This week’s Link Love, we get a glimpse of what kids think of a ‘real’ Barbie doll, the Unravel project that takes apart sweaters, literally, a zero-waste restaurant, gorgeous men’s fashion and more!

You need to see these second graders handle the “normal” Barbie doll. [via Cosmopolitan]

Dutch artists unravel sweaters. It’s kinda freaky.  [via Ecouterre]

Chicago is home to an inspiring zero-waste restaurant. [via Eat Drink Better]

This new film exposes the cruel deportation of Mexican-Americans and what happens when they’re on the other side of the fence with nowhere to go. [via Exile Nation]

Our friends over at Modavanti have launched a gorgeous men’s collection, and it’s awesome. Perfect gift ideas too for the hard-to-buy-for men on your list. [via Modavanti]

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 Image via Modavanti

The post Link Love: A ‘Normal’ Barbie + Unraveling Sweaters + Conscious Men’s Fashion appeared first on EcoSalon.

With a fashion-first mentality, online retailer Modavanti wants to transform the perception of sustainable fashion.

With a firm focus on style and a highly curated collection of clothing and accessories, recently launched online retailer Modavanti is a breath of fresh air on the sustainable fashion scene. With a fashion-first mentality, the site “aims to become a leader in the growing movement towards sustainable fashion by helping to transform the perception of eco-friendly and ethically-sourced clothing.”

“We take a lot of care in avoiding clothes and accessories that look too crunchy or granola,” says Modavanti’s Adam Clancy. “In order to convince customers to buy sustainably we need to first convince them that clothes look great; that they aren’t missing out on being fashionable by buying sustainable.” This mentality is also reflected in Modavanti’s site design — which is nice, clean and easy to use.

To make it easier for shoppers to find products that align perfectly with their values, Modavanti has developed a system featuring eight sustainability badges — categorized by eco-friendly, energy-efficient, fairly traded, handmade, made in USA, organic, recycled/repurposed and vegan. Every product featured on the site must achieve at least one of these badges, in addition to adhering to Modavanti’s sustainability threshold (all of this information is displayed transparently on the site). The badge system not only helps us educate consumers but also allows customers to filter their search results according to the sustainability criteria that matters to them.

“The trouble with the term ‘sustainability’ is that it carries a different meaning to different people,” says Clancy. “Some people might care more about the environmental impact of their purchases, while others may care more about labor rights. The sustainability badges empower our consumers; rather than us declaring what sustainable should mean, we let our customers decide for themselves what matters to them.”

Modavanti is adding new labels to the site every week, but here are some current favorites:

Heidi Merrick: Committed to producing in America and passionate about her work, Heidi Merrick is proof that sustainability and beauty go hand-in-hand in fashion. Based in L.A., Merrick, the daughter of a world famous surfer, draws inspiration from nature and the ocean and incorporates vegan materials wherever possible. Read an interview with her here, and look out for the new spring/summer collection on Modavanti in the coming weeks.

Elkarti Morocco: Proving that style, luxury and sustainability can–and do–go hand-in-hand, Elkarti employs more than 40 (mostly women) artisans from the city of Marrakesh, Morocco to make their handcrafted bags and accessories. An interview with founder and social entrepreneur, Ahmed Abidine can be found here.

Indigo Handloom: Woven by artisans using peddle-powered hand looms, these gorgeous scarves can be entirely produced using no electricity, not even a single light bulb. Made by women artisans in India who receive higher wages and better benefits than their counterparts. Only natural non-toxic dyes are used, which are healthier for the artisan, the environment and the customer. Check out this interview with Indigo Handloom to learn more.

Images courtesy of Modavanti.com

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