When packing for a stay at the Eco Pod in Scotland, take inspiration from the interiors and mix black, leather and metal with natural materials & hues.

Pack for a weekend at the Eco Pod in Scotland by filling your bag with a mix of Scottish and American eco-design. Take inspiration from the interiors of the geodesic dome pods and mix black leather and metal with natural materials and hues.

Erica Weiner Circles & Squares Necklace
Made from a long vintage brass chain threaded through a series of gunmetal-plated brass cubes with hollowed-out circles, this necklace by Erica Weiner echoes the shapes found in the exteriors of the Eco Pod hotel. It’s geometric shapes create a nice contrast with the neutral garments.
$75, Erica Weiner

Right As Rain T-shirt
Taking the idea of natural beauty to the next level the team behind Right as Rain came up with the unique concept of planting and harvest shirts, thus leaving the design to the unpredictability of nature. After the t-shirt has been planted in the ground for two to three months they are “harvested” and dried and then they are ready for wearing.
Approx. $325, Right As Rain

Izzy Lane Shetland Herringbone Zipped Coat
This zipped coat in a black and camel herringbone fabric will keep you warm through that British winter. Made from a rare breed of Shetland wool from the Izzy Lane flock of 600 rescued sheep, this coat is truly one-of-a-kind.
Approx. $520, Izzy Lane

Henrietta Ludgate Leather Skirt
Scottish luxury women’s wear designer, Henrietta Ludgate is known for her distinct structural aesthetic, and minimalist design, as well as for channeling her Scottish Heritage into her collection. The entire collection is produced locally, supporting Scottish craftsmanship.
$603, Yoox

Melange Hoodie Scarf / Alpaca Wrap by Mayu
This chunky knit alpaca scarf is the perfect size to wrap up with and in case you can’t find a hat, it’s got a super cute, oversized hood to keep you warm. Handknit by artisans in Peru with the highest quality pure, eco-friendly alpaca fiber.
$140, Mayu

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Less serious than black, natural hues are great complements to bright colors and make for good investment pieces.

Everyone seems to be talking about the bright colors these days, but there were plenty of natural hues seen on the runway during the latest edition of fashion weeks. For those of us who like to invest in fashion that lasts for a long time, the good news is that shades of beige never go out of style. In eco-fashion, it’s always the new black. To combine some of the hottest trends this winter, mix these natural hues with some poppy bright reds, plaid or orange lips.

Organic by John Patrick Flare Pants
These flared pants are truly figure-flattering. Made from organic cotton linen they are durable, comfy and easily take you from the office to a fancy vegan restaurant as they literally go with anything.
on sale for $137.50, 11th Moon

The Cortes Blanket by Heather Heron
Made from organic hemp linen, organically dyed and hand-knotted, this gorgeous blanket becomes softer with use and with proper care (i.e. hand washing) will last you a lifetime. And there’s no reason to leave it on the sofa, make it work double-duty by wearing it as a poncho or scarf.
$395.00, Heather Heron

Dace Patience Dress
This simple, stylish silk shirt dress features a flattering shawl collar and front and back pleating detail. Made from 100% sand washed silk, it comes with a belt and looks as good worn alone or paired with a leather jacket for a bit more attitude.
$395, Dace

Saami Bracelet
Based on traditional techniques from Sweden’s native Sami people, this handcrafted leather bracelet features delicate tin-silver alloy braiding. If beige is not your thing, don’t worry, it comes in 23 colors and is available in reindeer leather or lambskin.
approx. $147, Saami Crafts

Kork iPad Case
Made from recycled and recyclable natural cork, this cool case will keep your trusty iPad safe. It has outputs for everything you need to plug in and is ergonomically shaped for a natural feel. Available for the iPad 1 and iPad 2.
$39.95 – 49.95, A Produkt

Desert Antilope/Duna Boots by El Naturalista
Spanish shoe brand El Naturalista is inspired by nature and people. The company requires that all suppliers, the factory and agents and sales people adhere to their eco policy. Walk the talk in these stylish yet comfy desert boots, which will only look better with time.
approx. $220, El Naturalista

Izzy Lane College Cardigan
British designer Izzy Lane combines ethical fashion, luxury and animal welfare by sourcing wool from her own flock of rescued sheep, who get to live out their lives in a sanctuary in North Yorkshire. This short Wensleydale wool cardigan features side pockets and recycled nickle buffalo buttons.
approx. $469, Izzy Lane

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Art and fashion picks to green your Saint Patrick’s Day 2011

March 17^th might be the only day out of the year when head-to-toe ‘greenwashing’ is universally accepted. As an Irish American lass born on Saint Patrick’s Day, I have been bathed in green since my stint in the womb. I also had a mother who resorted to drops of emerald food coloring to tint the raw milk on our dairy farm in honor of my birthdays. It is perhaps no coincidence that I now write about sustainable fashion and design, as my rural upbringing also found me crawling around on hands and knees in our alfalfa fields searching for the elusive and perfectly formed four-leafed clover. As a means of honoring all shades of green this Saint Patrick’s Day, here are a few of my favorite art and fashion finds to help you create some good green sheen, now and into the future.

Izzy Lane Cable Roll Neck Sweater £259.00

Awarding winning ethical fashion label Izzy Lane is an alluring example of how to responsibly pull the wool over your eyes for Saint Patrick’s Day with this luxe ‘Emerald Green’ hand-knitted cable rollneck sweater. Lane is an outspoken voice in the campaign for animal welfare and also an advocate for rare breed preservation and the use of British Wool in the British Textile Industry. This specific knitwear piece is made from Wensleydale yarn from rescued sheep.

The Andean Collection’s Açaí Cluster Chain Earrings $29.00

Amanda Judge and her amazing team of artisans in the Andean regions of South America have been unstoppable as as a force in the fair trade fashion and accessories movement. The Andean Collection’s jewelry and textile designs just keep getting more stunning with each season. This is not a function of simply getting lucky but of dedicated team work and genuine talent of several local artisans: Nancy, Olga, Viviana, Carlos, Cesar, and Christian. These naturally dyed açaí seeds and loops of metal chains are strung together to create a pair of one-of-a-kind cascading earrings.

JADEtribe Nina Clutch with Charm $85 from Juno and Jove

Kimberly Hartman of JADEtribe always knows how to sprinkle the textile goodness around with her ethically crafted handbags and clutches fairly made by women in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Unique details such as the hand-braided beads and jewelry that jingles on this Nina Clutch or the incorporation of organically dyed and hand loomed traditional textiles makes each design a timeless expression of colorful, cultural storytelling.

LeAF Shimla Dress from Kaight $108

One cannot celebrate any holiday on the calendar without checking in to see what Kate McGregor at Kaight is offering as the truly green alternative to innovative and chic downtown dressing. This LeAF (Love The Earth Fashion) Shimla Dress is cool and versatile, and as Kate describes, “Can be worn either loose and breezy for hot days or cinched with a belt for a pulled together look.” Ethically made out of 100% organic cotton voile in India, it is a smart summer staple with year round layering possibilities.

A Perfume Organic GREEN perfume $65

On the beauty front, Saint Patrick’s Day would not be complete without the certified organic perfumery of Amanda Walker. A Perfume Organic‘s new signature perfume, GREEN, is an intoxicating herbal mixture of rose (New York’s state flower), black truffle, blue, Roman Chamomile, and an overdose of ylang ylang with a smooth woody finish. Ingredients are certified USDA organic. Now that’s something to get intoxicated on.

Scotch Naturals ‘Leprechaun Lynch’ polish $14.99

Just released in time for March 17th is this latest installment in the Scotch Naturals palette, ‘Leprechaun Lynch’. These non-toxic, water-based formulas contains none of the tongue-twisting chemicals found in typical nail polish: toluene, dibutyl phthelate, formaldehyde, acetone, and heavy metals. This cool mint creme color might be just the right way to don a hint of green without having to wear the entire head-to-toe shamrock get up.

Sculpture by Audrey Lavallée & Chloé B. Fortin, of BJIOS collective

But in all honesty, in addition to some dark ale and a possible pedicure for my winter weary feet, I will most likely spend Saint Patrick’s Day and my birthday dreaming about art, wild landscapes, and ways to green my life for the entire year, not just on one solitary day. With that in mind, I wanted to share these magical fiber, scrap textile, and rock sculpture forms handmade by my friends the French Canadian artists, Audrey Lavallée & Chloé B. Fortin, of BJIOS collective. I find these simple expressions to be wondrous in the identifying of green in the small things that we often trample underfoot or cast off like stones in well that has no bottom.  This represents the best of respectfully fashioning the future with resources at arm’s length and with a delicacy that demonstrates strength.

Image: Jennipenni

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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!

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Green-focused fashion just got a lot more political with international trade lawyer and wife of the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg’s wife Miriam González Durántez, joining London Fashion Week at the launch of EcoLuxe.

While EcoLuxe is a new initiative that promotes high-end environmentally friendly fashion designers and brands, the group hopes that running alongside the brat pack of designers at the British Fashion Council’s Estethica, (the only sustainable venue at London Fashion Week) will only add to showcasing exclusive brands with a conscience. Still they want to keep things separate. This year, designers included award-winning British wool designer Izzy Lane, Elena Garcia and By Stamo, amongst others.

Showcasing is great, but getting noticed is even better – which is why they’ve brought in the big guns with González Durántez.

Imogen Fox of the Guardian writes: “Wearing a dress by the designer David Szeto, which was instantly recognizable from last year’s Liberal Democrat conference – and was therefore suitably on-message – and a white jacket by French high street label Zadig & Voltaire, González Durántez admitted that competition for coverage was fierce, ‘so we should all chip in a bit to help with initiatives like this.'”

However, her reasoning might be two-fold. The Guardian also writes that during this year’s general election, “González Durántez appeared irritated when the wives of politicians and their wardrobes became the focus of media attention,” but at the EcoLuxe launch she said that media interest in her own wardrobe didn’t annoy her.

“It’s just background noise,” she said.

One would think being handpicked by respected designers, she’d want to make more than that.

Image: Via Guardian UK: Miriam González Durántez poses with designers By Stamo (in black) and Elena (in blue) Garcia, and two others, at the EcoLuxe launch in London today. Photograph: Linda Nylind for the Guardian

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