We love style. We love fashion. We also want to make sure our sartorial choices do little damage to the world as we can. Eco-friendly clothing manufacturers throw around terms like “conscientious” and “sustainable fashion”, but what does that really mean?

There are plenty of fashion designers that describe themselves as eco-friendly. While brands may use it as part of their marketing plan, are they really good for the environment?

How do you choose sustainable fashion?

1. Shop Low Impact Dying

While many fabrics may start out as sustainable fibers, the finishing process can cancel that out pretty quickly. Organic cottons quickly lose their earthy appeal when chemical dyes and formaldehyde are used to treat them. South Carolina-based Gaia Conceptions grows its own plant and pigment-based dyes made from natural sources to color its clothing. These are great for both the planet and the wellness of the person wearing them. The company also uses fiber reactive dyes. These are developed for higher absorption rates so chemicals are not needed to fix them to the fiber. This also means that less water is wasted or used.

2. Let the fabric suit the fashion

Fashion fans love silk as a luxury fabric. Unfortunately, many don’t realize that typical silk manufacturing involves boiling and killing the silk worms after they have produced the fibers. Peace silk or vegan silk is a fabric made only with silk fiber casings only after the worms have emerged and moved on. This is a much more humane practice but costly. To keep it truly eco, peace silk should be bought in natural colors. This makes peace silk an ideal choice for green weddings. Conscientious brides often have a natural aesthetic for their wedding and are willing to splurge on the perfect dress. Boutiques like The Cotton Bride in Brooklyn, New York are committed to using such fabrics. Their wedding gowns are even sewn in-house.

3. Respect the maker

We hear a lot about Fair Trade and fair labor practices. Is there a way to really know if your dress was made by a happy seamstress? You can support that ethos by shopping from designers that work with organizations like the Ethical Fashion Initiative, a joint project with the United Nations. You can check if your brand is accredited by the Fair Labor Association. These organizations ensure that workers have decent working conditions and wages. Some companies like Satara go a step further in providing skills training and financial guidance. Its website even allows you to find the individual woman who made your garment. The fashion industry has enabled many women in third world countries to improve their quality of life and become financially independent.

4. Wear Fabrics Made from Recycled Fiber

Buying a jacket that helps empty the landfills of all those plastic bottles? That is fabulous. Patagonia was one of the first major clothing manufacturers to work with PET (polyethylene terephthalate) fabrics. Its patented Polartec fabric is a form of polyester. While a synthetic, petroleum-based textile sounds like the opposite of eco-friendly, PET’s main strength is that it uses recycled fibers to produce. Recycling garbage like plastic bottles and collected old garments to make this fabric cuts down on the energy and fossil fuels needed to make it compared to traditional polyester. While this may not please organic trendsetters, this should make upcycled and recycled fashion fans happy.

What sustainable fashion boils down to is often what your Eco-friendly clothing is boiled in. Many fibers can be farmed or produced in a sustainable way, but the finishing is what makes or breaks its Eco cred. Also, think about who is doing the boiling. Guests are afraid to mistreat a chef at a restaurant handling their food. Wouldn’t you want to make sure the person making our clothing is happy too?

Related on EcoSalon

5 Tips to Succeed WithUpcycled Fashion

New York Fashion Week’s Fair Trade Runway Show

5 Eco-Friendly Types of Fabrics for feel good fashion 

Images: Mariana Leung

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The fashion trends of the future could involve living, growing textiles, or even accessories implanted into our bodies.

By 2082, couture will be made not from fabric, but from cells. That’s the vision of designer Amy Congdon, whose Biological Atelier project explores how the same sort of medical biotechnology set to revolutionize skin grafts and prosthetics can be carried over into the world of fashion. In fact, her idea is pretty similar to the controversial effort to grow meat in a lab so no animal has to be harmed, and test-tube leather. Cultured ivory bracelets or cruelty-free cross-species fur, anyone?

Congdon’s Extinct Collection uses a sort of embroidery ‘scaffolding’ upon which cells can be grown—whether plant, animal or mineral. The idea is that in the future, fashion trends could be grown from the ultimate commodity: life itself. Congdon aims to explore the ethical issues surrounding this sort of manipulation of life, and the seemingly sci-fi concept of integrating and implanting fashion and technology right into our own bodies.

Considering the social and environmental impact of the textile industry, even the most unlikely sounding ideas deserve a good look – and while Biological Atelier is intended for bespoke luxury garments, similar technology could possibly be used on a wider scale. When grown in a lab or made from waste materials rather than farmed, biological-based textiles could potentially replace fabrics made from unsustainable materials, like polyester – as long as they don’t require too much chemical manipulation in the process.

One admittedly weird example is fabric grown in a soup of green tea, sugar and other nutrients, which bacteria then transform into long cellulose filaments that can be woven once dried. Scientists have also managed to produce a fabric by letting microbes go to work on wine, fermenting the alcohol into fibers. A similar process turns proteins from spoiled milk into fabric. Unfortunately, none of these weird new bio-textiles smell too pretty, but researchers are already working on eliminating that problem.

Related on Ecosalon:

Fiber Watch: Will the Fashion World Embrace Test Tube Leather?

Fabrics Made from Tea?

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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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EDUN takes on the idea of the complete woman.

EDUN’s Spring/Summer 13 collection is all about promoting what might seem, at first glance, like utilitarian female garb. At second glance – and knowing full well you won’t rock the outfits quite like the groupie girls strutting the catwalk – you see a pretty clean palette for a woman to promote her very badass self.

We’ll call it Manhattan Rocker Chic but designer Ali Hewson calls it a collection “contrasting worlds of the EDUN girl,” and you do aspire to be her if you’re one looking for solid street cred.

The EDUN collection never strays too far from the modern woman on safari in the city vibe, and this particular collection stayed true to the core concept of the label. Silky utility shirts, cargo dresses, vests with zip pockets, an excess of buckles, snaps and zippers, and enough army green to outfit a full regiment.

Feminine touches of cutout jersey bralettes, floral silk pailette utility pants, bustiers and sequins lay testament to Hewson’s desire to make this collection about the soft as much as the rough edged.

EDUN continues to make progress with bringing more economic development back to Africa since their controversial departure to LVMH about a year and a half ago. In fact, the cover of the EDUN collection program reads that styles to be made in Africa or made from fabric sourced from Africa have “been highlighted in bold.”

While that might be only 1/4 of the collection, that they are acknowledging their brand’s roots might be half the battle of owning some professional missteps.

In addition to the organic cottons, silk habotai and nutmeg dyed pieces, the news of being more accountable for the label’s original ideal of being an “important tool for societal transformation, something that is urgently needed in the world of conscious fashion,” comes as refreshing news.

We couldn’t help but want to be that it girl strutting down the catwalk, if only for the 7 minutes or so we were allowed to enter the fantasy.

Check out EcoSalon’s coverage of the show:

Image: Amy DuFault

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Forging a new fashion trail with Suzanne Rae’s Fall/Winter 2012 collection.

There’s a new frontier in fashion – a glamorous harkening back to the simply beautiful and designer Suzanne Rae is the perfect pioneer. She’s personable, a true philosophizer, a family girl and constantly evolving toward what she calls a “higher consciousness.”

It’s this clear consciousness that came through her Fall/Winter 2012 collection showcased at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in collaboration with the W Hotels Fashion Next Showcase. In her fourth season showing here, she’s no stranger to hard and high fashion.  And, it shows.

The impeccable detail to pieces like her fur print bias gown with “Suzanimal,” as Rae affectionately calls it, (see below), is silk screened to look like real animal fur yet she assures, it’s entirely fur free.  The “Suzanimal,” a wolf pelt stole, follows the same silk screened printing process and is then layered on a bed of wool – all sketched out pre-production by biologist-turned-artist Sam Dakota.

For Rae it’s each little element that makes a piece, which is why we couldn’t stop staring at her cowl backs, fringe backs and cotton tails, nearly more riveting than their front-facing counterparts.

Inspired by the Internal Revolution stirred by Jim Morrison and William Blake, Rae’s collection was a melodic merging of poetry and rock-n-roll. Elegance with an edge. As Rae tells EcoSalon, “The internal revolution is really how you feel inside and how you take that out into the world and act. It begins with you – your progress, your personal responsibility. And everything begins with awareness.”

As for Rae’s responsibility, she gets that fashion can be designed and produced more consciously. Currently, she’s at the crossroads of incorporating more sustainable textiles into her collections although, these fabrics don’t pop-up too much in this collection. Still, Rae does produce everything in the New York Garment Center and creates all samples in her Brooklyn, New York studio.

“It’s incredibly important to me to support local fashion production,” Rae emphasizes. “If the garment center gets smaller and goes away, then independent designers like me wont’ be able to produce. And then, American fashion will go away.”

With The Door’s lyrics encouraging the audience to “break on through to the other side,” it seems clear that Rae’s message is all about helping to lead the new awakened fashion paradigm. And as if to enforce what we already know about her, Rae quotes Blake: “the road to excess leads to the palace of wisdom.” When we ask Rae if she’s ever lived in excess, she laughs and says, “Sometimes you just get so caught up in it all. Now, I’m growing with those experiences – through the ups and downs, the light and the dark.”

With this collection, the light prevailed. Post-show, with glistening eyes and a beaming face, Rae’s mother told us, “It just warms my heart.”  (see Rae’s post-show family photo, below)

See more of our favorite Suzanne Rae looks below:

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Dear Earth apparel launches their own online boutique.

The recipe: Take a bit of organic rocker and a splash of vintage and mix well with contemporary graphic prints. The result is the newly launched Dear Earth label and online boutique.

Deriving inspiration from music, the moon, and popular culture, designer and owner Daniele Moore has created an organic luxury lounge wear collection composed of leggings with fun details such as ruching, snaps and zippers, sexy skirts made with re-purposed sequined material, and sheer graphic tees featuring messages like “Drums Please,” and “Muhammad, Jesus, Buddha, Love.”

Moore was born in Philadelphia and started sewing in her twenties as a creative outlet, and because she needed some comfortable clothes to teach yoga in. As she started to receive compliments on things she had designed and her mind flooded with new ideas, her appreciation for fashion expanded. Although Dear Earth styles are mostly casual wear, Moore says she loves details like pleats and ruffles that you see more in couture lines and has fused these elements in the more casual styles.

Moore says the earth inspires her every day as she watches sunrises coming up over the ocean in Miami Beach.  “Gratitude and appreciation for our earth and the energy it gives me makes choosing sustainable fabrics and practices very easy. The inspiration, the choices and the final product have all become one-if that makes sense,” says Moore.

Working with materials such as organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, peace silk and soy, Dear Earth also uses a dye method called Fiber Reactive, in which the fibers and the dye make a permanent bond which not only produces long-lasting color in the apparel but also minimizes dye run-off which is harmful to the environment.

“So many people have no idea about fabric and fiber meanings and they do not make the connection between a t-shirt and a plant. I really enjoy watching people make the connection which I believe increases appreciation and awareness of the Earth. I created Dear Earth to share this,” says Moore.

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How patterns and prints in sustainable fashion might cure social malaise.

I sometimes get really down on fashion. There seems to be no justification for colorful pageantry in a world that is literally coming apart at the seams. A military prisoner is unjustly stripped to his underclothes or less while in prolonged solitary confinement; women work their fingers to the bone in suffocating garment factories overseas; and teen models starve themselves to death for the glory of walking the runway as expressionless hangers. It is a grim concoction to ingest along with our daily intake of international news and toxic environmental affairs.

Is contemporary fashion simply a cheap visual band-aid or a deep soothing salve for less than savory current events and crises? I really can’t say, but as one friend confessed to me recently, “You know, I sometimes just need a little fun.” This was coming from a person who I consider to be a devoted animal-rights activist and discreet risk taker.

How do we incorporate luxe fashion and bold new prints and patterns into our wardrobe when we know that others might be spying on us to monitor just how indulgent or fashion-frivolous we sneakily are? Does guilt-free fashion even exist with the increasing scrutiny and lambasting of even the most valiant green carpet efforts?

Sustainable style is a great way to celebrate looking good while also rolling up one’s sleeves to delve into the pervasive mucky-muck. This is not to say that conscious-fashion cures all, but rather that visibly better ways of doing things set us on the right path to improving conditions for folks we may never meet as well as those within our immediate sphere.

With this in mind, I wanted to highlight some of the most eye-catching prints and patterns from several sustainable fashion collections of 2011. Informed choice and awareness can be a very sexy thing. The first step in altering seemingly irreversible patterns of behavior and excessive consumption begins with the right statement we make in our cheeky and unique personal style.

Electric Street Style: JoAnn Berman

Nasdq Robo Coat and turban by designer JoAnn Berman

One cannot talk about transformative fashion without referencing the street-smart repertoire of designer JoAnn Berman. This GreenShows favorite is a pistol and a half on the sustainable style scene and an editorial wizard when it comes to gritty and electrifying storytelling. Her techno-ikat digital prints and recycled vintage textiles really typify the extremes that one woman will go to in order to engage you in the fun of artful dressing and kick-ass combos. These colorful pieces available on JoAnn Berman’s online shop are total investment pieces, both for your closet and the alter ego that you would like to get to know better but have not yet met at the crossroads. JoAnn Berman’s designs coax you to get on with it already, and fashionably barrel ahead for the real work that needs to get done.

Historic Nostalgia: Feral Childe

Feral Childe’s Spring/Summer 2011 Tarquinia Collection

No surprise that Feral Childe tops the list for arty prints and historic references with their Spring/Summer 2011 ‘Tarquinia’ collection. Moriah Carlson and Alice Wu don’t hold back when it comes to textile studio experimentation and art school wit.

These latest designs unearth a whole new spirit in sustainable fashion with their laser cut detailing, sumptuous silk crepe flow, and triangle motifs on organic-cotton jersey blends. I love the hip layering effect of the ‘surplus nylon mesh’ tops, and the versatility that these pieces provide in any climate. The Tarqquinia collection offers clear optimism and an irresistible Mediterranean palette even if you have not stepped foot out of the office for several weekends in a row due to pressing deadlines and a world-changing agenda.

Native Modern Textiles: Lina Rennell

Lina Rennell Spring/Summer 2011 collection, featuring pineapples and aloe  (Rock Sunhat and Aloe Tank)

Textile/fashion designer Lina Rennell just keeps on making beautiful things without all of the hoopla and self-consciousness that typically goes with the territory, and this, for me, makes her a rather likable fashion role model. Lina incorporates green fabrics and low-impact craftsmanship into everything she does, and her limited edition production model guarantees that her exquisite designs are true fashion statement pieces. The  SS 2011 ‘Aloe Tank’ of 100% organic cotton voile literally soothes one into a state of, ‘I’m OK, You’re OK’ serenity and cool-collectedness. All of Lina Rennell’s designs are ethically made in Northern California, upping the brilliant factor even more.

Non-Linear Lyricism: BOA Studio

One-of-a-kind hand drawn illustrations on BOA Studio’s designs

My recent trip to Istanbul was all about local textile and eco-fiber research, so my visit would not have been complete without meeting up with designers, Sena Cevik and Seray Cengiz of BOA Studio. This trailblazing duo has been promoting sustainable fashion on the shores of the Bosphorus and beyond for several years now, and their signature black & white graphics are like nothing else on the planet. BOA Studio has been focused on working with organic ‘pamuk’ (cotton) since the early days of their label, but as of Spring 2011 they will be introducing their new ‘Eko-logik’ collection of edgy graphic statements on superfine bamboo fabric. The team opted to begin working with bamboo as they believe strongly that organic cotton simply uses too much water. The bamboo fabric that they are now sourcing suits their standards for low-impact and responsible design.

BOA Studio, mind over matter meets pure green thinking

It is hard to sum up how inspiring Sena and Seray are as a new generation of designers who have put down roots in their native country to support the textile traditions that reside there. Add to this their deep commitment to agricultural biodiversity, cultural preservation, and urban gardening, and it is no surprise that their designs transport you to wherever you need to be as someone who is both grounded and a believer in making the impossible possible.

lead image: Lina Rennell/Beklina; all other images courtesy of the designers; JoAnn Berman’s photos by Nina Berman

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From deep in the heart of Texas, Koch designer Nicole Musselman is starting to build a fashion brand that we can’t help but get heart palpitations from.

Floaty caftans made from silk and hand-printed with Egyptian Beetle graphics, buttery linen shifts with fishermen striping and beading, and organic cottons with delicate gold origami birds – breathtaking. The best part? Each item is getting prepped for spring deliveries at a boutique near you.

Musselman says working out of Dallas is inspiring, with so many creative fashion industry women working both alongside and for her.

“I feel like the city of Dallas for years only worked with large companies pushing out high volume designers so it’s been great to be here and able to work with such great people and be in the workrooms with them as much as possible,” says Musselman whose line is all sewn and hand printed in Dallas.

In her workroom, a team of six women sew her collection which features statement pieces like layering jackets paired with loose sexy tops and boy shorts, dresses that can be worn off the shoulder or belted with shell belts and hand-stitched bags that tie around the waist to show a little leg.

“I love the idea of pairing the very dressed up crystal trim with the more casual fabrics like burlap linen and fisherman stripe linen, a juxtaposition of seriousness and playfulness, a way to look dressed up without trying too hard. Essentially, this is what the brand is all about, a lifestyle that encompasses an eclectic outlook, travel and the everyday,” says Musselman.

When asked about whether moving forward she’ll be incorporating more sustainable fabrics into her line, Musselman, who recently joined the True Collaborative Showroom based in Portland, Oregon said thanks to the help of the showroom which houses lines like Prairie Underground, Clary Sage Organics as well as PI, she thinks she’s in good hands.

“Right now we’re at about 50 percent for sustainable fabrics but for fall we’re looking at more like 75 percent. I think people are just becoming more interested in how and where their clothing is made and taking interest in it which makes using more sustainable fabrics for designers like me, easier to incorporate.”

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Feral Childe, a bi-coastal collaboration of Oakland, CA, based designer Alice Wu and Brooklynite Moriah Carlson, has sped to the forefront of sustainable design labels, most notably for their refreshing prints and inventive styling details. The brand’s following is comprised of all ages of women who want something unique for their closet and know these two designers will never let them down.

The duo is fortunate enough to be able to manufacture in New York City where Carlson is based – so why would they ever want to produce their line in China? Is the backlash so bad against the entire country that now it’s all Chinese we sneer at? Wu, of Chinese descent, and I recently had a conversation about whether it was insulting, all the negative connotations from the entire sustainable community regarding China.

Offshore manufacturing? That’s just something designers have to do. Many are doing it in China. The best way to look at all this and your feelings on China is to support the handful of designers who are manufacturing from China, the right way.

Alice Wu and Moriah Carlson, designers of Feral Childe

Here’s what Alice Wu had to say about it:

“Our company, Feral Childe, is proud to be able to manufacture our garments in New York City, and hope to do so for as long as we can. I prefer to manufacture in the US but am frequently dismayed that ‘Made in China’ has such negative connotations, especially within the green community. I think that before you dismiss manufacturing in China as completely unethical, you have to look at what ‘Made in China’ really means.

We have all read about worker abuse and fraudulent manufacturing practices, horrific pollution and so on. But these days, it’s almost impossible to have an apparel business without China being involved in some way, simply because we don’t have all of these options domestically. These overseas options can still be eco: many organic and sustainable fabrics are sourced from China, whether from the raw materials or to the milling of the fabric.

Hang tags and labels are often outsourced to China even if you order them from a US-based company. But those can be green too: at least one Chinese company uses non-toxic inks to print hang tags on recycled paper and garment labels made from recycled polyester. I know American eco-designers who have made the choice to produce in China. And they are in China up to six months out of the year, overseeing their production. They tell me that the working conditions are fair and that the sewing is quality top-notch.

Obviously, there are reputable suppliers and manufacturers in China – if we want to do business with China, we are the ones who have to do our homework and steer clear of the bad apples (and there are no doubt a bunch of them) and push China for greener business practices. China is fast and smart and it is in their best interest to clean up their negative image, and they are already working on it. I think we’ll start hearing an explosion of green innovations in China within the next few years. They know the world is watching. It’s going to take awhile for the negative image to go away, but there are a growing number of young Chinese entrepreneurs in various business sectors who care about green, and collectively they can make a difference at home and abroad.”

The post Is the ‘Made In China’ Backlash Racist? 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

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