Sierra Nevada Mountains in a cologne, a self-sharpening razor and all-in-one organic hops-based shampoo and soap. These outrageously perfect natural grooming products for men will have you swooning big time and falling in love with the art of shaving.

Yes, men pride themselves in getting out the door faster than an Olympian time clock, but that in no way implies careless grooming. Men still need to look and smell good too! So here is a round up of 3 outrageously perfect natural male grooming products that can make the art of shaving, well, more like an art and less like dragging a dull razor across your neck. And while we’re at it, let’s not forget to encourage them to clean in and around theirs ears, shall we?

Self-Sharpening Razor by Born Sharp

An automatic self-sharpening, self-cleaning razor with a single blade lasting up to five years and promising over 2,000 shaves? Yes, it is true. Arguably the greatest tech invention of the decade within the grooming sector, you can forget about disposable razors and excessive plastic–the Born Sharp razor is quality that lasts and redefines the art of shaving for good. ”I knew there had to be another way and we have to think longer term,” Steve Worthington, founder of Born Sharp told us. “The Born Sharp is a single blade giving you the closest shave possible, and it’s less damaging to your skin.” They’ve just ended an Indiegogo campaign, so keep your eye out when this product hits the market because there is nothing like it!

Born Sharp

Hop Shampoo & Body Bar and Shave Cream by Damn Handsome

“If you’re like the average guy, you’ve probably been getting your shaving cream from a can,” Damn Handsome says about their shave cream. “Well, that chemical filled tin does nothing for your face and smells like a dentist office. Our Old-School Shave Cream, on the other hand, is full of natural ingredients that nourish your face, organics hops that will help calm irritated skin and our fresh blend of lavender & juniper will leave you smelling earthy clean – not chemically.” Right. As if guys needed another reason to support the hops industry! The Damn Handsome convenient all-in-one shampoo/soap is also crafted with organic homegrown hops. Plus, it’s packed with other great stuff for your skin like argan oil, sunflower, aloe leaf and juniper to have any damn handsome mate looking and smelling great without unwanted additives–just the good stuff.

Scout Mob, $30

Yuba River Backpacker’s Cologne by Juniper Ridge

Finish that perfect shave up with a natural cologne. It’s California’s Sierra Nevada mountains in a bottle, literally. The guys behind Juniper Ridge are really just avid hikers thriving on the fresh freedom of the outdoors. For almost fifteen years they’ve hiked their favorite trails along the entire Pacific Coast crafting small-batch fragrances distilled from plants, bark, moss and whatever other botanicals they find along the way. Using old perfuming techniques, these scents never see any petroleum-based or chemical additives, only pure aromatherapeutic nostalgia.

Juniper Ridge, $55

Related on Ecosalon

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Perfectly Suited: The 4 Best In Sustainable Menswear

The Promising Future of Men’s Fashion: An Interview With The Discerning Brute’s Joshua Katcher

featured image from Juniper Ridge, images from the brands

Keep in touch with Juliette, @spadesandsiLK

The post The Art of Shaving: Outrageously Perfect Natural Grooming Products for Men appeared first on EcoSalon.

ColumnChivalrous mens fashion highlights top eco designers for our male counterparts.

Ninety-eight percent of fashion is geared towards women and our love for clothing, our desire to express without words. So, what about men? Without leaving our handsome counterpoints out of the conversation, On Trend this week celebrates courageous menswear designers. Below are great brands that tailor a keen ethical stance by living out sustainable and eco-conscious values in their work.

Foundry Ikat Shirt by Kuyichi

A company as cool and confident as Kuyichi has nothing to hide up their sleeves. Baring a completely transparent production process, Kuyichi is dedicated to minimizing negative environmental and social impacts at all steps. For example, all fabric waste is recycled and used in new garments. “Being conscious is all about development, collaborate and thinking forwards so sustainability is not the next generations job,” the brand claims on its website. This foundry Ikat shirt is made with organic cotton, so it’s softer both on your skin and the land where it was grown.

We Three Leaves, on sale for $86

The Ginsberg Jacket by Uniforms for the Dedicated

As all chivalrous gentlemen are wont to do, Uniforms for the Dedicated submits to always striving for better. By promising the highest-quality, ethical production methods and the use of environmentally responsible materials, the Swedish label continues to reach upward while holding a strong foothold in classic men’s style. This casual suiting jacket embodies a little stretch for comfort and ease to pair with slacks or your favorite jeans.

Uniforms for the Dedicated, 272 euros

Standard Issue Utility Chino by Apolis

Brothers, Raan and Shea Parton founded Apolis, meaning global citizen, a decade ago to create “advocacy through industry.” Today the Certified B Corp is continually progressing towards a more sustainable business one relationship at a time. “Becoming a Certified B Corporation helps us clearly communicate our standing as a social enterprise and learn about ways we can make our company more socially and environmentally conscious,” says the brand. The slim tailor fit of these classic chinos are made under fair labor conditions in Los Angeles.

Apolis, $158

Lover Shoe by Brave Gentleman

“Principled attire and smart supplies,” Brave Gentleman is a fiercely ethical brand upholding the highest morals for people and the planet. Every Brave Gentleman piece is one hundred percent vegan, and outshines ecological standards, fair labor conditions for the hands that create each piece and definitely style. These beautiful Lover shoes match their name: Made entirely of vegan material through fair labor conditions in Portugal, the sleek shoe ties into any occasion.

Brave Gentleman, $285

Falsterbo in Mint by Gässling Falsterbo

Searching for an organic underwear brand is not a terribly grueling challenge (well, with all the lovely examples of wear) but it certainly is not an easy one. Yet, Gässling Falsterbo no doubt comes out on top as a favorite men’s organic underwear brand. Using ninety-five percent certified organic cotton from India (adding five percent elastane for better fit and longer lifespan), the fabric is never bleached and each dying process is also eco friendly. Made in Estonia, the label prides itself in overseeing all steps of production “down to the smallest button.” The result is a final product they are proud of. These supportive but breathe-easy, underwear in mint green is an absolute favorite for comfort and style.

Gässling Falsterbo, 35 euros

Keep in touch, follow Juliette @spadesandsiLK

Want more On Trend? See The Latest

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Vegan Shoes and Handbags: On Trend

images: featured image photo by Christian Gustavsson for Uniforms for the Dedicated, collage by Juliette Donatelli and images from the brands

The post The Absolute Best Mens Fashion Eco Designers: On Trend appeared first on EcoSalon.

Mustaches have oft been seen to be the mark of a man. From the refined whiskers of Hollywood gentlemen to the more masculine mo’s of 80s teen heart-throbs, the humble mustache defines generations. And they are well and truly back in vogue! Everywhere you turn, men are rocking facial hair like it’s 1985. Even initiatives like Movember are encouraging men to embrace their facial locks while raising money and awareness for a good cause. As versatile as they are diverse, do you know the difference between the Handlebar, the Jigsaw, and the Artiste? If not, we’ve got you covered.  

The Artiste

French painters popularized this Parisian look which is reserved for only the most stylish sophisticates. Whiskers can be worn in the traditional neat and tidy way, or you can add wax to the tips for a truly artistic flair (think Salvador Dali!)

The Rockin’ Stache

Made famous by rock legends (like Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison (above) and The Beatles), the Rockin’ Stache had its time in the sun in the 60s and 70s. Many see this style as one that signals stardom and in fact, it is often referred to as “the musical moustache.”

The Horseshoe 

Hulk Hogan really nailed this iconic trend with his over-the-top style, but the horseshoe mustache has been coveted by many and sometimes jokingly associated with virility and masculinity. Reserved for only the manliest of men (whatever that means), cowboys have also rocked this look.

The Commitment-Phobe

For those not quite sure whether they are ready to embrace the full mo, the barely there mustache is the perfect compromise. Often worn in conjunction with a barely there beard, the ‘almost mo’ rose to prominence in the 90s (and on the catwalk!) as a glamorous ‘on trend’ look.

The Jigsaw 

Johnny Depp helped to make this look famous. The jigsaw mustache consists of two carefully groomed pieces on the upper lip, a small patch under the lower lip and sometimes even a larger patch around the bottom of the chin.

Images: Guido Strotheide , Dion Hinchcliffe, Ford Library Museum, Mike Kalasnik, Chameleon, AKA Binsk

Related on Ecosalon: 

What Women Want Matters, a Lot: Welcome to the Sexual Revolution 2.0

Men’s Grooming: 7 Naturally Sexy Products Sans Fake Scents

The post Mustaches Through the Ages: Naming Dali, Hogan and Depp’s Whiskers appeared first on EcoSalon.

As the founder of the ethical men’s lifestyle blog, The Discerning Brute and online men’s fashion shop The Brave Gentleman, which offers stylish sustainable and vegan products, Joshua Katcher is an accomplished and inspiring champion for the rights of animals, a bold voice at the forefront of the rapidly changing and innovative ethical fashion and food scenes.

It’s no mistake that all this sounds rather heroic. The beloved hero archetype is an idea Katcher explores a lot on his blog along with the themes of male identity in relationship to a more sustainable consumer approach. “As far as menswear is concerned, guys want to feel like they are protectors and defenders and heroes, and this is such the perfect opportunity for that,” says Katcher.

As yet another film version of the Superman story opened at box offices this week, its clear that America is a country that wants to be saved. Katcher himself prefers another superhero savior with slightly more sartorial flair for the job: “When you invest in menswear that is made ethically, you are becoming a James Bond because you’re gonna look great and you’re gonna save the world. What guy wouldn’t want to be James Bond?”

It’s an idea he hopes will win over the mainstream and make inroads towards an altogether more modern male consumer and men’s fashion. We caught up with Joshua recently to learn more, here’s what he had to say:

Rowena Ritchie: Why did you start The Discerning Brute?

Joshua Katcher: I started the blog in 2008 because I saw there was a really big void in the market. There wasn’t really anyone talking about ethics and sustainability in relation to lifestyle for men. Everything was geared towards women. I saw that as a problem, because caring about other people, about animals and the environment gets overlooked by a lot of mainstream men because they think it’s feminine or weak – which is a very sexist idea. I wanted to make it more appealing for guys to feel proud for considering these issues.

Image: The Brave GentleMan

RR: Tell us about your journey as a vegan?

JK: I grew up eating the typical American diet. We ate steak and chicken, going to McDonald’s and Burger King once in a while. Eating just like every middle class family did, I never really questioned where my food came from. And when I did start to, I was appalled at what happened to the animals.

I was always an animal lover – I think most people are. They would be shocked if they really knew what goes on in the fashion and food industries.  Most people would be surprised to know that trying out a vegan lifestyle is in line with principles they already have, that they’re just not acting upon.

RR: So many of us know instinctively when we’re children that eating meat is out of sync with our deepest beliefs.  What do you think it is that happens to us culturally so that we grow up going along with the meat industry?

JK: This is one of the issues that we deal with a lot on The Discerning Brute – mainstream masculinity and what that means when it comes to both sustainability and ethics. Often the way that most men express themselves to be considered masculine is to shut down and cut off all those characteristics that would be considered weak, like compassion, empathy and emotion. It’s advocated for men to be very rational and not consider others’ feelings, and that’s just not what human animals are. We’re not robots, we’re not a computer program, we’re emotional animals where feelings are indeed facts.

The fact that we don’t have to prevent our young children from eating the pets in the house should be a sign we’re not natural carnivores. Most carnivores would go after and kill their prey if left alone in a room with them. We are taught to do that, and that’s a very different thing.

RR: From everything I’ve read there isn’t a biological imperative to eat meat at all, and yet this is where the discussion tends to get stuck a lot.

JK: The funny thing is there are so many masculine athletes that are vegan now. Mixed martial artists, boxers and weight trainers, cross fitters, ultra runners and marathoners — all these guys are really strong and powerful and are eating a diet that is the opposite of what we’re taught — that you have to eat muscle to become muscle. It’s such a strange idea… I mean you don’t eat brains to become smarter. And you don’t need to eat another animal’s flesh to become stronger. But so many guys believe that they have to eat meat if they want to be strong.

It ties into the idea as prehistoric man as the hunter and this is where our male identity comes from. A lot of recent anthropological evidence shows that prehistoric humans ate a lot more plant foods than they did meat, unless they we’re in an arctic climate. Survival is a different context that civilization and that’s what’s amazing about being a human animal is that we can make that choice. And if we find out that our sources, our status quo are harmful, dangerous, cruel and unnecessary then why shouldn’t we try to do things differently and try to solve those problems?

Image: The Brave GentleMan

RR: It’s a political position. When you start to get people to reexamine what they know to be true, then you’ve got this source of power and potential to make a real difference in a world where there’s this incredible apathy about being able to do that.

JK: It’s no coincidence that the most exciting innovations in textiles and cuisine are happening in the vegan realm. Plant-based, organic foods and high tech recycled synthetics are our future, and the necessary future. We know the systems we have in place right now are inefficient – our whole civilization is run on animals – and we don’t have enough resources to make it last.  It’s inevitable that this is going to happen.

The best and most exciting cuisine in the world right now is vegan.  The fashion industry that is based on the leather, fur and wool industries is stuck. There’s not really anything they can do to change so much. But what is changing is technology. We are developing plant-based biodegradable polyesters and we’re turning recycled soda bottles into beautiful fabrics that are being woven in heritage mills.  We have 3D printing and bioprinting; we have scientists growing cellulose-based leather on kombucha cultures. There are so many exciting developments happening, but traditional brands aren’t really getting it. They’re stuck in a rut and slow to change to keep up, and that’s going to be their downfall.

RR: You’ve witnessed some exciting changes in the space in just the past few years, is there still a sticking point in your opinion?

JK: It’s a marketing battle really. The people that decide what defines quality in fashion have millions of dollars invested in fur, leather and wool and it’s difficult to fight that when you’re a small startup company. Only through your reputation and your products can you prove that these products are not only replaceable but also in fact better. People assume that the shoes in my shoe collection, Brave Gentleman x Novacas, are going to fall apart quicker or they’re going to be crappy. The material I use I call Future Leather because I don’t like connotations that fake or faux leather is inferior to real leather. They’re better, they last longer, they break in, they breathe and the amount of resources they take to make is shockingly less than regular leather shoes.

There have been some really big victories like Puma, a huge international company, who announced that they’re phasing out leather use in many of their shoes. They realize it’s not sustainable and recognize the toll it’s taking on the animals and the environment and the people working in the tanneries. At this point we know too much and even big global conglomerates realize its inexcusable not to do anything about it.

RR: It’s really an exciting time for innovative entrepreneurs, isn’t it?

JK: The vegan and sustainable designers have to prove ourselves now more than ever, we have to make fashion that is not just as beautiful but better than what already exists. People are realizing they’ll enjoy their clothes even more, when they know exactly where everything comes from. You should be proud of your manufacturing process, not hiding it behind your marketing campaign.

RR: Transparency is the new luxury!

JK: Absolutely. I’m proud of what I do. I want people to know where every thing in my line from my shoulder pads to my thread comes from. This is the future and it’s exciting to be among a new order of ethical brands and manufacturers.

Top Image: Melissa Schwartz

The post The Promising Future of Men’s Fashion: An Interview with The Discerning Brute’s Joshua Katcher appeared first on EcoSalon.

Menswear is booming. Luckily, the trend for classic, heritage and American-made style means there are plenty of sustainable options for the well-dressed guy who wants to know where his stuff comes from.

For fashion watchers, menswear is officially the market to watch. Formerly in the shadows of womenswear, industry experts report that growth in sales of men’s fashion outpaced that of womenswear for the past two years. The trend is most pronounced in the U.S–the world’s largest apparel market–but booming markets in India and China look set to compound exploding consumer demand.

What’s spurring men’s sudden interest in dressing well?  It’s no secret that the accessibility of the Internet has fueled the democratization of womenswear; now everyone seems to know everything about designers and fashionable celebrities, where previously few only a few insiders had the scoop on the latest styles. Influential style blogs have succeeded in attracting a broader male audience than print magazines managed.

In addition to a new generation of men wanting to learn about modern, slimmer fits, new color combinations, fabric interplays and the basics of getting dressed online, men’s shopping habits are perfectly suited to e-tailing. If you’ve ever dragged a man around a busy shopping mall, you’d know that most men regard shopping as a chore to be avoided at all costs. Less interested in the exploration of shopping than women, online shopping gives men a straightforward and time-saving solution to buying clothes.

The good news is that great menswear will always have more to do with style than fashion, lending itself to well-crafted design and artisanal approaches. In fact, womenswear could learn a lot from the menswear tradition of creating a wardrobe foundation based on style classics like well-made suits or blazers in high quality fabrics.

In addition to thrift stores, which are full of high-quality menswear, there are many locally-made, vegan and sustainable style options for men looking to experiment more with new colors, silhouettes and accessories. Here are some of our favorites places to find them:

1. Northern Grade: A mobile pop-up menswear market open to the public consumer and showing only well-made items from brands manufacturing products in the United States. Check out their site to find the next market happening near you to find everything you need from clothing, footwear and grooming supplies.

2. BraveGentleMan – The online shop from Joshua Katcher, the editor of ethical men’s lifestyle blog, The Discerning Brute. A well curated collection of the  very best men’s designers, brands, and lifestyle products that are sustainably produced in fair-labor conditions and 100 percent vegan.

3. Taylor Stitch – An independent San Francisco outfitter and store that specializes in designing locally made and well-crafted staples for the modern man. Every Wednesday morning they release a new collection.

4. A QUESTION OF –  A sustainable street fashion brand that produces clean and playful designs on t-shirts, sweatshirts and shirts only using GOTS-certified organic cotton.

Top Image: Taylor Stitch

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