Green Cotton

Welcome!

Green Cotton is returning after a summer-long hiatus. We have missed reporting on the eco-apparel industry and sharing our ideas and insights with you. We hope you will welcome us back to the blogging world and check back regularly for all-new content. As always, we will be reporting on the latest initiatives when it comes to all things green, taking a particular interest in eco-friendly, organic and sustainable fabrics and products. Over the next few weeks, we will also take a look back at some of our past posts (we’ve covered everything from cotton, tencel, bamboo, hemp, soy and jute to Fashion Week runway reports) as we look ahead to the exciting future of eco-fashion.

As you well may know, the world of eco-fashion has come a long way since Green Cotton started up three years ago. Now, eco-items are becoming much more commonplace. The phrase “green fashion” is no longer used as an oxymoron. Big box stores carry “organic” clothing lines (or so they say; we’ve expressed our doubts over this occurrence before, on account of the actual cost of authentic, certified organic fabrics– see our examination of Loomstate for Target). More and more independent designers are opting to use organic or recycled fabrics (Kelly Lane, whose on-trend pieces sell at Jute & Jackfruit, is one favorite example). Mainstream fashion magazines are featuring more “eco” items (see People Style Watch’s monthly “Easy Eco” column). And you no longer have to search far and wide for the perfect pair of eco-friendly and/or organic, recycled, vegan and, yes, trendy pair of shoes– one glimpse of eco-chic brands Mohop and NeuAura, and you will never again think that “green” footwear equals “crunchy,” “hippie” or “Woodstock” (unless, you know, that’s what you’re going for).

Here at Green Cotton, we’re thrilled to note all of the major advances in this growing industry and any positive changes taking place in mainstream fashion. As we transition from summer to fall, expect to see some major fashion coverage (especially with Fashion Week coming up!). As we’ve done in the past, we will be reporting on emerging trends with an “eco eye,” presenting you with earth-conscious alternatives to what you see on the runway and on clothing racks. We love to showcase green products and companies that are doing wonderful work, giving back to the planet and its people.

That said, Green Cotton plans to attend this weekend’s GreenFest in Boston. We hope to see you there!

Check back soon for new articles. We’ll be “greening” over some big fall trends and also highlighting a different fabric each week, discussing what makes it eco (or not). You can also keep up with the goings on at Jute & Jackfruit at the JJF Blog and follow us on Twitter!

Thanks for stopping by!

Image from http://www.organic-cotton.us/organic-cotton1.jpg

From April 10-12, the third annual Down 2 Earth Sustainable Living Expo (d2e) took over the Hynes Convention Center, filling it with an indoor garden, solar panels, organic fashion, gourmet coffee and chocolate and fun for everyone, from the eco-novice to the eco-expert. For those just getting into the idea of green living, the event showed just how easy it can be, showcasing some fabulous, innovative companies whose principles and practices are truly down to earth. For Boston area eco-conscious consumers, this was the place to be.

Serving as both an educational forum for sustainability and a green goods marketplace, this year’s d2e boasted a number of eco-minded exhibitors. Paino Organics, Larabar, Clif Bar, Cascadian Farm, Taza Chocolate, Glee Gum and more sampled yummy organic treats, from granola to salsa and vegan mayonnaise. Equal Exchange, Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee, Mocha Joes and Honest Tea provided the much-needed caffeine fix.

Ideologie and We Add Up were both selling innovative organic cotton tees with a message. Earth Elegance Jewelry and Acero Studio showcased compelling pieces that make the green life that much more beautiful. Blissfully Organic, Nat and Victoria Solutions and Amazon Beauty by Liz showed that it’s a snap to green your beauty routine. The Holistic Moms Network, along with kid’s fashion by JOJO, chic totes from Go GaGa Bags, silk baby slings by Sakura Blook, cleanup by Bum Boosa Bamboo Baby Products, and reusable (and insanely cute) snack bags from snackTAXI and ReSnackIt, all helped make life a little easier for the earth-conscious mom on the go. Boston’s own Greenologist community, which will deliver fresh farmer’s market produce to your doorstep, even handed out complimentary reusable grocery totes.

If the fun, food and freebies weren’t enough, the event also featured eco-savvy demonstrations, cooking demos, videos and notable guest speakers. Keynote speakers included Dr. James Hansen of Columbia University, a climate scientist who advised Al Gore on An Inconvenient Truth, and actress Mayim Bialik, celebrity spokesperson for the Holistic Moms Network.

Green Cotton attended on Sunday and was present for Bialik’s speech. Bialik shared a touching and relatable insight into her Hollywood eco-lifestyle, describing how she was a “weird” kid who liked to recycle, went vegetarian as a teenager, and now raises her children vegan (without any paper towels!), and even makes her own household cleaners and shampoo.

One topic of particular interest was the “greening” of Hollywood. Bialik is one celebrity who has been “eco” for the long haul, and recalled going to events with Ed Begley Jr., who drove (and probably still drives) a vegetable oil-powered car. Bialik may have labeled her early interest in the environment as “weird,” but of Begley’s innovative, if slightly eccentric, lifestyle, she quipped, “Who’s laughing now?”

Of green living, Bialik reminded the crowd, “This is not a lifestyle for rich people; this is not an elitist thing…not because it’s hip and trendy… We congregate around celebrity, [but] it is important to realize that there are those of us who are green like you.”

And if anyone entered the convention center feeling not quite green enough, we are sure the many vendors and presentations like Bialik’s helped them learn an eco trick or two. We know we did. Green Cotton had a blast exploring the booths and chatting with each vendor (and meeting Bialik, who, as it turns out, is a Jute & Jackfruit fan). While there was not a fashion runway show this year, we hope that eco-fashion designers and boutiques continue to showcase their wonderful (organic, sustainable, fair trade) wares, and that New Englanders continue to show their support and passion for all things green. Next year, we hope to see you there!

By Erin Dale

We have been covering Fashion Week (particularly New York and London shows) at Green Cotton for the last few seasons, always keeping an eco eye on the runway. Though we are not always able to find much “green” in the tents, we are able to review the latest trends and predict how they will impact the eco scene. We are also thrilled to report whenever we see the green movement making major strides in the fashion industry. Thankfully, this is one of those posts. While Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week chose to make its last season at Bryant Park a carbon-neutral production (see Treehugger’s report), there was another even more eco event going on in the city while mainstream designers sent their wares down the runways. We are thrilled to report on The GreenShows Eco Fashion Week, which was held right alongside the mainstream shows at New York’s Fashion Week, from Sunday, February 14-17, 2010.

This season’s GreenShows event was its second annual (after a successful debut during New York Fashion Week last September). So far it is the only exclusively eco-fashion showcase that takes place during Fashion Week. Devoted to showing only eco-friendly, ethically sound and fair-trade designers, The GreenShows promised to keep its production 100% environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Taking place at the aptly-titled 311 E11 Village Green, the first LEED-Gold certified residence in the East Village, with sets made out of recycled and compostable materials, it appears The GreenShows kept to the highest environmental standards.

Ten star designers on the eco-fashion front were chosen to showcase their wares, including Samantha Pleet, Vaute Couture, Popomomo and Gary Harvey (for a complete list of designers, see The GreenShows website).

Samantha Pleet (collection featured top right) is a Brooklyn designer who creates garments from organic cotton and organic wool in a wind-powered NYC factory. She has gained fame as the designer behind Rapscallion for Urban Outfitters and the erstwhile one-half of eco-design duo Bodkin. Her romantic designs, from sweet pleated skirts to plaid rompers to long layered dresses, are clearly retro-inspired—what quirky-indie darling Zooey Deschanel might wear to a movie premiere or just on a bike ride (on a vintage bicycle, natch). Indeed, Eco-Chick writer Starre Vartan reports that Pleet was influenced by the movies—and by romance. “I love cinema and I love my husband, so the line is influenced by that,” Pleet said. The Fall 2010 collection exudes the same charm and whimsy that makes her Urban Outfitters line so popular—only much more eco-chic.

Chicago-based Vaute Couture (pictured above in purple and white coats) is perhaps best know for their line of quality vegan coats (no wool, silk, or animal-derived products are used; instead, designer Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart uses an alternative fiber called Primaloft ECO). Their GreenShows debut featured some gorgeous coats, including one ultra-feminine, high-collared, buttoned style in stunning white, along with knitwear made from soy bean farming waste. Any woman could instantly become a glamazon in one these amazing coats—but knowing she would be stepping out in eco-style makes the luxe designs even more satisfying.

L.A. line Popomomo made its New York Fashion Week debut—and lived up to its name, (which stands for “post-postmodern movement”) with its “City of Quartz” collection (inspired by the Mike Davis book of the same name and CIA satellite images of polar ice caps). The easy-breezy collection featured looks that L.A. girls love, and for good reason. Simple dresses with striking details, like pops of color, ruffles and exposed zippers, may not be ideal for fall on the East Coast; for eco-fashionistas in the City of Angels, however, this line is truly heaven-sent. Organic cotton, recycled polyester, hemp denim and Tencel are just some of the fabrics used in these L.A.-made designs. Like fellow GreenShows featured designer Pleet, Popomomo’s Lizz Wasserman also has “Urban Outfitters designer” on her resume.

British designer Gary Harvey (Tshirt dress pictured above) upped the ante on upcycling with his couture collection of gowns—all created from recycled, upcycled and recyclable materials. Nothing, it seems, is off-limits in Harvey’s imagination, from old Levi’s and wedding dresses to laundry bags and issues of the Financial Times (30 copies, to be exact). His jaw-dropping designs will have you rethinking how to recycle paper—and what on earth to do with all your old t-shirts.

While these clever designers weren’t the only ones to put their visions on display at The GreenShows, the above group represents a few of our favorites. Green Cotton will keep an eye out for more designers like these in the future. We are also currently sifting through the London and Milan Fashion Week shows and will share all the “green” we can find.

We would also love to know: do you follow Fashion Week? If so, what do you think of this season’s shows? Are you eager to see more from The GreenShows next season? We know we are, and can’t wait to see which emerging eco-fashion talents will appear next. Stay tuned to Green Cotton for more Runway coverage!

Image sources:
Photo source: Samantha Pleet plaid romper (photo by Starre Vartan) at Eco-chick
Photo source: Blue Vaute Couture coat, Vaute Couture
Photo source: White VC coat at Ecouterre
Photo source: Popomomo dress
Photo source: John Garvey white organic tshirt dress (Treehugger)

By Erin Dale