We love style. We love fashion. We also want to make sure our sartorial choices do little damage to the world as we can. Eco-friendly clothing manufacturers throw around terms like “conscientious” and “sustainable fashion”, but what does that really mean?

There are plenty of fashion designers that describe themselves as eco-friendly. While brands may use it as part of their marketing plan, are they really good for the environment?

How do you choose sustainable fashion?

1. Shop Low Impact Dying

While many fabrics may start out as sustainable fibers, the finishing process can cancel that out pretty quickly. Organic cottons quickly lose their earthy appeal when chemical dyes and formaldehyde are used to treat them. South Carolina-based Gaia Conceptions grows its own plant and pigment-based dyes made from natural sources to color its clothing. These are great for both the planet and the wellness of the person wearing them. The company also uses fiber reactive dyes. These are developed for higher absorption rates so chemicals are not needed to fix them to the fiber. This also means that less water is wasted or used.

2. Let the fabric suit the fashion

Fashion fans love silk as a luxury fabric. Unfortunately, many don’t realize that typical silk manufacturing involves boiling and killing the silk worms after they have produced the fibers. Peace silk or vegan silk is a fabric made only with silk fiber casings only after the worms have emerged and moved on. This is a much more humane practice but costly. To keep it truly eco, peace silk should be bought in natural colors. This makes peace silk an ideal choice for green weddings. Conscientious brides often have a natural aesthetic for their wedding and are willing to splurge on the perfect dress. Boutiques like The Cotton Bride in Brooklyn, New York are committed to using such fabrics. Their wedding gowns are even sewn in-house.

3. Respect the maker

We hear a lot about Fair Trade and fair labor practices. Is there a way to really know if your dress was made by a happy seamstress? You can support that ethos by shopping from designers that work with organizations like the Ethical Fashion Initiative, a joint project with the United Nations. You can check if your brand is accredited by the Fair Labor Association. These organizations ensure that workers have decent working conditions and wages. Some companies like Satara go a step further in providing skills training and financial guidance. Its website even allows you to find the individual woman who made your garment. The fashion industry has enabled many women in third world countries to improve their quality of life and become financially independent.

4. Wear Fabrics Made from Recycled Fiber

Buying a jacket that helps empty the landfills of all those plastic bottles? That is fabulous. Patagonia was one of the first major clothing manufacturers to work with PET (polyethylene terephthalate) fabrics. Its patented Polartec fabric is a form of polyester. While a synthetic, petroleum-based textile sounds like the opposite of eco-friendly, PET’s main strength is that it uses recycled fibers to produce. Recycling garbage like plastic bottles and collected old garments to make this fabric cuts down on the energy and fossil fuels needed to make it compared to traditional polyester. While this may not please organic trendsetters, this should make upcycled and recycled fashion fans happy.

What sustainable fashion boils down to is often what your Eco-friendly clothing is boiled in. Many fibers can be farmed or produced in a sustainable way, but the finishing is what makes or breaks its Eco cred. Also, think about who is doing the boiling. Guests are afraid to mistreat a chef at a restaurant handling their food. Wouldn’t you want to make sure the person making our clothing is happy too?

Related on EcoSalon

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5 Eco-Friendly Types of Fabrics for feel good fashion 

Images: Mariana Leung

The post 4 Ways to Be Certain You’re Investing in Eco-Friendly Clothing appeared first on EcoSalon.

You could register at Bed, Bath & Beyond like everybody else, but that would be boring.

If you consider yourself more of a hobo bride than a Bridezilla, these registry ideas are dedicated to you. We’ve even included a china pattern and some crystal to appease your mother, and plenty of eco-selections to please the planet.

Night Owl China Pattern

From what we’ve been told, selecting china is a very big deal. As in, Charlotte York Goldenblatt would Pookipsy in her pants all over again if you and your betrothed screwed it up.

This upcycled white bone china plate by Jessica Lennox of Night Owl is eclectic, interesting, gold rimmed and hand-drawn. Her homewares shop gets its name, Night Owl, from the nocturnal hours she spends in her UK studio.

Boy Meets Hearts Poster

Every new household deserves eye candy worth hanging. That’s why we love Eric Telchin’s motifs, which are spontaneously and ingeneously crafted out of unaltered iPhone snapshots of hearts. Hundreds of heart-shaped objects make up each work; his first iPhone snapshot was inspired by a heart-shaped puddle of melted Ben and Jerry’s New York Super Fudge ice cream on his kitchen counter. Soon he was seeing hearts everywhere, in kitty litter and on dogs, just like you did in those heady early days of your courtship.

Now that you’re getting married, get your kicks where you can.

Heirloom bowl from Paloma’s Nest

The commemorative earthenware bowls and custom plates from Paloma’s Nest can make the most hardened singleton crave a husband and baby carriage. The “Milagro Heart” stamp bowl is no exception. “Milagro”, we should mention, means “miracle.”

They’ve been known to happen.

Hand Stamped Customized Spoons

Looking for something old? These vintage silverplate spoons from Trinkets818 have got you covered.

You’ll even have the tarnish and patina to prove that your love, like good silver, is everlasting.

Romanian Crystal

Romania is known for Transylvania, limber gymnasts and mouth blown, hand decorated, lead free crystal. The Dionysus Collection (named for the god of wine and “Inspirer of Ritual Madness and Ectasy”), displays a different type of wine on every glass.

May you imbibe and prosper.

Honeymoon Registry

Ask your married friends if the honeymoon period is all it’s cracked up to be. Instead of registering for traditional gifts, go paperless and shipment free with a personal event registry site like Deposit a Gift, Traveler’s Joy or Send Us Off.

Anything else is just stuff.

Images: Ariela Beal; Fernando Meyer

The post Register This: Something Upcycled, Something Cool appeared first on EcoSalon.

Toasters and fine china are positively passé when it comes to choosing a wedding gift for the modern green bride and groom. Tis’ the season for weddings, and you’re no doubt on the guest list to witness a couple’s nuptials this summer. So it’s time to brush up on the best eco-friendly buys for the betrothed! Here are seven green wedding gifts that are sure to enchant the new Mr. & Mrs., while helping them keep their vow to protect Mother Earth as well.

Give the Gift of a Shared Experience

Help the new couple ride off into the sunset, literally. Think outside the gift box and give them an experience that will create a lifelong happy memory. Arrange for them to share a horseback ride at sunset, or a hot air balloon ride at sunrise, or to go wine tasting at an organic winery. Research their common interests and plan accordingly.

Contribute to the Honeymoon Fund

These days, many couples are registering online not for gifts, but for their honeymoon. Everything from airfare to kayaking and snorkeling once they arrive at their destination is up for purchase. My husband and I were invited to a wedding this summer and the happy couple is registered at Honeyfund, a honeymoon registry which enables guests to purchase specific activities, meals, and experiences that the couple would like to enjoy while on their vacation.

The Gift that Keeps on Giving: A Composter

It may not be particularly romantic, but if the bride and groom are avid greenies, they’ll see a composter as a daily love affair with the planet. Composting is getting easier and easier, and there’s an array of composter options on the market that are sure to fit the bill of the eco-conscious couple.

Weekly Delivery of Organic, Local Produce Bins

Turn the one-time fruit basket gift into a weekly delivery of a produce bin filled with fresh, local and organic fruits and vegetables. Companies such as Organics to You in Portland, OR offer a variety of sizes and plans based on a family’s size and meal preparation needs. You can give the new bride and groom a healthy start at cooking homemade meals together!

Organic Bedding and Throws

Newlyweds spend more time in bed than most couples, but everyone spends a ton of time in the sack to catch some shut-eye. A beautiful gift is organic bedding that is free and clear of pesticides and chemicals. Or opt for a luxurious organic cotton throw blanket that can top bedding or be snuggled up under on the couch.

Organic Olive Tree

The olive branch has long been heralded as the symbol of peace, and this organic olive tree takes the sentiment up quite a notch. Its presence in the new couple’s home will be a constant reminder of their wedding day, and its abundant tiny white flowers blossom during the summer and give way to olives in November.

Homemade Gift from the Heart

One of the coolest and most sentimental wedding gifts my husband and I received was given to us by my best friend. She gave us a beautiful box filled with sand, accompanied by a simple wooden stick. She also gave us a blank journal and a lovely pen. Included was a booklet instructing us to write all of our grievances in the sand, where they would be fleeting, temporary and quickly disappear, and to write all of our joys in the journal, where they would forever be remembered and cherished.

Image: Simon Shaw

The post 7 Green Wedding Gifts for Eco Modern Brides & Grooms appeared first on EcoSalon.

The month of June has become synonymous with wedding celebrations, as most couples choose summertime as the sunny, idyllic backdrop to say their “I dos.” So now is a great time to discuss the fact that a wedding can be meaningful and magnificent regardless of the number of attendees or money spent. Speaking from first hand experience, my husband and I eloped six years ago in Santa Barbara, Calif., and by doing so, we saved a lot of cash, not to mention, our wedding day was as green as it gets. If you’re a greenie and you dream of running away and eloping, here are some reasons why eloping and preserving the planet are a match made in heaven.

No Invitations or RSVP’s

With only two people showing up for the big day: you and your honey, you’ll save trees by eliminating the need to send out save the date cards and wedding invitations. You’ll also save on fuel costs for the postal service who would otherwise have to run around delivering invitations and follow-up RSVP cards. Of course, if a big wedding is still your plan, you can look into online invitations which require none of the above as well! Paperless Post offers gorgeous virtual options.

No Carbon Emissions or Fuel Consumption Due to Travel

Guests won’t need to travel to and from your wedding ceremony, which drastically cuts back on the carbon emissions and fuel that would be expended due to air and car travel.

Save the Flowers

I had one gorgeous bouquet of roses, and my husband wore a single rose boutonniere on the lapel of his tuxedo, which saved copious amounts of flowers from being cut for decorative purposes to fill a venue and for use as centerpieces. We also purchased our locally grown blossoms the morning of our wedding day from a Santa Barbara florist.

Don’t Let Them Eat Cake

My husband and I got the most adorable and delicious small wedding cake to share between us, which we special ordered from a local bakery in Santa Barbara called Henning’s Cakes. There was enough for us to dig into our wedding day, and enough to freeze two slices to eat on our one year wedding anniversary to recall the sweetness of the day.

One Caveat: Photography – But Wedding Photography Can Be Eco-Friendly!

My only regret about our low-key wedding day is that we didn’t hire a professional photographer to capture sentimental moments like only a pro can. Although we got some great candid shots, as seen in this post, I am envious when I look at the priceless photos of my friends who had their special day documented and now forever preserved in pristine albums. Of course, I’ll always treasure our photos, but they’re not the same as professional grade images. So this is the one area I’d say to spend money and resources on. Check out this video on green wedding photography at the Mother Nature Network.

If you don’t want to give up your plans for a big white wedding, but you still want the special occasion to be green, fret not! Here are 9 eco wedding tips and 20 online resources for planning an eco wedding to get you started on your walk down the aisle, and here is information on eco-chic wedding gowns, from a previous post, Eco-Wedding Bells Are Ringing. You can also get a firsthand glimpse into a green wedding by reading this two part series.

Images: Beth Shea

The post Elope! 5 Ways to Say ‘I Do’ to Preserving the Earth on Your Wedding Day appeared first on EcoSalon.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Victoria Everman.

Having a sustainable wedding is as easy as locally-grown, organic pie. In the midst of planning my own event, I’ve found that being planet- and money-conscious is not only feasible – it is fun.

It is so easy to get overwhelmed by the wide world of weddings that you might forget about your green goals. Even I’m guilty of it. That’s where my eco-wedding blog comes in, where I catalog my visual inspirations and favorite sustainable wedding companies.

Ready to save some time and a nice chunk of change? Just check out my list of eco-conscious wedding-related companies and creative ideas that are a click away!

Ink and Wit

There are a number of wonderful eco-friendly wedding invitation companies out there, but Tara Hogan’s Ink+Wit has a special place in my heart. I’ve been a long-time fan of her letterpress art and stationary, so when the time came to began planning my own wedding, I knew she was the designer for me.

Just recently, Tara launched a pre-designed line of wedding invitations that can be easily customized and come in any Pantone color you can imagine. Working with her on my custom invitations has been a fantastic collaborative process; I couldn’t ask for anything better.

Earthly Affair

For those who like more traditional invitation designs, Jen Stambolsky’s Earthly Affair collections are just the thing. With
18 designs to choose from, you can choose the type and colors on all the styles. Though she doesn’t do custom work, she does stick firmly to her sustainable manifesto. A small, eco-friendly, affordable business – Earthly Affair is a triple treat!

Sarah Seven

Choosing a dress is one of the toughest tasks when planning an eco-friendly wedding. For the non-traditional bride, my favorite handmade gowns come from Sarah Seven. Handmade in Portland, Ore. with recycled bustiers and fabrics, Sarah’s designs are mostly above-the-knee, but she will happily customize them to any length (and color) you choose. She has also developed her first bridal line that will make any bride stand out … sustainably.

PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com

If you like traditional styles but can’t bring yourself to pay $6,000 for a dress, check out PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com. The site features over 2,000 gowns by any and all major designers you can name, all of which have been either never worn or worn only once. I’ve found over 20 gowns that fit my style, budget, and body. Of course, most gowns will need to be tailored after you receive them, but is a small price to pay compared to how much you can save!

Krikawa Rings

Sustainable rings are another difficult task for a green wedding. There are a number of great companies out there for ethical diamonds and recycled metals, but that is all too traditional for me. Instead, I prefer lab-created color “diamonds” and gems set in palladium – the lesser-known (and more affordable) sibling of platinum. Krikawa Rings specializes in both and makes some beautiful custom bands in varying prices.

Snippet & Ink Budget Tips

Saving money can easily be connected with saving the planet. Snippet & Ink, one of my all-time favorite wedding blogs because of their constant source of inspiration, has a full category of real and idea weddings based on budgets. I’ve found money-saving ideas in their posts that I’ve never seen elsewhere. Inventive and thrifty – that’s a winning combination in my book.

Martha Stewart’s Free Templates

No one can deny the mastery of Martha Stewart and her Weddings magazine is always fantastic. Add a bit of her crafty world to your wedding, thanks to her free downloadable templates. Available in a host of patterns and colors, she offers up options for everything from favor bags and seating cards to centerpieces and thank-you postcards. Who ever said you can’t get anything good for free?

Laurie Cinotto + OnceWed’s DIY Projects

Creatively-endowed or not, you can easily pull off one of Laurie Cinotto’s spectacular DIY wedding projects. Flower arranging, ring pillows, vases, boutonnieres, garlands – there are six pages of simple projects that will create a big impact for your special day. Each project has clear step-by-step instruction and pictures, including an item-by-item cost roundup to help budget. These are not to be missed!

The Small Object Cake Toppers

Be prepared to say awwww, because these cute creations are incredibly swoon-worthy. Handmade by The Small Object’s founder, Sarah Neuburger, these wooden cake toppers are made specifically for each couple and can be customized right down to their wardrobe and flower colors. Sarah recently added cupcake toppers to her list of creations, perfect for anyone with a smaller budget or quirky sense of humor.

Have your own favorite green wedding vendors? Share their website links with us in the comments section.

Victoria Everman is an eco writer, consultant, model, photographer, crafter and yogi. You can check out her process of planning a local,
eco-friendly, independent wedding at Planning an Eco-Indie Wedding. For more eco inspirations, visit her main blog at victoria-e.com.

Images: Fevi in Cayman, Victoria Everman

The post Guest Post: Victoria Everman on 9 Eco Wedding Tips appeared first on EcoSalon.