You’ve probably noticed by now that EcoSalon has a completely new look! This redesign is long overdue. We felt the site needed a refresh and a design that allowed for better discovery to expose all of the unique content EcoSalon has to offer!

This redesign is a work in progress which means you’ll continue to see us test new ideas to uncover what works and what doesn’t. I’m not a believer in perfection (I would never get anything done otherwise!). Our team felt launching the redesign with all its imperfections outweighed any negatives that came with it. We welcome your feedback on the site design (and content!) so be sure to let us know what you love about and would love to see us incorporate.

As we continue on this journey down the path of what it means to live a conscious lifestyle, I feel it’s even more important today to cover topics that are meaningful and relevant to living a progressive lifestyle. It is my hope that someday everyone will become global citizens and start thinking about the longterm consequences of their everyday actions on this planet. The human-induced climate change is evidence enough that our actions are having an unprecedented impact on the earth. According to NASA, the current warming trend is significant because it’s proceeding at a rate that has been scientifically unknown over the past 1,300 years.

Former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson (former CEO of Goldman Sachs), the man who helped stave off the second Great Depression of 2008 and guide the nation out of its financial crisis, and author of the new book, “Dealing with China, An Insider Unmasks the New Economic Superpower“, recently stated in a CBS interview that there are two issues even more critical than the financial crisis: our relationship with China and the environment. He states, “When you look at the climate change crisis, it is cumulative,” he goes on to say it’s “more dire” than the financial crisis “because it threatens to change the way of life as we know it on our planet.”

We want to open the door to more conversations about tough topics like these that are important to you. We also want to have a little fun, laugh, play and help you look and feel fabulous inside and out with conscious fashion and natural beauty tips. Ladies, we want you to embrace your feminine sexuality confidently so you can enjoy more amazing sex, love and better relationships. Guys, we want to engage you more in these conversations and get your insights into these same issues.

With today’s broken healthcare system that’s getting more expensive everyday, we want you to take control of your wellness with prevention, which is why we added ‘wellness’ to our food vertical. We also want to have more conversations about solutions to our broken food system. And we want to highlight the people and companies doing good and creating positive change in this world.

Here’s the bottom line, we want to inspire you to live your best life and be your best self in a fun, inspired, way that also changes the world in the same way. We want everyone to live a conscious lifestyle, and have a heart.

Your editori-in-chief,

Laura Lynn Klein

The post EcoSalon Has A New Look! [Letter from the Editor] appeared first on EcoSalon.

ColumnHere are 9 sex tips for giving you and your partner an organic sex-lift.

Sex is natural, sex is good, but not everybody is doing nearly enough of what they should. We’re busy, we’re stressed out, and we’re tired, but that’s precisely why we should be having more sex. Being intimate cuts heart attack risk, burns calories, increases endorphins and boosts immunity. But in a technology-addled world where we’re often more intimate with our iPhones than our active or would-be lovers, sometimes you need a few tips. It’s time to slow down and put some eco into your sex. Here’s a guide to getting it on au naturel.

1. Fall in Love With Your Own Body

Eco-Sex starts with your own body. Practice being Cleopatra from the moment you wake in the morning until your lover arrives to pick you up (or just comes home from work). If you haven’t already begun excising toxic chemicals from your beauty routine, let better sex be your clarion call. Cleansing and moisturizing with EWG-approved products or DIY organic essential oil blends will make you look and feel beautiful. Falling in love with your own body is step number one for a healthy sex life: give your temple the respect it deserves.

2. Entertain Aphrodisiacs

Nibble on vegan and organic aphrodisiacs. Skip the heavy, artery-clogging, erection-killing steak and champagne dinner. Try a vegan and/or raw meal laced with aphrodisiacs like asparagus, ginger, avocado, and artichoke (to turn on women) and cinnamon, mango, squash, pumpkin and cayenne (to turn on the guys). Ginger and basil do double-duty, seducing both sexes.

3. Light it Up

Let there be candlelight. Particularly if you’re in a long-term relationship where it seems as if you and your partner are having a threesome with the television. It’s nice to ditch the grid, at least for an evening. Turn off all the electric lights and create a sensual, subtle, skin-flattering glow. Conventional candles are often made from toxic paraffin, so go for ethically sourced, eco-friendly, fair-trade varieties when possible. Cheekily-named (“Morning Wood” and “One Night Stand”) candles from A Scent of Scandal are vegan with cotton wicks. Essoya Candles use non-GMO soy and stimulating essential oil blends. Or try doing a craft night with your lover: make candles together before you make love.

4. Slip Into Something Natural

Wear sustainable skivvies. When sex gets too routine, the old cliché about lingerie really does work – especially when your panties are made from the good stuff. Forget the mass-produced Victoria’s Secret or even the Agent Provocateur – slip on underwear made from natural textiles like organic cotton and bamboo, and let the fireworks begin. Enamore, Araks, and Urban Fox make gorgeous, simple and sexy bras, panties, and teddies that both you and your lover will fancy.

5. Stay Ethical Right Down to…

Make your safe sex sustainable sex. The amazing folks behind Sir Richard’s Condom Company have created the first ethical condom. Vegan (certified by PETA), and sourced from sustainable latex, Sir Richard’s donates a condom to a developing country for every one you buy. Consider them the Tom’s Shoes of the sex industry. Luckily your pleasure is just as important to them as ethics are: the ultra-thin variety are seriously thin condoms that feel barely there. They’re also stylishly packaged and available at Whole Foods.

6. Oil Up Your Libido

Rub on some DIY massage oil. Coconut oil, the magical elixir that can be used in your hair, as a makeup remover, as a vegetable sauté, or in your smoothie is also a wonderful massage oil. Include a few drops of lavender and ylang-ylang essential oil (for stress-reduction) or neroli oil to stimulate libido.

7. Make Things Slippery

Make your lube organic. The conventional lube you find in the corner drugstore likely includes endocrine-disrupting parabens. Even some of the “natural” brands still have glycerin, which isn’t necessarily a toxic ingredient in other products, but not something you want near your nether regions. Glycerin strips the vagina of moisture, making it raw and more susceptible to yeast infections and even STI’s. Experiment with organic brands like Sliquid Organics or the UK-based Yes. Note: only use water-based lube with latex condoms – oil will degrade latex, rendering it useless. Keep your coconut oil away from your condoms.

8. Create An Adult Toy Box

Try sustainable sex toys. Yes, they require power. But that doesn’t mean they’re less than natural. The pleasure-pioneers at JimmyJane have created a line of sustainable, medical-grade, rechargeable silicone sex toys that last practically forever, unlike the throwaway, pthlalate-laced, plastic dildos of yore. These toys are gorgeous pieces of high-end design that belong on top of your night table instead of hidden in the drawer.

9. Take It Out of the Bedroom

Do it in the woods. You can, and you should change sexual venues. Find a safe, secluded spot in the wilderness and surrender to the wind and the leaves and the trees.

Stefanie Iris Weiss is the author of Eco-Sex: Go Green Between the Sheets and Make Your Love Life Sustainable (Ten Speed Press/Crown Publishing, 2010) and eight other books. Stefanie keeps her carbon footprint small in New York City, where she writes about sustainability, sexuality, reproductive rights, dating and relationships, politics, fashion, beauty, and more for many publications. Learn more about her at ecosex.net, follow her eco-sex exploits on Twitter or join her on Facebook.

Related on EcoSalon

Boinking to Boost Your Immune System the Pleasurable Way: Sexual Healing

Better Orgasms For A Better Life – the #30DayOrgasmChallenge: Sexual Healing

Why Do Women Cheat? It’s Obvious, Says Science: Sexual Healing

Image: kayla kandzora

The post 9 Natural Ways to Spice Up Your Sex Life: Sexual Healing appeared first on EcoSalon.

Ready to give your kitchen the mother of all overhauls? One lucky reader will win a suite of Le Creuset pots and pans, Blendtec appliances and a $500 gift card to Whole Foods Market. That’s more than $1,700 in prizes for your kitchen. Read on for the details. 

EcoSalon has partnered with Pure Wow, Organic Authority and Time Out magazine for this giveaway opportunity. We all love our readers so much we couldn’t think of a better way to say thank you then with this mega giveaway.

The lucky winner will receive the following items:

Blendtec Design Series Blenderand Twister Jar  ($573.95 value): The company calls it “the world’s most intuitive blending machine” and “the Swiss army knife of blenders.” Those are pretty big statements, and for good reason!

Design Series Blender: Engineered to bring a whole new level of beauty and functionality to the high-end blender category, without compromising the famous power and efficiency of our Total Blender Classic. This machine wears many hats in your kitchen: It’s a whole juicer, meat grinder, latte machine, bread mixer, ice cream maker, grain mill, coffee grinder, milk shake mixer, and blender.

Features include:

• Complete speed control
• Vivid icons
• New sleek design
• Easy, fast cleanup
• Versatile functionality

The Blendtec Twister™: This jar is designed to blend your thickest recipes, such as nut butters, hummus, baby food, dips, thick shakes, dressings and more! Best of all, the Twister jar is compatible with all Blendtec consumer blenders. The innovative jar works simply by twisting the lid counter-clockwise while the blend cycle is running. This twisting motion forces the ingredients from the sides of the jar back into the blade, allowing you to achieve a perfect blend every time.

Features include all of these unique Blendtec advantages:

• Patented Twister lid
• Mini Gripper™ lid for containing thinner blends
• Patented single-prong tuned wingtip blade
• Easy-to-read jar markings up to 16 fl oz
• Durable BPA-free material that stands up to heavy use
• Compatible with all Blendtec consumer blenders, not compatible with Blendtec mixers.
• 3-Year Warranty

LeCreuset Cookware Set ($700+ value):  Le Creuset makes food taste like it should. The enamel cast iron and stainless steel cookware will change your relationship with cooking and baking. Le Creuset—“the crucible” in French—began creating cast iron cookware over 85 years ago in a foundry in Northern France. The same foundry, in Fresnoy-Le-Grand, that today uses individual sand molds to fashion each and every hand-inspected cast iron kitchen product that Le Creuset sells. From the most trusted and treasured cookware, bakeware, dinnerware and more, you’ll receive a set full of everything you need to make fabulous, quality meals, including stainless steel sauce and frying pans perfect for shallow frying, braising, and cooking down liquids.

Included:

– 10 ½ in cast iron skillet
– 11″ stainless steel frying pan
– 2 QT. stainless steel sauce pan with lid
– 5 ½  QT. round French oven with lid
– 6 QT. stock pot with lid
– Revolution spatula
– Revolution spoon
– Heritage 4 qt rectangular casserole
– Heritage loaf pan

Whole Foods Market Gift Card ($500 value): Goji berries, kombucha, organic kale—whatever your heart and stomach desire are just as far away as the nearest Whole Foods Market. You’ll have $500 to spend at the world’s yummiest grocery store. And with those new kitchen appliances, you will want to stock up on healthy, delicious goodies to get you cooking and blending.

Ready to win more than $1700 worth of foodie products? Go to this page to sign up between April 28^th and May 25^th.  By entering this contest you are signing up for newsletters from Organic Authority, Pure Wow, Time Out, and EcoSalon. To read the full terms and conditions go here.  We will not sell or share your information. Winner must live in the United States. Click here for full details.

Well, what are you waiting for? Sign up to win already! 

The post The Foodie Lover’s Giveaway: $1700 + Worth of Whole Foods Market, Le Creuset and Blendtec Products appeared first on EcoSalon.

For the woman who covets the fun and funky braid hairstyles of her youth and has no idea how to pull it off, here are some great braid styles.

Short braids, long braids, loose braids, tight braids. The procession of best braids in my mind reads like a Dr. Seuss picture book, with an assortment of lovely styles on parade. Tragically, my braiding skills are about as adept as a cat diving into a pile of yarn—something happens, and it usually involves a lot of tangles. Maybe because this skill has always been completely beyond me, I’ve always loved elaborate braid hairstyles.

Or maybe my early obsession with braids is 1000% because of this.

Throughout my life, the second I had longer locks, I was asking someone to braid my hair. But as I got older, I started dialing back on the Heidi-inspired braid hairstyles. Yes, this was partially due to my own braiding skill level (see: cat/tangled/yarn), but it was also because I was working. As a woman in a TV writer’s room, you already walk in with a giant “Judge Everything about My Appearance” sign over your head. Fun and quirky hairstyle went the way of my soul, crushed under the heel of Hollywood.

And for the record, if you’re proudly sporting elaborate braids in the courtroom or under your surgeon’s cap, rock on. But for the woman who covets the fun and funky braids of her youth and has no idea how to pull it off, I am you and you are me. Because as I got older, my braids became smaller. Subtle. A wisp here, a strand there. They practically disappeared.

And then my niece Katherine was born.

Katherine, you see, is a braiding savant. If she were a chess player, she’d be Bobby Fischer. If tennis were her game, she’d be Serena Williams. Now that she’s a teenager, she can spend a few minutes in front of the mirror and emerge looking like she wandered off the set of Lord of the Rings.

In case you doubt me, I recently showed her a picture of the Khaleesi braids from Game of Thrones. She appeared a half hour later, sporting this braid hairstyle.

It is possible that she has dragon eggs hidden somewhere in her closet.

Katherine and her nimble teen fingers have become my ambassador back into Braid Land. So I recently asked her to share her thoughts on braids, her favorite styles, and to remind us why braids are completely awesome.

ES: Katherine, tell us why you think braids work so well as a hair style.

Katherine: Well, I like braids because if I’m not wearing a fun outfit, I can wear fun hair. French braids are the best because you can tweak them, making them messier, tighter, or whatever you want. You can really make them your own.

ES: Good point. How do feel when you’re doing braid hairstyles?

Katherine:  When I do them myself, I feel proud. And it’s fun when my friends like them too, because it makes me want to share them. So I really like to do my friends’ hair too. It’s something I can do to help them to feel good about themselves.

ES: That’s such a good reminder for us Olds—fun hair makes you feel good. So let’s talk style. What’s your favorite braid for long hair?

Katherine: I have pretty long hair right now, so I like to wear it up out of my face. French braids always work well, because I can wear them with a bun or a pony tail. It’s great for summer. Lately, I’ve really been into the Fishtail braid. Here’s a great video showing you how to do one.

Also, I think a really great style for longer hair is the corset braid. It’s a big more formal and subtle, and I think can work well on grown-ups. Here’s my favorite video showing how to do it.

ES: Love it! So what is your favorite braid style for short hair?

Katherine: I really like the headband braid for short hair. And you don’t even need a lot of hair to do it. Here’s a video that shows you how to do a really cool one.

ES: What about a braiding style like cornrows? Can you do that on long or short hair?

Katherine: You can do cornrows on both! Here’s a good video on how to.

ES: Say you were going to wake up 35-years-old tomorrow. What style would you choose?

Katherine: I really like the nested side braid. It’s very simple and you can wear it for any occasion.

ES: Even at the office?

Katherine: Why wouldn’t you want to feel good about yourself at work?

ES: Excellent point, Katherine. Excellent point.

photo credit: chantel beam photography via photopin cc

Related on Ecosalon:

Can Middle Aged Women Have Long Hair?

Why Vinegar Is So Great for Your Hair

What Does Our Hair Say About Our Health?

The post Best Braid Hairstyles for Grown-Up Girls (How-To Video Instructions Galore!) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Happy New Year! Welcome back and get ready for a rockin’ 2013! We are thrilled that Organic Authority, LLC (the same company that publishes OrganicAuthority.com) has officially acquired EcoSalon.com.

We are gushing with all of the support and love we’ve received during this transition. We are excited to pick up the ball and continue the EcoSalon conversations and get to know all of You, our beloved community.

Personally, I love change and am so excited to add EcoSalon to the Organic Authority family. As a company, we get to dig deeper into important topics known and loved by you, such as conscious fashion, culture, design, sex, food, and tech, that perhaps we’ve only touched on…until now. And I am really excited to be able to learn from all of you. If you like a piece of content, share it through your networks on Pinterest, Facebook, Google+. Stumble it, Tweet it out, and most importantly share your thoughts with us—please!—I love hearing your ideas and value your feedback.

2013 will be a spectacular year on so many levels! The number 13 is my lucky number (despite what many say about the number 13), and is a lucky number for my family. I was born on February 13th, my mother was born on the November 13^th, and my grandmother, born in 1913, would have been 100 this year. (She was a triplet! Did you know there’s even stronger luck associated with the number 13 when another 3 is involved?) So, this year is personally a very big year for my family and me; it’s one to celebrate, one to embrace—especially for women!

Thirteen is also a very feminine number. It is the lucky number of the Great Goddess, and is revered as the sacred essence of good fortune and good luck. It is the average number of menstrual cycles in a year (I thought it was 12, but what do I know? Science says it’s 13). Italy and China consider the number lucky. When Chinese women offer up their traditional mooncakes, there are always 13 on a plate to represent the 13 months in a full lunar year. In fact, it wasn’t until after the patriarchal revolution that the number 13 (and Friday) was deemed unlucky. And today, sports teams all over have embraced the luck in number 13. Dan Marino, an American football legend wore the number 13. Basketball superstars Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O’Neal also wore the number 13. Yao Ming wore it in the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

But who’s to say the number 13 is lucky or unlucky? You do! What you believe is your choice, and is exactly what you’ll receive via your worldviews. So, choose wisely, and make the best of your beliefs.

In 2013, resolve to embrace change. The world in which we live changes rapidly, which is why it’s even more important to: believe in You. Ask for that raise, pitch your idea, launch that business that’s been burning in the back of your mind. Stop procrastinating! There’s a reason why tech companies launch in ‘beta.’  They just do it: they get feedback from their customer, and adjust along the way (if they wait for perfection, they’ll be dead in the water).

Believe in You.

Listen to your intuition, your gut, and go for it. Ignore the nay saying voices (including the one in your head) and choose to listen to the voice that cheers you on and believes in You. In 2013, choose to live your life out loud, embrace change, and watch your life flow with ease.

I look forward to getting to know You in 2013.

Your publisher + editor-in-chief,

Laura Klein

Image: Pink Sherbet Photography

The post Welcome Back! Embrace Change and Believe in You appeared first on EcoSalon.

EcoSalon’s favorite fashion designers, jewelry makers and artisans on the nature of creativity. 

“Beauty will save the world,” remarked Dostoevsky in the 19^th century. If ever there was a time to believe in the possibility of that statement, it is now. When our public discourse is reduced to ideological political posturing, the impact of beauty and creativity in our everyday lives offers both a vital opportunity for connection and a prospect for cultural renewal.

Over the years at EcoSalon, we’ve delighted in sharing the stories of the fashion designers, jewelry makers and artisans who are dedicated to creating true objects of beauty while choosing ethically responsible methods and practices that upend the customary business models in fashion, jewelry and art. Why do they do it? We asked them the question, “What compels you to create?” Here’s what they had to say:

Xing-Zhen Chung-Hilyard and Melissa Kirgan, Eko-Lab

“Creativity is a deep unconscious force. A process that reveals the unseen see-able and dreams reality. There’s a peace that comes from designing that in some small way we’re making the every-day more beautiful.”

Joy Opfer, Kyler by Joy O

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of  Eat, Pray, Love, has said that she believes there are currents of creativity and ideas circulating around the planet, looking for people to bring them into physical form. This idea is a lovely way of explaining the process of creativity – I often feel that I do not so much create, as synthesize ideas. When we work hard to be there, to be open and prepared for the muse when she arrives, to welcome her through sweat and tears, ready to manifest the boldest visions, a blend of the hive and our own minds – this is a gift.

Fashion is one of the biggest industries on the planet. To act as though it is frivolous is, at this point, a waste of time. Each person, through their choices can inspire change and awareness – and creating one more choice that supports handcrafted and carefully made goods is one that I am proud to be a part of.

Meghan Sebold, Afia

Life can be nauseatingly tragic with many things feeling out of our control. People can be corrupt, dishonest and disloyal – and often times it seems that those people win out. I see only two ways of dealing with the dark side of life: you can respond to corruption with conniving strategies, dishonesty with lies, attacks with counter attacks – or you can reject it and a attempt to create light and beauty in dark situations.

I’m certainly no hero to the women who produce my line – most of them are suspicious of my intentions. They think I’m there to use them for cheap labor – why else would I cross the world to be there? We stand in a room together across a table, having difficult conversations. Trying to trust each other. Trying to create a product together.

Shannon South, reMade USA

So many of us have the innate desire to create. It is what makes us human and what keeps our species going. It’s what fuels innovation. Those of us who are informed and concerned try to do so in the most thoughtful and sustainable way – a path that is not easiest or the most profitable, yet one that gives meaning and integrity to our vision.

Sasha Duerr, Permacouture Institute

I am a plant dyer because it immediately connects me to time and place, to my environment, to my community, and to indescribable depths of beauty. Plant color can ONLY be created – like an amazing meal you toast  to and savor with friends, or an heirloom peach that came to ripen in the sweetness of a perfect growing season – in that time with those conditions. It is a depth of experience that is often not repeatable – and therefore difficult to commodify.

I am consciously grateful to have chosen to make it my work – beyond promise of financial gain or security. This is why I started Permacouture – experimentation and knowledge needs to be shared if it is ever to be sustainable or regenerative to last beyond our own generation. This love for the wonder of the bigger picture has fueled my passion as both an artist and advocate for slower ways of being and creating. I am always awed by how much there is to learn.

Davora Lindner, Prairie Underground

The idea that “Creativity is it’s own reward” seems like such a universal truism. As designers and manufacturers our role isn’t entirely creative but we feel fortunate to work in an industry that demands this engagement. It has introduced us to the writers at EcoSalon and to like-minded women all over the world. That level of aesthetic communication is startling – it’s this connection that is the inspiration behind Prairie and remains the central theme of our work.

The photo (above) is from when Prairie Underground was still based in our homes.  We had received a large volume of orders for the Hard Times Dress that featured a hand painted print.  I needed to figure out a way to execute this in my studio apartment.  The solution was to paint the textile and feed it out my window to dry, then repeat.  Our passion to create is something that end users don’t often see.  The memories of this time are some of the fondest in my life.

Elizabeth Bruner, Piece x Piece

When you  start to seek out original and handcrafted crafted clothing, it feels like an important revelation. Handcrafted means respecting the time it takes to actually create something. There is meaning in the fact that someone has thought and carried out all the little steps it takes to make a truly unique item.

It’s never been about money for me. I know I’m not going to be a rich woman working with scrap fabrics but what compelled me to start Piece x Piece was the fact that I simply could not ignore what in my heart I knew I could change, if even on the smallest scale.

Alice Wu + Moriah Carlson, Feral Childe, 

When we started Feral Childe, we were young artists trying to make it in the New York art world, trying to fill the emptiness in our own closets, and striving to provide an antidote to fashion’s obsessions with brands, logos and over-consumption. We felt a responsibility to make things that were thoughtfully made, using available materials such as off-cuts and fabric remnants so gnarly and unloved in their raw state, but full of potential beauty in our hands. We believe in the power of the handcrafted to affect one profoundly. When something we have made touches an individual in a way that makes them think differently about the world we live in, we are inspired to continue our work.

Maria Moyer

It’s submission to the process. From inspiration to execution, I have to get out of the way and let my hands and my understanding of material attempt to catch up to some idea of what is possible. The result is always a surprise and that is a delight, sometimes a disappointment and always there’s something to learn. The whole thing is a miraculous privilege.

Kirsten Muenster, Kirsten Muenster Jewelry

I’ve always felt a need to create with my hands. My father helped me make my first ring in our basement when I was a kid. The feeling I had then (and still get today) from translating an abstract or conceptual idea into a tangible object with my hands is indescribably addictive.

Nature, unusual materials, ancient artifacts and crafting techniques inspire my work and process. Creating handcrafted objects is vital because they have the power to tell a story, carry on a tradition and remind us of the connection between every set of hands involved in the process or supply chain. I hope to influence others with my work to keep the cycle going. That’s why it is so important for me to know where my materials come from and whose lives they impact. We’re all connected.

Howard Brown, Stewart+Brown

At Stewart+Brown, the reason we do what we do is because we MUST have a sense of both passion and purpose in our work. And we must have beauty in our lives and not at the expense of the environment or supply chain stakeholders. We could not find that collision of ideals in the corporate world even when working at great companies, so we created it ourselves with our own company. It has been the greatest adventure of our lives. In a world of mass production and consumption there still needs to be value, integrity, humanity, and yes, great design without compromise. That is the goal we work towards every day.

Gretchen Jones, Gretchen Jones NYC

I believe it is our responsibility (the creative’s of the world) to be an instrument for the greater whole. We were given a gift, but in that gift is responsibility. Responsibility to be a communicator for humanity and the world, as we know it. We transmit cultural movements and the direction life is taking. Without us, we are collectively nothing.

Art in itself is about translating what cannot be translated in words. I take responsibility for that job. My “job” is to learn how to use my gift to better our lives. To open us ALL up to new ways of thinking and enable us all to live more enriched existences. I may need money to survive, but making money from my work is there by default. The passion to create is about the greater whole, not the ego or bank account… and that, is what the life of an artist is all about.

The post Beauty Will Save the World: Sustainability’s Top Makers on What Compels Them to Create appeared first on EcoSalon.

Nearly five years. Thousands of articles. *So many* comments. 

Today the current chapter of EcoSalon’s half-decade history closes – and we don’t know if we’ll be back. So we feel it’s important to say this:

Thank you.

We have always been, and we always shall be, in it for the discussion. We’ve treasured every time you took a moment out of your day to give us your thoughts – and we’ve loved it when you returned, again and again, to keep a discussion going (particularly when you were presenting us with compelling counter-arguments to what we’d published? Contrarianism? Bring it on). In short, we like your minds, and we’re inestimably grateful for all the times you’ve given us a piece of them.

Here, then, are seven posts where at least half the fun is in the comments.

Thanks again.

10 Reasons Never To Let Anyone You Love Near A McDonald’s

 7 Stupid Laws Against Women

The Conscious Case Against Veganism

Broke? 20 Fun Things To Do Without Spending A Dime

When Good Causes Go Wrong: 7 Utterly Outrageous PETA Stunts

Jesus, Enough With The Chicken

15 Best Foods To Boost Your Metabolism

Images: {christy b}, ralpe, keith011764, Mr. Theklan, striatic, iheartmacaroni and SMercury98.

The post Best Of EcoSalon: The Comment Meltdown Edition appeared first on EcoSalon.

Take a new look at macramé with Cathy Callahan’s easy-to-follow tutorial.

I know, when you think of macramé you think of cheesy 70s dens, but the knotted handicraft has come a long way since then.

Learn the simple satisfaction of creating knotted designs and take a new look at vintage-style crafts from the blogger behind Cathy of California. Cathy will teach you how to use simple knots to create twists and movement in a macramé plant hanger made modern with vivid colors. You’ll learn the fundamentals of macramé, which can be applied and adapted to all kinds of projects, from jewelry to home décor.

Cathy was raised by a super crafty mom in suburban Southern California. As a result the crafts and design of the 60s and 70s serve as a never ending source of inspiration for her work.

Cathy has appeared on the Martha Stewart show and her work has been featured in The New York Times, Sunset, Anthology, Mollie Makes and Frankie magazines. Her first book Vintage Craft Workshop was released by Chronicle Books in 2011. In July 2012 she launched a jewelry and accessories collection that is currently available at Yolk, Poketo and Reform School in the Los Angeles area.

Cathy lives in Los Angeles with her husband and cat.

CreativeBug, a new series of how-to videos for DIY’ers, recently launched to inspire you. For $25 a month, subscribers have unlimited access to a continuously updated library of creative workshops in knitting, crochet, sewing, jewelry, entertaining, home decorating and kids crafts. Featuring some of the country’s biggest talents, instructors include Debbie Stoller, Stitch ‘n Bitch, Heather Ross, Weekend Sewing, Christine Schmidt, Print Workshop and Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin. Creativebug’s state of the art audio and video production quality, short video segments and entertaining presentation make the videos accessible to artists of all skill levels.

If you’ve got the handmade fever, share some of your very own handmade projects with CreativeBug during their very first CreativeBug + Pinterest: I Made This’ Pin-It-To-Win-It Contest. It launches today.

So, what are you waiting for? Make a pattern. Make a print. Make a difference.

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Ten pretty little clutches that you can easily make at home.

The clutch is, without a doubt, this fall’s it-bag. Instead of dropping major dough on one, revamp one that you already have or make one yourself from scratch. Here are ten of our favorite DIY clutch projects, some which require as little as tape and spray paint.

Placemat Clutch
Sometimes you come across things that are so brilliant in their simplicity that you can’t believe you never thought of it yourself. This DIY placemat clutch by Vannalisa Scafaria is such a thing. Of course a placemat would make an excellent clutch!

Miniaudiere with Golden Horse
Sometimes elaborate parties call for desperate measures. This DIY tutorial by Trinkets in Bloom shows you how to turn a humble sunglasses case and plastic toy horse into a glamorous miniaudiere fit for the Kentucky Derby. Pretty brilliant.

Glitter Bow Clutch
Fall is all about glitter and adornment, in every which way. This tutorial by The World is My Oyster shows you how to make a glam glitter bow clutch inspired by a Betsey Johnson bag. We think it would be perfect for all those holiday parties you will soon be attending.

Gold Colorblock Clutch
Colorblocking is still going strong this fall, but try metallics to give the look a bit of an update. Transforming an old clutch into a fashion-forward statement can be as easy as spraypaint and tape. Have a look at this tutorial by I Spy DIY for some pointers on how to do it right.

Handcuff Clutch
Are you one of those people who constantly misplace your pretty little clutch wherever you go? In that case, this DIY handcuff clutch by A Matter of Style, inspired by Louis Vuitton’s fall accessory collection, may be just the thing.

Knuckle Duster Clutch
Sometimes runway style can be so easy to achieve with some patience and glue. Case in point, this knuckle duster clutch tutorial by (studs and pearls) shows you how to make your own version of that gorgeous Alexander McQueen version.

Envelope Clutch
Some time ago, I started noticing people at different fashion weeks carrying laptop cases as clutches. It was a curious trend, perhaps brought on by necessity, but then laptop cases started getting more stylish too. This DIY envelope clutch by Swellmayde works really well as an oversize clutch, but play around with the measurements and I think it could make an excellent laptop case too.

Bell Clutch
Inspired by a Christian Louboutin clutch, this little DIY number by Carry on… Carry on… really lets you attend your next party with bells on. It’s a bit time consuming, but once done, the end result is quite stunning, as not as loud as you may think.

Book Clutch
We love the nerd chic appeal of these quirky book clutches that started popping up here and there a while back. It makes you look smart and bookish and can perhaps even protect you against purse snatchers. This tutorial by Runway DIY shows you how to make your own version, using your favorite high-brow piece of literature, of course.

Woven Clutch
Woven bags just have this sophisticated air about them. This tutorial by Burda Style shows you how to weave pieces of faux leather together to create a nicely textured bag. People won’t believe you actually made it.

The post DIY: 10 Pretty Little Clutches appeared first on EcoSalon.

Unzipping the floodgates: From a closure to decorative fashion statement, the zipper changed the course of fashion history. Shown here, Balmain’s SS 2010 zipper jacket.

Instantly recognizable by their exposed back zipper, Victoria Beckham’s signature bodycon dresses continue to be the toast of the town. The sexy design detail with little teeth has been giving Beckham’s otherwise demure mid-calf length dresses some serious bite since she launched at New York’s Fashion Week in 2009.

Victoria Beckham’s signature figure-flattering dresses with exposed zipper. 

As erotic a notion as, well, sewing notions can be, the zip and its semi-scandalous potential for exposing whatever is being hidden meant that it wasn’t until the late 1930s that the invention caught on. The popular name “zipper” was also a slow starter.

3.1 Phillip Lim’s recycled zipper dress kicked off the trend for Spring/Summer 2009. The black dress with golden meandering detailing was eco-friendly, made of a natural hemp and silk blend, hand dyed and adorned in recycled zippers and surplus remnants.

Closures prior to the zipper were limited to laces and buttons until 1851 when Elias Howe applied for a patent for his invention, the “Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure.” Due to design flaws and the success of another of his inventions, the sewing machine, he did not attempt to seriously market the product. In 1914, Gideon Sundback doubled the number of teeth per inch of Howe’s version, creating the “Separable Fastener.” And then an improved version, called the “Hookless Hooker.” The hardware finally got its familiar name in1923, when B. F. Goodrich Company wanted to improve on the standard boot. It introduced the “Zipper Boot,” and the familiar name stuck.

Proving every thing old is new again… Elsa Schiaparelli created the first clothes with visible zippers in 1935. This Schiaparelli taffeta evening gown incorporates a decorative YKK plastic zipper placed diagonally on the front of the skirt.

Ever wondered why the initials YKK are stamped on your zipper? The YKK stands for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha. In 1934 Tadao Yoshida founded Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha or Yoshida Industries Limited.  YKK remains the world’s foremost zipper manufacturer, making about 90% of all zippers in over 206 facilities in 52 countries. Their largest factory in Georgia makes over 7 million zippers per day.

An ad for Talon nylon zippers first launched in 1960.

Mr. Yoshida endeavored to create the best zippers in the world, basing his company on the Zen principle of the “Cycle of Goodness”, as he called it.  Namely, “No one prospers unless he renders benefit to others.”  Thanks to his mass manufacturing strategy and innovations like using DuPont nylon in the 1960s to replace the metal models (that often rusted and stuck), the zipper has become a part of all of our lives.

The Rolling Stones put a zip that works on the cover of their 1971 album Sticky Fingers created by Andy Warhol.

Want to catch up on some more fashion history?

Now & Then: The History of Fashion Media

Now & Then: The History of the Bikini

Now & Then: The History of the White Wedding Dress

Now & Then: The History of the Ballet Flat

Now & Then: The History of the Breton Shirt

Now & Then: The History of the Pencil Skirt

Now & Then: The History of Skinny Jeans

Read more Now & Then articles here.

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