The sustainable fashion industry is catering to the growing trend for unique eco wedding dress options as brides recognize the environmental impact of the choices they make on their big day.

It’s all about the dress. The wedding industry knows it’s the focus of every wedding day, and the lethal dose of catnip to every pre-bridezilla.

Like the fashion industry, the bridal business is sophisticated and fast-moving, its microtrends reflect the zeitgeist and are available for every budget. But for every Great Gatsby or Downton Abbey-inspired gown you spot during this year’s wedding season, there is another trend emerging – that of the sustainable bride looking to step out of the hoopla and into an all together different kind of wedding dress.

“In my generation people got married in a big old white dress that was then boxed up and stored. You hoped your daughters would wear it for their weddings. Today’s brides are looking for something truly unique.” says Kathy Hattori, president of natural dye company, Botanical Colors. Hattori teaches her natural dye techniques to independent eco wedding dress designers and has noticed a heightened interest over the last 5 years in her specialized color combinations. “Incorporating color is huge. They want to make a statement by using natural dyes.” According to Hattori, brides are using the words ‘custom’ and ‘bespoke’ when describing the kind of dress they’re looking for now. “People are hungry for a certain quality. It’s the escence of being made-by-hand, they want it to be beautiful and masterfully-made in the reflection of me.”

Cory Gunter Brown is one of the designers who took Hatori’s class. Her Oakland-based label, The Moon  is in the process of creating a one-of-a-kind bridal line. Alongside partner Cassidy Wright, their designs focus entirely on social and environmental sustainability using natural fibers, vintage lace and buttons and natural plant dyes in partnership with the 25th Street Collective, Oakland’s innovative slow fashion hub.

“We find many brides are frustrated at the thought of buying a beautiful dress they will only get to wear once,” says Gunter Brown. Their custom-made eco wedding dresses are designed to be worn for a succession of special occasions. “Our gowns are simple elegant pieces in ethereal knit silk that can be returned to us to be dyed another color after the wedding. We dye all the pieces ourselves in our outdoor dye studio.”

More and more brides aware of the transitory nature of the wedding day are turning to the internet to find a secondhand dress. Susan Shapiro, the owner of BravoBride, an online market for newlyweds looking to buy or sell pre-owned wedding items, thinks brides are less squeamish about wearing a pre-worn dress than they used to be. “It’s been the trend lately to have different dress for the ceremony and for the reception, so in many cases these dresses have only been worn for a couple of hours.”

Shapiro sees that today’s slightly older bride is more motivated to keep costs down and her wedding’s carbon footprint lighter. “They start looking at all the things they need and realize just how many resources and waste goes into just that one day. Buying a gently-worn wedding dress is a great way to lessen some of that impact. And we’ve had lots of customers who have added a belt or a sash to make the dresses their own.”

With a wealth of new resources for brides looking for environmentally-friendly alternatives to traditional wedding gowns, the dress taking center stage at the end of the aisle is making more of a statement than ever before. As a longtime industry watcher, Kathy Hattori feels hopeful for what that one special day now means for all our futures, “Instead of walking into Wal-Mart, we are finally standing up for the things that matter.”

 All Images: Cory Gunter Brown

The post Say Yes to the Sustainable Eco Wedding Dress appeared first on EcoSalon.

Weddings have always been big business, with many couples spending months and in some cases years, planning the details of their perfect day. With eco consciousness on the rise worldwide, weddings have also been getting greener.

These days, there are a raft of ideas supporting eco friendly wedding events, from paperless invites to organic food menus and eco friendly gifts for guests. In any wedding, however, the biggest and arguably most exciting decision, is selecting the all-important wedding gown. Most of us have heard of eco friendly fashion, but the concept of the eco friendly wedding gown is just starting to gain momentum. So, just who are the world’s best and brightest eco wedding designers?

1. Nicole Lenzen

Nicole Lenzen may best be known in Brooklyn, but these designs are gaining widespread attention. Designing custom wedding couture for blushing brides to be, the label works with clients on the design and style elements of their dream dress, while favoring sustainable, Fair Trade and vintage fabrics to make it come to life.

In particular, the label loves working with vintage materials, sometimes from the wedding dress of the bride’s mother or grandmother, and using them to create a modern, contemporary design. Nicole Lenzen herself brings a wealth of experience to the design process, having previously worked for Charlotte Ronson and Calvin Klein. The website is filled to the brim with photos of beautiful brides in custom designs that hold eco and ethical values at their core.

2. Tara Lynn

Designer Tara Lynn takes eco consciousness to a whole new level by running her fashion studio completely on solar power. Having been dubbed the ‘poster child for sustainable business’ in Vermont, she is a relative veteran of the trade, having made hemp wedding dresses since 1999. Tara is well known for experimenting with fabrics and styles, with all of her designs being one of a kind.

Her gorgeous wedding gowns are as unique as they are quirky, with each gown carrying a name such as Persephone and Farfalla. With Tara being as socially conscious as she is eco friendly, 5 percent of all profits from Tara Lynn Bridal go to Umbrella and the The Vermont Network for Servicing Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence.

3. House of Tammam

The House of Tammam made history by being the first label to launch an ethical, ready to wear bridal collection in the UK. Founded by Lucy Tammam, a graduate of the famous Central Saint Martins College, the range is made from organic and Fair Trade cotton and often recycles vintage lace and other fabrics. Lucy has long been a pioneer of animal and human rights and on embarking on her label, even traveled to India to source the most ethically produced and sustainable materials. Although the label has been doing wonderful work for a number of years, it really came to prominence when eco fashion campaigner Livia Firth, wore a House of Tammam gown to the Golden Globes.

Images: House of Tammam, Nicole Lenzen, Tara Lynn Bridal

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