Cabin life is slower, more relaxing, and a welcome alternative to the everyday hustle of normal life. These seven cabin-inspired home decorating tips will bring the spirit of the cabin into your space.

Do you yearn for the casual, outdoorsy feeling of the cabin lifestyle? Try these home decorating tips even if you live in the middle of the city.

1. Start With Scent Invite the outdoors in with Juniper Ridge’s Cabin Spray or Campfire Incense distilled from real regional plants, trees, moss and herbs.

2. Comfort at the Core Comfort and softness are key elements to the optimal cabin experience, so keep your living room comfy by adorning it with a beautifully-patterned Pendleton Blanket or two in order to create an inviting space to relax. And if you really want to camp it up, get yourself a Poler Napsack; you may never leave your house again.

3. Wood is Good Wood is an important part of the cabin aesthetic and experience. While it’s not reasonable to redo your entire interior with woodgrain, simply adding handmade wooden elements such as a driftwood candle holder helps mix up the materials in your home to capture a mixed rustic feel.

4. Decorate Distinctly While other home decorating tips on this list may be subtler methods of obtaining the cabin feel, sometimes it’s best to not beat around the bush. Adding blatantly outdoorsy decoration such as a beautiful ax from Best Made Co. can really drive your point home and serve as a centerpiece for the rest of your nesting.

5. Bring the Warmth Gathering around the fire is one of the greatest cabin joys, so buy or make a fire pit for your own backyard to create community, share stories, and keep your summer nights going longer. If you’re less drawn to a fire pit for space or legal concerns, add warmth indoors with P.F. Candle Co.’s Campire Special Soy Candle.

6. Cook Like You’re Camping Though this isn’t technically a decorating tip, large, simple, delicious summer family meals are one of the best parts about cabin life. Bring your friends and family together for camp-inspired meals as part of your weekly meal planning. (Bonus: for dessert, step up your s’mores game with specialty marshmallows from Wondermade.)

7. Loosen Up and Let Go The ethos of the cabin is one of simplicity, casual living, and the character of the space, goods and people it contains. Make it a point to loosen up on the minute details of curating and cleaning your home just as you would at the cabin. Leave room for imperfection, add interesting, non-matching “collected” items to your decoration and goods, and ultimately allow your space to feel “lived in.”

Follow Garth on Twitter @garthinkingcap

Related on EcoSalon

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7 Retro Surf Style Ideas to Create Your Own Surf Shack

Photo by Chris Ford

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The leaves are changing colors, and so are our wardrobe choices as we bundle up. Dark (navy and/or black) and tan are one of the hottest fall 2013 color trends, so of course we’ve rounded up some beautiful, sustainable favorites to surprise and delight you. 

1. Cashmere Colddye by Humanoid

Humanoid’s cashmere dress is a simple silhouette that will keep you warm, yet still ladylike through the cold weather. Pair this with leggings or tights and a pair of boots and you are ready for any occasion!

Humanoid, 351 euros

2. Trail Soap by Juniper Ridge 

Unbelievably, this is the only product on the market like it. Juniper Ridge captures Pacific Northwestern scents by sustainably gathering twigs, bark, mushrooms (and whatever else they can find on their favorite trails) and bottles them. Interestingly they are the only fragrance company using pre-industrial perfuming techniques. Because there are no petrochemical additives whatsoever, the scents don’t stay on your skin all day, making it’s use that much more special. Each scent is crisp, clean and nostalgic; our favorites are the Yuba River or the Cascade Trail.

Beklina, $36

3. Lip Care Stick by Dr. Hauschka

This lip care by Dr. Hauschka is a magic wand for your luscious lèvres. It’s always a staple in my bag and for presents of any occasion. As always, Dr. Hauscka is made from 100% natural ingredients, as it has been for over 45 years. The jojoba wax and shea butter are key ingredients in their lip care formula protecting and soothing from the elements. Dr. Hauschka is certified natural by NATRUE,  a certification ensuring products meet the strongest criteria available for natural and organic ingredients in cosmetics and is free of synthetic preservatives, fragrances, dyes and petroleum derived synthetics.

Dr. Hauschka, $13.95

4. Bonny Boot by Wolverine and Samantha Pleet

These boots are made for walking. Wolverine has been making shoes in America for over 130 years, and they’ve got it down to a science. Their collaboration with NYC-based sustainable designer Samantha Pleet brings old-world craft and feminine urban design into one great shoe that will last a lifetime.

Wolverine, $320

5. Pinyon Stripe Fringed Scarf by Pendleton

Pendleton is one of the oldest, and only remaining textile mills in the United States, and they haven’t lost their edge, no siree. This cozy scarf is expertly woven in Pendleton’s American mill in the Pacific Northwest with 100% pure virgin wool, and is sure to keep you warm!

Pendleton, $118

6. Edge Tote by BTWN WIND & WATER

Handcrafted and made with responsibly sourced leather, the Edge Tote is a perfect staple bag. We love the simplicity of the two tone black and tan matched with quality craftsmanship. A chic carry all bag for your commute or travels, it matches any outfit.

BTWN WIND & WATER, $250

Want more On Trend? See Also:

Covering Up With Ethical and Organic Leggings: On Trend 

Personality Pops With Patterned Pants: On Trend

Classic Trends in Dichromatic Black and White Sophistication: On Trend

Sweet Romantic Organic Bralettes: On Trend

images from the brands, collage by Juliette Donatelli

keep in touch with Juliette on twitter @spadesandsiLK

The post On Trend: Dark and Tan—The Smartly Sexy Fall 2013 Color Trends appeared first on EcoSalon.

Transition into fall with 4 easy pieces.

Fall is without a doubt the most beautiful season of the year. Crispy leaves, golden tones and the last few bright red sunsets of summer. It does however make for difficult dressing. Summer dresses and sandals dismissed, cold mornings lure you into layering up for the day. But by the time the midday lunch run comes around, this becomes sweaty business – the sun is out in full force and you are wrapped up in a cashmere sweater!

Fear not however – fall dressing need not be so stressful. It may surprise you at how many transitional pieces are already in your wardrobe. But if you are in need of some inspiration, check out our favorite online (sustainable fashion) picks of the season below, many are as friendly on the purse strings as they are on the environment, and can be worn right the way through from fall to next summer.

THE DRESS

This 100% organic silk dress by Edun is the perfect base piece for an outfit in any season. For fall, team with some chunky heeled ankle boots and socks for easy day time chic. As winter sets in, add some thick black opaques into the mix, and cozy up with a waist length biker jacket topped off with a comfy gilet and chunky knit scarf, to create a practical yet edgy winter look.

To make this already perfect dress even better, it’s a steal reduced by 50% to $222.50 on the Edun website.

THE SHIRT

With their first collection debuting in 2011 and being a huge success, century old brand Pendelton uses home grown fabrics and create every garment in their Oregon based factory. A wardrobe essential, the denim shirt is easily transitioned through all seasons. Wear now tucked into brightly colored pants as seen above, and add some cute flats and a chunky belt. For colder weather, button to the top and layer with a chunky knit sweater and straight leg pants underneath an oversized coat for off-duty weekend style.

Grab this staple piece online at Nordstrom for $80.00

THE SKIRT

Model and actress Liya Kebede’s label LemLem supports workers in her home country of Ethiopia, by preserving the art of handweaving and inspiring economic independence amongst the people. This cotton striped knee length skirt with recycled coconut buttons is the perfect purchase to help a good cause and update your fall look. Team this fun skirt with a simple trench as above for fall, and gradually mix in layers of colorful chunky knits and thick woolen tights to keep your mood bright  through the winter season.
Skirt $240 available online at LemLem

THE PANTS

London based label Chinti & Parker aims to create ethically conscious garments using sustainable fabrics, yet not compromising on style. These adorable cotton star print straight leg trousers can be dressed up with a smart silk blouse and heels or kept simple with a casual cashmere sweater and brogues. In the winter, wear tucked into biker boots with a leather jacket and chunky knit accessories.
Cotton Trousers, $265 at NET-A-PORTER

Image: Martinak15

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A new online space for curated, sustainable fashion. 

Nau is known for its simple lines and urban aesthetic. The sustainable Portland-based lifestyle brand represents a design ethos that is different in the world of fast fashion: make products that are meant to last, both in how they are made and in how they look, meant to be multipurpose, and meant to inspire a discussion about conscious consumption.

In that spirit, the brand is now launching the Nau Collective on its revamped website, a curated selection of brands and products that reflect good design for a conscious shopper. With the idea of “design for the conscious life” the collective will offer high-performance goods for a low-impact lifestyle, putting like-minded brands that have responsible design and a refined aesthetic all in one place.

Nau Collective is launching with five partner brands that include select styles from Nudie Jeans, blankets and throws from Pendleton’s Eco-Wise collection and select men’s and women’s footwear from the Timberland Boot Collection. The Collective also features co-branded gear from Klean Kanteen and Snow Peak, with goods like stainless steel reusable water bottles and flasks.

We caught up with General Manager Mark Galbraith to learn more about the Nau Collective and what being conscious means in a world of fast fashion.

What does “conscious shopper” mean to Nau? How does the Nau Collective embody that?

There is a discerning group of people that view themselves as global citizens and take that as a responsibility to make considered, conscious decisions about their life. These people are the early adopters who are having a positive influence in the world. The concept of Nau Collective is to bring like-minded companies together to engage with this progressive audience and bring about positive change. The Collective will expand our community and provide a curated offering of products and ideas for better living.

How much power does the consumer have in making positive change?

I compare consumer decision-making to voting in a democracy. It’s imperative for change. The support we give to companies and corporations by purchasing their products and services is essentially a vote with our dollars. The consumer has the ultimate power to vote for or against the type of companies and corporations we want in our world. The scale of this power is universally impactful, transcending the local, state or national level. The multi-national global corporation is the most powerful entity in the world; it trumps religion, race and national identity as a force for change. We, the consumers, have the choice of who and what we want to support.

In a world of “fast fashion” how are Nau and the other brands in the Nau Collective different?

Underlying the world of “fast fashion” is a dark reality of consume and discard. The effect is the same with a shirt we use for one season and then throw away, or the single use of a plastic cup or fork. The brands in the Nau Collective offer a more sustainable alternative to this trend. We are showing a collection of essential products that share a similar philosophy of clean, classic, long-lasting designs made in the lowest impact manner.

The post New ‘Nau Collective’ Launches to Bring Together Good Design and Conscious Brands appeared first on EcoSalon.

In the last of this 4 part series, undercover industry writer, Louise Lagosi address the history of fashion marketing, the strategies used to build the perfect consumer while covering up poor quality, and how those tactics have effected us as a society. We also look at how the fashion industry and marketing is changing with the times to keep up with an evolving society of people.

If you read the first three parts of this series, you might be in the mood to avoid the media, shut off your TV, stop shopping, and just give up on fashion. But, other than offering you peace of mind, what would that accomplish? As easy as it is to point fingers, the leaders of the fashion industry are not the only ones responsible for the state of fashion. Society as a whole bought what was being sold without stopping as individuals to question the motives behind the advertisement or wondering if our “consumer” habits were good for us, our neighbors, or the planet.

Unless you want to go back to wearing burlap bags, and go Medieval, we all need something to adorn our bodies. And let’s face it, beautiful clothes, beautiful anything for that matter, really does make life more joyful. That said, nothing can be beautiful if it has a dirty, rotten underbelly it’s hiding. So let’s just get to the core of this thing.

Taking Responsibility

Now that the phrase “Think Globally, Act Locally” has been imprinted on our brains, we all know that shopping with small mom and pops stores, as well as supporting local designers and supply chains is the best thing we can do for our immediate environment, but how can we be effective on a global level? Have you read any articles, or signed any petitions requesting that corporations clean up their acts? Written to your government representative asking for higher international labor standards lately? Not sure who your representatives are? Well, it’s pretty easy to find out. In this age of information sharing with a little due diligence and research it’s becoming increasingly easier to figure out who’s doing business right, and who’s doing business wrong. And it’s even easier to find a petition or even to start a petition asking companies and the government to do business responsibly.

It has become more and more common to share our opinions and knowledge of this kind freely among our friends and associates, on Facebook, Twitter, and various social media sources. As a favor for your sharing the information, they in turn go on and share it with their friends and pretty soon the news has gone viral. Some of your conversations on Facebook might look something like this:

“There’s a joke going around China today that you can tell what colors are going to be in fashion next season by looking at the rivers.“

“I think I’ll opt for a nice neutral, beige from now on, thanks.”

 “Time to Stop the Fashion Pirates again. Forever 21 has gotten caught stealing yet another design from independent designers.”

“I stopped shopping at Forever 21 after my last purchase from there smelled like magic markers and fell apart in the first wash. But I do buy clothes from the local designers in my own town.“

 “Why does Disney still carry polyester jammies for kids coated in fire-retardants? Didn’t they get the memo that it’s been repeatedly proven that both the synthetic fibers in clothing and formaldehyde based fire-retardants are carcinogenic, cancer causing, hormone disrupting, and/or can cause damage to our nervous systems?!

“I wouldn’t know, I avoid both synthetics and Disney like the plague.“

 “Did you hear that Victoria’s Secret were caught slashing and throwing away garments that were returned because donating them to charity was too much of a hassle to organize?”

“I wouldn’t wear Victoria Secret, even if it were free. Let’s just say that I don’t know a single 16 year old whose boobs naturally sit directly under her chin, so why, at any age, should mine?”

Whether or not these conversations in social media and on the street actually sway the decisions of those in power to create a change in the industry, for us to be aware enough about these issues that we feel a little whistle blowing is in order can make us better, more informed, people.

Word gets around fast in this Internet Age and in no time at all, Walmart has a publicity crisis for abusing their laborers, and the Gap is making public apologies for promoting red,white, & blue flag waving products that are made in China. H&M and Nike claim they too are doing their parts, all while receiving raised eyebrows from the sustainable community, for making lofty corporate responsibility initiatives mandated for 2020 that promise unprecedented standards with little or no suggestions on how they might go about doing so. Perhaps H&M & Nike could borrow from their multibillion dollar marketing budgets to fund reaching their 2020 goals.

Are initiatives enough? Hardly, but when you’re a company that’s big enough to consume one third of the planets organic cotton supply, even a small initiative, like H&M’s organic cotton initiative can keep large amounts of fertilizer and herbicide from going into our water, provided it’s an honest effort. “Good” is questionable when you take into account that their organic cotton is not all that organic after all.

Recent New York City H&M window

With their greenwashing marketing efforts these companies still do not get the green light for sustainable shopping. In the same way we shop for food, if we can’t find clear and certifiable labeling on the product, many of us are not buying it. Some consumers are even going so far as avoiding stores with bad track records altogether, regardless of their “eco” initiatives.

In 2009, The Hartman Group’s report, titled Sustainablity: the Rise in Consumer Responsibility stated that 88% of consumers engage in what they consider to be sustainable behavior. Are people hearing concerns about water contamination or global warming and choosing to cut back where they can to help? Are fast fashion fans growing annoyed that their clothes fall apart after a couple washes when the hand-me-downs from their mother’s wardrobe seem to last forever? Have people suddenly realized that they have enough stuff in their closets that they could probably go for years without shopping and still maintain appearances?

Author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, Elizabeth Cline, describes the pivotal moment in her consumer mindset, “When I piled up all of my clothes in the middle of my bedroom, I was astonished that there wasn’t much variety within the mound of poorly made clothing. It was mostly all one color, and I had bought more or less the same few items over and over again. I wasn’t using most of it, and most of it was cheep crap that I didn’t even like very much. Overall, I was unsatisfied with what was in there.”

She explains the transformation that occurred in that moment of realization, “It made me more mindful. I shop my own closet now. I have stopped buying repeat garments. I don’t crave having a million tops. That doesn’t really interest me anymore. I want one or two good garments for each category to make complete outfits within my wardrobe. I want to save my money to buy really nice items to fill in the holes.”

Signs of Change in Mainstream Fashion Media

CFDA Leader, Diane Von Furstenburg, and American Vogue Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour, recently released that they support encouraging a cleaner Fashion Industry through an initiative presented by the NRDC called Clean By Design. We’re still waiting to see how they do clean up, but they have taken the first step, which is openly acknowledging the elephant in the room. This is nothing short of a miracle.

Fashion Labels Evolving With the Times

Eileen Fisher

This privately owned company has always taken a holistic approach to designing clothing. The brand carefully chooses fibers for their sustainable, community based, growing methods, natural content, longevity, and feel. They work with collectives and factories around the world that pay fair-trade wages. They design clothes that are timeless and that do not relate to any trends, allowing the clothes to survive as long as their high quality materials do. And through their recent initiatives like Ampersand, they have been educating their customers on why choosing their products supports a sustainable environment here on earth for everyone involved.

Patagonia 

Patagonia also keeps their marketing to a minimum, but when they do promote something, the message is unusual for a clothing company. They promote clean water initiatives, such as Our Common Waters, in their recent Common Threads Initiative, they tell people to stop buying more than they need. They also provide transparency in their supply chain like in The Footprint Chronicles, with this interactive map on their site showing exactly where their factories are located with stats, reports, and a brief on Patagonia’s history with each one. This brand ultimately puts their dollars in recycled materials innovations, such as polar fleece made of recycled bottles, and maintaining factory standards, so they can provide more responsible products to their customers.

Timberland

Timberland is a brand that is committed to the outdoors. Which is why they have made  developed TIMBERLAND RESPONSIBILITY, their plan for significantly reducing their companies emissions through the research, evaluation, and investment in company structures that will allow them to run cleaner and produce products that have a smaller impact on the earth. The company reports are transparent and available to the public on their home site, grading their efforts and describing all the methods used to achieve their challenging goals to reduce their company wide climate impact.

Levi’s 

Levi’s has been doing business with the goal of striving towards sustainability and excellence for over 100 years now. They give cash credits to customers who return their old Levi’s in for their denim recycling programs and they have been working on increasingly finding ways to reducing their water use in their denim production processes. Are they singing about their exceptional practices in their ad campaigns to help better educate their customers? Let’s just say this is one of the places where they still have room to improve.

Pendleton

This nearly 150 year old American company produces much of it’s premium products, from fibers grown, spun, dyed, and woven in America. They keep marketing to a minimum and keep their funding aimed at doing business responsibly and offering the best quality products possible to the customers they serve. Their product’s are so beautifully made, by  that they end up heirlooms in most of the fortunate homes that they grace.

Change is indeed happening all around, but most of all it starts with each one of us. We have to make up our own minds. What type of consumers are we?

Image: oxfam, Fashionista, Last Night’s Garbage,Amy DuFault

The post Fashion Marketing 101: From Social Media to Social Responsibility, Fashion Evolves appeared first on EcoSalon.

Inspired by American heritage style and the Pendleton Portland Collection, these picks will help preserve that “cozying-up-by-the-fire” feeling, all day long.

The best thing about fall is that we can cozy up on the couch and wrap ourselves in a thick, warm blanket. With these blanket patterned pieces, we can preserve that cozy feeling, all day long. The Pendleton Portland Collection serves as the inspiration for this American heritage style, but you can find eco-savvy picks from other designers as well. In light of the recent Navajo Nation vs. Urban Outfitters controversy, it’s worth noting that Pendleton has worked with Native Americans in the Southwest since 1895, designing blankets, robes and, eventually, items for ceremonial use. Add a black hat, some black tights and you’re good to go.

Pendleton Reversible Harding Poncho
This limited edition poncho updates a reversible black and ivory Native American design introduced 80 years ago by Pendleton. Justly prized for its luxurious 100% pure virgin wool, this family-owned manufacturer produces outerwear that combines softness with exceptional warmth and original styling. This comfy poncho provides complete coverage, sort of like a blanket.
$395, VivaTerra

Kirsten Muenster Corolla Ring
Each piece of jewelry in Kirsten Muenster’s collection is hand crafted from ethically sourced materials and vintage elements, to create one-of-a-kind, modern heirlooms that reveal the subtle intricacies of nature. This exquisite ring is made using recycled sterling silver with oxidation.
$200, Kirsten Muenster Jewelry

Tracy Watts Dandy Fedora
Tracy Watts is a classically trained milliner with a background in art and painting. Her stylish hats are handcrafted in her Chelsea studio. This Dandy Fedora is the perfect topper to an all black and white ensemble.
$242, Juno & Jove

Shift Dress by Pendleton Portland Collection
This Shift Dress by Pendleton is made from 100% virgin wool. The Jacquard pattern is woven on a special loom, the same method Pendleton has used since 1909. A flattering feminine silhouette will make a timeless addition to your wardrobe. Wear it to work, or a sophisticated night out with friends.
$248, Juno& Jove

JADEtribe Weekender in Black/Beige
This hand woven weekender bag is created from organic cotton and natural dyes by a village of women in Laos. All raw materials to create the natural dyes are grown in their village. Each textile takes three days for the women to weave, making this bag is a true exhibition of craft.
$396, Jade Tribe

Black & Tan Harding Robe Blanket by Pendleton Portland Collection
Made from 100% virgin wool, the Jacquard pattern on this robe is woven on a special loom, creating a double-sided design in reversed colors. The leather carrier ensures that you can carry it in style. Curl up next to a fire with this blanket and a cup of tea for the perfect ending to a long day.
$248, Juno & Jove

Aztec Silver Canvas Women’s Desert Botas
These black and white botas from TOMS feature clever hidden elastic straps for secure fit even without laces. But these kicks are not just stylish, they will boost your karma too. For every pair you buy, TOMS donates a pair to a child in need.
$68, Toms

The post On Trend: Blanket Pattern appeared first on EcoSalon.

Pendleton’s reversible Harding Poncho is a must have for fall.

We are pretty obsessed with this exclusive, limited edition Harding Poncho which offers a reversible black and ivory Native American design Pendleton introduced about 80 years ago. Made from 100% pure virgin wool, this family-owned, Oregon based company produces outerwear that combines softness with exceptional warmth and original styling.

The comfortable poncho provides complete coverage much like a blanket, with a funnel neck that protects against cold.

Sounds perfect for leaf peeping.

$395

Look for Lustables daily at EcoSalon. 100% gorgeous green finds, and never sponsored. Submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

The post Lustables: Pendleton’s Harding Poncho appeared first on EcoSalon.

Pendleton’s beach towels are pure luxe for the beach.

A long hot summer brings a number of unlikely accessories, a smattering of amber-colored freckles, salt water-coiled waves and the inner glow from a relaxed afternoon spent floating in the water. Dry off with Pendleton’s plush Jacquard towel in a classic and on-trend American Southwest pattern. Looped in reverse for super absorbency, this cotton velour, oversized towel is perfect for long days at the beach. These hard-to-resist towels prove summer necessities can be luxuries, too.

 Look for Lustables daily at EcoSalon. 100% gorgeous green finds, and never sponsored. Submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

The post Lustables: Pendleton’s Jacquard Towels appeared first on EcoSalon.

It should be no surprise to us in this burgeoning age of conscious consumerism that we would want more than just the same old sustainable tale. In fact, as consumers seek to have more storied clothing in 2011, forward-thinking designers are realizing that the more story a garment can weave within, the more appealing it is to buy. This requires not only a tremendous amount of serious thought towards the actual clothing design,  but a knowledge of story and where to draw from.

Take for instance the Awamaki Lab fashion design residency. The lab is giving young designers the opportunity to develop capsule collections in partnership with the Awamaki and its association of indigenous Quechua women weavers.  Study designer Tara St James has been a mentor for the lab and for its inaugural season, Awamaki Lab and St James worked with designer Nieli Vallin, who studied design in Paris at the Chambre Syndical de la Couture. Brought together by the program’s director, Annie Millican, BlackBook reports “The three American fashion devotees will work with the vivid textiles and simple draping of the lliqllas (yik-ee-yaahs) – traditional woolen shawls worn by the Andean women and children – that characterize Quechuan clothing.”

Poncho by the Nielli Vallin/Awamaki/St James Collaboration

Tara says of the collaboration on her The Square Project blog:

“This is an unparalleled opportunity for selected designer participants to develop a capsule collection in the serene environment of Ollantaytambo, Peru. Through the process, designers hone their artistic skills and lend a modern perspective to Awamaki’s range of products. This will improve the organization’s marketability and help to stimulate economic growth in the isolated, rural communities where Awamaki works.”

Domestic economic growth – which we we hope to see flourish more – especially with Native Americans, is with the iconic label Pendleton and three young designers: Nathaniel Crissman, Rachel Turk and John Blasioli. Crissman and Turk, the designers behind the label Church and State worked with menswear designer Blasioli and Pendleton to domestically manufacture the entire line with all domestic wool.

Having been a family owned business for more than 140 years based in the Pacific Northwest (Pendleton, Oregon), the company has always incorporated Native American patterns into their 100 percent virgin wool, reflecting ancient designs and legends. Stay tuned for fall ’11 to see breathtaking ponchos, open back dresses and Native American inspired cardigan sweaters for men and women from the collaboration.

My prediction? Storied clothing in addition to sustainable fabrics is the next wave of conscious fashion where we consumers can be more invested in what we buy from a historical standpoint, designers can learn more ancient trades utilizing their design muse, and with that demand, poor economic sectors will see growth teaching trades they’ve always known. We’re in for an exciting time.

Top Image by Owyn Ruck of Textile Arts Center

The post Storytelling: Awamaki Lab and Pendleton’s Portland Collection appeared first on EcoSalon.

Before Pendleton met Opening Ceremony and made heritage as seemingly cool as it is, mid-70s moms with feathered hair – including bombshell Farrah Fawcett – were becoming inspired by Navajo prints and ethnic designs. Seems like a reasonable trend for winter, right? I mean, I love the idea of hipsters parading around city streets trying to be cool with what people normally wear in the burbs. Add to that the men scruffy in teen wolf beards trying to look lumberjacky? It’s a look! (Side note: please go away teen wolf beard trend).

And Farrah? Well, go here to see just what her latest legacy popped out.

Back to Opening Ceremony and Pendleton.

Collaborations like theirs brought to light our love of all things culturally correct and yes, Navajo inspired like this little romper above – the newest birthing of season three’s wooley reunion of Pendleton and Opening Ceremony. $233

Sustainable label Mociun had their own southwestern moment when they produced these blanket jackets for fall 10 that screamed “I’m not your mother’s jacket!” On sale for $390 at Kaight.

Private Navajo? This Woolrich Navajo Indian Blanket Sweater is in great condition. Think slouchy cloche hat and chunky scarf to accompany the vibe.

Currently $10 on eBay! (Amy screams and rips her hair out at the price).

Tribal patterns and slouchy boyfriend style make this Navajo inspired sweater an amazing find. And it’s currently $16.50 on eBay! (More hair ripping)

This is certainly a trend that’s hanging around, so what are you going to do about it? Neglect it or grab a piece?

The post I’m Living in My Own Private Navajo appeared first on EcoSalon.