With the growth of eco and ethical fashion around the world, designers from Down Under are getting in on the act.

The fashion industry in Australia might be small, but it is fast becoming an industry that supports sustainability and brings social issues to the forefront of style. The government funded initiative Ethical Clothing Australia and the 1 Million Women campaign, have certainly helped to influence this movement, but much of it is being driven by designers themselves. Being on the underside of the world, designers may be a season behind the northern hemisphere, but one area they are not behind in, is greening progressive and forward-thinking fashion.

Here are the top 5 Aussie eco labels to watch.

Bassike

Deborah and Mary Lou, two friends with already impressive careers in the Australian fashion industry, started Bassike in 2006, with the main goal being to create wardrobe staples that had longevity, using quality sustainable fabrics. Their original range was a simple and stylish lineup of organic t-shirts, but it soon expanded into denim and has now branched out into men’s and women’s ready to wear collections. Most recently they launched a Bassike eyewear line. The label appeals to those who love an easygoing style and pays homage to the Aussie beach culture, with its loose fitting tees and effortless casual vibe. It is currently stocked in over 90 premium stores around the world, including in the USA.

Sosume

Sosume hails from Australia’s unofficial style capital, Melbourne, and refers to itself as a brand with a conscience. The ethos behind the label is to transcend “fast fashion culture” and create long standing, timeless pieces, which will carry through more than one season. Made from only the finest eco friendly fabrics sourced from environmentally responsible mills, Sosume aims to select materials and methods with the least environmental impact. One  example of how they support important social issues, is through their recent launch of an eco friendly women’s tee, with 100% of the profits of the sale of the item, going to support depression research.

Elsom

Launched in Sydney in 2006, Elsom fulfills designer Sam Elsom’s vision to make high quality, timeless, sustainable products that reflect a strong commitment to detail and traditional tailoring. Elsom values traditional hand tailoring as an integral part of the design process, using materials sourced from all over the world. Being a huge supporter of organic farming, the label currently works with sustainable farmers in India to source organic cotton, which is used throughout its collections. Like many of the other Aussie labels, Elsom hopes to create pieces that reflect classic style, including button down shirts, chic cocktail dresses and slim suits.

Gorman

Gorman has been a fixture on the Aussie fashion scene since 1999, but in 2007, it introduced Gorman Organic in response to growing environmental awareness. Pieces from the organic range are blended through the main collections, but are created from either certified organic or sustainable materials. The label says it launched an organic range as a way to offer their customers a sustainable choice, without having to compromise style or quality. The philosophy behind the brand is to be inspired by the everyday and the local cultures and artists that surround them. Gorman creator Lisa Gorman, says she is particularly inspired by her Fitzroy neighborhood, regarded as a creative bohemia, and reflects this through many of the pieces in her collections.

Gaawaa Miyay

Up and coming Indigenous designer Lucy Simpson is the force behind Gaawaa Miyay (which translates to “River Daughter”), a label that blends the ancient tradition of visual storytelling with contemporary Indigenous design. Lucy is committed to using natural fibers, sustainable practices and to manufacturing her pieces in Australia. Her designs span across fashion, homewares and accessories and reflect the cultural heritage, stories, memories and landscapes of her Yuwaalaraay family. Already the recipient of much critical acclaim, Gaawaa Miyay is one label to keep an eye on, particularly in the lead up to Australia’s Inaugural Indigenous Fashion Week in 2013.

The post Designers From Down Under: Top 5 Aussie Labels to Watch appeared first on EcoSalon.

A list of the top sustainable handbag designers currently on the fashion scene.

Sustainably designed handbags have come a long way since their humble beginnings. From vegetable dyed leathers to recycled and organic materials, handbag designers have upped the ante on style, form and function. Here we offer you an extensive list of what we consider to be the top designers in the sustainable handbag field. We’re impressed.

Ampersand As Apostrophe, Seattle, Washington :Upcycled mailbags, recycled materials

Ashley Watson, Vancouver B.C.: Upcycled leather, recycled materials

Beryll, Los Angeles, California: Upcycled leather, made in the U.S.

Beth Springer, Venice, California: Organic hemp linen, plant dyed leather, made in the U.S.

Calleen Cordero, Los Angeles, California: Vegetable tanned leathers, handmade by artisans

Collina Strada, Los Angeles, California: Made in New York, vegan, recycled materials

Cri de Coeur, New York, NY: Recycled plastic, organic cotton, vegan, Made in NYC

Dama, Los Angeles, California:Upcycled leather, recycled materials, vegan

Ellington, Portland, Oregon: Award-winning environmentally responsible tannery that uses efficient processes to reduce water consumption, energy use and CO2 emissions.

Entermodal, Portland, Oregon: Handmade, vegetable tanned leather, will buy back leather after use for recycling

Erin Templeton, Vancouver, B.C.: Upcycled leather

Fleabags, New York, NY: Organic and vintage materials, vegetable-tanned and re-purposed leathers, all materials sourced in the U.S.,  silkscreens use water-based ink

GG2G, Stamford, Connecticut: Repurposed and recycled materials, vegan, made in the U.S.

JADEtribe, New York, NY: Handwoven, organic cottons, natural dyes, fair trade

Jess Rizzuti, New York, NY : Sustainable cork

Kim White, Los Angeles, California: Dead stock, never-used textiles intended for use in American automobiles: cars, trucks and vans, vintage fabrics

Lina Rennell, Northern California: Recycled leather

Lizzie Fortunato, New York, NY: Hand beaded, recycled materials

Love Mert, New York, NY: Upcycled leather, wood scraps from designer’s father’s workshop, organic cotton lining

Matt & Nat, Montreal, Canada: Made in Montreal, lining of recycled plastic bottles, vegan

Passchal, Richmond, Virginia: Recycled inner tubes

Push Pull Cambodia, Takeo Province, Cambodia:Hand woven by Khmer artisans, fair trade

Red Flag, Vancouver, B.C.: Alternative manufacturing, recycled materials

Rising Tide Fair Trade, Brooklyn, NY and New Jersey: Fair Trade Federation certified and Green America approved

Shannon South, New York, NY: Zero waste, recycled leather

Spencer Devine, Brooklyn, NY: Upcycled materials, supports textile artisans in developing countries.

The Sway, New York, NY: Upcycled leather, recycled cotton lining

Teich, New York, NY: Vegetable-tanned and chrome-free leather, vintage materials and fabrics, hemp, linen

Image: The Sway

The post The Ultimate List of Sustainable Handbag Designers (From A-Z) appeared first on EcoSalon.

The GreenShows snag a coveted spot at Lincoln Center.

Too often, sustainable fashion is relegated to the sidelines of events like Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. This season, however, that changed with the addition of The GreenShows to the official line-up at Lincoln Center.

Held Friday morning at Lincoln Center’s The Box, the presentation featured carefully curated ensembles from eight sustainable brands, assembled by star stylist Julie Ragolia. In selecting the participating designers, TGS considered a number of ethical manufacturing criteria, including use of organic/bio-based textiles and materials, recycled/upcycled fabrics, low-impact dyes, zero waste/fabric waste reduction, local production, craft/artisan production, and fair/ethical trade.

The Box was packed shoulder-to-shoulder for the event, which GreenShows director Lou Sagar called a “milestone” in the sustainable fashion movement.

Sustainable fashion is now a global movement, it’s no longer a trend. (The GreenShows) are a demonstration that fashion always has to be beautiful and appealing, but it doesn’t have to be at the compromise of using sustainable materials and ethical practices. I think the fashion industry is demonstrating a desire to embrace that more and more. We don’t have to feel that we’re alternative because social change is mainstream.

Here, scenes from the show and more information on the featured designers.

The entrance to The GreenShows.

The Lincoln Center lobby, hub of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

Venezuelan designer Luis Valenzuela collaborated with Lulan Artisans on this gorgeous hourglass dress, made from raw Cambodian silk, hand-woven and hand-dyed by women artisans. Eve Blossom, founder of Lulan Artisans, told EcoSalon, “By working with these artisans, we prevent them from falling into human trafficking, because we give them job security and options, which prevents them from getting into desperate situations. And these artisans are very proud and incredible masters. All you need to do is help them, highlight them, and create partnerships, and it makes all the difference in the world.”

The model in the background wears a silver, organic cotton jersey gown made from metallic thread.

United Bamboo is a fashion collective from collaborators Miho Aoki and Thuy Pham, focused on the reinvention of tradition and committed to local production. For The GreenShows, they used a traditional plaid on dresses, skirts, and bomber jackets.

Bamboo By United Bamboo is a line of organic “room wear” inspired by the birth of Aoki’s first child. In the foreground, the model wears a black organic wool hooded sweater and white organic cotton romper; just behind there’s a black linen pinafore dress layered over an organic cotton fitted shirt; and in the back there’s a cropped jacket, striped organic knit sweater, and cropped pant.

For STUDY NY‘s fall line, designer Tara St. James‘ focus was on convertability. “Everything can be personalized and is meant to be worn your own way. I think that’s an important part of sustainability. Fast fashion is so recognizable on the street, and you don’t want to be wearing what everyone else is. Even if you’re wearing the same piece it can look very different.”

This olive tweed, 100 percent wool convertible jacket is layered over an olive tweed skirt.

Ajna, from designer Beryl Man, embraces beauty and simplicity while exclusively utilizing organic and sustainable textiles. The knits in the show were fabulously cozy and perfectly paired with the models’ rosy cheeks and fifties-style coiffes. Here, a multicolor organic wool hand-knit turtleneck over a sage organic wool draped skirt.

Using primarily upcycled materials, Brooklyn-based Artists & Revolutionaries put together a stunning collection of pieces using repurposed leather, cashmere, and organic cotton. From left to right: a camel washed wool jacket with repurposed leather sleeve and trim, with black washed wool pant; a white/black spliced repurposed washed wool sweater with black repurposed leather short; and a floral organic dip-dyed ruffle top with check washed wool flip skirt.

Ensembles from The Battalion were sleek, slim, and simple, incorporating materials like bamboo, organic cotton, faux fur, and peace silk. I loved this black modal, spandex zip jacket, paired with a black organic bamboo legging.

The distinctive textiles present in H. Fredriksson pieces are inspired by designer Helena Fredriksson’s own drawings and photographs. The model in the front is wearing an olive 100 percent reclaimed wool batwing coat over a printed silk crepe Stina dress, while the model in the back sports a blue 100 percent silk Milos dress.

Images: Jessica Marati and Jennifer Barckley

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ColumnThe connection between the clothes we buy and the clothes we are already wearing.

Julia Ramsey is intent on sharing an awareness about textiles with others. “I think it’s important to know the connection between the materials and the end product and the human and how it all comes together; a lot of times, I think it’s taken for granted.”

In a recent event at The Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn, NY, Ramsey unveiled her freshest fashion endeavor: Pelt. Textiles and their individual stories are integral to the inspiration and creation process for Ramsey. Pelt reveals an experience that weaves together raw materials, innovative construction, and an intimate relationship with your clothing and shelter.

Grounded in ideas of estrangement, Pelt sought to deconstruct society’s tendency to disconnect from the clothing on your back. “Normally, when you’re wearing a sweater, it’s completely devoid of an origin; since I’m inspired by materials that I work with, I think it’s really interesting to make the materials the center of attention.” Each piece of the creamy, cloudy, milky, and comfort-driven collection harbors the potential to perform as a second skin. “They kind of take on a life of their own, and when you’re wearing them, you feel like you have this second skin; it makes you take on another persona and they almost speak for themselves.” For Ramsey, your “pelt” can serve to shelter you or to give you additional strength. Evolved from observations of animal skins, animal hides, and furs, the cozy pieces make you want to curl up in them and hibernate for a long winter ahead.

While Ramsey seems clearly comfortable in her own skin, being a “fashion designer” wasn’t something she could always easily identify with. Growing up, she loved to sew and make dresses, but fashion wasn’t really part of her life. “When I went to school, I couldn’t look anyone in the face and say ‘I’m going to be a fashion designer’.” In turn, early in her journey as a designer, she contemplated and analyzed the question of what truly makes a garment special. For her, the fabric is key; even if the design is simply cut, an amazing fabric can elevate a piece to another level. Through studying textile design with a specialization in knitting, Ramsey’s curiosity in the fabric behind her fashion has taken her even deeper into an investigation of the naked elements beneath: the raw material.

Pelt was constructed from a collection of unprocessed sheep’s fleece from around the globe. Ramsey’s design exploration led her to discover wool sourced from a little girl who raises sheep on her parents’ organic farm in Connecticut as well as an organic line of super fine merino wool imported from South America by a U.S. trader company. Wherever the sheep were raised, Ramsey’s wool comes practically direct from the animal’s back to yours. The wool is carded and the fibers aligned, but it’s raw and in a sense, that still maintains its connection to the animal. “It’s animalistic, and wild in a way, because it is so close to the sheep.”

By feeling and touching each pelt, it’s possible to realize that it came from a sheep. “You don’t think about that all the time and I think it’s important to be conscious of it.”

Organics go far beyond the materials for Ramsey. Designing is an evolution that unfolds before her in a very free-flowing and intuitive way. “I like to keep it really hands-on and I like to be making with my hands. I think that’s important: to be close to it.” In Pelt, she began working with a Barbara Walker knitting swatch book and let the shapes develop naturally. “Just putting rectangles [of the knitting patterns] onto the form, they kind of take on a life of their own and I can visualize how to build them out.” Guided by the body and a mixture of the material and the body, Ramsey’s work pairs an interesting balance between emotions of strength and femininity.

Drawing upon the embedded concept of skins, animal hides, and fur, Ramsey’s romanticized photo shoot for the collection took an even further look at the significance of coverings and the meanings behind their expressions. The true model in the images exists behind a styled facade, as in reality, she has long red hair. In addition, her freckling from head -to-toe covers her skin and creates a pattern upon her own body. Layers of coverings – animal and human – overlap and almost become entangled in a merging of raw and wild, comfort and spectacle.

Ramsey’s Pelt undoubtedly connects human with animal; the shearing from a sheep’s coat is woven into a covering to shield a human from the cold. We may not generally think so directly about the origins of the fabrics draped upon our shoulders, but Ramsey’s exploration reminds us that our garments contain stories that have already been written before they reach us. Questioning those stories and pondering their intricacies could aid in reestablishing true and authentic connections with our body coverings.

“I think it’s important to have things that people would love to wear, and are actually wearable, even though they stand out and make an impact.” Ramsey says this collection was potentially her Fall 2012 preview. We hope to soon see her creations available at a nearby boutique; whether it be to shield, shelter, or take on a distinct persona, these coverings are utterly covetable.

The post THREADED: Julia Ramsey Sheds Her Skin About ‘Pelt’ appeared first on EcoSalon.

A weekly roundup of EcoSalon’s top stories.

We like being single but we also like companionship. In Abigail Wick’s weekly column Sex By Numbers, she tackles the topic: Can I Stay Single But Commit To One Man? Wick decides to address the issue penning it as an open letter to her dear friend and in truth, as much a letter to herself.

Dude, are you astrocartographically correct? In her article The 20 Best and Worst Cities for Your Astrological Sign, Shelter editor K. Emily Bond says: “Whether you actually buy into planetary politics (we’re reserving judgment), the cosmos are a fun and convenient foil for a range of bad behavior and bum luck.” Check out the story to see if your sign matches where you live.

Every city has a bevy of sustainable designers and L.A. has hurned out a fair share of them. In Sustainable Los Angeles: The Pioneers and Emergents, writer Kelly Drennan tallies up the best and brightest from shoe designers to ready-to-wear.

We have a lot we could be learning from the great north, especially when it comes to being truly environmentally friendly. In her story 7 Lessons From Canada’s Environmental Pragmatism, writer Senior Editor Luanne Bradley says: “According to the Vancouver Sun, the city is now moving ahead in 10 key areas that range from greening the economy by securing the city’s international reputation as a mecca of green enterprise, improving food production, cutting greenhouse gases and making walking, cycling and public transit the preferred transportation option for its citizens.”

Once a month, The Green Plate harvests the most interesting, biggest, weirdest, and puzzling recent news stories on food politics, the food industry, eating trends, and edible discoveries from around the web, and shares them with you. This month’s focus was on the latest food safety stories which are both shocking but fixable. Columnist Vanessa Barrington writes in (Shocking) News From the Food World: “This month, intentionally mismarked Chinese honey contaminated with heavy metals and illegal antibiotics is being shipped to the U.S. through India, preventing the U.S. from collecting tariffs and endangering your health, yet the FDA doesn’t want to inspect the honey entering the country. What gives?”

The post The Friday Five, Vol. 25 appeared first on EcoSalon.

Fashion’s royal court is only for a small percentage of Americans with royal salaries.

One has only to look at last night’s Oscar results for The King’s Speech to see that when it comes to royalty we are smitten. But where we cheer for stuttering kings and their noble supporting cast, new-found love and endearing visions of the past, do we really need a new court?

“Fashion is royalty,” a friend said to me over dinner last week in New York.

Is it possible that the most consumer-driven part of our society could seriously be considered royalty? And do we really want to consider the most irresponsible of our designers the new court’s kings and queens?

My friend may be on to something. How many stories did we have to endure over New York Fashion Week detailing obsessive information about what courtesan celebrities were wearing in the front row to see their noble (king or queen) designer? Humbly though they sat to admire the breathtaking fantasies from legends like Karl Lagerfeld, Versace and Tomas Maier of Bottega Veneta, we undoubtedly heard (or maybe cared) less about the looks coming down the catwalk as the star-studded sidelines.

In a recent Wall Street Journal article that peeks inside the closets of those rarefied shoppers of fashion weeks in New York, Paris and Milan, the world’s most expensive clothes may only be made for those with royal salaries. “But many of the runway styles are actually purchased by a small group of customers, not all of them from the isle of Manhattan. And unlike celebrities and socialites, who often get designer clothes at no charge in exchange for publicity, these customers pay full price,” says WSJ writer Elizabeth Holmes.

Is this the royalty my friend, a struggling young designer, is referencing? Yes.

A rereading of this fairy tale might encourage us to ask why fashion’s royal court is being led by people purchasing clothes with heavily gilded price tags. A Balmain gold mini-dress at $74,000? Especially in a still-tepid economy, such displays are garish. The era of bling bling and logomania among the peasants may have abated in step with the financial times, but decadent fashion still wears its crown.

Fashion is royalty, she reiterates. Heady, worked up and a little intoxicated, she glares and says, “Ha! You’re just like a peasant with the clothes you love,” and takes a conclusive sip.

Indeed I am, and in fact, we all are. What comes down the catwalk and drives fashion magazine editorials is not the ready-to-wear, (much less the mass-produced fast fashion that will show up in stores in the months after fashion weeks), it’s the thin slice for the royals and their royalty. This can be confusing for the average American fashion consumer, seeing the gaudy and glamorous creations of fashion week and the fantastical spreads soon after in glossy publications. Is this a level of fashion the typical consumer can ever attain? Yet this is what drives fashion, and all young designers must visit the high design courts to pay homage to those patrons on whom their success hinges. Whether they want to or not.

The post The New Blue Blood: Fashion As Royalty appeared first on EcoSalon.

Designers offer insights on why some styles sell more than others.

Designers will be the first to admit that when it comes to their collections they have their favorites. But does their cloth-crush sometimes outshine the actual needs of the buyer?

A boutique owner has to be part fortune teller, part knowledgeable curator. A smart buyer realizes that above all, they need to be prudent. Getting caught up in the hype of Market Week with a designer telling them something is “Amazing!” and “Will sell through,” can translate to merchandise that doesn’t move.

What this means for you is an uninteresting store selection and a buyer whose investment isn’t going to give much return.

I caught up with a handful of sustainable designers at Market in New York this past week and had them show me a piece they loved, but was it what the buyers were choosing for their Fall 2011 assortments? Not necessarily.

Alice Wu, founder and designer of Feral Childe (above), says the Paganini Practice Shift was her favorite but the more colorful signature prints of her line were buyers’ favorites.

Lara Miller, founder and designer of Lara Miller: “The Callie Flip Cardigan was one of my best sellers and is also one of my favorites. Buyers like that they can wear it more than four different ways and get so much from one piece.”

Tracey Forrest, Owner of True Collaborative Showroom, representing Pendleton’s Portland Collection: “The Cape was placed by every buyer but the men’s pants were sometimes overlooked which typically happens in bottoms that are not denim or khakis-This is often a missed category for men’s clothing.”

Raina Blyer, designer and founder of Creem: “These two were my favorites and the buyers’ because they’re different, but not so different to alienate any type of customer.”

Moriah Carlson, co-designer and founder of Feral Childe, said her Rabbit Bump Dress was a bright spot for buyer’s ordering because she loves it and thankfully, so did they.

Lizz Wasserman, founder and designer behind the line Popomomo, says her A/W ’11 Ferus Shirt is a favorite of hers as well as the buyers: “It’s a shift in silhouette for the buyers but they’re able to see the piece has cross-appeal and accommodates lots of body types.”

The post At Market, Favorites Aren’t Always Best-Sellers appeared first on EcoSalon.

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

The post EcoSalon Asks, 6 Designers Answer appeared first on EcoSalon.

Designers aren’t alone when it comes to being held responsible for their claims of eco-design; so are the boutiques that carry them.

In fact, as greenwashing heats up and the public is able to be more informed, all participants of the manufacturing and selling process are being held accountable and nobody wants to look stupid.

Shows like D&A (Designers &Agents) and the NOW Showcase are making that quest for transparency a lot easier. For example, with green leaf icons at D&A serving as code for sustainable designer’s booths and with the NOW Showcase, an established venue offering various shades of green depending on the hue you so desire.

Still, nothing is perfect. In fact, at the last D&A show when approaching a designer toting a green leaf (for my own boutique), I was left to stand and have her waste 15 minutes of my precious time explaining to me why she had acquired her green leaf.

“So are your chains reclaimed?” I asked her.

“No, we give women fresh out of prison jobs to support their new life,” she answered.

“So nothing is recycled or reclaimed?,” I asked again horrified.

“Ahhh, no,” she said, now looking at me in bewilderment.

I had at least three other run-ins with designers marked with the green leaf that were, in my opinion, not even mint green.

While venues keep improving, we buyers keep pushing forward with our rigorous drills on designers, asking lots of questions and hopefully getting the right answers.

While in New York for Market Week, I bumped into Shana Yansen, owner and buyer of Jute and Jackfruit for a buyer’s love fest.

Here’s what she had to say about her adventures as a buyer.

The post Video Interview: Shana Yansen of Jute And Jackfruit appeared first on EcoSalon.

There is no doubt that Fashion’s Night Out (FNO) is an occasion to celebrate fashion as we know, love, and covet it – up close and from afar. With a globe-spanning agenda aimed at rattling the timbers of gilt fashion houses and retail venues, FNO is also great way of celebrating the very fiber of what inspires us as unique style makers and shoppers.

Whether you are in NYC, LA, Rio, or Reno, there is something for everyone this Friday, September 10. Given my passion for all things fiber, textile, and eco-related, here are a few of my picks for FNO happenings in NYC’s environs and beyond.

KRELWear 2 Go and Trunkshow at Kaight NYC (Sept 9 -10)

A two-day event at Kaight NYC where visitors can custom design their own “˜quickie couture creations’ with KRELWear‘s talented knit designer, Karelle Levy. KRELwear’s philosophy is based in the simplicity and beauty of “toobular” knit design. Their stunning collections include sweaters, dresses, skirts and tanks, as well as colorful hats, scarves, leg warmers and cuffs. This will be a totally unique way to fashion a one-of-a-kind FNO couture creation, suitable for fashion week parties and fall fêtes to come.

Clothing Map (2007) by Daria Dorosh

Fashion Lab in Process (FliPâ„¢) at the American Folk Art Museum

Do not miss the launch of Fashion Lab in Process (FliPâ„¢), a one-of-a-kind fashion house created by designer and Project Director Daria Dorosh, PhD, with a social, economic and environmental agenda to carve a new sustainable niche in the fashion industry and support local young designers. FliPâ„¢ will show its first collection of garments and accessories in a ‘fashion theater’ installation at the American Folk Art Museum, 2 Columbus Avenue, between 65th and 66th Streets on Friday September 10th, from 5 – 7pm.

Daria Dorosh’s recycled textile ‘Wrist Loops’

Current participants include: Dorosh’s line of “˜Wrist Loops’ (jeweled textile accessories for both women and men) and fashions by eco-conscious designers, among them Meiling Chen of Fearless Dreamer, Phaedra Elizabeth, Laura Bond, and the local sustainable design collective Eko-Lab by Melissa Kirgan and Xing-Zhen Chung-Hilyard. A special fashion performance by artist Meghann Snow will be ongoing in the AFAM window.

‘Slow Fashion’ at The Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn

Titania Inglis F/W 2010

Come celebrate the official kick off of the fall season at the Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn with an evening of slow fashion and design discussion, hands-on workshops, and local sustainable designers presentations.

Recycled rubber band necklaces by Margarita Mileva of M2 Jewelry

6 – 7 pm ‘Hack Sustainable Fashion’ workshop with Giana Gonzalez

7 – 8:30pm Ecouterre eco-fashion panel and Q&A moderated by Jill Fehrenbacher of Inhabitat and Ecouterre. Invited panelists include Greta Eagan (FashionMeGreen), Caroline Priebe (Uluru), Sarah Scaturro (Fashion Projects/Cooper-Hewitt Museum), Titania Inglis, Shabd Simon-Alexander, and Laura “London” Shirreff (Waste Not Want Not)
8:30 – 11pm Shopping hours with local designers (reMade USA, Wiksten, Shabd, Titania Inglis, and M2 Jewelry), free DIY workshops, food, drinks, live DJ

Visit The Textile Arts Center’s website for more details.

Ikou Tschuss Store Opening at 8 Centre Market Place, New York City

Ikou Tschuss unique knitwear designs are all hand-crafted and “the process of doing the work is vital to the form the design takes. Their production is staffed exclusively by grandmothers, who retain the old crafts-womanly approach to handwork-skills that owners Guya Marini and Carmen D’Apollonio feel are disappearing today.”

You can weave together your own rockin’ itinerary for the evening of September 10 via Fashion’s Night Out.

Editor’s note: Reprinted with permission from author Abigail Doan of Ecco Eco. You can find the original article here.

The post FNO: Fiber, Textile, and Slow Fashion Rules appeared first on EcoSalon.