Myrrhia Knitwear’s Spring 2014 collection is made from yarns sustainably grown in the USA. 

This season the Oakland, CA based Myrrhia Knitwear is launching a gorgeous collection of fine knitwear, skirts, dresses, camis and soft scarves made in the USA.

The entire collection has been made from organically grown California cotton, naturally dyed silks and eucalyptus fiber-based Tencel and manufactured in a local, zero-waste factory. A collection for the stylish, sensible and ecologically aware woman, Myrrhia’s latest wares are empowering yet feminine and minimalist yet  intriguing.

Founded in 2010 by designer Myrrhia Resneck, a native of Santa Cruz, CA, Myrrhia Knitwear is a sustainable and conscious fashion label with the aim “to be part of the antidote to a culture who treats it’s people–and the environment that sustains them–as disposable.” The label has achieved this goal by setting up a system of fashion manufacturing that is local and ethical, made with locally grown and sustainable fibers, and designed to embody the essence of an aware, stylish and intelligent woman. 

Drawing inspiration from the protests in Brazil, and the historical female figures that have rebelled and risen against oppression, Myrrhia Knitwear’s Spring 2014 collection plays between the duality of romantic softness and strong female edge. The collection includes simple yet alluring silk camis and slips, tailored moto chic jackets, hand knit dresses and tops, infinity scarves and structured skirts. The entire collection is made with love at Myrrhia’s studio in Oakland, CA, where zero-waste practices, conscious creation and a love of sustainable fashion reign supreme.

Featured in the Spring 2014 collection is knitwear made from organically grown cotton from a farm only 90 miles away from Myrrhia’s studio in Oakland. Sally Fox, owner of Foxfibre farms, has been experimenting with the cultivation of organically grown cotton in California since the 1980s. She has successfully created a method of growing apparel grade cotton that is easier for handspinners to work with and is in the process of  cultivating various cotton types that take natural dyes very well. Myrrhia Knitwear has been supporting the development of Foxfibre’s gorgeous yarns by turning them into spectacular and wearable garments that will bring stylish and sustainable self-expression  to your Spring wardrobe!

Related on EcoSalon

Brazilian Inmates Knit Their Way to Freedom with Doiselles Knitwear

Designer & Artist Liz Collins Launches Innovative Knitwear Collection

Homeland Fashion: 7 Brands Born and Raised in the USA

Images: Myrrhia Knitwear, Foxfibre

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This week’s look is inspired by tumblr: As 2013 wraps up, they’ve tallied the top tags of the year, and for fashion, #grunge was a big hit. Here’s a favorite look packed with grunge texture for a bit of 90s nostalgia. 

1. Teal Wash Boxy Tee by Raquel Allegra

Just enough fade and just enough color, this boxy tee by Raquel Allegra is great for a cozy, grunge day. Raquel Allegra, now in her thirteenth season, is sold in stores around the world, but all her clothing is made in the USA. This garment is dyed with natural indigo, and free of chemical dyes.

Heist, $210 

2. High Rise Hewson Maria Leggings by J Brand

Did you know J Brand is made in the USA? And these leggings are no exception. Tight fitting and high waisted, they are a great grab for any look.

Avenue 32, $270

3. Horse and Calf Leather Hightops by James Kearns

Yes, please, these shoes are so cool! Each James Kearns shoe is handmade in London in small quantities and often made to order. We’d match these shoes with jeans and a loose fitting tee or even pair with a dress. Cool and comfortable, they are a perfect grounding to the grunge look.

James Kearns, please contact for price

4. Jasper Arrowhead Ring by Pamela Love

NYC-based jewelry artist Pamela Love has been committed to sustainable and local production since the inception of her line in 2006. Today all her pieces are produced in NYC’s Garment District, from design to final product. This arrowhead ring is set in sterling silver and each piece is naturally unique.

imogene + willie, $625

5. Larimar Pendant by Nallik

Simple yet bold, the raw feel of this Larimar pendant by Nallik can go with any outfit and mood. Handmade in Berlin, Nallik uses all raw precious and semi-precious stones, and the brand swears by their unique properties. The Larimar stone used in this piece is said to relax tempers, calm fears, and relieve stress.

A Boy Named Sue, $154

6. Leonard Tortoise by Illesteva

Handmade in Italy, these sunglasses will last you a lifetime. Illesteva has done collaborations with Lou Reed, House of Waris and Zac Posen, as well as been worn by some big-time celebs. A strong pair of sunglasses for a reasonable price, we love these Leonard Tortise frames.

Illesteva, $165

Want more On Trend? See Also:

Metallic Holiday Fashion Trend 2013: On Trend

Eco Fashion Brands Prove Beauty in Simplicity With Burgundy and Basics On Trend

 The Unbelievable Value of Upcycling Clothes 7 Ways: On Trend

On Trend: Dark and Tan – The Smartly Sexy Fall 2013 Color Trends

Images from the eco fashion brands, collage by Juliette Donatelli

Keep in touch with Juliette on twitter @spadesandsiLK

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Greenwashing is plenty common, from Tom’s Shoes to H&M’s Conscious Collection; companies take advantage of the fact that customers don’t take the time to research the supply chain of each brand, since ain’t nobody got time for that. There’s no equivalent to USDA organic certification for fashion, so how can you be confident you’re buying clothes that are in line with your values? Here are 7 clues you can use to tell if you garment is really sustainable; keep an eye out for them, and check out the many companies linked to below for an eco fashion crash course.  

1. Made in the USA

Supporting the domestic economy is key, especially when the outsourcing wave of the 90s was the way to go. When a brand makes their product in the US it is sustaining our domestic manufacturing community. Companies also have to adhere to minimum wages and more strict environmental regulation that reformers and activists worked to put in place. Often, if a company still produces in the US there’s a good story behind it too, and they want to share it with you. Are there still unethical companies making clothes in the US? Sure, but it’s a lot less likely, and we do have laws on our side here.

2. Ethical Production

There is often a disconnect between a garment and the hands that make it. The apparel industry is one of the only industries that cannot deflate its labor force through the use of machinery (the New York Times recently published a fun interactive graph of this phenomenon). A machine can’t sew a beautiful dress or make a great pair of shoes; you need human hands and heads involved. With that knowledge, it’s crucial that those that produced the clothes you wear wear paid a fair wage and worked in a safe environment. Companies that practice ethical production usually make it known on a garment’s hangtag or on their website.

3. Company Transparency

Now, I am not taking about H&M revealing their factory list, although yes, that was a small step for the mass market. I’m referring to companies like Honest By and Everlane who aren’t hiding anything, and they want to to know about it! Studio Jux owns a factory in Nepal, and each garment is given a number by which you can trace the maker of that piece (and even learn their favorite past-time) through their website.

4. Zero Waste

Companies like Stabel, Study NY, Titania Inglais, and Tabii Just are championing zero waste by respecting the materials they work with and not wasting resources that went into making the fabric go in a landfill.  Zero Waste Cutting techniques often a new level of creativity to already creative designs.

5. Clean Tech

No one textile is sustainable, because like all things in life, each have their positive and negative impacts. Organic cotton, although grown under strict regulations, is often still bleached, meaning a heavy chemical load after it’s been finished. Fabric made of bamboo and cupro is processed with toxins to transform the cellusoic (hard plant fibers) into the soft final product, and has to be called rayon. But Lyocell, also a regenerative cellulosic fiber (in english, meaning comes from a plant) derived from Eucalyptus trees, are processed with a petrochemical solution, but 99.5% of the cocktail is captured and reused, and uses little water in the process, proving some technology can really affect the environmental bottom line of a fabric. Keep an eye on what your garment is made of.

6. Supporting Artisans

Ever travel to another country and were googly-eyed by the native colors and craftmanship in their markets? Companies like Mercado Global, Blumera and Maiyet know no one does it better than indigenous artisans. When companies work with local artisan communities (rather than copy them) you can be sure your fashion is sustaining less represented communities.

7. You Love It

Stuck in a hypnotic trance in front of your closet? I know I was this morning. A sustainable garment above all is something you always grab first from your drawers. It’s your tried and true closet staples that you’ll keep, and make it last (almost) forever. And that’s the core of eco fashion.

image: Maiyet

The post 7 Clues To Tell if Your Garment is Really Sustainable: Eco Fashion Dissected appeared first on EcoSalon.

Suzanne Rae’s eponymous Spring/Summer 2014 Collection is a look into the (kinder, gentler) future of the modern woman. What does that mean? To designer Rae’s mind, she seeks comfort in simplicity—but style is never a compromise (why should it be?). Almost as if seen through a crystal ball, Rae’s S/S he collection is graceful forward-looking take on sharp day-to-night streetwear for the woman who has more interesting things to do than get dressed twice. 

Rae’s latest collection is inspired by the novel 2150 AD by Thea Alexander, but even without knowing its origins, you can see that the styles are a look into the future—almost robotic in form, but juxtaposing with a soft feminine feel. Suzanne Rae gives us a snippet of utopian (or is it dystopian?) society through her minimalist, well-tailored and boldy accentuated silhouettes. The new collection seamlessly combines imagination and craft.

This redefinition of femininity is exemplified in the black neoprene dress seen below. It is seasonless in a global world that could see you pairing it with sandals and a colorful, oversized clutch on a sunny NYC summer’s day; 48 hours later, paired with a crisp white turtleneck and black tights with boots, it would fit in comfortably on a wintery Sydney day.

Her perfectly volumized shapes (like the one seen above) are the new forms in fashion, the opposite of the current trend for ultra form-fitting everything. Pieces are smart and perfect in their attention to detail, like the black tee with neoprene trim around the sleeves and collar.

The collection materializes the new definition and role of the modern woman, but also challenges and then recreates the fabrics it is constructed from. Fabrics like neoprene, usually used for wetsuits, are poetically constructed to appear quite mysterious. Crinkled silk organza evokes the beauty of a pearl even with its wrinkled texture. (Plus, it would be a wonderful piece to travel with because you don’t have to worry about ironing it!)

Not only is Suzanne Rae a brilliant young designer, she is dedicated to manufacturing in the city she lives in: All of her clothing is produced in the Garment District in Manhattan and reflects the true cost of clothing production by skilled workers—something the industry—and our communities could use more of!

Get an inside look and feel into Suzanne Rae’s SS14 Collection through this video created by her team.

You can find Suzanne Rae’s styles throughout small boutiques like Kaight, Steven Allan, Joinery and Henrik Vibskov.

 Related on Ecosalon: 

NYFW: Suzanne Rae’s Minimalistic Take on Feminism and Beauty

The Ultimate List of Sustainable Fashion Designers, from A to Z

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Using patented no-waste technology, knitwear brand Kotoba makes pieces that are as conscious as they are covetable.

At New York Fashion Week, knitwear seemed to make an appearance in some form on just about every runway. On Thursday, collective knitwear brand Kotoba celebrated the launch of their Spring/Summer 2013 collection with a fun, low-key presentation at The Maritime Hotel in the Meatpacking District.

Kotoba is the Japanese word for language and the collection, designed by Melinda Danko and Lindsay Mann, featured timeless pieces in simple, versatile silhouettes enhanced by unexpected structural details and textures. Basics in black, taupe and ivory were complemented by pieces in bright and playful colors, particularly orange and mint green, two of the most on trend hues this fall and going into spring.

“We were inspired by multiple things, but it all came down to leisure activity,” says Melinda Danko. “We thought about the one thing that people forget to do, which is how to enjoy themselves – how to have fun doing sport activities, going to the beach, taking care of environment – things that are important in life.” This playful spirit was evident in the presentation, as the models were given props like footballs, skateboards and baseball bats.

“Lindsay and I developed the collection very organically,” says Danko. “We just burst out ideas and silhouettes and with the yarns we have it just came together. We started with one design and it all just fell into place after that”

All the pieces in the collection are produced using WHOLEGARMENT technology, a patented production technique derived from Shima Seiki, a Japanese knitwear machine manufacturer that has been around for fifty years, but has more recently, in the past five years, developed knitting machines for making clothing. It’s an innovative way of producing knitwear that is lightweight and stretchy and made virtually without any waste.

“We wanted to bring back crafts and trade and the sustainability aspect to the U.S. domestic market,” says Danko. “Everything we make is seamless, there’s no waste in the production, and the entire collection (except the yarns, which are from Italy) is made in America”

Kotoba’s spring collection is everything I love about sustainable fashion – it’s locally and ethically produced (in NYC’s Garment District), using innovative technology, but it’s also fun, sexy, wearable and timeless.

Danko says: “We make qaulity garments that, yes, you are going to spend more money on. But the lifetime and durability makes them pieces that you can have in your wardrobe and love for years.”

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Designer Myrrhia Resneck’s Spring 2013 collection features elegant, flattering, edgy knitwear, sustainably made in California.

One important part of sustainable fashion is local manufacturing, and it can still be challenging to have a fully “Made in the U.S.” fashion line. Oakland-based knitwear designer Myrrhia Resneck of Myrrhia Fine Knitwear has invested heavily in localized production and made it her goal to provide livelihoods in the textile industry in her community.

After one year of production, Myrrhia decided to invest in a Stoll knitting machine – currently the only one of its kind in Northern California – which she intends to use to create a micro industry for surrounding farms and other knitwear lines (NoCal designers, take note).

Myrrhia uses sustainable materials including locally sourced fiber from Northern California and wool and cotton that is sustainably grown and harvested as well as milled into yarn locally. The company is also involved with the Fibershed movement – an organization dedicated to regionalizing fiber sourcing.

In starting her knitwear line, Resneck continues a long-standing family tradition of fashion-related business endeavors. Her maternal great-grandfather started out peddling clothes out of the trunk of a car, her grandfather and great-uncle operated a chain of women’s clothing stores in the Midwest, and, at age 7, Resneck’s paternal grandmother taught her to knit. That same week, she had designed and completed her first project – a pair of green slippers. Fast forward a couple decades and although her focus has changed, that initial passion for knitwear remains.

Myrrhia’s knits and accessories are inspired by “friends and family, technology, and space.” The recently released Spring 2013 collection features patterned maxi skirts, lace knit tops, cropped and boyfriend cardigans, flowing long dresses of scrolling lace and playful short dresses of scoop and boatneck cuts as well as versatile infinity scarfs made of soft, silky knits. The pieces showcase the designer’s sustainability efforts, using fibers like un-dyed organic cotton (grown only 90 miles from Myrrhia’s studio by Foxfibre) and Lenzing Tencel, which is harvested sustainably from Eucalyptus trees.

The pieces are highly wearable, timeless, yet fashion forward. The geometric shapes, lace-like textures and elegantly paired colors work just as well for day as for night. The rich earthy tones and vibrant shades of blue, purple, and teal are universally flattering and goes beyond seasonality to suggest a style of “elegant-femininity-meets-majestic-warrior-goddess nuances.”

We think we can identify with that.

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Stylish cycling gear that will keep you feeling safe and looking chic all summer long.

We’re all about alternative transportation here at EcoSalon, and summer is the perfect time to get out that bike and start pedaling around the streets. To help you do that in style, we’ve gathered some cycling gear that will keep you safe while still looking tres chic.

Nessa Dress by Edith A. Miller
There’s no reason you shouldn’t wear a dress just because you’re biking. Just make sure to choose a loose-fitting short one, so it’s comfortable and doesn’t run the risk of getting stuck in the gears. This classic striped dress by Edith A. Miller is ethically made in the USA, and we think it goes great with a bicycle.
$198, Juno & Jove

The Madera Helmet by Coyle
Based on a contemporary, skate-inspired helmet design, the Madera provides a great balance of coverage and visibility. Coyle helmets are made using patented technology that takes advantage of  the inherent structural properties that allow wood to absorb significant energy in the event of a significant impact, adding protective redundancy to the EPS foam or low density cork system that lies beneath. The all-natural materials resist the UV degradation that synthetic helmet materials are vulnerable to, which means you won’t need to replace a weather-worn and sunburned helmet every few years.
$375, Coyle

Blink Steady Rear Light
A good light is a must, especially when long summer days on the road turn into spontaneous picnics under the stars. Made from solid aluminum, the Blink Steady bike light turns on automatically and shuts off when you’re not riding. And you don’t have to remove it when you lock up because it’s secured by your seatpost.
$95, Blink Steady

Bike Strap-Downs by Walnut Studiolo
Let’s face it, we often end up carrying more stuff than we thought. When you’re on a bike, this can be a problem, unless you carry the right accessories with you. This set of bike strap-downs is a key tool for MacGyvering stuff onto your bike. Two buckling leather straps with eyelets running the length of it helps you strap down items of varying sizes to your bike rack. All of Studiolo’s beautiful bike accessories are made, by a couple, in their workshop in Portland, Oregon.
$38, Walnut Studiolo

Green Guru Cruiser Cooler Recycled Bike Tube Handlebar Bag
Think of the Cruiser Handlebar Bag as the missing glove compartment for your cruiser or commuter bike. It has room for all those essentials, like a just-in-case rainjacket, sunglasses and sunscreen for a hot spin to the beach, or cold beverages for a warm evening cruise. You can also take it off the bike and use it as a cooler. Made in the US from recycled or upcycled bike tubes and upcycled reflective mylar from compostable cup packaging
$44.95, Green Guru

Portland Design Works Sodapop Fenders
Made from 97% post-consumer recycled beverage bottles, these bike fenders will keep you clean and dry in any weather. They are designed to pop off your bike easily, should you want to remove them when the sun comes out. Thanks to clever hardware they fit most city and mountain bikes that have a hole in the fork crown.
$25, Portland Design Works

Recycled Innertube Stringer Cuff
The lightweight stringer cuff by Beatrice Holiday is made from soft recycled bike inner tubes, lightly sprinkled with metallic gold spray paint. Designer Holiday wants you to feel good knowing that this bracelet was made from heap of inner tubes that lay discarded outside a bike shop in Venice, CA. Now they can ride again, only on your arm instead.
$28, Etsy/Beatrice Holiday

Eastlake Recycled Tablet Sleeve
If you bring your reading tablet along for the ride, make sure it’s protected, in true biker style. This stylish, protective sleeve is constructed from recycled bicycle inner tubes, which gives it a durable, highly water-resistant exterior. It’s sized to be compatible with the iPad, but will fit other roughly 10” tablets as well.
$34, Alchemy Goods

AB Designs Leaf Earrings
You would never know at first glance, but these delicate leaf earrings are actually made from upcycled bike tubes. They’re carved by hand in Portland (by EcoSalon’s very own resident foodie Anna Brones) and look really great worn under a bike helmet!
$20, Etsy/AB Designs

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After a rough patch, business in NYC’s Garment District is starting to pick up.

For decades, fashion mavens and budding designers have flocked to the quadrant between 34th and 42nd Streets, hedged in by 5th and 9th Avenues. Here, in New York City’s Garment District, fabric can be purchased, patterns made, pieces sewn, trimming added, and dreams realized, all in the space of a few blocks. Designers like Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Oscar de la Renta have all made the Garment District their home at a point in their careers, and countless others got their start in the neighborhood. At one time, the Garment District was the global hub of textile manufacturing. But not anymore.

“The only thing that has not changed is the location,” says Anthony Lilore, owner of RESTORE Clothing and a founder of the Save the Garment Center movement. “The physical appearance has gone from streets packed with garment racks and push carts, to some racks, some push carts, and some rickshaws with tourists.”

Indeed, over the past fifty years, the Garment District has seen a steady decline in business, owing primarily to overseas outsourcing, mostly to China. When that picked up in the early 1990s, family-owned companies in business for generations were forced to shut their doors, and designers, burdened by the higher rents and rising costs of working in midtown Manhattan, moved elsewhere. Most of those who have survived the downturn and recession say they’re hanging on by a hair.

“At this point, it’s a labor of love,” says Maria Lipari-Bertone, whose family has run Quality Patterns, which specializes in grading and marking, for more than forty years. “This is our bread and butter. Many of us came from overseas, and we made our lives in the Garment District.”

But there are signs of revitalization. At New York’s first City Source Expo, held January 10 at the Fashion Institute of Technology, more than fifty producers, suppliers, and pattern makers turned out to field questions and take orders from attendees interested in local production. Several vendors said that they’re starting to see an uptick in sales, mostly due to China’s rising “minimums” for new orders, a weak dollar, and higher shipping costs. Lipari-Bertone says that many new designers can no longer afford to work in China, so they’re starting to inquire into local production again.

Plus, in recent years groups like Save the Garment Center, Made in Midtown, and the Garment Industry Development Corporation have surfaced to advocate for Garment District preservation and serve as a resource for designers interested in manufacturing there. Backed by New York fashion industry vets like Nanette Lepore, Anna Sui, Jason Wu, and Yeohlee Teng, these groups emphasize the district’s historical, creative, and economic value to the city of Manhattan.

Made in Midtown says:

Ultimately, this story is about much more than fashion. It’s about one of the last neighborhoods in Manhattan that has not yet been remade by recent waves of new development. It’s about jobs and immigrant workers. It’s about the decisions city officials make to support certain kinds of businesses.

And for designers interested in sustainability, a one-stop-shop like the Garment District means a more compact production process, which eliminates the costs, both financial and environmental, of working with subcontractors in different parts of the world.

“The quality of craftsmanship and the concentration of schools, designers, sample rooms, showrooms, production, and stores make the Garment Center the only one of its kind anywhere,” says Lilore.

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