Join EcoSalon and Ecover as we head into October with a sweepstakes that celebrates your Green Closet!

Ecover tells us: “As you know, one of the elements of Green Closet is all about stopping the clothing rotation: buy good quality clothes and keep each item longer by taking good care of them.”

At EcoSalon, we are all about slow and conscious consumption when it comes to clothing, so we are more than happy to collaborate with Ecover to promote their Green Closet sweepstakes.

What’s the deal? Well, one very lucky and randomly selected Grand Prize winner will take home a stunning prize package that includes fashions from celebrated Green Closet designers Auralis Herrero-Lugo of Auralis and Tara St. James of Study, NY, an eco-styling session with Green Closet supporter Greta Eagan of FASHIONmeGREEN, a signed copy of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by fashion expert Elizabeth Cline, and of course Ecover laundry products that will help you keep your favorite clothes sustainably fresh and well cared for – a total value of more than $600.00.

Auralis Ava Top (pictured above): This is the top for all seasons. 100% silk crinkle chiffon with an iron oxide splatter. Made in NYC.  – $128 plus an Auralis Hannah Scarf (below): Indigo with Tumeric shibori accents. Perfect as a beach cover-up/sarong, a picnic blanket or a winter scarf.  4 feet x 4 feet. Fabric –  crepé plisé: 37% Silk, 35% Hemp, 28% Organic Cotton. Made in NYC.  – $80

Study, NY Berry Blouse (pictured below) – 100% organic cotton blouse with open back in the winner’s choice of white or pinstripe. Made in NYC – $165

An online eco-styling session with Greta Eagan of FASHIONmeGREEN (pictured below). This 1.5-hour session includes: an overall style assessment, defining of personal and professional goals in dress attire, evaluation of five different outfits from the winner’s closet, and eco-fashion integration into their shopping knowledge and habits based on their personal values.  – $200

One copy of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth Cline which talks about “fast fashion” and the price we pay for not shopping sustainably. -$29.99

One each of the following full-size Ecover products (below), plus 2 reusable shopping totes approximated value $51

Now that you’re probably screaming at your screen “How do I enter?!!!” here’s how:

We want to see either a photo of a favorite garment that you have owned for 5 to 10 years and/or a brief description of why your beloved garment is so special to you.

To enter, “like” Ecover’s Facebook page and click on the sweepstakes tab under their cover photo. You will be asked to upload your photo and/or brief description, as well as your contact info. The sweeps ends on October 14, and the winner will be selected by random drawing on October 15th.

Good luck!!

If you are interested in learning more about Green Closet, go here.

The post Ecover and EcoSalon Celebrate Green Closet With An Eco Fashion Sweepstakes! appeared first on EcoSalon.

EcoSalon’s top 20 favorite sustainable fashion sites from around the globe.

They help us find out about new designers, industry news, trends, learn what sustainable fashion means, and discover all the swanky events we can attend on a global level – these are our eco fashion writers and designers, our go-to girls reporting all the news fit to print, from the exciting and beautiful to the all-too-often tragic and wasteful designer landscape. These are the pioneers of a new type of fashion that explores, connects and draws us in to what the industry could be if we simply supported it more.

We’d like to throw our own hat into this ring, as well- but then, you’re already here reading us, aren’t you?

Past Fashion Future

Past Fashion Future founder Emma Grady says: “I founded Past Fashion Future one year ago as a platform to explore my personal style aesthetic and to show the beauty of timeless and classic fashion and style. I love hearing people’s personal style stories, specifically about their sentimental connection to the clothing that they wear.”

We love the site layout, sharp, stylish images and especially, Something Old, Something New, a series that reveals how modern day style mavens wear heirlooms, vintage, and ethical fashion.

Vogue’s Green Style blog

Come on, It’s Vogue, it’s Livia Firth, it’s eco fashion and it’s high style – do we need to say any more about it?

Ecco eco

BurdaStyle

BurdaStyle, is an online social community that uses the web to bring the craft of sewing to a new generation of designers, hobbyists, DIYers and anyone looking to sew. What could be more sustainable than making clothes yourself? Sewers flock here to mingle, share and support over projects, patterns and full galleries of completed designs.

Join their community to keep current with what other budding (and seasoned) designers are doing. We most certainly do.

Six Magazine

SIX says it was founded with one aim, “to celebrate the designers, individuals, independent brands and companies who are creating a more ethical and sustainable future for the fashion industry.”
We love how the site incorporates beauty products as well as high fashion and packages it so beautifully we want to read every article.
We also love that SIX represents the sixth sense we all have when it comes to style and value.

Clever.

4 Equal Sides

Tara St James, founder of Study NY and 4 Equal Sides believes that “open source material plays a strong role in the development of the sustainable design community,” making her the rare designer that has vision enough to see how the sustainable designer’s new model needs to play out. Under her guidance, Study’s interns have developed, produced and continue to sell their own sustainable mini collections. St James is very open about her production and design process and documents her own story as a designer in a visually as well as editorially personal way that makes you come back for more.

Fashion Me Green

FashionMeGreen is a sustainable fashion awareness project and style site. Founder Greta Eagan says it’s “Conscious coolhunting from around the globe,” and we are in total agreement.

All the curated product pulls, designer features, amazing photo editorials and fashion trend pieces give us extreme hope for the future of ethical fashion that it can in fact be stylish enough to become mainstream without anyone even noticing.

Closette

Yuka Yoneda, founder of Closette and Ecouterre’s Senior Editor calls herself a shopaholic.

“Well, I was a shopaholic. I was always a jeans and sweatshirt kinda girl, but when I graduated from college and got a job in the city, I went a leeeetle crazy with the shopping – okay, a lot crazy. Then I learned about where the clothes I was buying came from and how they were affecting and hurting other people, particularly women and children, around the globe. The idea that these crimes against women, pollution and chemicals going into our water and bodies, and just shear waste were all happening because I wanted a new top or jeans really made me feel ashamed. I knew I had to make a difference in my own life, so I started thrift shopping, supporting sustainable designers and making my own clothes and I feel wonderful knowing that the garments I wear don’t contribute to anyone else being hurt (except maybe for the people who have to look at my crazy outfits).”

Check out Closette for some fun DIY ideas, shop vintage and secondhand clothing or try winning one of her fun giveaways.

Goodlifer

Founded by Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Johanna Björk, Goodlifer is all about style and the good life. “With your help, we’re writing a guidebook for a new generation of Goodlifers. We want you to share in and help craft a positive, enthusiastic vision of a future that is both sustainable and achievable. Through first-hand, personal journalism and thoughtful exploration and discussion we’re here to consider daily choices, reconsider assumptions, pose questions, uncover opportunities, make you think and collaborate with us on what it means to be a Goodlifer.”

Sign us on Johanna.

We’ve been following Timo Rissanen since we came across him in this New York Times article and were more than elated to finally meet him recently at the Yield exhibit in Brooklyn. Timo says on his site: “I’m investigating fashion creation without fabric waste creation through design practice.”

We are fascinated by his finds.

EFW

EcoFashionWorld says they aim to inspire with new ideas, ideals and information. “Our goal is to keep you green, gorgeous and growing with a comprehensive guide to finding sustainable designer brands and online eco fashion stores.” For those new to the game and fumbling over the words like Peace Silk or tencel, check out their glossary for the latest terminology definitions.

Ethical Fashion Forum

The Ethical Fashion Forum is a non-profit organization, that makes life just a little more easy “for fashion professionals to integrate sustainability at the heart of what they do.”
Membership to the EFF delivers support for sustainable fashion businesses through three programs with each program including several essential tools which members can take advantage of to succeed in ethical fashion business.

Members can also stay current with events, sourcing and EFF socials.

Ecouterre

The fashion daughter of Inhabitat, Ecouterre is a heavily photo-curated website devoted to the future of sustainable fashion design. “We’re dedicated to showcasing and supporting designers who not only contemplate cut, form, and drape, but also a garment’s social and environmental impact, from the cultivation of its fibers to its use and disposal. Our ethos: To follow the evolution of the apparel industry toward a more environmentally sound future, as well as facilitate a conversation about why sustainable fashion matters.”

Treehugger

What came first, eco blogging or Treehugger? I think many of us were reading Treehugger when eco fashion was just beginning to evolve past the point of crunchy. Still on track to provide us with timely fashion news, we’ve bookmarked the site and will continue to go back.

Eco Chick

Eco-Chick editor Starre Vartan, consultant and author of The Eco-Chick’s Guide to Life, says the main intention of her site is to “inspire readers toward a healthier, more sustainable life (which we think means a happier life too). That includes slowing down, unplugging, getting out, going in, making mistakes and moving on, being choosy, doing research, and growing every day. Rest and relaxation are real and important, and so is time with friends and family. We love local food, farmer’s markets, independent designers, handmade everything, and connecting with where our stuff comes from and who makes it. We especially love inspiring women who keep us on our toes and asking questions.”

Her site covers all aspects of the fashion industry and Starre is a known girl about town on the streets of New York City when it comes to getting the scoop on eco-fashion. If you’re where she is, you’re in the right place.

Magnifeco

Magnifeco is an eco-fashion blog currently based in Tokyo by founder Kate Black and features fair-trade, sustainable, organic, recycled, vintage and vegan brands in a place where ethics meet aesthetics. From earth friendly fabrics, to sustainable manufacturing processes and fairtrade practices, the site features conscious designers and products for the conscious consumer.

Market Publique

Market Publique is an eclectic marketplace dedicated to vintage fashion “committed to bringing the community together so we can all have a place to buy, sell and discuss vintage in a positive and focused environment.”
The Brooklyn based company started when the founders realized there was a lack of options for quality vintage sellers online.

We are obsessed with how great the styling is and are always inspired to grab a piece to add to our own wardrobes or to simply wear clothes differently after we leave the site.

Holly McQuillan

Holy McQuillan, Yield Curator, designer and lecturer in the fashion design program at Massey University’s College of Creative Arts in Wellington, New Zealand says since completing her Masters of Design, which explored the presentation of cultural memory through garment design, her work has focused on exploring the possibilities that arise when garment design is restrained by one goal – zero-waste.

Peruse her site or get in touch with her with some of your own zero waste design questions. She will get you rethinking fashion for sure.

Organic Girly

Organic Girly founder Jennifer Barckley is not only one of the nicest people we’ve ever met, she’s also a fantastic resource. Utilize her “Ask me anything,” button and she will get back to you quickly. Check her site for periodic updates on vegan and sustainable fashion forays that sometimes even lead her to chicken sitting.

Social Alterations

Mary Hanlon’s Social Alterations was “developed with fashion and textile design educators in mind, it also acts to create a platform for design educators to benchmark themselves against other educators not only within their own field, but across various design disciplines. In order to create real lasting change, designers of all disciplines must work together to foster transformation.”

A wonderful venue for timely fashion news regarding everything from Fast Fashion to CSR.

Image: Shandi-lee

The post From Eco to Vintage to DIY, 20 Fashion Sites We Can’t Live Without appeared first on EcoSalon.

Ah, fashion. Just when you’ve sorted out what trends to ride for the current season, it’s time to look forward and incorporate a whole new wave. Luckily, there are some key accessories this spring that will help smooth out your transition.

Moving into spring provokes a sense of fresh intrigue and a renewed energy to be daring and perhaps a little bold and bright.

1. One of the biggest trends for S/S11 is to politely retire the black bag and put into play a colorful counterpart, like a blue bag from Matt & Nat.

2. Geisha Gem Dangle Earrings made with eco-friendly Argentium sterling silver add just a hint of color.

3. A multi-colored scarf from Edun is perfect to introduce color and warmth.

4. Stella McCartney’s Eco Cotton Multi Botancical Print Wallet with exaggerated chain trim is a little something special.

5. A vibrant statement necklace from Lizzie Fortunato gives you a uniqueness that is admired and coveted.

If the cold has got you down, or if you are just ready to move your wardrobe forward into spring fashion, incorporating these accessories is a great way to keep you feeling inspired and on trend.

The post 5 Accessories to Warm You Up for Spring appeared first on EcoSalon.

Holiday shopping is almost as exciting as the post-holiday sale shopping that comes on in full force during the month of January. I’ve scooped up beautiful handbags, shoes, jackets and jewelry during this time of the year that I would have never been able to afford otherwise.

In the first week of January, sales are running across the board, and I took the liberty to sniff out my three top picks to buy now and wear later.

1. A Sequin Organic Jersey Kimono Dress from Elsom. Layer it with a pair of leggings, boots, a cute cropped blazer and a vibrant scarf and you’ve got one hot outfit this winter. In the summer, pair it with flats and maybe an oversized boyfriend cardigan for a relaxed look.

2. Skinny Blazer by John Patrick Organic. Every girl needs a good blazer. It’s the LBD of daily wear. You should have a go-to black one, and if you have graduated to a more risky style sense, pretty in pink is the perfect palate for transitioning from winter’s beiges to summer’s whites!

3. NeuAura Plum Heels. Open-toed shoes with layered tights and socks this winter keeps you thick with the fashion pack. When the temperature warms up, lose the layers and go for bare legs.

If you didn’t quite get what you wanted from Santa this year, take it upon yourself to get what you deserve at a discount, and let those pieces carry you through the winter into spring!

The post 3 Pieces to Buy Now (On Sale) to Wear Later appeared first on EcoSalon.

I love celebrating the big countdown on New Year’s Eve. Wherever I am, I make it a priority to pull out the sequins, the colored pumps and some flashy accessories. Call me girly, but the truth is I know I am not alone in pre-planning my December 31st wardrobe.

New Years is kind of like Halloween for fashion-forward individuals. Lace, sequins, mesh, wild prints and exaggerated makeup are the norm. So, when perusing through some of my favorite eco-fashion designers’ sites, I decided to highlight my top three frocks to ring in the New Year with.

The first is a body con dress by Althea Harper that exudes mega confidence. If you need a boast in attitude to turn out for the night’s festivities, this one has your name all over it!

Next, you can never go wrong with a print dress done right. The Bassike brand has a cult following and with effortless fashion made functional, I can certainly see why.

My final option is made for the star-studded event – as it was designed by a star herself, Project Runway winner Gretchen Jones. A classic velvet dress pushed stylishly into the limelight with designer details!

All you need now is some liquid liner, platform shoes and a boy who you can steal his jacket from to complete your look. Happy New Year!

The post Frocks to Ring in the New Year appeared first on EcoSalon.

My collection of big woolly sweaters sure does get a workout during the holiday season. Unfortunately I can’t stay indoors and hibernate, as there are festive parties to attend – parties that prefer glitz and glam over warm and cozy. I may follow EcoSalon’s fashion editor Amy DuFault’s lead this winter and invest in a cape. How can you go wrong with a timeless piece that’s both trendy and keeps you protected from the elements?

Wondering you can turn up the heat on your own? Sans cape? I suggest going for a naughty and nice look. Piggybacked on the leather and lace trend that swept the scene earlier this year, choose a classic lace dress that has a bit of a body con shape and balance it with a hip leather jacket that acts as an edgy indoor layer. Finish off the look with over the knee platform heel boots.

This look is urban chic and sure to get checked off Santa’s list, as well as a few fashionistas who will be lusting over your confident cocktail attire.

The post Naughty and Nice appeared first on EcoSalon.

An old proverb states that it is better to travel well than to arrive. There are many interpretations of that profound statement, but the most literal one is also applicable. So, as we gear up to make the trip home for the holidays, it seems appropriate to focus on just a few items that will make your trip that much more comfortable (regardless of the airline you are flying).

An ethically sourced and produced scarf from The North Circular keeps you stylishly cozy when the cabin temperature starts to drop. Of course, you will need a carry-on bag that fits all your snacks and gadgets. For this we recommend the upcycled leather top handle oversized satchel from The Sway NYC.

A long day of traveling can be hard on the feet, but not when you slip into a pair of Kuyban loafers. Every pair offers their signature insole supports which transform any pair of shoes into a walking dream. And when you are relaxing in flight, don’t forget to pull out a pair of socks to keep your toes warm. We are fans of the recycled cotton pair from Socksmith.

Finally, what would a travel bag be without a balm for your lips, hands and face? Not to worry, the folks over are Lush have the just the thing- the Ultrabalm!

Holiday travel can be hectic, but with a little forethought and some signature luxuries – including a newly downloaded book for your iPad or Kindle, the traveling may very well become one of the best parts of your trip.

The post Holiday Travel Airport Essentials appeared first on EcoSalon.

Winter is finally setting in, but if you are fortunate enough, you may have a warm weather escape on your horizon! It turns out that I am the aforementioned lucky duck who writes this post from the middle of the Indian Ocean on a set of exquisite islands off the coast of India, just west of Sri Lanka.

Getting here was a bit of a journey (four different airplanes and five time zones later!) – suffice it to say, there were all together too many changeovers, and I arrived in paradise without my luggage. So, I made a list of the essentials and went shopping. It turns out, you only need a handful of items to live quite well on an island. Here is my list:

1. Edeline Organic Cotton Stripe Dress by Jackpot.

2. Olga Olsson Rose Rio Bikini – luxury swimwear with environmental consideration.

3. Melissa Cute flip flops by Melissa’s Plastic Dreams.

4. Juicy Couture’s Choose Green Jasmine Sunglasses – created from 55 percent bio-based renewable plant materials.

5. Kid Safe Screen in SPF 25 from Marie Veronique Organics.

So, while I hope you do not encounter the missing luggage dilemma I did, I do hope this gives you guidance for a lighter more free-spirited tropical holiday. Because the truth is, less really is more.

The post Beach Retreat: 5 Essential Items for a Tropical Getaway appeared first on EcoSalon.

You know those lazy Saturdays when you borrow your boyfriend’s jacket to grab brunch with friends, and your outfit winds up being the talk of the table?It seems this relaxed trend is taking center stage! Embracing the masculine and feminine balance can be tricky at times, but when you add a men’s style jacket to your otherwise girly attire, you achieve the perfect mix.

Here are a few options to get your menswear style up and running:

1. Stella McCartney Wool Mix Indus Coat. Leave it to Stella to create a simple yet wonderfully elegant jacket with strong menswear lines. Pair it with skinny pants, heels, a nice blouse and a dash of red lipstick and you are Katharine Hepburn incarnated!

2. Nixxi Pea Coat. A hat’s tip to the sailor pea coat, Nixxi offers this style in organic wool with silk and hemp lining.

3. Izzy Lane A/W Collection 2010. Wensleydale and Shetland sheep comprise the Izzy Lane line and are mainly of animals that would have been sent to slaughter for being male, missing a pregnancy, being a little lame, being too small, being too old or having imperfections such as a black spot in a white fleece. This line is ethical with a strong heritage.

Bottom line: boyfriend jackets compliment feminine frames and with these options, hang with a purpose!

The post Fashion Cues from the Boys: The Boyfriend Jacket appeared first on EcoSalon.

You may already know that Julie Gilhart is the Senior Vice President and Fashion Director of Barneys New York. What you may not know is that she also takes on the role as a mainstream eco-fashion advocate. In a sustainable fashion focused conversation hosted at the Fashion Institute of Technology last week, Gilhart shared the various ways that she – and Barneys – are striving to be more eco.

Gilhart opened the discussion by stating that just two-years-ago, you would never find her talking to FIT students about social responsibility in fashion. She quickly segwayed into the various campaigns that Barneys New York has been running since about 2007 with social responsibility at its core. Through designer collaborations including upcycling, ethical outsourcing to developing countries, organic cotton initiatives and sustainable fiber production, Barneys is quickly becoming a green beacon for the fashion industry.

Enthusiasm for eco-fashion awareness is high, yet Gilhart tempers that consumers are still learning about sustainable fashion. “We asked Stella McCartney to do a line and source only organic cotton. The label read: ‘Stella McCartney Organic’ and it really turned the customer off. They thought that since the garments were produced with organic cotton, their quality was less than,” stated Gilhart.

There is a fine line when educating the consumer. If a brand boasts about its green credentials too loudly, consumers are put off, yet they simultaneously need those green flags to go up, otherwise they don’t know what they are buying. “It is important to get the consumer to understand that what they are buying has an impact,” asserts Gilhart.

Perhaps what we need are a few role models to show us the ropes. So how does Gilhart incorporate eco practices into her lifestyle? She shared a few tips:

– Be proud of your clothes and wear them over and over. It is okay to wear the same shirt or pants two days in a row or multiple times in a week.

– Buy expensive pieces that last and are of higher quality.

– Take good care of your clothes. Have them dry cleaned, and repaired when needed.

– Don’t buy cheap clothing that you have to keep replacing.

– Buy less.

– Know where your clothing comes from and support locally, or even domestically, produced brands.

Julie was quick to admit that based on her job and involvement with designers, it is quite easy for her to make educated purchasing decisions. Luckily, for the rest of us, we can head to Barneys and shop eco-fashion that is seamlessly integrated into their fashion offerings. “You have to put design and style first,” says Gilhart. “Start with the front story and then you can share the backstory.” When you shop at Barneys, the staff are trained on the different lines and will be able to share those backstories of a more eco-friendly nature with you. The idea is that you will pick out a piece because you like it, and then learn of its eco-added bonus. At the moment, this is Barneys working an eco-fashion integration model. What do you think? Should designers and stores clearly advertise their eco-backstories or let the consumer passively discover them through their shopping?

Let’s continue the conversation.

The post A Candid Conversation with Barneys NY Julie Gilhart appeared first on EcoSalon.