ECO CHIC

I'm all for saving the environment...I recycle, I don't eat animals, I pick up litter at the beaches, eat organic foods...all that kinda jazz. The only thing that I couldn't grasp, is the eco-fashion aspect of being "green". Despite loving trees, I don't hug them and I don't want to LOOK like I do either. Sooooo...I went on a mission to find eco-conscious clothing that even little ol' me would wear. I was very impressed...except with the prices. Eeek! I will say, that this stuff is made extremely well though and if I'm going to give a pretty penny for organic food, I can definitely do it for clothing too. It's really worth it.

I'm going to post some items I found, and instead of just giving you the designer and the price, I thought I'd give you a little background about the company too. If you decide to buy, you know where your money is going. Fantastic!!!

ALCHEMY GOODS RECYCLED RUBBER HAVERSACK $88

Alchemy is the medieval science of turning lead into gold. More generally, it means magically turning something of lesser value into something of greater value. For us, the value isn't economical so much as ecological. We look for materials that are normally discarded that might have value with a little bit of imagination and some hard work.Every Alchemy Goods bag purchased represents one less part of our world destroyed. That's why all our products should have the highest possible recycled content, but also be superbly functional and aesthetically pleasing. AUTONOMIE PROJECT ETHLETIC SNEAKERS $54

Autonomie Project is a new Fair Trade fashion company offering stylish sweatshop-free & eco-friendly footwear, clothing and accessories.Autonomie Project Inc. works exclusively with small, independent cooperatives and Fair Trade certified facilities located in developing areas of the world. They use organic cotton, all natural FSC rubber, and other eco-friendly materials whenever possible to lessen our environmental impact.

BEYOND SKIN COTTON REENA PUMP $215

Beyond Skin is an exclusive, eco-friendly footwear label creating beautiful, stylish shoes that are produced in a manner that is non-exploitative to humans, animals and wherever possible the wider environment.This trans-seasonal, made-to-order footwear takes its cue from developing trends and is set to continually evolve, producing capsule ranges and exclusive one off designs that transcend the typical rotational calendar. Beyond Skin endeavors to support a sustainable lifestyle by creating stylish, classic, wearable footwear for all seasons.

CHEEKY MONKEY SILVER OWL $105

Cardwell′s sterling silver, gold and platinum creations are all made in the USA, are sprinkled with precious gems and, most important, are now being produced from 100% recycled materials. So, with his latest collections featuring -hand-carved creatures, many of which are named on the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Cardwell returns to nature - and his roots.

DEUX FM LOIS DRESS $184

For the woman who broadcasts both style and ethics. deux fm makes use of environmentally friendly, re-used and recycled fabrics utilizing fair labor practices. Sources and manufactured in Canada $5 shipping FREE returns

ECOSKIN BIRCH JUMPSUIT $180

Created by Los Angeles-based designer, Sandy Skinner using a blend of bamboo, Tencel, and Spandex. EcoSkin aims to give women a hip, sophisticated sustainable product with a minimal environmental footprint. EcoSkin combines eco-friendly fabrics with a high design aesthetic, taking steps toward an environment where humans, nature and animals live in harmony.

ENGLISH RETREADS MODEL T TOTE BAG $109

When was the last time you saw parts of an 18-wheeler truck sashay down the runway at a fashion show? Well, you're about to if Heather English of Boulder Colorado, owner-designer of English Retreads has her way. Heather has been making a reality of "On the Road Again" since 2001 by designing and producing stunning handbags, book bags, totes, backpacks and belts from discarded truck and tractor inner tubes rescued from landfills. The original tubes probably have over 60,000 miles on them before Heather adds her classic designs and gives them a whole new life.

GET HIP GET GREEN SKULL LUNCH BAG $19

Get Hip Get Green brings reusable bags to a forefront of both “E”s: environmentalism and education. With two styles of bags that encourage users to get- hip- get- green and love-this-planet, Get Hip Get Green will be selling bags to help alleviate the amount of other bags that are regularly discarded and not recycled.Each sale will also mean a donation to the children’s environmental group, The Green Ambassadors. The Green Ambassadors provide high school students with experiences that foster personal growth, community service, cross-culture and global exchange and leadership skills to tackle the most critical environmental issues facing our planet.

GOOD SOCIETY STRAIGHT LEG JEAN $106

Good Society is a loosely connected organic movement driving global change. The core value of this movement is the belief that in all things we must love, will, and do good. The Good Society label takes fashion beyond useless, and often-destructive pretense by presenting an affordably priced, forward thinking collection that is fully sustainable – both ecologically and socially. The label centers around its collection of fairly traded 100% organic denim with clean styling and a fit that ensures it will be the pair you wear to look good and feel great.

GRACE & CELLO ISABELLA JACKET $180

Grace & Cello believes in the right to look and feel beautiful: for you, for the people who work to make their products, and for the planet that grew all of their fabrics and grew all of us.
Their garments are made to look gorgeous and change the world for the better, because no one looks beautiful in clothes made in an ugly fashion.

NIXXI LEGGINGS $58

Nixxi offers beautiful classic designs with a modern flair. Named after ancient water and life protectors, the line is inspired by nature's simplicity and modern minimalism.

PI ORGANIC RACER TANK DRESS $75

The collection perfectly imperfect is inspired by the wabi sabi way of life. Wabi Sabi is an ancient Chinese philosophy adapted by the Japanese tea masters. This belief stands for things that are fresh and simple. It denotes simplicity and quietude, and also incorporates rustic beauty. It includes both that which is made by hand. It can also mean an accidental or happenstance element (or perhaps even a small flaw) which gives elegance and uniqueness. It helps us to see the beauty in imperfection and to discover that our greatest strengths and treasures. When we know this fundamental joy, we can reveal the most powerful and positive sides of ourselves.

SURVIVE DESIGN BUNNY VISION REUSABLE BAG $30

Survive Design offers creative and functional products that are as much about fashion and design as they are about the environment. They believe that workers should be paid a fair wage and have safe working conditions. They believe that the consumer shouldn't have to compromise on quality or style in order to shop ethically.

URGE TO ADORN OVAL CALLA LILY BELT BUCKLE $73

Urge to Adorn's unique line of handmade, custom designer belt buckles are made from photos, retro images and antique illustrations on recycled rubber belts. The buckle imagery you see stems from their love for photography and design and they've researched to find the best belt hardware, the cleanest imagery process and the best place to purchase these products (all in the U.S.A.).Urge to Adorn is proud to offer environmentally friendly options with our designs (recycled belts made from agricultural tires) and the use of only non-toxic materials and lead free pewter.

AND YOU THOUGHT ECO CLOTHING WAS JUST ORGANIC T-SHIRTS AND EARTH SHOES! HERE ARE SOME SITES TO CHECK OUT.

http://www.thegreenloop.com/

http://www.thewhiteapricot.com/

http://www.ecomall.com/

http://www.fashionandearth.com/