Eco-Fashion: The New Standard of Cool Innovative Clothing!

Eco-fashion is now mainstream. You only have to look at some of the world’s most celebrated actresses– Meryl Streep, Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Watson, Salma Hayek and Alicia Silverstone – to know that sustainable fashion has arrived in a big way.

But what does “eco-fashion” really mean? And what kinds of eco-friendly materials are used by today’s eco-fashion designers? To begin with, eco-friendly fashion is a type of clothing or accessory that is created and produced in such a way to minimize deleterious environmental costs, social costs, animal welfare costs, and consumer health costs throughout the total lifecycle of the product i.e. using materials that have been recycled or are biodegradable or that have been grown without the use of pesticides and ensuring employees in the fashion industry earn fair wages in healthy working conditions whilst using these materials.

Examples of these eco-friendly materials range from plant fibers such as organic cotton, jute, flax, hemp, bamboo, soy, and wood pulp cellulose – to commonly known animal fibers (or animal hair) such as wool from sheep and llamas, mohair and cashmere from goats and silk from silkworms. But can some of these newer, lesser known, eco-friendly materials such as corn-based fibers, coconut-husk fibers, yak fibers and sour milk yarns be fashioned to meet our high expectations of beauty and performance? And what of synthetically-made discarded plastic soda bottles, used truck tarps and bicycle inner tubes? Can they too be turned into high-quality items of wearable and durable sophistication?

The answer is a resounding – “Yes”. Below here is a list of my favorite eco-conscious artisans, designers, and retailers who are doing just that – taking these materials from fibers to yarns to great fabric designs and humane and energy-conscious garment manufacturing processes – and bringing these very innovative eco-friendly collections of clothing, jewelry, and bags into your own home:

(1) Ecolissa (www.ecolissa.com/) – Online USA Retailer – Based in Massachusetts and launched in 2010, Ecolissa carries fashionable eco-friendly and vegan women’s clothing and accessories featuring such popular brands as “Ecoskin”, “Toggery”, “Stewart + Brown”, “Smartglass”, “Goodsociety”, “Indigenous”, “Spun”, and “Elroy”. Popular items include Yoga Capri Pants made of bamboo, “Bottled Up Designs Teardrop Earrings” made of reclaimed remains of antique blue mason jars and antique green beer bottles and an “Indigenous Riding Coat” made of 100% organic cotton from Peru.

(2) Green Tree Jewelry (www.greentreejewelry.com/) – Online USA Retailer – Based in San Diego, California, this company offers fun and affordable jewelry from renewable sources including “Kinetic Gear Earrings”, and “Block and Tackle Pulley Heart Pendant”.

(3) Juno and Jove (www.junoandjove.com/) – Online USA Retailer with Flagship Store in Sarasota, Florida – Juno and Jove carries a fantastic array of lifestyle products, gifts, and merchandise “selected for their construction, quality, design aesthetics, durability, material content, maintenance, and practicality” including women and men’s clothing, shoes, and accessories.

(4) Mission Savvy (http://missionsavvy.com/) – Online USA Retailer with Organic Juice Bar and Café based in downtown Charleston, West Virginia – Mission Savvy not only offers a wide array of collections from ethical fashion designers who use sustainable and locally produced organic fabrics – but they offer workshops catering services, and a juice bar café and food truck featuring vegan, raw, and gluten free plates, snacks, and desserts. Five percent of their online store profits support animal rescue and wildlife conservation projects around the world.

(5) Walleska Ecochicc (http://www.ecochicc.com/) – Artisan & Online USA Retailer – Based in Dallas, Texas, Ecochicc carries an unusual array of modern luxury apparel, handbags, and accessories handcrafted from recycled aluminum can tabs melded with traditional crochet techniques and contemporary designs including their popular opera clutch and short kimono.

(6) NAUClothing (www.nau.com/) – Online USA Retailer with store outlets in 37 states across America – Based in Portland, Oregon, NAU offers sustainable urban and outdoor apparel for today’s modern mobile lifestyle including men’s and women’s clothing, bags, packs, cases, wallets, deluxe travel kits, and café luxe kits.

(7) Amour Vert (http://www.amourvert.com/) – Online USA Retailer – Based in Palo Alto, Calfiornia, Amour Vert carries sustainably chic, high-quality, high-fashion eco-apparel and accessories for women at an affordable price. Popular Items include Banago Woven Zig Zag Totes, Sprout Eco-Watches, Andean Tagua Bracelets and Necklaces, Striped Maxi Dresses, and Peacock Print Tunics.

(8) West Paw Design (http://www.westpawdesign.com/) – Online USA Retailer – Based in Bozeman, Montana, West Paw Design carries the highest quality of eco-toys, apparel, bedding, for DOGS and CATS. Best-sellers are the Reknitz Dog Sweaters and Eco Slumber Beds.

In summary, eco-fashion is a lifestyle statement about ourselves. It’s a way of defining who we are and what we do – where we shop – how we shop – how we recycle – how we maintain our clothing – our pets – and of course, how we maintain our planet.