Easily browse and find ethical, environmentally friendly and handmade textiles for your next interior design or eco fashion project at the Offset Warehouse.

From muslin to linens, velvets to jerseys, flannel to silk, and bamboo to Modal, Offset Warehouse offers one of a premium selection of eco fabrics for designers or hobby crafters that love to use textiles. Alongside providing the materials, Offset Warehouse also provides information on different types of ethical and environmentally friendly ‘eco’ textiles and valid reasons for choosing them over conventional fabrics when creating any type of  eco fashion project.

Founded by former British Royal College of Art student Charlie Ross, Offset Warehouse was born out of the frustration with fruitlessly trying to source ethical fabrics in smaller quantities when working on a graduate collection. Although the online warehouse offers larger quantities to wholesalers, it is specifically geared towards providing materials to independent designers that work on a smaller scale, or people who want to use organic, ethical fabrics in their home sewing projects. Customers can order as little as 1 meter (a little less than 1 yard) of fabric, making it easy to buy just enough for a garment or a small showcase collection.

You can find an array of ethical textile materials for nearly any type of sewing or furnishing fashion project including fabrics, trims, haberdashery and paints at reasonable prices. The Offset Warehouse team has made sure to source only products that benefit the people who make or handle them and the planet.

The filtering search tool makes it easy to find just the types of fabrics you want, and each product description offers information on the fabric’s country of origin and eco credentials. One of our favorite features is the Bargain Basement, which is where you’ll find remnants and end-of-rolls at very low prices. Although based in the UK, samples of any fabric can be sent quickly, and most orders can be prepared for next day delivery.

Sourcing ethical fabrics is crucial for changing the course of the fashion industry to a more positive one. The copious amounts of polluting substances leached into the atmosphere, the resources exploited and the lives ruined by the current system of textile production are abominable. By using the types of textiles Offset Warehouse has sought out, “you can feel good about ensuring a farmer’s or a weaver’s safety and livelihood, or that the environment is being carefully looked after.”

Images: Offset Warehouse

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Natalie Chanin releases the third book in her sewing trilogy.

It’s no secret we have a thing for Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin here on EcoSalon.

An entrepreneur, designer, author, lecturer and strong businesswoman who went back to her roots in Florence, Alabama to stimulate local economy (as well as her own quest for a little life/work fulfillment), Natalie is a one-woman rocket ship of sustainable goodness.

In her third book Alabama Studio Sewing + Design, we get to pick up on the “conversations and techniques begun with the Alabama Stitch Book and Alabama Studio Style.” With each book lending itself to the other as to the workings and lifestyle of the Alabama Chanin woman, readers of all three books will now have the tools to make anything they’ve ever seen on the Alabama Chanin site – minus the in-house Depression Era stitchers.

We caught up with Natalie this past week to tell us more about her new DIY masterpiece. Speaking of that book, did we mention that we’re also giving a copy away? It’s no lie. Just leave a comment at the bottom of this story and you are entered to win!

How is Alabama Studio Sewing + Design different from the Alabama Stitch Book and Alabama Studio Style?

Alabama Studio Sewing + Design is really the culmination of what was originally seen as a trilogy.  Each book builds on the other, but also stands on its own.  However, this book is more about the actual “fashion” of what we do… more intricate, more sophisticated, more patterns, more techniques…

With the compilation of the three books, you should be able to recreate any fabric and technique that we have ever designed at Alabama Chanin.

Talk about the importance of sharing “techniques that were once understood as essential survival skills?” Have we as a society lost touch with the importance of using our hands to create?

There is much talk at the moment about how being able to “do” or “make” for ourselves also makes us HAPPY.  I believe that this is a huge leap in understanding human behavior and a missing piece in our role as human beings today.  How simple: develop the capacity to do for yourself (in whatever small way) AND build neural pathways to happiness. I think back to my grandmother’s ever-moving hands and her pride in doing for her family and it makes me sigh… “Yes, I understand.”

I see the open-sourcing you offer in Alabama Studio Sewing + Design working for Alabama Chanin in two ways: 1., It gives people the opportunity to own Alabama Chanin by making and 2., it gives people an appreciation for what you do as a designer. Am I right?

The original thought in writing the books was to empower people to be able to make our garments.

I wrote in the introduction: “I have been asked many times why I choose to write books and, in the process, open-source (that is, freely share) instructions for making Alabama Chanin’s couture collections. The answer is not as straightforward as you might think. It is based on my belief that good design should be available to all and my desire to build a company that is sustainable in all of its practices. By sharing our skills in these books, I hope to shed light on not only how we can preserve precious natural resources but also how we can preserve and protect techniques that were once understood as essential survival skills.

 While Alabama Chanin dresses, skirts, tops, and coats have been beautifully featured in countless magazines and newspapers, and on television shows and websites, they have also been criticized for being “elitist,” and “inaccessible” because of their price. Truth be told, our clothing is extremely expensive. This is because it is made from domestic, organic, custom-dyed cotton jersey that is cut, painted, sewn, and embellished by hand in America by skilled artisans. And while we sell our collection to some of the most upscale stores and clients, we run our business in the most down-to-earth, simple way imaginable. In the beginning, we worked from a three-bedroom, brick, ranch-style house in rural Alabama, a home that my grandfather built. Today we work from a reclaimed textile factory built in the 1980s—when manufacturing was booming in the South. Our studio—which we call The Factory—has become a busy hub, where we concentrate on building a zero-waste company. Our employees earn a living wage, and while none of us is getting rich, at least in terms of our bank accounts, we are, indeed, rich in spirit, belief, passion, and friendship. “Elitist” is the antithesis of how the company works and who I am as a designer, entrepreneur, and citizen.”

 The piece I think you initially understood – better than I – is that the books have ALSO given a broader range of people an appreciation of the work we are doing. Thank you.

Do you see the DIY movement getting stronger? Is this maybe an entire generation of women ready to use their hands again to create their own clothing and be a little more self-sufficient?

I do see DIY as a very quickly growing movement – or should I say, a “remembering” of where we come from. And I find it very inspiring to see people – young and old, man and woman – searching for their voices in this conversation and using these tools as a form of sustainability – both cultural and physical. My interest in this conversation is to help find the intersection of DIY, Craft, Fashion and Design (all with capital letters).

Image: Abrams Books

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Rebecca Mink’s vegan shoe line makes us yearn for spring.

Rebecca Mink’s eponymous vegan shoe line, Mink, is made from sustainable resources such as wood, rubber, cork and organic fabrics and engineered by Marco Gambassi, whose family has been crafting shoes for generations in Italy.

These platform wedges make us lust not only for spring, but for the simple, styled heel – a stand out feature from other wedges we’re seeing.

$187

Editor’s note: We are proud to bring you original columns and feature editorials at EcoSalon on a daily basis. But sometimes, nothing’s more pleasurable than admiring a beautiful, innovative or special sustainable product or idea. Throughout each week, look for “lustables” in the mix here at EcoSalon. And if you have a product you think readers should see, drop us a line at tips@ecosalon.com.

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Anyone who’s ever bought a garment bag knows they’re a necessity to have to protect your fine clothing when traveling or seasonally pack clothes away. If you’re a clothing sales rep, they’re your life.

But have you ever considered the fact that they may actually be harming your clothes? Just think, they’re trapped inside non-breathable plastic.

I recently had a conversation with Jennifer Bennett, designer and founder of Jendarling bags about her garment bags and and how she ranks them in terms of fashion necessity.

Here’s what she had to say.

Where do you get your materials?

Mainly local suppliers in San Francisco and Napa. Our organic fabrics come from a supplier in San Francisco, our leather comes from Napa and Marin (always an excuse to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge). When we use silk, we work with an American company in North Carolina. Our fabrics are all purchased locally here in the U.S. We’re proud of that. Our buttons come from Germany – only because we like the style and quality, Dill Buttons, a great company to work with.

What’s the problem with using traditional plastic garment bags? Do you think they leave a strange smell?

Exactly – but also, over long term use plastic suffocates the fibers. Delicate fibers like silk, bamboo and cashmere should not be stored in plastic. Same with leather. Not to mention, plastic is harmful to our environment. PVC (polyvinyl chloride), often called vinyl, is the second most commonly used plastic in the world. It is also the most harmful to the environment.  The more knowledge people have, the better off their favorite clothes and the environment will be. Using a durable cotton bag will help your favorite clothes breathe in storage and travel well. Cotton garment bags are for those consumers who purchase quality over quantity. Not for the “fast fashion” set.

Your design aesthetic comes from where?

Travel, the outdoors, the farmer’s market, also – the past. I’m inspired by vintage fashion and home decor of the 50s – 80s.  You’d be amazed what a piece of stationery can inspire one to do. Each season I like to pick a theme that’s a blend of my travel experience and surroundings. Last September I was in Malta – the current Vagabond Collection is a reflection of my experience paired in a 7os manner. Next season, look for something Bondi or Sydney inspired.

Rumor has it you’re in grad school. Why start this line to add to your load?

Oh yes, sometimes I try to forget about that. It’s very challenging not to get distracted. Luckily, I’m graduating in December – with a Master’s in nonprofit administration. My program actually inspired me to start Jendarling and incorporate the blend of fashion and sustainable business practices, so at times, the two go hand in hand. I’m always working with various NGOs on a number of issues. It’s nice to be engaged with social and environmental issues and have a better understanding of what’s going on in the world and how we can create change. Fashion, luckily, can be one of those ways.

I noticed that you not only create garment bags but have travel bags and clutches. Are you finding that your line is evolving?

Yes, the line is evolving as customers continue to come back and want more of the same pattern in different styles. I’m using this time to listen to our customers and create products they want and can use, while still feeling like it’s “one of a kind” paired with eco-friendly principles.

How do you see your line progressing and what do you have hopes it will become?

I’d like to continue to expand the line, while staying passionate about the manufacturing process, and our sustainable business practices. We look forward to utilizing innovative organic fibers in the future and hope to stay ahead of the curve.  Becoming a global brand would be nice, hmm, that means we have an excuse to travel more.

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Ursula Dean, founder and designer of women’s apparel line, Moda Spia, entered the eco-fashion neighborhood 10 years ago when she started utilizing factory over-runs from Italy.

Since then, the San Francisco designer has stayed true to using interesting, rescued fabrics but has added more organic fabrics for good measure, aiming to create clothing that becomes a keepsake, something coveted and special to its owner that stands the test of time.

Her concentration on seasonal collections that have her signature look of fresh, playful and always inherently feminine lines are what both buyers and shoppers now follow her for. Here’s what she had to say about her part in the eco-fashion movement.

What got you into designing with sustainable fabrics?

Honestly, I didn’t realize the inherent “good” to the environment of these left over fabrics until the whole green movement brought it to light. I love textiles and am really glad the surplus goods are in some way helpful in containing the negative impact of textile production on the environment. I started using organic fabrics like cotton/hemp blends, bamboo and more recently organic wool/lyocell blends. They have a very soft hand and beautiful weight and smell good, too!

Is there a different mindset that comes with creating sustainable or “green” garments?

My focus is primarily on the design itself. Through some research I’ve found several green textile companies to work with (like Pick Natural in San Francisco). Their products are exciting to work with and they bring in fresh fabrics on a regular basis. This makes my job as a designer trying to work primarily with green fabrics easy.

Do you feel part of a new eco-designing community?

Most of the designers I know personally have already made the push to offer garments that are at least in part green, so yes.

What was a stand-out piece you created over the past 10 years?

The Biba Jacket from my first collection 6 years ago. It was a silk velvet jacket with a ribbon belt and hand-made flower, really loose and bohemian. My partner at the time hand-dyed the velvet and silk-screened the lining. It was incredibly labor-intensive but the result was stunning. Calypso in NY carried it for 2 seasons. Heidi Klum showed up in it in InStyle and that really spiked sales. It was an auspicious start to our business.

How do you see the future of green clothing design evolving?

I don’t know the answer, nobody does. To me it seems like so many things are coming into play and will continue to. China is making Walmart and Target’s clothes. A LOT of people are shopping at these places right now because they need something and they don’t have any money, nobody has any money right now.  The U.S. relationship with China is changing isn’t it? China is heavily invested in the U.S. I’m not sure if these things will affect production but they may. To me it seems volatile but they’re looking for a partner in production and we’ve got the work for them. That’s the manufacturing end of it, anyway.

Do you think at some point all clothes will just be manufactured sustainably?

As far as sustainable fabrics are concerned I think they will only become more a part of our shopping culture. It seems to have become a very visible thing to most people. If you go to the tiniest town, chances are someone will have at least heard of an organic cotton t-shirt – though not necessarily know what that means!

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