For a weekend at Free Spirit Spheres on Canada’s Vancouver Island, pack versatile pieces by Canadian eco-designers.

When packing for a stay at Free Spirit Spheres – a hotel in Vancouver Island made up of floating spheres – keep your clothing light and free as well. Bring comfortable pieces from a few of Canada’s leading eco-designers, like Nicole Bridger, Thieves, Bazant, Manitobah and Preloved.

Preloved Sylvie Snood
This soft, slouchy cowl drapes beautifully around the face to keep you warm and cozy through chilly nights. Preloved garments are entirely crafted from vintage fabrics – this one from two reclaimed wool sweaters – making each piece truly one-of-a-kind. It’s also reversible.
$19.50, Preloved 

Nicole Bridger Longing Cape
This cozy cape by Canadian eco-designer Nicole Bridger is the perfect way to stay warm in your sphere. The appeal of this 100% organic wool cape is all about the sculpting and draping, techniques Bridger perfected while working at Vivienne Westwood in London.
On sale for $231, Nicole Bridger 

Bazant Waterfall Earrings
Echo the spherical theme of the hotel with these hand cut and polished sterling silver dangle earrings with a nice brushed finish. Handcrafted from recycled sterling silver by ethical jeweller Lara Bazant in Toronto’s Distillery Historic District.
$75, Ethical Ocean

Manitobah Deerskin Mukluks
Keep your feet toasty at night with these Mukluks, based on a traditional Canadian style of footwear. Each pair conforms naturally to the shape of each wearer’s foot, providing an age-old comfort you can call your own. The vibram sole option make them a bit more suitable for activities like hikes in the woods.
$339, Manitobah

Hemp Exploration Travel Bag
Pack your weekend bag in this overnight bag, made from 100% hemp, the strongest and most durable of all natural fibers. Edging material is woven from hemp/flax yarns and all stress points are reinforced for optimum durability.
$97.95, LivEco

Thieves Crochet Sweater
This hand crocheted sweater by Thieves is made in Canada from naturally dyed organic cotton. The shape is highly wearable with an asymmetrical hemline that gives it a bit more of an edge.
$420, Thieves 

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Canada’s sustainable fashion growth is a healthy sign of the times.

With easily more than 50 Canadian designers now working various sustainable practices into their collections, it was difficult to highlight just these five. Canada has seen tremendous growth in the number of eco fashion designers over the past few years. The following designers represent both those who have been leading the movement in Canada, and also some up-and-comers that you should be watching. Their A/W 2011 collections are sure to impress even the most discerning.

Nicole Bridger, Vancouver

Nicole was the first winner of Canada’s Fashion Takes Action award, Design Forward. Her A/W ’11 collection is entitled “Safe to Love,” aptly named after a personal experience she recently had. “Every season I reflect on life lessons that I’m learning”, Bridger says of coming out of a painful relationship. In addition to earth tones, we can expect to see passionate colours from Bridger this fall including reds, purples, and blush pink.

Thieves, by Sonja den Elzen, Toronto

Continuing on the theme of consciousness, Thieves’ A/W 2011 is entitled “Reflection,” which according to designer den Elzen is the embodiment of seasons layered and loved.  “It is about the seasons and years blending together, erasing the lines of time and offering genuine lifelong pieces that become the foundation of a wardrobe for those who are reflective and conscientious of their surroundings.”

This fall, we can expect to see more of the highly tailored look den Elzen achieves with beeswaxed organic cotton and hemp/wool/tencel suiting blends, combined with soft draped jerseys, organic wool knits, and lush, hand-knit wear.

Adhesif, by Melissa Ferreira, Vancouver

Newer to the scene but becoming known for their use of reclaimed and recycled materials, Adhesif recently rocked the runways at Vancouver Eco Fashion Week . For A/W 2011, we can expect to see more vintage tweed, wool suiting and printed cotton twill.

“The colour palette reminds me of a sunset on an open field in the Prairies,” states designer Melissa Ferreira. “Many pieces have a draped feel to them but I have added in some pieces that have a ‘sack’ or box-cut look as well”.

 Harricana by Mariouche, Montreal

For more than two decades, luxury fur designer Mariouche Gagné has been ethically recycling fur made in Canada. She claims to have recycled over 50,000 coats, saving 400 metric tons from landfill. The Harricana A/W 2011 collection features three themes: Femme Fatale, giving rise to elegance and femininity; Military, urban, unisex and streamlined; and Timeless, evoking the wild and untamed nature of the great Canadian outdoors.

Device by Melanie Ferrara, Toronto

Since 2008, designer Melanie Ferrara has produced a series of vintage-inspired modern classics, made in Toronto using tencel, organic wool and organic cotton. For inspiration for her A/W ’11 collection, she looked to the period of the 1940s. “Fashion at that time was influenced by wartime austerity measures, and was characterized by tailored silhouettes with an emphasis on the waist and shoulders,” says Ferrara who adds she used a neutral color palette of navy and black as the base, paired with greys, cream, plum and plaid.  “The result is a collection of timeless, wearable pieces which range in style from modern casual to sophisticated elegance.”

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I work with many sustainable designers and one of the more common questions I’m asked is usually about who another designer uses for manufacturing or dyeing. I will never forget the loss of a U.S based non-toxic dyeing facility that one of the designers below regularly used – and eventually had to close its doors.

Another designer had asked me to ask her (as if we were in high school) where she did her dyeing and I suggested, “She’s really nice and will tell you. Just ask her.”

That designer never did and so the business went under.

I wonder how many more stories are out there where designers were too nervous to ask about production and so stayed mum.

Mom always told me, the dumbest question was the one that never got asked.

I caught up with six top sustainable designers to ask them a simple question: Do you think the more sustainable designers share their sources, the stronger their field will become?

Here’s what they had to say.

Nicole Bridger, I think it’s great for us eco designers to work together and help each other out. We are stronger as a collective for sure. The only thing to be careful of is that we don’t all end up using the same fabrics and colors, the different lines can end up looking the same. So for that reason it is important to keep your individual aesthetic. But I think its possible for us to work together and be mindful not to have the same fabrics.

Celeste Lilore, RESTORE Barriers for entry become points of “cooperation” when sourcing is shared. It takes a village and building community will help move sustainable fashion to mainstream.

Davora Lindner, Prairie Underground Most designers in this category share a short list of resources. Sourcing unique sustainable textiles is more about buying power than availability. Purchasing greater quantities increases your options and makes the price per yard less expensive. The ability to source overseas expands your options a good deal, but again these are custom production orders with high minimum yardage.  We focus on textile categories in our small collection to ensure that we can move forward with new fabrications in a manner that is realistic for production.

Alice Wu, Feral Childe Yes, if designers collaborate on sustainable sourcing, the field will be stronger. Currently the variety of sustainable fabrics available to independent and emerging designers is fairly limited since not only is there not that much variety in color and fabrication, it can be difficult to meet a 1,000 yard opening order minimum that some suppliers demand. If suppliers see that sustainable designers have staying power in the marketplace it may encourage them to lower their minimums and offer greater product variety. There is a golden opportunity out there for a U.S-based independent sustainable fabric sales rep to connect the dots – someone who’s got the relationships both with designers and suppliers who can help us pool together our needs for new fabric production orders as well as find takers for production overrun fabric.

Tara St. James, Study NY My short answer is yes. Absolutely. To elaborate, I am a huge proponent of open source material and transparency in manufacturing. Luckily most sustainable designers seem to agree with me and are very forthcoming with their resources and ready to share their contacts. It allows independent designers to share resources without the burden of production minimums, while affording them lower costs and share shipping. If only the rest of the fashion industry were to adopt the same philosophy, it would allow for not only larger exposure for sustainable textile vendors, but more demand on traditional manufacturers to implement sustainable practices.

Gretchen Jones Yes and No. Collaborations are all about the partners. Is each artist bringing to the table some new perspective and referential material?  Can the collaboration maintain each others individual voices, while supporting the complimentary elements?

To me, as a designer whom struggles with the connection to sustainability and ethical business practices vs. my high fashion, yet independent aesthetics. I believe the success of a collaboration would and will only be successful [and heighten the eco movement] by walking the tight rope between style and morals. I want to diversify, I want to diffuse. I know my strengths, and am very aware of my weaknesses. Collaborations are about building each other up. I think, when done thoughtfully and with intention to elevate, collaborations can certainly lead to progression for sustainability.

I personally believe the only way we will make a change, is to create and manufacturer competitive, forward and quality goods.  The sustainable design community must produce with the focus on ‘fashion first,’ after all, we are a part of the fashion industry, we will always be able to do so ethically, the challenge is in creating at the high caliber design of those competing with out their environmental in mind. We change minds through changing perspectives. Collaborations could and will, create opportunity to express with support, deliver with quality and produce competitively. In turn – we change minds and grow our community through shared experience and story – not just a dress.

Image by Pheezy

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As the founder of Fashion Takes Action, it has been a pleasure to work with so many emerging eco fashion designers over the past few years. Our recent Design Forward award, which recognized top sustainable designers was a great success in terms of raising awareness for who we considered to be the top fourteen designers, and more specifically how it has opened doors for our winner.

As our inaugural winner, Nicole Bridger received flight and accommodations to New York and a place to show at Nolcha Fashion Week‘s Ethical Fashion Preview in September. In addition, Nicole won a look book – styled, photographed and designed, which she will take with her to NY to accompany her Spring/Summer 2011 collection. Nicole was also awarded $1000 in eco friendly fabric, from Canadian supplier Telio, along with $1000 toward the certification of her line courtesy of Ecocert.

I had the chance to catch up with Nicole over a yummy vegetarian meal while she was visiting Toronto this week for her look book photo shoot. It was really important for me to hear first hand how the award has affected her business, and to learn more about what the future has in store for her.

How does it feel to be the first winner of the FTA Design Forward Award?

It’s a real honor to be recognized in this way, and it is so exciting that this award even exists. It’s a sign of the times of where things are going. For myself, it was a rare opportunity to acknowledge my own work. As business owners, we tend to look forward and project ahead to the next five years, focusing on how far we have yet to go. We don’t tend to acknowledge how far we’ve already come. And in the case of the award, it just feels good to know that I have accomplished something incredible, and that I am being recognized for my hard work and dedication.

Being the first designer is exciting because I hope I can be somewhat of a mentor or role model for other designers hoping to go down the same path and choose sustainability. We can show that it is possible, it can happen, and I hope I can help make it a little bit easier. The more people who are doing it, makes it easier for all of us.

What has the award done for your business?

It has been amazing for recognition on a North American level. Just carrying the title of Canada’s first eco fashion design winner has opened so many doors for me. Doors that were maybe more closed, or that were met with resistance before, and now I can say I just won this national award, and the reaction is different. Selling season hasn’t started yet, but I am expecting things to pick up as a result of winning. The opportunity for me to be in New York at Nolcha’s Ethical Fashion Preview in September, is huge. I will be in front of so many retailers, more than ever before, including international retailers. A lot of people say that my line is more European in its styling, so it could do really well in NY and could be a turning point for my business.

There has already been a big change in terms of the amount of press I have received over the past few months. It has given the media a reason to write, and now it would be great to see this same success south of the border and to gain that kind of recognition in the U.S.

The opportunity to come to Toronto, to meet and work with the team that Fashion Takes Action put together is amazing. Connecting with everyone in Toronto has really tightened up the community for me and it feels great to be a part of something so exciting. And the connection with Telio for the fabric has been amazing and I look forward to continuing that relationship. It has already solved a few fabric sourcing issues I had which is amazing because its one of the hardest things about being a sustainable designer.

The eco certification, when it goes through, is going to be huge. I think it will help answer any doubts that consumers may have about my true intentions, and whether or not my collection is in fact sustainable. So customers can feel good about supporting us or buying our product, if that is what’s important to them. I think it’s important for eco-minded consumers to feel reassured, especially since there are so many claims out there without any kind of backing.

Have you always considered yourself to be a sustainable designer?

I grew up in Vancouver and my family and community was big on recycling. Literally every school play I did was about “reduce, reuse, recycle”, so it really was ingrained in us. I’m not sure if that is just what it was like growing up in Vancouver but I felt like it was definitely more available for me to be mindful of the environment.

Personally, I have a threefold approach or philosophy to life. I care for the earth, I care in my heart for its people and also for our individual spirit. This translates into my business and is always top of mind when I am designing. I have sewn “I am love” tags on all of my clothing, because at the root of our true form we are all love energy. I think its important for us to all be kind to ourselves and to one another, and to come from a place of love and try to spread a bit of positive energy.

Where do you get your inspiration?

It comes from the life lessons that I’m learning at the time that I’m designing. With fall 2010 I had just left my husband, so I called the collection “Healing Heart.” It was a very difficult decision to leave because I had a 10-month-old son, but I had to do what I had to do. As a result, it’s a really small line of just seven styles, but they are seven really strong pieces.

But finally making that choice in my personal life felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I was finally able to be happy, maybe for the first time ever. It was a journey for me in reconnecting with myself, my spirit, and really about falling in love with myself again. I had completely lost touch with myself out of self-sacrifice for that relationship.

So Spring 2011 is called “Reconnection” and it’s a journey to true happiness and loving yourself. The color palette is playful and creative. I feel this creative energy re-emerging, so I’m really excited about where things are going to go from here. When you’ve been bleeding energy for so long, it’s nice to see it going somewhere good. I love personal growth and so every season I get to reflect a bit on where I’m at and what I’m learning. And that dictates both a color palette and silhouette.

What is the fashion scene like in Vancouver?

There is a lot of conscious minded people living on the west coast, in both Canada and the U.S, so I’m seeing a big change in terms of the number of sustainable designers that are emerging. It’s a great community to be a part of because we all openly communicate with each other and get to support each other and share whatever we can.

I have a strong following in Vancouver, where I do a studio sale once a month and tons of people show up. It’s a nice time for me to be with the customer because when you just wholesale or sell online, you miss that connection.

The fashion scene in Vancouver is definitely a bit slower. But now that we are becoming more of an international city, you see people becoming more comfortable with a particular style, where it’s no longer just about wearing jeans and a Mountain Equipment Co-op jacket. It is still very different from Toronto, where there is a very strong suit and business culture. But that is starting to change. People are starting to get more edgy with their style, and feel comfortable with it, which is nice to see happening.

With the upcoming Eco Fashion Week in Vancouver, do you think it is becoming the eco fashion capital of Canada?

Yes because we have the built-in health, earth and socially conscious consumer. On a daily level you are either walking on a beach or running in the woods, skiing on a mountain or kayaking on the ocean. People are just more connected to nature. They don’t have to be convinced. It’s a very laid back environment, where I feel there is less judgment. It’s kind of like yoga in a way, where it’s your own practice and you do what’s right for you. Nothing feels forced.

I’m very excited to be showing at Eco Fashion Week Vancouver.  I think it’s the one thing that can work in Vancouver. We can’t compete with LG Fashion Week in Toronto. Out west, sustainable fashion is a niche and it’s non competitive. It’s something we can offer that is authentic to Vancouver, that we are known for and that can draw international designers and buyers. And I think it can be really successful. I’m really excited to be a part of it and helping support that movement.

What does the future look like for Nicole Bridger?

Well, the very next step would be strengthening our wholesale accounts and I’m hoping that will really take off in NY.

My true vision for the company is to have our own retail outlets. So opening our first boutique will be a real milestone. I hope to have a store sometime in the next year. First in Vancouver, and then maybe a second one in San Francisco. From there I would love to take it global, with retail outlets all over. And then I would love to branch the line to carry both high end, and a lower end collection, kids and babies, bags and accessories, and even house and home products. Overall, creating a lifestyle brand that you can rely on for green, ethical and high style.

My long-term goal would be to create a co-op setting in a developing country, and help restore a community. It is the only time I would consider doing offshore production, where I would actually get right in there myself to do the farming of linen and hemp, and create a closed loop system.

Images: Portrait taken by Dawn Stenzel; fall “˜10 collection by Candace Meyer

The post Up Close & Personal with Eco Fashion Award Winner Nicole Bridger appeared first on EcoSalon.

Fashion Takes Action, led by Kelly Drennan, recently hosted their first Canadian designer award called Design Forward. Each designer was hand-selected by FTA based on a set of criteria including materials used, carbon footprint, ethical production practices, design aesthetics and any extra “eco-initiatives” they’ve implemented, like energy efficiency and organic hang tags.

After the first round of judging by over 4,000 visitors to the FTA site, the top three went on to an even more scrutinized judging by three judges including model, activist, writer and TV personality Summer Rayne Oakes, sustainability consultant Lorraine Smith, and yours truly.

The judges rated the top three (Laura Chenoweth, Nicole Bridger and We3 (twigg &hottie) in various categories including:

• Materials Used
• Production
• Design
• Special Features
• Transparency
• Accountability

All scorecards were then emailed to Price Waterhouse where they were tabulated. And this past Thursday the winner, Nicole Bridger, was announced.

What did Nicole win? A lot. $50,000 worth of prizes including a three-month national PR campaign, provided by Third Eye Media, participation at Nolcha Fashion Week’s Ethical Fashion Preview in NYC this September, $1000 in eco-friendly fabric supplied by Telio (to make a sample collection to show in NYC) and a look book photo shoot with full creative team including photographer, models, a stylist and a hair and makeup team.

I caught up with Nicole Bridger over the weekend and asked her a few questions. Here’s what she had to say:

Being under such scrutiny suddenly as a sustainable designer, were you worried?

Worried about what? I guess that would mean no. I just do my best to make our clothing as eco as I can and I feel secure in that. I can only do my best and our motives are authentic, so what’s to worry?

Did you start out as a designer designing sustainably or was it something you evolved into?

I started out in University as a designer who used natural fibers because I was conscious of the impact synthetics have on the planet. The term “sustainable designer” didn’t come up until later on.

Do you think it’s important to be a role model to other designers, to show how things can be done? That it can be done eco-friendly but also very fashion forward?

Absolutely! I believe it will eventually be the norm. It is so important to show that it can be done and the more people that jump on board the better, the industry will grow and more fabrics will become available.

How do you feel this award will now help you?

It certainly helps with getting noticed and with the trip to New York City, that means getting recognized on a global level. Our company is ready now for growth and we are looking for more clientele.

What is your favorite part of the award?

That it exists now, it is a sure sign that things are evolving.

In a perfect world, how do you see your line evolving?

Eventually we will be a lifestyle brand that people can rely on to be sustainable and Fair Trade no matter what the product they are purchasing. We will have global retail outlets and create co-operative fair trade factories in third world countries to help those in need.

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