Green Cotton

Green Cotton attended one of the premier Green expos in Boston last weekend, “Down:2:Earth”. The event was hopping with stimulating lectures such as “Why Are You Green?” by Meaghan O-Neill, editor of TreeHugger.com and PlanetGreen.com and “Edible Wild Plants and Mushrooms of New England” by Russ Cohen, expert forager and wild foods enthusiast.

Of most interest to us, and all you eco-Fashionista’s was the Runway show, featuring some of New England’s best emerging and establish eco-friendly designers and companies.

The Runway show (video clip above) featured Ibex, producer of Merino sportswear. Ibex sources their fabric from New Zealand farmers who are as devoted to their animals and sustainability. Ibex’s use of this ultra-soft, high performing fabric and their commitment to sustainability allow them to offer customers “the best of what nature and human ingenuity has to offer.”

Jute & Jackfruit, the online boutique devoted to providing the highest quality environmentally and socially conscious fashion, also took part in the runway show. Jute and Jackfruit presented a number of their hot new Spring collection including dresses and knitwear by Indigenous Designs and radiant dresses by Kelly Lane, each of which were paired with candy wrapper handbags by Nahui Ollin and silver soda pull tab handbags by Escama Studio.

Shannon Glasheen recently graduated from the Boston School of Fashion Design, and creates funky dresses and outfits made from reclaimed vintage fabrics and clothes. Each piece is one of a kind, very green and very hip.

WE ADD UP walked in the runway show with a sampling of their organic cotton t-shirts at the heart of their global campaign to get the word out about global warming. Every shirt is counted, representing people taking part in this battle. On the back of each shirt is a phrase that describes easy ways to reduce your personal carbon footprint – such as, Unplug, Carpool, Bike, and Hybrid. You can choose which action you will take daily to reduce greenhouse gases, and you will be added up! Their shirts are charming, ethically sourced, and support a great cause.

Helen Riegle showcased her unique organic, sustainable and cruelty-free handbags in gorgeous spring colors. Each handbag is meant to “challenge conventions, live responsibly, (and) embrace style.” We love Helen’s designs, which are clearly inspired by nature, while remaining beautiful, ethical and (importantly) practical. Helen Riegle bags are currently produced primarily in Costa Rica at a small factory with clean and safe conditions, devoted to paying employees living wages, vacation pay, healthcare, and other benefits.

Tara Lynn featured pieces from her Bridal eco-collection that were simply gorgeous. Made from all organic and sustainable fabrics such as hemp and cotton, the garments are more art than fashion. Tirelessly hand embroidered with beautiful flowers, they make one look like a woodland fairy! Tara Lynn runs her fashion studio on solar electricity and donates 5% of her profits to various environmental organizations, proving herself a true eco-fashionista, or “Earth Bitch” as she named her collection of wearable art jackets.

Other designers included 4March, a Cambridge-based luxury women’s wear design team and Ella Vickers, maker of designer handbags from recycled sailcloth. All designers featured in the fashion show radiated with unique style, color and form while demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability and the environment.

D2E Expo in Sustainability continued all weekend with tasty food samples, interesting exhibitors, animal face painting, lectures, coffee, wine and beer,  and a whole lot more, coming together to result in a dynamic festival supporting a great cause. Green Cotton had a terrific time exploring and meeting the many wonderful vendors devoted to the environment in one way or another. Let’s hope that next year, D2E can attract even more visitors, as we Bostonians and New Englanders become more aware of and interested in our impact on the environment!