Green Cotton

Dear Readers,

I will be in Las Vegas for the next few days attending MAGIC’s Eco-Collection show as well as POOL. Stay tuned and I will bring you back some of the latest and greatest trends in eco-fashion!

Photosource above: Inhabitat.com

Green Cotton is wishing you a fantastic 4th of July weekend.

We will resume posting on Monday July 7th (in Newport for the weekend). May you have a cool, ‘green’ and style-inspired weekend.

Photo top: Alessandra Facchinetti’s new collection at the Valentino showroom in Paris

Source: NY Times Fashion and Style

Madder Plant used for natural dying.

By Brit

Before the middle of the nineteenth century, all dyes were extracted from plants, animals or minerals. Then, when synthetic dyes were discovered in 1856, textile producers found that synthetics were cheaper, easier to apply, more colorfast, and could be produced in a wider and brighter range of colors. Natural dyes quickly fell from favor, to be replaced by synthetic dyes for most applications.

Synthetic dyes can also be extremely toxic to manufacture, and harmful to dye workers. Textile factories where fabrics are dyed, consume vast quantities of water to dissolve the dye. Once the fabric is dyed, the dye-contaminated water is treated to some extent, then expelled into rivers.

As hazards and pollution due to synthetic dyes have become more apparent, more attention has been paid to natural dyes.

Natural dyes sound oh-so-good, conjuring up romantic images of dyeing wool with berries and herbs. Many crafters love working with natural dyes for their intrinsic color variability, and the challenge of mastering the skill of natural dying.

However, dying with a natural dyes can be difficult and there are downsides: the dyes are harder to apply to fabrics, and the process is more of an art than a science. The final color is affected by many variables which can be part of the charm of natural dyes, but also can lead to challenges in making them consistent and/or desirable.

For a commercial application, consistency is very important and is a major reason why natural dyes are rarely produced commercially.

Commercial natural dyes also unfortunately have a couple of serious side effects that in some cases render them harmful – in some cases as damaging as synthetic dyes. By the way, natural does not mean non-toxic; many natural substances are toxic.

• Most natural dyes require a mordant. Many mordants like salt, alum, and natural mordants like pomegranate are used in some cases, but for some colors, like to dye wool black, chromium, an extremely toxic heavy metal, is needed.

• Producing natural dyes from the plant, may involve harmful chemicals. Madder dye (see image of plat at top) is often extracted by dissolving the roots of the plant in sulphuric acid. Sodium hydroxide is needed to produce natural indigo dye.

• Natural dyes are not necessarily safe: natural indigo dye is a skin, eye and respiratory system irritant.

• Vegetarians and vegans take note: cochineal, a red dye, is made from ground up insects. Lac dye, a scarlet color, is also produced from insects. Both these dyes also require sodium hydroxide in their production.

• Issues with producing dyes on a commercial scale. Many natural dye plants grow in tropical areas where agricultural land is often at a premium. Reallocating land and water away from food crops, or clearing land to grow dye plants, is harmful to local people and the environment.

Lawsonia, or Henna plant (featured above) is used for a wide range of color derivatives for hair and other purposes. There are three species of this plant used for dying extracts.

So do natural dyes have just as many issues as synthetic ones? It appears that there are many considerations to weigh at the decision table. Fortunately, with considerate dyeing practices, natural dyes can be used in a much more environmentally friendly way than synthetic dyes.

Here’s some artists, designers and clothing companies who do use safe, natural dyes, and or other methods of dyeing fabrics naturally.

Earth Creations dye their organic cotton, sweatshop-free basics and active wear with clays and mud. Clay never, never comes off, doesn’t require any other chemicals, and when the dyeing is done, the clay be returned to the earth safely.

Investigate Tinctoria if you are heading to festivals, or packing for Ibiza. Tinctoria deliberately avoids harmful chemicals when dyeing their boho wares with natural dyes. ROMP, a British runway-worthy design house, also use similar safe dyes for their clothing and denim. Ocelot Clothing, from San Francisco, makes tribal-inspired prints using the ancient itajime dyeing technique.

And for men, Truly Organic Apparel has a range of mens’ - and womens’ too - clothes dyed with safe natural dyes.

ColorGrown cotton - also called FoxFibre, or Colorganic cotton - naturally grows in shades of creams, greens and browns so no further dye is required. The Colorgrown Clothing Company sells organic color grown baby hats, shirts and blankets, and basics and lingerie can be found at Cottonfield and Rawganique. Jonano also sells this gently colored cotton, including a cafe-au-lait colorgrown cotton dress that I’d love for a beach vacation.

So we can get our do yoga, sleep, and dress our children well in clothing colored with safe, natural dyes from a growing number of independent, caring companies.

Currently, our options for drinking cocktails, going to the office, a Raconteurs gig or a wedding are more limited. Where can we buy fashionable naturally dyed garments? Hopefully, with more heed being paid to the consequences of using synthetic dyes, more and more clothing designers will be answering that question soon.

Photo source top: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Haematoxylum_campechianum_Ypey69.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Lawsonia_inermis_Ypey36.jpg

By Erin Dale

There’s no time like summer to flaunt the hottest trends. The weather is gorgeous, and you may be feeling more adventurous than in winter, when you cowered in your cozy knits. There are plenty of snazzy summer items available for every budget, but what if you crave greener wardrobe choices? With a little research, it’s easy to find eco-friendly versions of this summer’s trends—you just have to know where to hunt. I’ve selected what I consider to be this season’s biggest trends – guided by my favorite fashion magazines – and have done some heavy “research” (i.e. major shopping) to find some of the greenest options out there.

Floral prints were everywhere in the spring, and the runway look has carried over and will be even bigger this fall. Let your wardrobe blossom with this floral tube dress by Urban Renewal. It’s made from vintage fabrics and great for a fashion lover on a budget. But be aware: buying this brand may not be your greenest choice because it’s sold in a major store (maybe you could find something similar from a thrift store or an eco-friendly designer). However, everything in the Urban Renewal line is made from recycled fabrics, so not one piece of clothing is alike. Each outfit is handcrafted in Philadelphia from vintage and surplus materials sourced from rag mills. I love to buy made-in-the-USA clothing, and have been buying Urban Renewal pieces for years, long before I knew much about eco-friendly fashion. Keep in mind that Urban Renewal is sold at Urban Outfitters, which you may not feel comfortable supporting; the store also sells plenty of factory-produced imports. So if you prefer to steer clear, you can still find Urban Renewal pieces on eBay. I peeked and found a few cute sundresses for sale, so check it out while you can!

Sunglasses. Since floral prints are a summer classic, they should be paired with an equally iconic accessory. Back in high demand are aviator sunglasses. Complement your boho-chic look with an earth-friendly alternative to the plastic glasses you’ll see on most everyone else. I found this awesome pair of iWood aviators on thegreenloop.com that are made from sustainably-harvested wood. If aviators aren’t your thing, iWood has plenty of other styles to choose from.

Jessica Alba featuring Tolani scarf in fabgrind.com

Scarves. One trend may seem a little strange— summer scarves! Blame it on Hollywood, as numerous celebrities have been spotted wearing light, gauzy scarves. But you don’t have to buy the same designer mufflers; you can find unique, handcrafted scarves that are also fair-trade. I found this beautiful striped scarf from Nepal, but it’s already sold out! But I also found this silk scarf from Ten Thousand Villages, a fair trade operation. The site carries this awesome fuchsia and orange cotton scarf, whose proceeds benefit impoverished women in India, where the scarf was made.

Blake Lively with the Kooba bag (www.instyle.com)

Bags. And what summer outfit would be complete without the perfect bag? Luckily enough for the eco-conscious shopper, stylish “green” bags are everywhere. My favorite is the Kooba for Barneys 100% organic cotton tote. The gorgeous metallic trim is made from recycled cork! The bag, recently carried by “Gossip Girl” actress Blake Lively, comes in pale olive green or off-white and retails at $245.00. This bag is stunning and environmentally-friendly, but I find the price tag a little steep! Instead, I’ll be carrying the Feed 100 Bag designed by model/humanitarian Lauren Bush. The organic cotton and burlap bag is only $30, and that money is used to feed 100 children in Rwanda. It’s not quite as stylish as the Kooba bag, but the white cotton will go with any summer outfit.

Eco Monokini featured at www.niksters.com                           Monokini at Sunandsin.com

Swimsuits. To me, the most challenging summer wardrobe piece to green-over is the swimsuit. Sexy one pieces are bigger than ever this year (yes, one pieces!), but what are your eco options? I don’t know about you, but this is one thing I don’t want to buy vintage! Thankfully there are companies like Nikster. Not only is their stuff eco-friendly, but it’s perfectly on trend with monokinis, another blast from the past you’ll see this summer. I fell for this made-in-the-USA, purple monokini with a ruffle trim. Sunandskin.com has a list of the top five most eco-friendly swimwear designers, and I really like this Anna Cohen suit and cover-up. According to the site, this company strives to be as environmentally and socially responsible as possible.

What do you think? Do you plan on following any of these summer’s trends? What are some of your favorite summer looks, and how would you “green” them over? Let us know!

Top photosource: www.sunandsin.com

Photo: Leonardo DiCaprio in 11th Hour, Treehugger. Dicaprio’s climate change initiatives 11thhourtakeaction and dicaprio.org

By Erin Dale

Thanks to a dose of star power, the green movement is enjoying the Hollywood spotlight. All you have to do is pick up the latest tabloid (“Stars—they’re just like us! Cameron Diaz gasses up her hybrid”) or check out sites like ecorazzi.com, and you can see just how trendy “celebrity green” has become.

From Cate Blanchett, who lives in a solar-powered home, to Leonardo DiCaprio, whose documentary The 11th Hour urges environmental change, the eco-trend only seems to be growing. But how can we tell if it’s anything more than that—just the latest La-La-Land craze, destined to fade like Uggs and leggings?

Just as it’s hard to discern whether or not a company claiming to sell “natural” or “organic” products is merely greenwashing, it’s impossible to know whether a celeb attaching himself to a cause really cares. But who are we to judge, anyway? If Brad Pitt is only globe-hopping and raising awareness to get attention, what does it matter, so long as he’s getting something done? Fad or no, celebrities calling attention to the green movement should do more good than harm.

Google “green celebrities.” I did, and various lists popped up. Many eco sites have complied lists of the “greenest” stars. While it’s certainly hard to say who indeed has the smaller carbon footprint, it was fun to make a list of my own. Rather than trying to decide who’s “greener than thou,” I’ve ranked my five favorites:

5. Hayden Panettiere. She’s only 18, but the Heroes starlet has already done a world of good. As a vegetarian, she’s passionate about animals and received PETA’s “Compassion in Action” award. She made headlines last fall for her in-ocean protest against Japanese whalers, risking her life as they slaughtered dolphins in dangerous proximity to Hayden and her fellow protesters (the act also earned her a Japanese arrest warrant!). Saving dolphins is a pretty green act; however, Hayden endorses companies like Neutrogena (whose products are not on PETA’s animal-safe list) and Candies, which produces not-so-eco-friendly fashion. Ah, well. She’s still young!

4. Daryl Hannah. Forget “tree hugger.” Daryl’s a tree crusader! Another blonde actress causing a ruckus to help the environment, she was arrested last year for her 23-day “tree-sit” to save L.A.’s South Central Farm. The arrest may seem extreme, but Daryl also walks the green talk; she’s known for her environmental activism and drives a biodiesal car.

3. Leonardo DiCarpio. Either I’m still getting over my Titantic crush, or there’s just something really attractive about a suave actor using his star power for global good. Sure, he’s not the only one, but Leo’s activism makes him stand out from the pack. And he’s been leading the eco pack for a while now—he started the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which raises environmental awareness, a decade ago. From driving a Prius to producing and narrating The 11th Hour, Leo’s working hard to preserve the environment. I can’t wait to see his next project, Planet Green’s “Eco-Town,” a reality series that shows the rebuilding – or, rather, green-building – of a tornado-ravaged Kansas town.

2. Alicia Silverstone. Remember Batgirl? She’s the second – but not the last – superhero celeb on my list that uses her powers for good, not evil. Alicia’s been a vegan for years, and in addition to being PETA’s Sexiest Female Vegetarian in 2004, she’s the first celebrity to do a nude endorsement for the activist group. But she caught my attention back in June 2005, when she and her husband, musician Christopher Jarecki, married in an eco-chic ceremony in Lake Tahoe. Everything, from the wedding favors to Alicia’s heirloom wedding band, came from recycled materials. She and her husband continue to live a green lifestyle in their solar-paneled home.

1. Edward Norton. It’s hard to get much greener than the Hulk! Norton is another actor who plays a superhero, and, in real life, works overtime to save the earth. He may appear greener than ever in this summer’s The Hulk, but going green is nothing new for Norton; he grew up with green living, thanks to his environmental-lawyer dad. It’s truly all in the family—Norton’s grandfather started the Enterprise Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps develop affordable homes throughout the U.S. (Norton has been involved since he was 18). Norton works on many environmental causes, the PBS series Strange Days on Planet Earth being his latest.

And when it comes to this phenomenon of eco-celebrity, Norton has the best notions. When asked by Vanity Fair (April 23, 2008, vanityfair.com) about using his star status to bring attention to certain issues, Norton said, “It is an opportunity. That is a good way of putting it. I have a very negative reaction to what I perceive as superficial involvement with things… personally I don’t like to get involved in things in which I don’t think I have a substantive expertise to the point where I can maintain an engagement… But given my background and the platform that I have available to me, I’d like to do a little more than that… I’d rather do something like this series that is a substantial, ambitious project that can bring a higher level of actual scientific rigor to questions, and beyond its broadcast goals can bring a far-reaching educational component. If I can do that, then it becomes worthwhile.”

Who is your favorite Green star? What are your thoughts on the matter? Tell us what you think through comments box below or email: greencottonblog@gmail.com