Organic Wear by Vaughanc - MyItThings Magazine

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Organic Wear

06/24/2008 01:42 AM

Are you bored with those endless repetitive fashion trends? How about working hard to find that one outfit trend you can set? Lots of organic renewable fibers are coming out on the market nowadays: organic cotton, hemp and bamboo. New York Fashion Week is highlighting and supporting new green fashion designers. And with designers rolling out really fashionable products using these materials, it's easy to look chic while going green ~ You can even get a great pair of organic shoes!

Here are trendy clothes for those hardcore people wanting something NEW in the fashion world, but best of all eco-friendly. Let's call this the 'Clean, Green Dozen' list for environmental people who are also fashionable trendsetters. Yes, people who love the environment CAN be fashionable too! So, check out these clothing companies who are going green to save our planet (note that the product names are italicized, so if you do want to look something up, go to the website and search for that specific product item name):

Shoes:
1. Simple Shoes (http://www.simpleshoes.com/): A "nice little shoe company", Simple makes shoes for a happy planet. Their slogan couldn't be more true. This company makes 100% sustainable shoes with materials ranging from recycled car tires, organic cotton and recycled plastic bottles to bamboo, water-based glue and cork. They offer 3 different categories of products to choose from: the 'Good, Better, Best' category ratings are in respect to how sustainable the shoes are and how many recycled products were used in creation. So if you can't find anything you like in one category, chances are you'll find something you like that can be the newest fashion trend in another category offered. **Honorable mention: Look up the new line of EcoSneaks!
2. Rawganique (http://www.rawganique.com/index.htm): This site almost reminds me of an Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue, except it is all organic. So besides the really cute models, this website has a plethora of hemp products, many of which are unisex. I wanted to list out something for the guys to check out here to, so take a look at the men's hemp footwear, specifically the hemp sports shoes and hemp sneakers. Both are casual, however if you take a look at the black hemp sports shoes, you can use these for a dressier occasion. This site has it all-- at least in the hemp department. It even has ladies' hemp underwear and bras. Definitely something worth checking out in the fashion world....Their slogan says it all: "Cool. Hip. Eco-Friendly. Vegan."
Shirts:
3. DTsigns Organic T-shirts (http://www.d-tsigns.com/index.html): The band, Collective Soul, was recently spotted wearing these t-shirts up on stage. Not only do they have designs that make a statement, but all of their t-shirts are created on 100% organic cotton or 55% hemp/45% organic cotton. Though they have a small selection right now for both men & women, be sure to keep your eye out for more rocker designs....once a rock band takes on a fashion trend, it is almost sure to take hold and be the next craze!
4. Patagonia (http://www.patagonia.com): This company provides several different options for t-shirts, especially in the men's department. From the men's M's polo shirt to the M's Go-T, Patagonia offers men a variety of comfortable organic shirts to lounge around in, play around outside in, and dress up to go out in. You can't go wrong with these shirts, as they are both practical and organic. Imagine the response you'd get beginning a pick-up line with this at the bar: "Hey...my shirt is organic..." ;)
Women's Clothing / Handbag Accessories:
5. The Wholesome Castle Boutique (http://www.wholesomecastle.com/): This website does an amazing job putting designer-inspired, eco-friendly products together to "show that making ecologically wise purchasing decisions in fashion is not horrible, plain or boring, but actually very fashionable and beautiful". Their black hemp mock wrap dress is every woman's LBD (little black dress) and is surprisingly sexy. Not to be outdone, but the melanie hemp skirt is also mentionable, in that it can be paired with a cute white tank for a trendy eco-friendly summer outfit. This site has so many products in so many different categories, it's impossible for me to go through them all. However, the handbag accessories and the baby products are definite shout-outs. Baby clothes that are made from organic cotton...baby clothes! Need I say more? The cutest outfits for the wee ones -- check it out! As for the handbags, the chic, sophisticated black hobo bag can be paired with the hemp mock wrap dress for an amazing night out on the town outfit. What makes it an even sexier outfit is that it is ALL eco-friendly.
6. The Oko Box (http://www.theokobox.com/): One of my favorite organic designer sites. For all those out there who didn't think there could be organic, eco-friendly high-fashion, take a look at this site and BELIEVE! From raw silk dresses to bamboo swimsuits to organic cotton lingerie to 'recycled' jean miniskirts, this site has something for any woman's needs. This includes any and every style it seems. From rocker, punk chick to sweet and innocent, the clothing line includes all attitudes. Not to mention they use models of all sizes and origins. Take a look at my all-time favorite piece, the Raw Silk Alladin Dress. This unbelievable piece is perfect for any occasion and can also be used as a skirt. Have fun browsing this site and try not to get too addicted....this site will make you switch to eco-friendly products and never go back!
7. Crow Clothing (http://www.crow-clothing.com/): The opening homepage to this site states the simple mindset of what organic fashion is all about "'...simple chic and sustainable in every aspect. CROW is more than just clothes--it's a lifestyle...'-Fashion, evolved." The clothes are all made from organic fabrics and are created with the environmental impacts in mind. For example, the Three Way Shirt is made to wear three different ways, all hoping to inspire woman that you don't need three separate shirts for a new look. Their company has strong values in environmental sustainability, which makes it that much easier to trust in their eco-friendly products. Another plus for this company is the pricing structure. They actually allow you to pick your price for their products; it's called the sliding scale and allows the customer to choose what fits into their income scale (at a reasonable price that is) and anything extra is invested into environmentally sustainable programs. **Please see below reader comment, correcting me on the investment program.**
Men's Clothing:
8. Crow Clothing (http://www.crow-clothing.com/): Yes, this company is listed twice in the clean, green dozen. Why? Because it is so trendy in it's organic styles for both women and men, that it deserved a second spot. That and because I have never come across an organic clothing company that has offered stylish organic ties such as the Tiebreaker. Something so different, yet fashionable; something so ordinary, yet made from your not-too-typical sustainable fibers: organic cotton, lyocell, and bamboo. Now that is a hot trend for a guy to sport!
9. Edun (http://www.edunonline.com/): This line was truly inspired by a rocker. Created by Ali Hewson and Bono, with New York designer Rogan Gregory, this line definitely gives organic wear a stylish, edgy, trendy twist. Though it's main goal is to help Africa, Edun is striving to be more eco-friendly and currently has all of its t-shirts made from 100% organic cotton. It recognizes the importance of being environmentally friendly, thus it gets a shout-out in this list. I absolutely love the 'Four Respects' section on their online website, which brings to light respect for exactly who makes the clothes, the community it is grown in, the materials used, and the consumers. Their are so many shirts as well for men to pick from and this lines style also ranges from dressy to casual, from rocker to hip.
10. Linda Loudermilk (http://www.lindaloudermilk.com/ms08/ms08_001.html): For those men out there looking for that business fashion trend, take a look at Linda Loudermilk's collection. Not only is it clean, classy and can be worn at the office, it is...yep, you guessed it, organic. Sticking to our theme, this collection of business attire screams high fashion for men, yet surprisingly is eco-friendly. Linda Loudermilk's fabrics are made of sasawashi, bamboo, sea cell, soya and other exotic self-sustaining plants. I love what the fashion collection is about... "Luxury eco redefines sustainability with design that gives back to the earth. With the luxury eco marketplace— we aim to give eco glamour legs, a fabulous look and a slammin’ attitude that stops traffic and shouts the message: eco can be edgy, loud, fun, playful, feminine (or not) and hyper-cool." A great line of clothing to end this fashion list with...
A Little Something Extra -- Body Products:
11. Nu Skin 'Epoch' (http://www.forceforgood.org/epoch/): Their body products keeps skin soft and smooth and moisturized for the longest time. The best body product review is on their baobab butter, which has enthnobotanicals, macadamia nut oil, and shea butter combined with the Malawi Baobab Tree extract. The company themselves do eco-friendly community service by providing $.25 for every product sale and goes towards reforestation and conservation of baobab trees in local Malawi villages.
12. Pangea Organics (http://www.pangeaorganics.com/): Pangea Organics provides 'ecocentric bodycare' products that are organic. They are all natural with ingredients such as almond oil, beeswax, and sweet basil. They also prohibit animal testing within their company, unlike some other make-up companies. The cool highlight for this company is that all of their product boxes are made using a new Zero Waste process with 100% post-consumer paper and organic seeds like sweet basil and amaranth. So every product that is shipped out or bought in a box, simply slip off the label, soak the box in water for a minute and plant it in the earth. How fashionably cool and trendy is that?!?

I hope through all of these fashion updates / designer highlights, you have come to view organic wear as something not to be dreaded, but to give hope and see as something just as high-fashion and trendy and spur on new ideas in the fashion world. Perhaps this will help those aspiring young designers out there come up with some savvy new organic clothing line that will ROCK the fashion world with a NEW "green" look. Lead the way in the fashion world to eco-friendly organic wear!

Tags: green trend, green trends, bamboo, organic cotton, eco-friendly, green fashion, hemp, organic wear, renewable fibers, organic clothing, new styles, new fashion

Comments (14)

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Comments (14)

Awesome post! Thanks for listing so many alternatives!

Comment by:emjay @ 06/24/2008, 12:51:27 PM

Thanks for the list! Organic and eco-friendly fashions are pretty firmly entrenched in the fashion world by now but sometimes it's still difficult to find good options. Way to seek them out.

Comment by:SimplyRose @ 06/24/2008, 11:11:18 PM

With all green being the new "it thing" it always great to learn new information on the subject.

Comment by:bmartina @ 07/01/2008, 01:15:22 PM

This is excellent. If you're not a fashion writer, you ought to be. I would definitely read you all the time. Matter of fact, I'm placing you on my fav list. I love your picture too!

Comment by:Christallin @ 07/02/2008, 09:24:21 PM

You'll be setting trends before you know it! Keep writing. Come visit.

Comment by:photoqueen @ 07/04/2008, 08:46:49 PM

Awesome info, thanks!

Comment by:BeautyChat @ 07/07/2008, 12:52:46 PM

Thanks so much for putting CROW Clothing on the list--twice! We are extremely flattered and grateful that you can spread the word to your readers. Could you kindly note that although our sliding scale allows for flexible spending, it is separate from our sales donation. We actually donate one percent of all sales to Now Arts Grants, a program that nurtures artists who create work that engages social change. We just want to make sure your readers get the whole story.... Please feel free to be in touch and THANKS!

Comment by:Elisabeth @ 07/08/2008, 01:03:26 AM

Excelent! Briliant! Keep going! You have all my suport! That´s the future: Organic Fashion, Eco Fashion and conscious development in fashion industry! Congratulations!

Comment by:spasozen @ 07/08/2008, 09:43:08 PM

thank you very much for your support, you can buy that necklace at etsy: www.divalovessilver.etsy.com i love all the eco-friendly products, you should check etsy sometimes, there are so many eco fashion designers there. ^^

Comment by:divalovessilver @ 07/11/2008, 04:12:46 PM

sorry its me again. .i want to vote for your article, but i dont know how to vote. i am a newbie here, still struggling to adopt the new functions. but anyway ... nice article ...sorry..

Comment by:divalovessilver @ 07/11/2008, 04:16:35 PM

Thanks for all these infos .... my businesspartner is vegan, she will love all of your links .... Great article !!!

Comment by:zsega @ 07/14/2008, 01:04:58 PM

INFORMATIVE*****

Comment by:i4trends @ 07/14/2008, 04:07:14 PM

GREAT article! ADQ

Comment by:Fashion_Evolved @ 07/16/2008, 08:52:19 PM

I've been wearing Simples for YEARS!!!! Splendidly written; informative without coming across as pretentious. I thoroughly enjoyed it!! Thanks for droppin by my page and askin me to come check it out!!

Comment by:MikeDavidson @ 07/20/2008, 12:08:12 PM

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