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Sustainable Style – Choose Eco-Friendly Fashion

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^ special thanks to writer Eve for her take on how to be ‘fashainable’ in this guest post:

Anyone with an ear to the fashion grapevine will know that sustainability is totally on-trend right now. Medical advancements mean that infant mortality rates have dropped hugely and we are now living longer than ever before – with the result that our clothing consumption has hit an all-time high. This means higher production rates, an increase in the number of designers wanting to break into this tough industry and, above all, a need for more and more materials.

Sustainable fashion, also known as eco fashion, has begun to infiltrate local chain stores as well as the catwalks, with designers from the top down using fair trade workers and non-toxic dyes in order to make a sustainable statement.

Understanding Eco Fashion

Many people assume that eco fashion is all about recycled fabrics and clothes made from leaves, but this is not true at all. There are a number of different ways you can make a difference to the way you shop without changing your style at all – in fact, you could already be eco-shopping without knowing it!

For example, if you choose faux fur over the genuine article or avoid leather like the plague, you are already following a vegan fashion pattern. Vegans will not wear (or eat) any animal by-product, therefore keeping fur and leather well away from their wardrobes. Or maybe you prefer your fashion one of a kind and therefore buy handmade items? In doing this, you are helping to cut down on waste which is created by mass manufacturing, whilst also ensuring you are buying a quality product which is created to last for years. This cuts down the need to constantly replace worn or damaged clothing, and thus saves the planet. Easy, huh?

There are plenty of resources out there which provide information on sustainable fashion, and once you understand how many ways there are to adopt a sustainable wardrobe, making the switch is a piece of cake.

How You Can Help

So you’ve already decided to cross-check every label for toxic dyes and sworn off anything which isn’t made from organic materials – excellent! You’ve taken a huge step forward and are definitely doing your bit for sustainable shopping. Yet the part many people forget is what to do with the clothes once you’ve finished with them. Shockingly many people forget that clothing and textiles are just as recyclable as plastics, cardboard and glass, and as a result tons of unwanted clothes end up on landfill sites every year. However, it is estimated that up to 95 per cent of these items could be re-worn, re-used or recycled. In that case – why not get creative?

Donating an unwanted sweater to charity or shredding up and old shirt to use as a cleaning cloth is a good place to start, but hardly the most inventive use of the materials at hand. An old pair of jeans with a hole in the knee could be turned into a cute pair of Daisy Dukes or a new purse, while the unused bottom half could be cut up, dyed or redesigned and turned into patches to customise other items. Sometimes, of course, things are too damaged to be saved or re-used, but this is where the true meaning of recycling comes in. Textile fibres or insulating materials can be created from these garments in an ideal example of preventing waste.

Smart Stores

Fortunately, fashion chain stores are now beginning to realise the impact our massive demand for new clothes is having on our planet. Last year, Zara announced its commitment to going toxic-free by reducing the number of hazardous chemicals used in its garment production, while H&M has recently launched an ethical fashion range called Conscious. As well as cutting down on the amount of water used in denim production and committing to using only organic cotton, the retailer is also rewarding customers for dropping off bags of recyclable clothing by giving them money off vouchers for each bag donated. It is very clear that the fashion world is embracing sustainability in a way few other industries are – while clothing manufacturers are making an attempt to use non-toxic dyes in clearing our waterways, the pharmaceutical industry continues to dump harmful materials in the system, for example.

As consumers, we dictate the trends, the styles and the way things are produced; or to put it more simply, if we don’t buy it they won’t make it. By raising awareness of the need for sustainability in all industries, we truly can change the world.

Celebrate Earth Day, Everyday! The Today Show Goes Green with Modavanti.com

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today

What’s the “new crop of eco-friendly clothes?” NBC News’ the Today Show says it’s “eco-chic” and doesn’t look quite like it used to anymore thanks to retailers like Modavanti.

Chassie Post from Gilt Groupe joined Today Show host Natalie Morales this morning to show us that yes, eco-fashion can be stylish. A family-friendly floral print from H&M’s Conscious Collection flounced down the outdoor runway—on a pair of women’s pants and on a dress for young girls made out of recycled polyester and organic cotton—setting the scene for what it means to be green.

Another eco-fabric showcased was Tencel, as seen on a model in a maxi dress by ecoSkin. Weary of water usage? The vest in that ensemble is from Levi’s Water<Less denim line which uses 90% less water in production. A vegan leather peplum top from Tinley Road followed and was paired with Edun jeans.

Edun will be on our site soon and joins our recently-added brand, Olsenhaus, which was featured in the next look of the Today Goes Green segment: the brand’s purely vegan sandals and a chambray shirt (by Kut from the Kloth) complimented our fairly-traded Peplum Skirt in Yellow by Afia. Help support a women’s cooperative in Ghana just by shopping the stylish skirt at Modavanti.com. Fahertybrand.com wrapped up the show with an eco-swimsuit and beach wrap.

The models looked great and you can, too, since Modavanti is moving #fashion #forward. The two fashion-forward hosts highlighted our philosophy—that eco-conscious means many things—so many, that we empower the consumer to design their own style philosophy and encourage users to shop what’s important to them. Wear our set of Sustainability Badges with pride as you decide for yourself what it means to be green.

Eco-fashion has evolved. Will you? #Jointhefuture

From old bottle caps to new office chaps.

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“Where’d you get those earrings?” It was during study hall in high school and I was asking a girl a grade ahead of me named Leah. “Oh,” she replied, “I made them!” Pleasantly surprised, I was like wow, cool, the coolest—or so I thought. Unfortunately, some would discredit her genius gems by questioning the difficulty in the pair’s design. Sure, while the actual construction might not have been extremely advanced (seemed to be a puncturing of a metal bottle cap and an insertion of a hook), the actual idea behind the designer’s creations was extremely modern. Leah and I lived close to one another in the same small community and we soon became friends, bonding over goofy inclinations and inklings of travel. Her creativity and confidence were endearing qualities that I always admired; I mean, she was “upcycling” bottle caps into earrings before DIY was the next BIG thing!

Last year, I moved to New York and found myself living in Greenpoint, bordering Williamsburg. I was fresh out of college and it was a pleasant surprise to again find myself as part of a community. I soon became acquainted with that little Polish neighborhood of artistry, couples, industrialism, and families, often exploring the many mom-and-pop shops and local artisans’ offerings. Working in the city, I soon realized that Leah’s office wasn’t far from mine in the same area of the Fashion District—how funny life is to have an adolescent memory catch up with you in adulthood.

We did catch-up, on a meet-up one day, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she was still making jewelry. An FIT graduate, she was working for a popular brand while developing her own brand. I had actually seen some of her work on her Facebook page and was eager to own my own piece. During our talk I placed an order, which she accepted and promised to fill right away. It’s no surprise that Leah’s work has gained popularity (a former schoolmate even asked her to design her wedding bands) since her creative confidence is reflected in her line.

Now on Etsy.com, Leah Rose Damour Jewlery is an eclectic mix of classically-constructed collections with a whimsical flare. Take my custom-made gold necklace: the quirky tooth, an upcycled crest from a local dentist, is a fun symbol of a deeper connection as my grandfather was a dentist and a person whom I adored, often draping me in his knowledge. When draped around my neck, the brilliantly-finished molar reminds me to think wisely because it reminds me of him. Etsy has enabled the connection of hundreds of thousands of artists like Leah to advertise and sell their creations to happy customers like myself.

Such a connection is shared between dozens of special occasion party-goers and a former colleague of mine who is exceptionally skilled in analysis, baking, and jewelry-making. Our Merchandising team members would showcase their hidden culinary talents, often times bringing in baked goods to share. My team’s Assistant Planner, Hilary, was always trying the latest baking gadgets and recipes; it was a truly delightful discovery to find that this stellar business grad also had a creative side! Unbeknownst to me at the time, Hilary was quite the entrepreneur who turned out to have her own merchandise online at Etsy in her bloom belle shop. Her line of floral jewelry designed for special occasions is named Hilary Caroline Jewlery and her name is now aligned with a successful launch of an online boutique based out of her hometown.

Home-made treats don’t have to be edible—with local artisan markets in places like Greenpoint or your hometown and with handmade marketplaces like Etsy bringing hometown designers from around the world to your computer —they can be wearable! Do you want to be pleasantly surprised? Look out for the Leah in your life or the Hilary in your hallway and make room for something sweet.

Do you know someone like Leah or Hilary who creates inspiration? Tweet @fashainable with the person’s website/information and the hashtag #inspirate to share a pleasant surprise!

Sense and sustainability.

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While explaining my seemingly “new” concept of sustainable fashion to my uncle in response to his question of why I was moving to Bangladesh, he questioned, “Sustainability?” and shared with me that, “Sustainability starts with your neighbor.” Flabbergasted at the simple complexity of his statement and tempted to attest, I shut my mouth in preparation for a trip to open my mind and thought: surely, it can’t end with that! There must be a more complicated model of development economics outlining in charts and graphs how sustainable development of the fashion industry is to start?!

Listening closely to him and to others I met during my time as a ‘bideshi’ in B-desh, I soon realized that indeed, sustainable development does begin with your neighbor—whether they live next-door or on the other side of the world. During my first month as an intern at Aarong, a BRAC social enterprise, I had the honor of meeting Chandra Shekhar Shaha, a creative connoisseur, master of product development, and oracle of handicrafts. Only after speaking with him and especially after reading this insightful passage on page 75 from his book Behind the Products: A Study on Crafts of Bangladesh which reads:

“Culture is not static; it moves on towards betterment.”

did I finally began to understand the resonance of my uncle’s send-off statement that “sustainability starts with your neighbor.” Now on my last day as an intern, soon to say farewell to Dhaka, I think I fully comprehend my uncle’s words and have attempted to interpret Shekhar Dah’s wise words as I try to be more mindful in my consumption choices.

We each define our own personal style as a

uniquely

             wearable

                              presentation.

We all express ourselves differently, the most uniform way being through our fashion choices. In a similar sense, we each outfit our personal outlooks, often voicing these opinions through our own choice of words

leaving space

for creative

 interpretation.

Naturally, not everyone associates the word sustainable with the same definition and logically, we all have our own representation.

Translation please?

The idea of sustainable fashion, like the terms sustainable and fashion themselves, to me means to re-examine the current thought processes behind existing fashionable operations with a mindful eye of everlasting execution. A more sustainable approach to fashion is more than green-washed terms like “environmentally-friendly” or marketing taglines like “eco-chic.” While these associations are rightful catalysts in the exciting mainstream movement of “going green,” they are wrongful to deter you from forgetting that the true source of change lies in our minds: we must first think individually about our personal consumption choices (myself included!), then collectively change our purchasing and production patterns as consumers, suppliers, and manufacturers, and finally, organize ourselves as citizens who practice conscious consumption, ultimately demanding a less unsustainable industry; we merely need to evolve as a species in order to sustain a new culture.

Think about it: a product changes over time because our needs change, too, so the improved version better suits us. Perhaps this sounds like a whole lot of rubbish, so forgive me for recycling the obvious, but only once we break the cycle—until we “strive towards progress and perfection” (Shaha, 75)—only then will we see a real revolution, in every sense of the word. In order for fashion to fully evolve into its final stage, we must define our needs as a generation—“the source of energy has to change” (75)—no matter how you wear it.