Let’s face the facts: It’s about to get cold again. Summer is waning, the days are getting shorter and we have to retire our shorty shorts. But don’t despair; fall is a romantic season, with cool days and even cooler nights—and cozy coats. We’ve found 5 responsibly made, ethical fall coats from brands you need to you know. (pst, most of them are on sale now, too.)

1. Heidi Merrick Durban Coat

This wool coat, tailored like a men’s blazer, adds a feminine touch with color blocking.  It’s warm, easy and goes with everything from dress to jeans. Heidi Merrick’s line is made in downtown Los Angeles, literally walking distance from her design studio. The brand explains: “It’s a local footprint with a global appeal.”

$315, Heidi Merrick

2. Diesel+EDUN Ed Fiedly

If you haven’t heard of the Diesel + EDUN collaboration, I recommend checking it out. EDUN, founded by Ali Hewson and her husband Bono (maybe you’ve heard of him) are determined to bring economic gains to Africa and shed light on the immense talent and skill within the continent.  The recent collaboration between the two brands brings together the edgy energy of Diesel and the socially responsible practices of EDUN.  Both inside and out, the cool design of this modernized jean jacket is not to be overlooked.

$428, Diesel

3. Grey Hand-Woven Harris Tweed Bomber-Coat by Honest By

Honest By is the future of the fashion industry and the label is all about transparency. Not their clothing, but the supply chain, which is completely transparent, meticulously detailing each and every material used in the process of producing any of their items, including its source and content.  Often their clothes are made in limited quantities of very high quality.  Get your hands on this fall coat because it’s only 1 of ten.

$450 outside of EU, Honest By

4. Book in Petal by Vaute Couture

You need to know Vaute. Vaute’s F/W2013 NYFW show–an entire vegan collection–made a huge splash in fashion and beyond.  Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart, founder of Vaute Couture, ex-model and lifetime animal lover, designed Vaute with a vision to change the industry and her line has done nothing short of that. Since the label started in 2008 customers have learned that beautiful (and warm) coats don’t need to be made with any animal products and can still be completely functional.  All Vaute coats are suited for cold weather—Leanne lived in Chicago for many years and knows what it means to endure winter comfortably. She brings that same toughness and grace to her coats.  Constructed in NYC, this coat is heat-retaining and snow-resistant: it’s a 100% vegan shell lined with recycled satin liner.  Buttons are made from renewable tagua nut.

$298, Vaute Couture 

5. Yoj Full-Length Jacket

Pricey indeed, but the minimalist design and perfect details of this ethical fall coat will last you a lifetime.  If you’ve been saving up for a long-lasting winter coat, this is the one for you. Made with organic cotton, Yoj is a favorite of Livia Firth, founder of the Green Carpet Challenge.

$1,263, Yoox

Related on Ecosalon: 

 Fall Farmers Market Guide: 10 Seasonal Products and Recipe Ideas

Coming This Fall: 6 Female Movie Characters We Can Hardly Wait For

The post 5 Ethical Fall Coats from Hot Designers: Cozy and Chic appeared first on EcoSalon.

Is sustainable consumption an oxymoron? Forward-thinking companies are increasingly using storytelling as a branding device to educate and engage consumers who want to know the impact of their purchases.

Another fire in another factory. The murder of a labor leader fighting for garment worker’s rights. Rivers turned indigo by waste water from denim manufacturing. How long can we keep yet another worrying headline separate from our love for cheap clothing?

As we recognize what consumption is doing to our planet, changing consumer patterns reflects both a yearning for simplicity and an expectation of transparency – especially among the younger consumers companies covet. That quality of wholeness we prioritize in our food – the connection to the handmade, local and distinctive, quality ingredients, and the story behind the artisan and the passion for her craft – is beginning to inform all of our purchasing decisions.

One way brands are beginning to respond is by using video to simply and powerfully communicate the story of sustainability behind the products and services they’re selling.  While the ability to reach out to style-lovers without negating fashion’s design and feel-good focus can be challenging, evocative visual stories can be a powerful tool in sharing the importance of a more considered approach. Here are some of our favorite video visions for the future of fashion:

Honest Us from Vinícius Bobsin on Vimeo.

1. Honest By founder Bruno Pieters tells the story of his enigmatic brand and what it means to live an authentic life in ‘Honest Us.’ Directed by Vinicius Bobsin and lasting only a few seconds, the mesmerizing short captures the mood of the innovative Honest By collection perfectly.

piece x piece from Elizabeth Brunner on Vimeo.

2. In this video, San Francisco-based designer Elizabeth Brunner shares the inspiration and process behind her visionary line, Piece x Piece. Bringing to life the story behind her innovative garments – which take months of collaboration, exploration and experimentation to make – she illustrates the power of how a simple decision skillfully executed can create meaningful change.

Organic Cotton – Grown in the USA from Patagonia on Vimeo.

3. An industry trail blazer, Patagonia was one of the first companies to tell consumers about the eco impact of its product line via the ‘Footprint Chronicles.’ In their latest video, they document the characters involved in the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative (TOCMC) one of the company’s first suppliers of organic cotton grown in West Texas.

Detox Fashion by Greenpeace.

4. Greenpeace effectively used Anime to describe a futuristic warning of things to come their latest  for their Detox Fashioncampaign. Overcoming difficult messages by using a fun, comic book style, the film remains a thoughtful and provoking on-topic perspective on why beautiful fashion shouldn’t cause toxic pollution.

Top Image: Piece x Piece

The post 4 Sustainable Fashion Films: The Power of Storytelling to Captivate & Convince appeared first on EcoSalon.

Happy birthday Honest by! The Spring/Summer 2013 Honest by Bruno Pieters collection, pictured above, presents an eclectic mix of breathtaking designs.

“Everyone deserves to dream but everyone also has the right to live those dreams. No planet, no man, no woman, no child or animal should live a nightmare in order for me to live my dream.The story behind a garment needs to be as beautiful as the design. Whether our outfit costs 100 or 100.000 Euros the story needs to be one that fits with who we truly are.” – Bruno Pieters

Honest by, the world’s first transparent fashion label, reached its 1 year anniversary on Wednesday the 30th of January. EcoSalon would like to recognize the Honest by team’s significant efforts toward marrying beautiful designs, quality materials, respectful manufacturing methods and honest business practices to create a truly sustainable fashion brand. Their creations have been an inspiration and have set forth positive new paradigms for fashion and all that it involves.

Honest by Bruno Pieters Spring/Summer 2013

Demonstrating how the fashion process has the ability to be gracious and humane,  and how all parts of the process can work in harmony with each other has been a significant achievement on the part of founder Bruno Pieters and the team working with him. Bruno started the company with the aim of providing a story for every garment that he designs, making sure to provide all the information from materials sourcing, to carbon footprint and price calculation, so that fully informed and responsible purchasing decisions can be made.

                   Honest by Calla                                 Honest by Maison des Talons

Over the last year, Honest by has collaborated with several designers to launch gorgeous and responsive collections. New York based Calla Haynes, German designer Anne Pastré, Canadian Nicolas Andreas Taralis, and shoe design duo Maison des Talons have all created collections for Honest by, showcasing the range of materials, design aesthetics and garment types that can be made with integrity and awareness. The concept of timeless design is embraced in these collections, all of which are currently available at the Honest by online store.

Honest by Bruno Pieters Spring/Summer 2013

On October 10^th, 2012 Bruno launched his S/S 2013 collection on the Honest by site, which includes an array of intriguing prints, exquisite colors and striking silhouettes, all beautifully blended with the designer’s renowned tailoring skills. Bruno’s inspiration from his travels in India, Japan and France are clearly evident through the kimono profiles, paneling, jewel tones and stripes. The coveted collection is currently available on a pre-order basis through the online shop, with several styles already sold out.

Honest by Bruno Pieters Spring/Summer 2013

On Honest by’s 1 year anniversary, Bruno Pieters sent out a public note addressing the progress of the label, sincerely giving thanks for all the support, and asking his audience fundamental questions about our current way of being in the world. He stated his temporary leave as the Honest by spokesperson for 2013, as he will be traveling and working on another project for the year. Although Honest by Bruno Pieters will no longer be showing at fashion week, the label will continue to release new designs during the year.

Honest by Bruno Pieters Spring/Summer 2013

Images: Honest by

The post Sustainable Fashion Label Honest by Celebrates 1 Year in the Making appeared first on EcoSalon.

London touts its sustainable fashion posse, and they are worth the look.

After cavorting the sustainable catwalks of New York Fashion Week, EcoSalon’s Spring Summer 2013 coverage hopped the pond (in high heels, of course) to London Fashion Week’s Estethica exhibition.

Now in its 13th season, the exhibition, hosted by the British Fashion Council, showcases a selection of designers which have shown a commitment to both social and environmental sustainability. The criteria includes incorporating intelligent design principles to reduce an item’s life cycle impact, reducing the carbon footprint of transporting manufactured goods, using up-cycled or post consumer waste materials, and empowering the local communities where the products are made.

The West Wing of Somerset House was abuzz Sunday as the featured designers, with morning-appropriate flutes of bucks fizz in hand, were on board to talk about their collections. After viewing the 15 collections, we chose five standouts, which were impressive not just for their wares but also for their enlightened efforts to take the fast out of fashion.

Honest By

The headline designer of the Estethica exhibition was Belgian-born designer Bruno Pieters and his collection for Honest By, a label that is revolutionizing brand transparency. Launched in January of this year, Honest By has pledged to publish every aspect of their brand’s operations—categorized by material information, manufacturing details, price calculation, and carbon footprint—in meticulous detail on their website. You don’t have to go mining through some arcane corporate sustainability report for the specifics either; each individual item for sale has an exhaustive set of specifics listed directly underneath it.

The clean and simple aesthetic of the Pieters collection mirrors the ethos of the brand, which will begin inviting new designers it grows. When the brand launched earlier this year, Financial Times editor Vanessa Friedman called it the “most subversive etail initiative” around, and rightly pointed out the fact that up until now, “fashion, especially high-end fashion, is a business built on opacity.” We like that Honest By holds transparency as its starting point, and we hope others follow suit.

Auria x Margot Bowman

Accomplished young designer and London College of Fashion alum Diana Auria teamed up with her illustrator friend Margot Bowman for her SS13 swimwear collection. The whimsical and utterly dream-like prints were inspired by the Greek goddess of the hunt Artemis, and what might happen if the deity were to “fall from the heavens and onto the set of Baywatch.”

Using 100% re-purposed polyamide, Auria’s skivvies had prior manifestations as fishing nets or carpets; once the raw materials are procured though, the entire design and production process takes place within the UK. The design and silhouettes of the suits—which are thankfully not limited to skinny girl only string bikinis—include pieces that can go from beach to night, including a crop top that is screaming to be be paired with high waisted denim and worn to an east London club.

Carla Fernandez

Each collection of Carla Fernandez’s label is inspired by a particular state or region of her home country of Mexico. A great example of this originates in the Yucatan Peninsula, where her pieces for the SS13 Mayaland collection are heavily accented by the rich tradition of textile arts specific to the region, such as hammock making, embroidery, wood turning, and silver and gold filigree. Local artisans help make the clothes, and when the wares go into mass production, Fernandez pays the original artisans royalties to honor their original ideas and designs.

Made using mainly linen, cotton and silk, Mayaland’s luxurious wraps and ponchos—which look like the type of thing you want to put on and never, ever take off—also feature local-inspired motifs such as embroidered armadillos, adding an element of whimsy to the richly textured fabrics. Fernandez also spearheads a mobile fashion lab, called Taller Flora, which travels around Mexico to set up workshops with indigenous communities and promote local craftsmanship.

Charini

Sri Lankan born and educated both in her home country and the London College of Fashion, lingerie designer Charini Suriyage makes uber sophisticated lingerie that simultaneously empowers the women who make it. By hiring local craftsmen who are trained in various heritage textile techniques—such hand silk weaving, embroidery, and Sri Lankan beeralu—Charini attempts to prevent the decline of these traditional industries in her home nation.

The production and manufacturing of lingerie is generally a very wasteful process; intricate fabric patterns and piece-meal designs tend to leave behind lots of scraps. To combat this, Charini’s pieces are designed to have a minimum number of components and any waste is re-incorporated into production. Sourcing all her materials from within Sri Lanka and avoiding all elastic, plastic, metal and harmful dyes in her pieces, Charini also manages to design shape wear that you would most definitely want someone to see at the end of the day.

Mich Dulce

Filipino born and based milliner Mich Dulce makes hats that are fit for a British wedding out of a material that is entirely foreign to northern latitudes: t’nalak. Made from hand woven banana fibers, this material is an integral part of the indigenous T’boli tribe’s heritage, and Dulce uses it in part to revive this area of craftsmanship. Partnering with a local poverty alleviation group to hire disadvantaged women in her area, Dulce—who studied at London’s Central Saint Martin’s and New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology—said imbuing her designs with a humanitarian ethos is fundamental to her work.

The earthy feel of the hats’ natural banana fibers balances out the structural shapes—including elaborate bows, bunny-like ears, flowers and clovers—and bright colors such as fuchsia and burnt orange. Her creations are at once feminine and tough, and we wouldn’t mind owning each and every one.

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Whether you go for sexy or androgynous when styling these menswear-inspired eco-fashion picks, it’s time to borrow from the boys.

With Father’s Day right around the corner, women all over the country are thinking about the men in their lives and perhaps even shopping for gifts for them. Why not take it a step further and dress the part as well. With these menswear-inspired eco-savvy picks you will be the coolest girl on the street. You can either go for sexy with dramatic eye makeup, red lips and big hair or do the androgynous thing, with minimal makeup and hair pulled back into a messy low ponytail. Either way, it’s time to borrow from the boys.

Hank Rey Org. Shade Blue Jeans by Nudie Jeans Co.
Loose-fitting denim in a very washed out light blue shade is totally right this summer. These, by Nudie Jeans Co., are made from Turkish organic cotton denim and have organic trims as well. The wash and abrasions are done using old school techniques that cause minimal environmental impact. Roll them up and wear with killer heels or low Doc Martens.
$225, Nudie Jeans Co.

Vegan 3 Eye Gibson Dr. Martens
These classic 3-eye Gibson shoes by Dr. Martens are completely vegan. Recent advances in materials and manufacturing processes has allowed these classic worker boots to be made entirely from animal-free materials without compromising quality and durability. Felix microfiber uppers emulate the good qualities of leather in texture and breathability, and the shoes are built on traditional Dr. Martens soles with all synthetic glues and materials.
$115, Moo Shoes

Tiboli Beater
Melissa Dizon, the designer of Eairth, is known for her innovative use of draping, slashing, tucks and multi-seaming. This version of a classic wife-beater (side note-we despise the name of that garment) features a V-shaped mix of materials that gives it a flattering feminine edge — perfect for pairing with those other, more loose-fitting men’s-inspired pieces. Organic materials, mixed with a strong artisanal mentality, the use of natural dyes and age-old manufacturing processes ensures that each piece is one of a kind.
$68, Juno & Jove

Half Bar Globe Watch Pendant by Love Nail Tree
This timeless piece is a throwback to the times when men all used to wear their watches on chains instead of their wrists. Maybe your grandfather once did? Honor that heritage by wearing this brass necklace, made from a working vintage watch. Love Nail Tree is an LA-based company that aims to use storytelling to “move people to action and inspire a deep change within them.”
$36, Love Nail Tree

We Are All Smith Hoodie
This unisex pullover hoodie by We Are All Smith is something a girl would give to her boyfriend just so she can borrow it, and what’s wrong with that? Made from a natural fleece alternative and dyed with low-impact dyes, it offers both comfort and warmth with a distinct sustainable appeal. At this time it’s only available in size large, but that’s totally fine with us.
$69, Smith Town Market

Honest By Recycled Wool Caban Coat
This impeccably cut navy blue coat is designed by Bruno Pieters and comes in a limited edition of 20 pieces. Made out of recycled wool and entirely finished with organic cotton bias tape, it features both unique, sharp tailoring and a comfortable oversized fit. A pioneer in fashion industry transparency, Honest By lists the actual production cost and total carbon impact of all materials combined, which for this piece is 5,74 kg of CO2 — the equivalent of driving a car for 22.3 miles or using a classic light bulb for 220,77 hours.
$1,009, Honest By

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Nine ways to wear one of spring’s hottest trends: ankle-length pants.

Ankle-length pants have been seen on the runways of fashion darlings like Isabel Marant for a few seasons now. This spring, it’s the hottest pant shape. A definite love-it-or-hate-it trend, ankle-length pants are easy to pull off, if you know how. The secret: picking the right shoes. We’ve done the work for you and found nine cropped pants and shoes that will make each look a home-run. Pair with a simple tee and a cropped jacket or long blazer and you’re wearing the spring trend as it should be.

Red is one of the hottest hues this spring when it comes to pants. Get inspired by Isabel Marant’s latest runway collection and pair your skinny ankle-length jeans with black pointed-toe pumps. It’s a fail-safe look.

Eileen Fisher Organic Stretch Twill Slim Ankle Jean in Saffron, $178, Eileen Fisher / Novacas Vegan Olivia Pump, on sale for $39.99, Moo Shoes

Take a walk on the wild side by pairing cropped cigarette jeans from Edun with cruelty-free vegan loafers in leopard print. All hues of pink – from soft pastel to hot fuchsia – are very on trend for spring.

Cropped Cigarette Jean, $198, Edun / Leopard-print Loafers, on sale for approx. $97, Beyond Skin

Most people will look best in a pair of skinny ankle-length pants, simply because they are more flattering and tend to accentuate the curve of the calves. Play with another of spring’s trends – stripes – in these organic cotton leggings by Feral Childe and pink vegan pinup-style sandals with a striped cork wedge heel.

Feral Childe Organic Cotton Chain Link Legging, on sale for $69, Jute & Jackfruit / Vegan Wedge Pindowns, on sale for $99, Fluevog Shoes

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, prints are huge for spring. Combine these galaxy/flower print cropped pants with yellow strappy sandals by Cri de Coeur and you’ll nail another hot trend – monochrome.

Low-waisted Skinny Pant, on sale for $112.50, Suno NY / Elegance T-strap Vegan Sandals, on sale for $50, Cri de Coeur

Strike the perfect balance between casual cool and street-savvy elegance by pairing Stewart + Brown’s Organic cotton sweats with shiny black rubber platform heels by Melissa. Top it off with a long black blazer and you may just get away with wearing sweat pants to a fancy dinner.

Stewart + Brown Terry Sweat Pants, $133, Stewart + Brown / Melissa Amazonas Platform Sandals, on sale for $67, Tobi

For a more avant-garde take on the ankle-length pant trend, pair these Organic wool trousers by designer Bruno Pieter’s new line Honest By, with a pair of vegan creepers. Keeping the look simple in all black keeps you from looking like a kid who outgrew his pants.

Adjustable Organic Wool Trousers, approx. $608, Honest By / Novacas Vegan Oxfords, $129.95, Compassion Couture

Keep things easy and breezy by pairing loose-fitting cropped pants by Dace with elegant architectural slingback heels. Add a lace top, sand-colored blazer and or loose-knit sweater and you’ll look like the nature-babe you are.

Dace Timothy Pants, on sale for $122.95, Future:Standard/ Clio Ankle Strap Vegan Wedges, $380, Cri de Coeur

If you’re ready to be totally daring with this trend, pair this printed jumpsuit by Edun with a pair of graphic black and white sandals. You’re guaranteed to turn some heads. Chances are, though, that this look will only work on amazonian model types.

Yoruba Print Jumpsuit, $489, Edun / Charm Bib-front Sandal, on sale for $42.50, Cri de Coeur

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