sheets, and a pillow reminiscent of grass blades are just what the season demands.

Clockwise from top left:

1. Coconut Palm Letterpress Specimen Print – Mossiere, $10
2. Antiqued Mercury Glass Sparrow – My Sparrow, $12
3. Wine Punt Drinking Glasses – Pigeon Toe Ceramics, $10 – 12
4. Diamond Notebook – Piegeon Toe Ceramics, $8
5. Azure Fern Sheet Set (Blue) – Anthropologie, $119.95
6. Ziddi Linen Cushion (Green) – Branch Home, $128

The post Spring Ahead appeared first on EcoSalon.

Setting the spring-ready table.

Wouldn’t it be whimsical to eat off these pieces of Watercolor Petal Dinnerware ($14 – 24) from Anthropologie? New Orleans artist Shelley Hesse has painted these bone china beauties with saturated wonder.

Editor’s note: We are proud to bring you original columns and feature editorials at EcoSalon on a daily basis. But sometimes, nothing’s more pleasurable than admiring a beautiful, innovative or special sustainable product or idea. Throughout each week, look for “lustables” in the mix here at EcoSalon. And if you have a product you think readers should see, drop us a line at tips@ecosalon.com.

The post Lustables: Watercolor Dinnerware appeared first on EcoSalon.

This bold kitchen is the culmination of vivid color, bohemian flair and pure comfort. Get this vision in fuchsia, a hot color for spring – only get it greener. Here’s a simple six step plan to effortlessly adapt this look (daresay improve this look) using only environmentally friendly products.

1. Slather a dose of Little Greene Mischief water-based paint on your wall. Get the unassuming look of imperfect texture with a single casual application. Paint on this whimsical color, which is bordering dangerously close to the 2011 color of the year, with confidence.

2. Scour local flea markets and architectural salvage yards for large marquee typography or order a Custom Letter from Hindsvik in raw wood grain. Let the letter rest against your freshly painted fuchsia wall for a delicious contrast, or finish it with paint one shade darker than the wall for a subtle accessory (add a few drops of black paint to your leftover Mischief for the perfect color).

3. Gather a few random patterned tiles to lean against your wall and serve as an impromptu backsplash and eclectic design element (another reason to search local flea markets and architectural salvage yards). Beautiful lavastone tiles from Made a Mano are another lovely option – order a range of patterns, colors, and sizes.

4. Dangle a woven pendant light (your choice of teardrop or spherical) to cast dramatic shadows across the room. If you have a high ceiling, hang an elongated pendant low to create an intimate dining area. If your ceilings are low, select a smaller pendant and hang it close to your ceiling to avoid making your space seem smaller. Tucker Robbins has excellent lighting options (like the stunning Votive Shade). If you’re feeling artistic, give this project a try.

5. The Vintage Fir Cross-Beam Table from VivaTerra will provide a strong anchor for the room. Flank the rugged wooden table with light and crisp Wishbone Chairs from VivaTerra to create a balance of bulk and air. Cap each end of the trestle table with the versatile woven Banda Ottoman from Anthropologie.

6. The final step is to bring a warm and inviting texture to the space. If the allure of lambskin is too strong to refuse, choose an option tanned without chemicals (like the sumptuous Black Sheep White Light products). If you’d sleep better at night knowing there is nothing more than organic cotton in your kitchen, toss a Cable-Knit Throw from VivaTerra across each Wishbone Chair to warm the winter chill.

All the glamour and aesthetic of the gorgeous kitchen above with natural and environmentally friendly products? Yes, please.

Visit all of EcoSalon’s Get the Look ideas for more inspiration.

(Image spotted on Little Blue Deer.)

The post Greening 6 Ways from Fuschia appeared first on EcoSalon.

Every once in awhile, a piece of clothing grabs me in its attractive talons and whisks me away to want land. Capes are very on trend so at least I don’t feel like a freak regressing back to my mother’s fashion heyday. I was seven when they were in so I never got to fully, how do you say, partake?

This holiday season, if I get any of these capes I will freak out (mostly this top one).

The Oru, Haute Couture, $415

Capes come in many different shapes and sizes and maybe it’s the wide sleeves to accommodate chunky sweaters like this vegan number from Vaute Couture that has drawn me in.

Anthropologie Wool, Double Duty Cape, $248

This classic from Anthropologie isn’t too hard on the eyes either and would give me the tailored and tough Katherine Hepburn vibe I like in the fall and winter.

Vintage Wool, Cowl Neck Cape, Currently $76.00 on eBay

This paired with jeans or my Prairie Underground denim leggings is just ridiculous. Give it to me.

Vintage Wool Cape, eBay, Currently $27.89

And this toggle cape in a hunter green? I am a poet. I am a lover. I am a huntress.

Top Cloak Image is of The San Miguel Cloak, Bona Drag, $1,080.00

The post This Holiday Season? I Want A Cape appeared first on EcoSalon.

These gifts are for the souls in your life that are brimming with charisma and personality (or maybe those begging for a hint of humor). From ski masks with facial hair to balls of seeds, we have gathered some of the best eco-friendly holiday gifts for your gifting pleasure. Give a handful of pencils fashioning mustaches, an Icelandic ski mask, wooden tools to serve up your salads, an Amish made scooter, or a tin to help you budget for a new tattoo (complete with hysterical instructions, including, “Do Not Tattoo Your Face.”

Clockwise from top left:

1. Office Mustaches – Atypyk, $14.85
2. Beard Cap (Gray) – Birkiland, $91.20
3. Salad Wrenches – Atypyk, $25.65
4. Amish Made Scooter (Orange) – Reform School Rules, $245
5. I’m Savin’ Up for a New Tattoo – VideoSift, $7.95

Or how about giving someone a book that’s illegible, a ceramic shutter, gumball seed pods, facial hair on a stick, a pinhole aperture, or a roadkill necklace.

6. Romeo & Julienne – Atypyk, $23.62
7. Ghost Camera (Polaroid) – Branch Home, $68
8. Seed Bombs (West Coast) – Anthropologie, $6
9. Mustache on a Stick (Bartender) – Something’s Hiding in Here, $36
10. Paint Can Pinhole Camera – The Conran Shop, $20
11. Geo Necklace – Roadkill, $110

Still haven’t found the perfect gift?  How about this plastic aversion bag or this five year memory?

Click here to devour all of our 2010 Gift Guides.

The post 2010 Gift Guide: For All appeared first on EcoSalon.

These gifts are for the masculine souls in your life (the ladies were covered yesterday in case you missed it!). From flying squirrels to vintage bow ties, we have gathered some of the best eco-friendly holiday gifts for your gifting pleasure. Give him a two dimensional visual of his favorite tunes, a witty flask to contain his spirits, delight his inner sophisticate with a soft tie or crisp collar candle, wrap his iPad in wool, and then wrap his neck in vintage plaid.

Clockwise from top left:

1. Music Posters – The Small Stakes, $25 – 40 (Buy 2 get 1 free!)
2. Just Salve (Sweet Birch) – Just Soap, $5.50 (It’s pedal powered!)
3. Poison Flask – In God We Trust, $50
4. Sheep’s Tie (Brown) – Birkiland, $63
5. Haberdasher’s Collar Candle – Anthropologie, $15
6. XII iPad Case – Hard Graft, €55 (Covers for all your gadgets!)
7. Bow Tie (1940s Yellow Plaid) – Forage, $65
8. Bow Tie (1940s Green Plaid) – Forage, $65

Or give him a metallic place to rest his business cards, a flying squirrel to wear on his torso, a tie bracelet (in case he prefers a tie to be wrapped on his forearm instead of around his neck), a plaid duffel to hold his ephemera, and a striped scarf to take the edge off winter.

9. Skillionaire Engraved Card Case – In God We Trust, $60
10. Topo Tee – Green with Glamour, $19.50
11. Moller Wallet – Matt & Nat, $59.50
12. Tie Bracelet (The Suit in Navy Pinstripe) – JdvF, $175
13. Faithless – Matt & Nat, $171.50
14. Striped Fringe Merino Scarf (Brown Stripe) – Gap, $24.50

Click here to devour all of our 2010 Gift Guides.

The post 2010 Gift Guide: For Him appeared first on EcoSalon.