ETHICAL FASHION

Truth About Planes and Climate Change

2010-09-10T10:23:00.000-07:00

I was surfing and reading across the environmental issue and i found out this article from the Guardian, you might need to read it to know the complex truth about planes and climate change. as the world is getting warmer than before, almost everyday we hear the news from many part of the world on natural disasters. Here i share what i've just read on environment news.

A new study suggests that planes cause more warming than cars, while ships are cooling enough to counteract them both.

We hear much about the environmental costs of air travel. As our recent Q&A explained, the problem is not just that planes burn a lot of fuel and therefore kick out plenty of CO2 per passenger. Just as important are a host of other high-altitude impacts, including vapour trails and ozone production, that are usually estimated to cause as much warming as the CO2 itself.

Hence we often hear that although air travel accounts for only a small fraction of global emissions (relatively few people can afford to fly), one transatlantic flight can add as much to your carbon footprint as a typical year's worth of driving.

Surely it couldn't get any worse, could it? Unfortunately for green-minded air travellers, it just did. Kind of.

The wrinkle, always vaguely understood by climate geeks but finally explored in depth in a recent scientific paper, is that the relative impact of different types of travel depends not just on practical factors such as engine efficiency and occupancy rates, but also on something altogether more abstract: the time frame you care about.

The reason this is so crucial is that the effects of different greenhouse gases play out in the atmosphere at a different speeds. CO2, released by all fuel-burning vehicles, can remain in the air for centuries, causing a gentle warming effect. By contrast, most other gases and impacts – such as the vapour trails and tropospheric ozone produced by planes at altitude – cause much more potent but shorter-lived bursts of warming.

If you'll forgive an extension to the "frying the planet" metaphor, generating global warming with CO2 is equivalent to slow-cooking the earth in a cast-iron skillet, whereas cooking the planet with vapour trails would be more like flash-frying it in an extra-hot wok.

In order to tot up these differently paced warming impacts into a single carbon footprint number for a flight or any other activity, it's necessary to decide what time frame you're talking about. Conventional wisdom is to add up the total warming impact of all the different greenhouse gases over the period of a century to create a nice, round but ultimately arbitrary number.

If, by contrast, we shifted the focus to a much shorter time period – which arguably would make more sense, given that the next decade or so could turn out to be make-or-break in terms of avoiding climate tipping points – then the impact of vapour trails and other short-lived impacts look massively more significant.

At risk of over-stretching the frying-pans analogy, the flash-fry wok may be more likely to cause a disastrous kitchen fire than the slow-cook skillet, even if they both use the same amount of heat overall.

The new paper, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, finally pins some numbers on all this theory by examining the impact over different time periods of various different modes of transport. The results are illuminating.

According to the paper, if we focus just on the impact over the next five years, then planes currently account for more global warming than all the cars on the world's roads – a stark reversal of the usual comparison. Per passenger mile, things are even more marked: flying turns out to be on average 50 times worse than driving in terms of a five-year warming impact.

If we shift to a 20-year time frame, things look completely different. The short-term impacts have largely died down and the plane looks considerably better – helped along by a quirk of atmospheric chemistry which sees nitrous oxide pollution from the aircraft engines causing cooling during this period by destroying methane in the air. The paper even suggests that for any time frame longer than 20 years, flying is typically greener per kilometre than driving (although when I phoned to check this, one of the authors of the report confirmed my suspicion that this isn't true in Europe, where fuel-efficient cars are more popular).

Of the various forms of transport examined by the researchers, shipping is the other one most markedly affected by short-term climate impacts. Here, however, everything is in reverse because the major short-term effect of shipping is sulfate aerosol pollution. While they remain in the air, these aerosol particles bounce sunlight away from the earth and therefore cause cooling rather than warming. The extent of this effect is amazing: if I'm understanding the numbers correctly, over a five-year time frame the world's ships cause enough cooling to offset the total warming caused by every car, plane and bus combined.

Even over a 20-year time frame, shipping pollution still contributes an overall cooling effect – as do electric trains, due to the aerosol pollution kicked out from coal-fired power stations. This throws up a tricky issue for policy makers and industry. If we clean up some kinds of air pollution for the benefit of environmental and human health, then we stand to significantly accelerate global warming in the near-term.

However the world deals with that particular conundrum, the new paper is a useful reminder that carbon footprints are more multi-dimensional than is usually understood. If we want to buy ourselves as much time as possible to avoid climate-tipping points, it may not just be how much warming something generates that matters, but when that warmth kicks in.

This issue isn't limited to transport, of course. Any activity that generates lots of methane, nitrous oxide or other non-CO2 greenhouse gases will have a much faster warming effect than its carbon footprint, as traditionally expressed, might suggest. That would include meat and rice farming, landfill sites and fridge production, for example.

All of which is – for carbon geeks such as myself, at least – very interesting. What I'd like to know next is how much work has been done on analysing how near-term rates of global warming fit with the risk of overstepping climate-tipping points. Any pointers?

Grill Guard, An Accessory that Will Protect Your Vehicle

2010-09-08T23:12:00.000-07:00

Isn’t it important to make your car look more better and at the same time still protecting it. Actually you can accomplish it through several ways, one of them are by installing grill guards to your car. You must have familiar with it, at least on sight.

In general this device offer you great advantages for your car, especially if you are using it for off road riding. Most model of grill guard are formed by tubular steel, aside from usual protection, these grill guard also protect the radiator that commonly behind the grille. However, there are various kind of grill guard for your car, and you can just choose any of them which one is suitable for your car outlook.

There are many company offer you range of grill guard, but before purchasing it, make sure you understand how to select the best quality if grill guard, and here we are :

Make sure that you purchase the grill guards to fit the specific make and brand of your vehicle, to avoid of having to drill new holes in your vehicle for grill guard fitting, however don’t worry, several company actually designed car grill guards for many brand.
It is also important that you purchase the entire grill guard package, complete with skid pale and other component pieces.
Finally make sure that you consider the gauge of steel that your choice of guard is constructed with, the thicker the better as it will give more protection for your vehicle, but remember if your grill guard is more heavier obviously involve more pounds of gasoline to load your vehicle.

If you have already decided all of these items, then next thing you have to finish your prefer, because many company offer stainless steel, chrome and powder coated black vehicle grill guard, as for the longevity and outlook concern, however all of these types has something different to offer, keep in mind to check with your grill guard retailer and find out the length of warranty that apply for each type of finish.

Then, issue the style, this option depends on the appearance of steel it is made with, and then decide the installation of your new grill guard, as some brands can be easily installed on their own by you, with just having to bolt it in place while some other brand you might need a skilled mechanic’s assistance.

http://www.carid.com/grill-guards.html

Renewable Energy

2010-03-29T11:27:00.000-07:00

The ongoing debate on emission reduction is one of major concern on several environmentalist activists in almost all part of the world. International environmental summits starting from the Framework Convention on Climate Change which was negotiated in the city of Kyoto, Japan in 1997, lead into setting up important features known of the Kyoto Protocol which targets for 37 industrialized countries and European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The so-called emission as particles and gases released into the air as byproducts, or it also understood as the release of a substance (usually a gas, when referring to the subject of climate change) into the atmosphere. There are many types of emissions Greenhouse gas emissions, for example, contribute to global warming and is not sustainable to the health of the earth.

The culmination of the Climate Change summit was the adoptions of The Bali Roadmap, where it consists of a numbers of future decisions that represent various important tracks towards secure a climate in future.

For many leading industries, byproducts or waste product contribute to global warming, although many consider global warming as natural phenomena. But, whatever it is, you must start thinking to consider as to weather your waste product will not endanger the living ecology around you.

There has been many attempts by the industrial actors to initiate eco-friendly technology so that wastes will cycle to energy, this technology introduced an alternative energy and will give you option for another opportunity fuel which are more friendly to environment. If you are in search for this sort of cycling company I may suggest you that N-Viro is one of leading company that provide the highest quality and at the same time ensuring the protection of environment and improvement where you will see what you can contribute for more secure climate for your future children.

http://www.nviro.com

Face Treatment

2010-01-29T06:09:00.000-08:00

Having perfect shining face is what almost women want, that will be easy for those who have a lot of spare time for their skin care, but not every women can do. Sometimes lots of activities makes me forget to have some little care for my face, and for me kids sometimes keep me busy all the day. For me daily face wash is one last option for me in case i don't have time for facial treatment. Usually i wait until my kids fall asleep to do some little treatment for my face, i started washing my face and i continue with face cleanser and face tonic, but sometimes it continue only for several days and i just forget it. That a bad habit actually, i remember some friend told me that to start new routine is more easy than to keep doing such routine.

I just want to give you some important tips what would be the best way for choosing the best facial cleanser, one important before you buy facial cleanser is to know the type of your skin, by knowing your skin type it means you choose the appropriate nutrition for your skin, second, change season mean you need to change your face cleanser, because usually your skin will become more dry during winter, third, choose natural ingredient, i think everybody knows the less chemical ingredient will benefit you in the long run.

Here some important tips to know what type of skin you have;

Normal skin. This skin type has a proper balance of moisture, oil and durability. Oily skin. Does your face look shiny, greasy or oily a few hours after washing it?
Dry skin. Dry skin features facial pores that are hard to see a few hours after being washed.
Sensitive skin. This skin type often feels tight or itchy, and experiences allergic reactions and flushing when put into contact with certain chemicals.
Combination skin. If some parts of your face are oily while others are dry or sensitive, you have combination skin.

FASHION FOR ALL

2009-11-22T08:03:00.000-08:00

Written by Abigail Doan

n the ongoing quest to refine the materials and methods of sustainable style and the underpinnings of eco fashion, one must not overlook another persistent force fueling the democratization of contemporary fashion – DIY fashion. For some, the DIY realm rather frightfully necessitates that one be super crafty and adept with sewing kits and bolts of fabric in order to excel, but for others the DIY spirit is merely a matter of learning how to be clever, resourceful and often ritual-like in one’s examination of how to wear and don things more sustainably.

Handmade Nation Graphic

I am reminded of the early days of DIY fashion and the brilliant, groundbreaking blog, fiftyRX3 created in 2005 by Jill Danyelle. For anyone who does not know about Jill’s creative foray into the depths of sustainability and sartorial innovation, this is a primer for all fashion blogging that followed. Created as a 365-day project ‘documenting (Jill’s) goal to average fifty-percent sustainability in the clothing that (she) wore for a year’, the reuse, reduce, recycle mantra was further personalized by the author’s clever and artistic interpretations of ‘the true substance of style’. The Uniform Project of 2009 further plays with this admirable goal, adding an element of theatricality to the multitude of ways that accessories can add mileage to the most basic, covetable garment.

Jill Danyelle fiftyRX3

Perhaps one of the most empowering elements of the DIY fashion movement, particularly in regards to eco fashion, is the practice of thriftiness and trash-to-treasure wizardry. With prospects like e-bay, the increasingly popular swapping and swishing parties, and local flea markets to comb through, a resuscitated “objet d'art”, lovingly rescued from the bin or some one else’s closet, becomes a rewarding gem of a find. Closing the loop on ownership and the possibilities of fashion resuscitation seems to bring us closer to the materiality of our lives and our relationship to the life and death of our garments.

Sublime Stitching Templates

One of my favorite fashion/design blogs to address our day-to-day consumption habits and the upcycling possibilities that might be crafted in our domestic sphere is Swyyne. Founded by the savvy fashion editor and writer Yuka Yoneda, Swynne (pronounced ‘swine’), dishes up the ‘true confessions of a recovering gluttonness’ via an examination of the clothing flotsam and fashion cravings of contemporary life, smartly satiated by Yuka’s DIY recycling projects, ‘freecycle Fridays’, and some refreshing tongue-in-cheek humor.

YY: It seems like there are always haterade-drinkers trying equate eco-fashion with something that is price-prohibitive or only for the bourgeoisie. To that, I just want to respond by saying "Hey, I just ripped apart this old mumu and sewed it into a supercute A-line minidress for the mere $10 it cost me to buy it at a thrift shop and about $20 worth of elbow grease. Isn't that eco-fashion that is both cheap and green?" And I think there are plenty of other DIYers out there who will back me up - just check out Etsy.com.

The Uniform Project

In many ways, the DIY movement is eco-fashion at its realest. It's the gritty underbelly of eco-fashion that neither flaunts its organic fabrics nor boasts about its lack of sweatshop labor, because it doesn't need those things to make it environmentally friendly. My "organic fabrics" are old stockings and ripped sweaters and my "fair trade labor" is my own foot on the pedal of my sewing machine in my bedroom. Fashion that you make with your own two hands is proof that you don't need money to participate in the eco-fashion movement.

One of the best ways to get someone to recognize the value of an object is to have them create it with their own two hands. I deconstructed a fabulous floral print dress the other day, figuring it would be simple to put it back together, but it wasn't. It took time, consideration and effort to make it look the way that I wanted it to. And I realized that the construction of the dress was really only one tiny step in producing it from start to finish. What if I had to grow the fibers the cloth was woven from and then paint on the intricate pattern? What if I had to mold the golden button that clasps the collar together or carry the final piece to Asia? All of these thoughts flowed through my mind as I stitched. For me, the act of fabrication bonds me to my creation and infuses me with an appreciation for it and the materials it is made of. Hopefully, that is true for other DIYers, too.” - YY

There is no doubt that the rise of online DIY retailing venues like etsy has fueled a revolution in the handmade aesthetic of handcrafted, hands-on fashion. At perhaps no other time in history have artisans, designers, and new fashion labels been able to create, share, and sell their latest designs as a one-person enterprise via the vast open market of the Internet. The rise of handicraft, fueled in part by Faythe Levine’s hugely popular film, Handmade Nation has also been a grassroots way of reaching out to the community, while also becoming more grounded when times are tough. DIY projects and the communities that support them often soften the blow of challenging times.

Ekovaruhuset Crochet

It is not so much how DIY projects liberate us but perhaps how they bring us together that should be the point of fascination for us all. I am reminded of Jenny Hart’s Sublime Stitching initiative, where embroidery patterns can be easily acquired online, to embellish and humor one’s day and flouncy apron. Threadbanger DIY projects are fun to watch on video, but I for one, am not able to follow their rather complex instructions conveyed at lightening speed. The idea of stitching a cute bumblebee on my lapel, though, somehow seems so fashion-forward in ways that surely have nothing to do with the trendier preoccupations of eco fashion.

My uber-talented friends at The House of Organic and Eko-Lab spend long afternoons conversing together - collaborating, sharing, and discussing - the pros and cons of crafting sustainably for the fashion realm. It’s an attitude that seems to permeate all that they create and market, from free-form crochet collars to the hand-dyed ecouture dresses that they send down the runway. In this instance, DIY becomes DIO (do-it-ourselves) as a new way to bolster the independent labels of fashion craftivity as well as models for sourcing, producing, and marketing one’s unique collections and designs. With more and more venues like The Ethical Fashion Forum’s social networking site as well as open source blogs like Hiphonest popping up , it seems as if DIY strategies are taking on even more democratic dimensions in the effort to cross-pollinate fashion knowledge and skills for all.

FASHION FOR ALL

2009-11-18T08:03:00.000-08:00

Handmade Nation Graphic

Jill Danyelle fiftyRX3

Sublime Stitching Templates

The Uniform Project

Ekovaruhuset Crochet

GUESS GOES ORGANIC FOR INVISIBLE CHILDREN

2009-11-16T08:01:00.000-08:00

Written by Vanessa Voltolina

Celebrities have always been on the cutting edge of what’s new and fashion forward, particularly when it comes to going green. Back in the day, hip New York designs from Doucette Duvall developed a following with Sadie Frost, Rihanna and in the Sex and the City movie; and as of late, more and more celebrities have been launching their own sustainable fashion lines.

This trend continues with nonprofit Invisible Children, which combines celebrities, a big-name designer and organic materials to create a buzz. It all began when the Invisible Children partnered with denim label GUESS back in 2006. It was the daughters of GUESS CEO Maurice Marciano, Caroline, 18, and Olivia, 16, who first convinced their father—and the mega-brand--to design for the cause. Ever since, GUESS has been a part of a number of initiatives for the organization.

This year, GUESS and Vanity Fair magazine unveiled the 2009 designs at an October 21 Invisible Children event in Beverly Hills, California. Hosts were actresses Kristen Bell and Rachel Bilson, as well as Fall Out Boy musician Pete Wentz, with celebrity appearances by AnnaLynne McCord, Shenae Grimes, Ben McKenzie, Rick Foxx, Chris Lowell and others.

GUESS’ 2009 designs benefiting underprivileged youth are both homespun and organic, made from Edun Organic Cotton grown and harvested in Uganda. The men’s designs are short sleeve crewneck tees with an Africa graphic on front and a charity logo on the back; the women’s racerback tanks include a floral graphic that reads “LOVE.” Both sets of apparel will benefit education and economic rebuilding in the war-ravaged country.

Beginning this past Monday, the t-shirts and tanks will be available on Guess.com www.guess.com and in every Guess store across the United States with 100% of the sale price going to Invisible Children.

ORGANIC ADVENTURES

2009-11-13T07:58:00.000-08:00

Written by Magaly Fuentes

Whether it’s a long hike, boarding down a mountain, fishing on a lake or camping in the woods - there’s no better way to enjoy the bountiful gifts of Mother Nature than to experience the thrill of the outdoors.

Performance clothing for the active lover of the outdoors has to cover a lot of bases, protecting you from the potential harshness of different climates and allowing you the flexibility to play. Clothing for outdoor activities should be water resistant, breathable, durable, reliable, comfortable and versatile. Add fashionable and eco-friendly to the mix and it’s no short order but many dedicated companies are investing money and time into the research, testing, and development of new fabrics and techniques to bring customers exactly what they need and want.

Nau

The outdoor gear industry has stepped up in the mission to lighten the fashion industry’s carbon footprint with the use of materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, recycled nylon, soy, hemp, corn fibers, and bamboo. Technological advances continue to allow room for improvement as the spotlight moves from the typical synthetics of the past toward sustainable plant-based fabrics that successfully resist moisture, control odor and shield the wearer from ultraviolet radiation. Although the future just keeps looking brighter, there’s already quite an impressive selection of eco-gear for the outdoor adventurer.

Superstar outdoor apparel companies helping us to brave the elements while brilliantly blending performance with aesthetic appeal include:

prAna – Prana is the sanskrit word for “breath.” Breathing their green production values into the world, this company creates yoga and climbing gear, a product line that is diverse and truly demonstrative of their eco-focus. www.prana.com

PATAGONIA

Patagonia – Radical views, unconventionally run, passion for the outdoors – all things representative of this successful and inspiring 30+ year old company that provides a full range of outdoor gear and accessories. www.patagonia.com

Nau – Beauty, Performance, Sustainability – these words encompass this company’s mantra as they continue to develop a multitude of new eco-fabrications offered in stunning styles while consistently encouraging industry peers to do the same. www.nau.com

NAU

Hemp Hoodlamb – As the company name suggests, they believe in the wonders of hemp. This amazing material is worked into a very strong fiber which protects from the winter cold. Their product line is proof positive of the endless possibilities of hemp. www.hoodlamb.com

Howies - It’s all about the journey! This company believes in making high quality, low impact products for sports and every day life and they have managed to add “super cool-looking” to their already extraordinary bag of sustainable goodness. www.howies.co.uk

TRENDS IN SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING

2009-11-10T07:56:00.000-08:00

With Black Friday quickly approaching, be inspired by these innovative ways to shop!

We have previously reported about companies that let consumers rent expensive clothes instead of buying them. The latest to join the herd is New York-based Rent the Runway, which allows women to rent designer dresses. The concept is simple: you browse through RTR´s collection, order your dress and receive it the next day. The cost is around 10% of the retail price and ranges from USD 50-100. RTR offers customer friendly extra services like the same dress in a second size to ensure it fits and another dress as back-up style for just 25 USD. Brands currently on offer include Just Cavalli, Helmut Lang and Hervé Leger.

Another trend that appeals to transumers is to be part of the creation process of a product. Online indie clothing retailer ModCloth asks its customers to help choose which items to take into production. As the company explains: "Sometimes there are designs that we absolutely adore, but the designer can only put them into production if they make a large quantity. As a small company, it’s difficult for us to make these big inventory commitments without knowing if you will love the designs as much as we do." ModCloth launched the Be The Buyer initiative two weeks ago and encourages its fans to add comments on each design, and to share their voting decisions on Facebook and Twitter, turning the voting process into a useful marketing tool for the company. If a design is taken into production, customers who voted for it receive an email notification as soon as it's available, allowing them to be the first to buy and wear it.

The last trend worth mentioning is shopping in multi designer stores like The Hub Shop. The Hub Shop recently opened in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and rents out empty cube-like boxes under attractive conditions. Any product or service with a sustainable or social touch can be sold at The Hubshop. The concept is not only perfect for small brands and designers who can´t afford a retail space, for customers it´s ideal to find so many ethically made products in one location. We look forward to shops opening at the other 50 Hub locations around the world. Happy shopping!

Emma Watson to launch ethical fashion label

2009-11-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

EMMA Watson is set to branch out from her Hollywood career - by launching her own ethical fashion label,
according to reports. The star is close to securing a deal with Fairtrade company People Tree to create a
teenage clothing line, which she hopes to launch later this year. Emma - who was recently unveiled as the face of
British fashion house Burbery - has previously said she is not a fan of celebrities cashing in on their names.

But a source close to the young star told Britain’s Daily Mail, “She’s a big supporter of ethical concepts so liked
the idea of this.
“There’s also a lot of interest from other influential brands since her success as the face of Burberry. “Acting is
always going to take priority, but she’s keen to branch out.”
A spokesperson for the actress said, “Emma supports many Fairtrade organisations but has no formal
relationship with any company.”

Industry adapts to changing trends-make way for ethical fashion!

2009-11-02T21:17:00.000-08:00

Last week was the largest Spring/Summer Pure show ever staged, with over 900 exhibitors from 35 countries. Even better news was that this year, brands were no longer categorised by their ethics but integrated with other stands: a significant and symbolic move forward, allowing buyers to appreciate the high standards of design first, with their ethics being the added bonus.

In the current economic climate, retailers increasingly need to find great products that give consumers that little bit extra of an incentive to spend their pennies, which may be why there was such an increase in attendees this season.

This boded well for the 106 ethical fashion brands exhibiting, whose designs are not only unique and innovative in their own right, but also happen to be fair trade, organic or sustainable.

At the ethical fashion seminars hosted by the EFF, some of the most exciting emerging designers were selected by speakers Jules Hau and Alex Smith. These included (amongst others), Nancy Dee, Terra Plana, Komodo, Pachacuti and Monkee Genes, as well as INNOVATION design winners, Mia and Lalesso, all from a variety price points, luxury and street-wear.

Max RogersD&G model Max Rogers shows his support at the ethical fashion seminar on 3rd August

The consensus was that ethical designers are successfully competing and integrating with other fashion brands in the way they communicate, market and sell themselves, demonstrating how the industry has embraced changes so far.

We’d love to hear what you think so please let is know your thoughts…How do you see ethical fashion progressing? What can be done to further engage and integrate with mainstream and designer brands? And the Biggie: how long will it take for “ethical fashion” to break out of its niche and become synonymous with “fashion”?

Further detail here

* Environment * Ethical living The Observer Ethical Awards 2009: Natural selection

2009-08-27T23:37:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the launch of the Observer Ethical Awards 2009, in association with Ecover. Ethical issues have been variously pitched as cool, transformed, rebranded and even normal (praise indeed given their former tie-dye/wind-chime hugging roots). This is all absolutely valid, but for our fourth awards, I'd like to pitch the ethical outlook as being simply vital.

Inevitably, given the current fiscal climate (politely described as "challenging"), some leaders and big businesses will try to weasel out of environmental and social justice commitment or scale back previously "ambitious" plans to become low carbon. If you like, this is the opposite of greenwashing but just as pernicious.

The best defence against such weaseling, when commitment to a better planet is more important than ever, is mass engagement and enthusiasm for new and better ideas, campaigners and their projects. And the Observer Ethical Awards are all about enthusiasm. Each year this is reflected in the fact that you vote in your thousands for the people and ideas you think make a real difference.

The judging panel is made up of the UK's top environmental and sustainability experts and some extremely well-known faces. Even when our judges are primarily famous for something else - say, acting in Hollywood blockbusters or writing the Booker prize winner - they are well versed in and passionate about a range of ethical issues from fairtrade and organic farming to low-carbon technologies. This is necessary because, going on previous years, victories are hard won and debate is fierce.

This is part of the reason why past award winners continue to set a new ethical agenda across the country, and even across the world. In June at the Awards party in central London, Annie Lennox presented the award for Conservation Project of the Year to a group of retired islanders who had set up the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (Coast). By September this same group had persuaded the Scottish government to create Scotland's first-ever No-Take Zone in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran - decisive action that positively changes the outlook for future generations of fish and islanders. Vital action, you might say.

5 Cheap & Easy Ways to Green Your Wardrobe

2009-08-23T01:56:00.000-07:00

Written by Yuka Yoneda

As Inhabitat’s fashion editor, I spend a lot of time (yes, a tad bit little longer than is required for my job) perusing through seriously crave-worthy fashions, from the frilly and ethereal, to the haunting and hardcore. That being said, looking at all of these beautiful clothes can be very bittersweet when you’re working with a less than rockstar budget. In fact, one of the biggest complaints I hear about ethical and eco-conscious fashion is that it is just too expensive! I definitely acknowledge the fact that buying a lot of these labels is not cheap, but you have to admit that it makes sense that clothing using the latest and most innovative fabrics and paying fair wages to local people would be more pricey. I try my best to save up and buy my favorite eco-chic pieces when they go on sale to support the cause, but who says you need to spend big bucks to rock a look that is both green and cutting edge? Here are 5 easy and supercheap ways to green your wardrobe by using your noggin instead of your benjamins.
5. Flip It and Reverse It

Instead of buying two separate garments, diversify your wardrobe by looking for clothes that are reversible or double duty in some way. Dresses with cute patterns on both the inside and out (like the supercute baby blue number below) are a great example of getting two dresses for the price of one!
4. Call In the Swap Team

Swap meetups are a simple way to score fresh pieces for the new season without actually having to spend money on them. And since you’re basically trading clothing with other people instead of purchasing new, the whole process is very sustainable. If you’re looking for a swap meetup in your area, Meetup.com is a great place to find one (I recommend the Five Borough Clothing Swap Meetup if you are in NYC), or you can always host your own swap party with your friends! Real Simple has a wonderful guide with everything from how to organize your swap party to what to serve.
3. No One Has to Know That It’s the Same Dress!

In the past, fashion has been all about buying new clothes to keep your look fresh and discarding old ones. But why not revamp what you already have by accessorizing wisely? Take a cue from The Uniform Project, a clever and inspirational website that follows the daily fashion adventures of one girl as she recycles the same little black dress into a new creation everyday for a whole year, and use your imagination to make your own wardrobes staples sparkle again.
2. Threadbangers Unite!

This one is a no-brainer. Sewing your own outfits (especially out of reclaimed fabric from clothing you already have) means that you’re saving energy, materials and avoiding unethical labor. We love Threadbanger for ideas about everything from making a stylish slouchy dress out of old t-shirts to crafting a Balenciaga jumper out of scrap fabric. Need patterns? SANS has some simple and elegant ones for as little as $6.
1. Repurpose What You Already Have

Wait - don’t throw that away! Before you discard old clothes or accessories, consider what other ways you may be able to use them. From transforming tank tops that no longer fit into handy grocery bags to repurposing padded bra inserts as shoe insoles, chances are there are some pretty ingenious ways that you can turn your old junk into something you really need and save some cash while you’re at it!

Primark protestors urge us to choose ethical fashion NOT fast-fashion

2009-08-18T21:44:00.000-07:00

By Bertie Bowen

More than 30 supporters of ethical fashion were at the opening of Primark’s new super store but with 250 crazed shoppers to contend with we hope their message did not fall on deaf ears. The group ‘Labour Behind The Label’ organised the demonstration and their aim was to educate consumers who buy into fast fashion culture and make them stop and think about who may be really paying the price. Affordable clothes are vital but most Primark shoppers are buying more than they need. According to Labour Behind The Label, high street stores such as Primark are exploiting workers and damaging the environment. Workers based in Bangladesh are reportedly paid the equivalent of seven pence an hour for hard labour. With emotive banners, leaflets and songs, protesters urged shoppers to choose ethical fashion instead.

You can buy fashion every week if you wish, but to be environmentally and ethically aware try to buy from second hand shops, vintage markets and, of course ethical fashion brands. Shopping in this way, you can make a long-lasting difference whilst ensuring you are individual and stylish.

So cool, and so ethical

2009-08-13T06:55:00.000-07:00

Not long ago, ethical fashion had an image problem. No one wanted to wear baggy-bottomed Thai fisherman's trousers or an ecru smock top. Unflattering and unappealing, eco-fashion was best left to eco-warriors.
But there has been a definite swing over the past year. Ethical consumerism – from buying products made from recycled or renewable sources to supporting companies that adhere to fair trade principles – is on the rise. It is now cool to care.

So cool in fact, that the latest edition of Vogue has devoted 10 pages to ethical clothing. And London Fashion Week, which starts next week, will include an exhibition space dedicated to 13 ethical labels.

But it's the celebrities behind the movement who are really making a difference. They've made ethical consumerism sexy. One is Bono. Last year, along with his wife, Ali Hewson, and designer Rogan Gregory, he launched Edun, a socially conscious fashion label.

Its clothes are made in locally run factories in Africa, South America and India and the company promotes trade rather than aid. The range is brilliantly designed: this autumn there are beautiful Art Nouveau printed silk dresses, elegant tie-neck chiffon blouses, urban skinny jeans and denim trench coats.

This year Bono also launched Project Red, a collaboration between Armani, Amex, Converse, Motorola and Gap. Each brand markets covetable and ecologically sound products under the Red banner; profits are donated to a fund fighting Aids, malaria and TB in Africa.

Project RED's unofficial face is Scarlett Johansson, who appears in October's issue of Vogue wearing Armani's designs for the charity. The actress told the magazine: "We don't have to live in a teepee and wear a hemp skirt to be conscious about what's going on. Maybe somebody thinks, 'It's cool that she's wearing the Red T-shirt, I'll hop over to Gap and pick one up'."

Gap, which launched the T-shirts in the spring ( parkas, hoodies and jeans will follow) isn't the only store turning out fashionable and ethically produced clothes. Last week saw the launch of Adili, a website devoted to the top 25 ethical fashion labels, including Ciel, Patagonia, HUG and People Tree, which has a concession in Topshop, Oxford Circus.

People Tree has given the movement a boost with Trudie Styler as its new face. It has designed T-shirts in conjunction with Action Aid; 10 per cent of profits will go to help raise Fair Trade awareness in Asia, Africa and the Americas.

Small, independent fashion labels have also furrowed the green path. Brighton-based Enamore sells everything from pretty hand-made kimono tops to delicate hemp knickers ( far more appealing than they sound).

Chic shoes can be found at ethical boutiques such as Terra Plana, which designs shoes with recycled materials. And rather than squeezing into jeans made from cotton cultivated with pesticides, consumers can now choose brands such as Loomstate, whose eco-friendly designer jeans are sold at Harvey Nichols and Urban Outfitters.

Larger companies are catching on. Timberland, which sells eco-friendly footwear made with vegetable tanned leather and recycled rubber soles, is launching a reforestation project – it will plant one tree for each pair of boots sold.

And Marks & Spencer, which recently commissioned a survey that found that 78 per cent of shoppers wanted to know more about the way products were made, has just launched its own Fair Trade line.

Tesco, meanwhile, is to sell a range of organic clothing designed by Katherine Hamnett, a long-time crusader for ethical fashion.

Of course, it can be argued that eco-fashion is an oxymoron. How can eco-friendliness fit with so ephemeral an industry? The most significant progress should perhaps come from consumers: buying less, and more ethically, could be the most ecologically sound way to shop.

Further read the article here

Ethical fashion design competition launches

2009-05-04T10:59:00.000-07:00

The Ethical Fashion Forum has launched a design competition called Innovation, aimed at young ethical fashion designers or businesses.

The competition, supported by the London Development Agency, is open to young designers, or businesses, which have been in the industry for less than three years. Winners will be chosen on the basis of outstanding design and product standards, as well as innovation in relation to social and environmental sustainability.

Entrants have to submit two designs via an application form, which can be downloaded from www.ethicalfashionforum.com. The winning six entrants will receive business support from industry experts and be given the opportunity to showcase their collections at either trade show Pure or London Fashion Week.

The entries will be judged by a panel of industry experts including, Anna Orsini, head of international relations at The British Fashion Council, Yasmin Sewell, chief creative consultant at Liberty of London, and Dr Francis Corner, professor of Art and Design Education at The London College of Fashion.

Corner said: “Innovation is a great opportunity for new and emerging fashion designers and businesses who are committed to great design and to a sustainable and ethical industry. It will showcase their work, give them business support and generally assist the cause of creating a totally sustainable fashion industry.”

The application deadline is May 29, winners will be announced at the end of August.

ORGANIC & FAIRTRADE FASHION DOING JUST FINE

2009-04-28T22:26:00.001-07:00

Have you been looking over your shoulder wondering if that credit crunch has hit support for eco fashion? Then worry not. Good news comes in two forms from key opinion forming organizations.

A GlobeScan survey on Fairtrade support, commissioned by Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) and ahead of celebrations for World Fair Trade Day 2009 on 9 May suggests Fairtrade certified cotton clothing is far from doom and gloom. Among the sample surveyed across fifteen counties, three quarters of shoppers still feel that companies should be going that one step further and ‘actively support community development in developing countries’ with nine out of ten people trusting the labels of the FAIRTRADE Certification Mark or North American Fair Trade Certified™. Despite the economy, 2008 sales overall were on the increase too, from 10% in the US to a whopping 75% in Sweden.

Binod Mohan, Chairman of the Network of Asian Producers and member of the FLO Board says, ‘We in Asia have faith in the consumer and their loyalty to buying Fairtrade products. For the shopper these are staple products; for the farmer in the developing world the purchase of Fairtrade makes a big difference and we know consumers realize this.’

Recent organic market reports from the UK’s Soil Association showed that the sales of organic certified textiles are also softening the blow of the recession. Sales forecasts are suggested to rise three times over by 2012, and sales exceeded a monumental mark of £100 million in 2008, with high street retailers M&S and New Look alone selling 3.4 million organic items.

Wearing the Talk about Ethical Fashion

2009-04-22T02:21:00.000-07:00

After graduating from Duke in 2007, Rachel Weeks went to Sri Lanka on a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue her interest in ethical fashion, a subject she explored in her Women’s Studies senior honors thesis, “The Wonder Bra: Theorizing Globalization, Women’s Labor, and Consumption for Twenty-First Century Feminism,” a study of the intersections between fashion and academic feminism. But her interest in the topic wasn’t just academic.

While researching socially responsible apparel manufacturing in Sri Lanka, Rachel founded School House, LLC, a “people friendly” fashion collegiate apparel brand. The Fulbrighter joined forces with fashion designer Colleen McCann over the Internet, and together they are now launching a 54-product collection at a number of U.S. universities—beginning with Duke. School House’s factory partner, JK Apparel, is the first living wage factory initiative in Sri Lanka and is supported directly through the sale of School House products.

Rachel felt the first stirrings of what became School House when she and classmate Haley Hoffman were planning DukePlays: the Party, which the Duke Libraries hosted in February 2007. Rachel said, “…absolutely, the idea definitely came to me as a result of the DukePlays party.”

Working with the theme “tradition never looked so good,” Rachel and Haley mounted an exhibit for the party of iconic Duke images drawn from University Archives and created an array of party favors that also paid tribute to campus life through the decades. Even Rachel’s party dress was inspired by the “tradition” theme. She said,

The reaction to my vintage Duke t-shirt dress from both current students and alumni made me start thinking about the collegiate market and the opportunities there were to improve design, product range, etc. Our “Green House” collection dresses are inspired by that first dress—each one is crafted from “recycled” Duke t-shirts…

Photos by C. Stephen Hurst

The School House line will be introduced at Duke in a trunk show on Reunions Weekend. The trunk show will give fashionistas—and anyone loyal to Duke—an opportunity to learn more about the factory in Sri Lanka and the women who work there and see and buy School House clothes.

'Fair trade is a slow process'

2009-04-07T05:29:00.000-07:00

Safia Minney

What is ethical fashion? It's a confusing term. Sometimes it's easier to define by what it isn't – and unfortunately that is most of what can be found on the high street. Unethical fashion means very very little transparency, accountability and knowledge of the supply chain. It means demands of very quick lead times and production turnaround. It means producers played off against each other. It means a wage that doesn't even afford the worker an adequate salary for two meals a day.

In spite of this, I'm a bit sceptical about the term ethical fashion. There's a tendency for people to include brands that are doing small initiatives but haven't necessarily embraced transparency or meeting genuine ethical standards and environment standards across their supply base. A company might be a member of the ETI – the Ethical Trading Initiative – but the ETI really lacks the teeth to ensure clothing for the high street is made in decent working conditions.

At People Tree we position ourselves as a fair trade fashion pioneer brand. I've always wanted to wear fair trade fashion, but when I started work at 17 everything was horrible! I used to buy pieces and try and make them beautiful on my sewing machine but it really was difficult. So I started working with a designer in Tokyo, and gradually built up skills from different women's organisations in Bangladesh, India, Zimbabwe, Nepal and Kenya.

It was when I started trying to produce clothing that was made in a 100% fair trade way that I started asking the question – what is fair trade fairer than? Through working with activists who were looking at labour rights issues for garment factory workers in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, we realized just how awful the working conditions really were. In India at the time child labour was still being used and often environmental pollution was completely undermining the basic human rights of the people who lived in these areas. Consequently we joined the activists in campaigning for change, looking for solutions and to trying to create a voice for those people whose rights were being undermined by the fashion industry.

It's a slow process. We work on building a supply chain through incredibly small disadvantaged groups. These are people with fantastic traditional skills like weaving or block printing, but no access to the market. They deserve that access, and they deserve a living wage. So we give them technical assistance and support to bring their products to the market.

Working in a truly fair trade way means no short turnarounds – it takes a minimum of six months to bring a product from design to market. In mainstream fashion, producers don't get paid until they deliver. Small groups just don't have the financial resources to work like this – and in larger factories the producers will be exploited, working at a lower wage to create the working capital for that particular factory. Paying a fair trade wage means paying half up front, and paying more for the product itself.

Fair trade production isn't easy. The biggest problem is cash flow – although we're held up as a very successful model it took us eight years to break even in Japan and we haven't yet in Britain. Because we make advance payments there is a huge financial burden on the company, and despite lots of talk, there just isn't yet the 'patient capital' (investors looking for a long-term return - both morally and financially) to invest in companies like People Tree. The technical assistance and training we provide is also a financial burden. It's an integral part of what we do, but we have to pay those people a salary!

One of our proudest projects is Swallows in North Bangladesh. This is a women's group of 200 artisans ranging from weavers to tailors. The last 18 months have seen an increase in their incomes by 50% due to expanded product development and design using their traditional skills. We've taken them to visit other tailoring units and even bought some of their producers over to the UK to meet customers. In rural Bangladesh it's hard for people to understand fully what the average 32 year old in London wants to wear, how she lives. They've learned why fitted clothes are important, and seen how fashion retail looks in London – quite different, obviously, to Bangladesh.

It has given them the tools to really become part of the fashion industry and to feel that they are very much in control of the traditional process. That is what's really important.

Lindsay Lohan's ethical fashion shoot

2009-03-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

Lindsay Lohan has posed in a selection of vintage clothing, in her new role fronting ethical fashion campaign Visa Swap.

Making quite a departure from her previous advertising shoots for high-end designers such as Miu Miu and Donna Karan, Lohan only wore second-hand clothing during the shoot, proving you don't have to spend a fortune to look stylish.

Commenting on her appointment, the Mean Girls star said, 'The concept of swapping clothes, getting something for nothing and refreshing your wardrobe appeals to everyone. Ethical stories continue to dominate the news agenda and it's great when fashion projects benefit charities.'

The event takes place this month in London's Covent Garden, and encourages shoppers to swap unwanted clothing. It is in association with clothing charity TRAID.

The Future of Fashion is Ethical

2009-03-24T06:21:00.000-07:00

Over the course of the last year or so, I’ve noticed an increasing amount of advertising that touts fashion apparel as organic; moving forward, it will also be "ethical." By definition, ethical fashion is "fashion that has been made, worn and passed on in a way that looks after people, animals, and the environment."

And it seems that there are several big names out there that are championing the cause. BBC is one of them, recently rolling out an online ethical fashion magazine titled "Thread." Being produced by BBC Learning, the online magazine is aimed at the 16 to 30 year-old crowd, because, as designer Katherine Hemnett cites, "young people are really interested in these issues."

What exactly qualifies as an "ethical fashion" issue? Everything from the environmental footprint created by clothing manufacturing and the impact of the fashion industry on human and animal rights to educating shoppers on why choosing ethical and organic makes a difference in the world’s future.

And of course, the celebrity crowd is already on the bandwagon too with supporters like Scarlett Johansson, Brad Pitt, and actress Lindsay Lohan who is reportedly collaborating with Visa to sing the praises of ethical fashion. In addition, the team will be launching a campaign that will give people an incentive for turning in unwanted designer fashions - the idea being that they can then go shopping for new, "ethical" fashion.

Speaking of shopping for ethical fashion, it does come with a sizable price tag in most cases. After all, we’re not talking about clothing that’s being pounded out by factory workers stuck under sewing machines for 14-hours a day, seven days a week. However, if you’re socially conscious, you’re probably going to be willing to open your wallet for it.

And it you need a little push in the right direction, even after watching the videos and reading about deplorable working conditions that are written about over at Thread, you can always shop offline at Oxfam.

The charity group, has just launched its first high-fashion boutique in Westbourne Grove, London to coincide with World Fair Trade Day. Selling a range of second hand designer items such as Prada and Gucci at bargain prices, it makes ethical fashion shopping easy on your budget.

Whether you’re in London or not, be sure to take advantage of BBC’s online fashion magazine. The site promises to "show you how to get the look you want in an eco-glam way through a unique mix of affordable fashion, exclusive videos, photo galleries, and thought-provoking features."

courtesy www.fashion-fox.com

Ready To Wear: Ethical Fashion?

2009-03-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

Fashion, we all know, is about rather more than just frocks. With this in mind, the strange juxtaposition of two events in the British capital last Thursday provided food for thought. On the one hand, a substantial part of London's Victoria was cordoned off to allow the hugely privileged creature that is the core Chanel customer to attend that label's first ever fashion show in this country without having to rub shoulders with anything so unsightly as a member of the general public, say. On the other, outside branches of Topshop countrywide, War On Want were encouraging students - probably that high street institution's core customer - to protest against what it describes as the store's "exploitation of workers" in the developing world. "The 1.2 billion dividend for Sir Philip Green, who owns UK retailer Topshop, was enough to double the salaries of Cambodia's whole garment workforce for eight years," read a press release issued by that pressure group.

Of course, the Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, today the grandest couturier still practising his craft, is unlikely ever to be strapped for cash. His income too would presumably keep a large proportion of the developing world in a manner to which it is not accustomed. Having said that, the more obviously elitist concern is, debatably, more politically correct than the democratic one, particularly in this instance.

Lagerfeld was in London, of course, putting on his annual Maisons d'Art collection, an event specifically designed to show-case the work of the atelier which provide the finest hand-crafted embellishment to all the great names, the embroiderer Lesage, the boot maker Massaro and the feather specialist Lemarie among them. Chanel has what might best be described as a special relationship with these workshops, having bought them outright five years ago now in order to preserve them not to mention the strictly unionised jobs of the skilled craftspeople involved, at least some of whom supplied the late Coco herself.

More broadly, for those bored of the rapacious pace of even the designer fashion industry today, investing in Chanel may be a shrewd move. As the unprecedented number of extraordinarily well-dressed clients at last week's presentation went to prove the label remains quintessentially chic, classically elegant and may be adapted to suit extremely diverse tastes, ages and body sizes.

There must be a downside, surely? But of course. Chanel, by almost any standards, is hugely expensive and there are therefore only very few who can reasonably consider buying it. A single piece from this great Gallic institution may be more precious than an entire high street collection, however. The rest of the world might have to make do with less rarefied designs but that doesn't mean we can't dream or indeed be mindful that these also come at a price.

Ethical Wedding; I do: Tying the knot is getting greener

2009-03-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

Economic woes may be causing the appetite for expensive white weddings to crash, but at least one form of wedding is blossoming: the green variety. In tune with a thriftier climate, today sees the doors open on the UK's first major wedding show dedicated to brides and grooms wanting to minimise the environmental impact of their big day, and is just one sign of the rising trend.

Billed as the Eco Chic Wedding & Home Show, the event in Birmingham follows a flurry of new books, suppliers and gift lists on the subject of green unions amid reports from churches and wedding planners of a growing interest in the concept.

Though there is no hard and fast definition of a green wedding, typical conscientious celebrations include a focus on low carbon transport — horse-pulled wagons to gas-powered Bentleys — and local produce — organic beers to British cider.

"A green wedding is one that truly reflects the values of the couple by being conscious of consumption — from the venue to the dress and the reception decorations — and being aware of your carbon footprint," said Rosie Ames, the founder of Green Union, a website that puts couples in contact with sustainably minded suppliers.

"The British public are becoming more environmentally conscious, so it makes sense that this awareness will trickle down to all areas of their life including their wedding day," said Kate Haines, the show's organiser.

Wedding venues have noticed the trend. The Church of England, which is running a two-year project to make its churches more enticing for weddings, reported that it has begun receiving requests for couples wanting a sustainable special day. One such couple was Jessica Randall and Joseph Carrick, who held their wedding in St. George's Church, London, to enable guests to travel via public transport. "We also honeymooned in the UK to reduce our carbon footprint and had a gift list with Oxfam Unwrapped," added Randall.

Organisers behind the National Wedding Show, the UK's biggest wedding event, said they had seen a move towards "ethical" gift lists akin to the advent of goats for Africa and other philanthropic gifts at Christmas. Charities including Cancer Research UK, Oxfam and NSPCC all exhibited for the first time at its Olympia show last month .

The past year has even seen four books published on the subject. "Almost every wedding magazine has had a green feature this season but, unlike previous years, it has lost its alternative 'druid' factor. It's now seen as very in vogue to have organic champagne," said Jen Marsden, author of the Green Guide to Weddings.

Websites catering for the rising interest have also enjoyed a boost in traffic, with the Ethical Weddings site reporting a six-fold increase in traffic between January 2007 and January 2009. An online poll by You And Your Wedding magazine suggested 22.6% of 745 respondents thought about green issues when planning their wedding.

With the credit crunch biting and the average cost of a wedding hovering just under £20,000, according to Confetti.co.uk, there are also signs that more newlyweds are opting for UK honeymoons. The eco travel site Responsibletravel.com said it experienced a 144% increase between 2007 and 2008 for honeymoons in the UK, a trend it attributed to cost-cutting and avoiding the carbon footprint created by traditional long-haul destinations.

But not everyone is convinced couples are always putting sustainability first in their planning. "I've noticed over the past two years that clients are asking about the provenance of food, questions such as: where do you source your meat and cheese?" said Kelly Chandler, a wedding planner for the Bespoke Wedding Company. "But it seems more out of curiosity and a desire for a 'feel-good' factor, because it hasn't ever been a deal-breaker when venues aren't sourcing locally."

The terms "green wedding" and "ethical wedding" appear to have originated in the UK. Data from Google's Insights for Search service shows that searches for "green wedding ideas" have mushroomed by over 5000% in the past five years, with the UK outstripping the US and Australia by a wide margin for queries on the subject.

Perhaps the surest sign green weddings are going mainstream is that TV companies are sniffing around green weddings. Dragon's Den researchers are reportedly scouting the Eco Chic Wedding & Homes Show today looking for exhibitors to go head-to-head with Peter Jones and company.

London on parade to show that ethical clothes can cut it on the catwalk

2009-02-26T23:47:00.000-08:00

London Fashion Week has a longstanding reputation for creative exuberance. But yesterday it became clear that the city was gunning for a more grown-up label too: that of the most ethical of the four leading fashion capitals.

The British Fashion Council, who organise the five days of shows, chose to open the event not with a high-energy extravaganza from a bright young thing, but with the launch of Estethica, its showcase of ethical designer fashion.

The ethical initiative, now in its sixth season, has gained such standing that it has won government backing. Yesterday, Defra chose the event to launch its Sustainable Clothing Action Plan - Scap as it is rather unglamorously known.

Drawn up by leading names in fashion manufacturing and retail, Scap outlines commitments to make fashion more sustainable throughout its lifecycle - from design, to manufacture, to retail, to disposal. Many of the actions pledged by those involved are already underway and aim to have a marked effect on the environmental impact of throwaway fashion which sees two million tonnes of clothing end up in landfill every year.

As part of the deal:

• Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Sainsbury's have pledged to increase their ranges of Fairtrade and organic clothing, and support fabrics which can be recycled more easily.

• Tesco is banning cotton from countries which use child labour.

• Oxfam and other charities will open more sustainable clothing boutiques featuring high quality second-hand clothing and new designs made from recycled garments.

• The Centre for Sustainable Fashion at the London College of Fashion will be resourced to provide practical support to the clothing sector.

• The Fairtrade Foundation will aim for at least 10% of cotton clothing in the UK to be Fairtrade material by 2012.

Lord Hunt, the minister for sustainability at Defra, boomed that he was "fantastically excited" to be launching the action plan at fashion week. From a lectern on the catwalk and dressed in a crumpled suit, Hunt said: "I couldn't think of a better place to be launching the roadmap."

Estethica aims to bring together like-minded ethical designer labels. It was founded by the fashion council three years ago to raise the profile of eco-sustainable fashion, making its image more cutting-edge and less worthy. The 37 designers in the showcase must adhere to at least one of Estethica's three principles: organic, fair trade or recycled.

Peter Ingwersen, the founder of Esthetica's most high-end label, Noir, said: "We all look to inspire the industry and consumers that sexiness, luxury, fashion, corporate social responsibility and ethics can work in harmony together without compromising style."

Yesterday's Noir collection highlighted the point that ethical fashion needn't be dowdy. The look on the catwalk was elegant with an edge, with a restrained colour spectrum that ranged from black leather to navy silk. Antique gold sequins and exposed zips provided the details.

This year London Fashion Week is celebrating its 25th birthday, but in keeping with the economic climate no inappropriately lavish parties have been planned. Instead, organisers are stressing that even in a recession, fashion matters. Figures were released showing that the event is worth £20m to the capital's economy in direct spending - from hotel bookings to food and drink - and generates clothing orders worth £100m.

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, gave support earlier in the week by pledging to spend £40,000 to make sure that the world's top buyers attend. It had been feared that international buyers from the US would tighten their purse strings by skipping the event altogether and flying straight from the New York shows to Milan. A fear made more palpable by the fact that London Fashion Week has, this season, been squeezed into fewer days with longer hours. Johnson said: "Fashion, like other creative industries, plays a vital role in London's economic success. It is essential that we do everything we can to support the fashion industry." The investment from the London Development Agency will be used to fund 30 key buyers' trips to the event.

Despite the serious focus and the tighter schedule, fashion week is not expected to be a dull affair. Hilary Riva, chief executive of the fashion council, said: "It would be trite to say that the recession won't affect us, but London's designers have never had big budgets, and creativity comes out of the conditions our designers work in anyway. We've always been poor."

Ethical Fashion Tops the Bill in London

2009-02-20T10:38:00.000-08:00

The British Fashion Council, who organise the five days of shows, chose to open the event not with a high-energy catwalk extravaganza from one of the city's bright young things, but with the launch of Estethica, its showcase of ethical designer fashion.

The ethical initiative, now in its sixth season, has gained such standing that it has now won government backing. Today, Defra chose the event to launch its Sustainable Clothing Action Plan - or Scap, as it is rather unglamorously known.

Drawn up by leading names in fashion manufacturing and retail, Scap outlines commitments to make fashion more sustainable throughout its lifecycle: from design, to manufacture, to retail, to disposal. Many of the actions pledged by those involved with Scap are already under way and aim to have a marked effect on the environmental impact of throwaway fashion.

Lord Hunt, minister for sustainability at Defra, boomed that he was "fantastically excited" to be launching the action plan at fashion week. From a lectern on the catwalk, dressed in a crumpled suit and with the air of an embarrassing uncle, Hunt enthused: "I couldn't think of a better place to be launching the roadmap."

Estethica aims to bring together like-minded ethical designer fashion labels. It was founded by the BFC three years ago with the aim of raising the profile of sustainable fashion, making its image more cutting-edge and less worthy. The 37 designers now involved in the showcase have to adhere to at least one of Estethica's three principles: organic, Fairtrade or recycled.

Peter Ingwersen is the founder of Esthetica's most high-end label, Noir, who showed its collection on the catwalk today. He commented: "We all look to inspire the industry and consumers that sexiness, luxury, fashion, corporate social responsibility and ethics can work in harmony together without compromising style."

Today's Noir collection highlighted the point that ethical fashion needn't be dowdy. The look was elegant with an edge, with a restrained colour spectrum that ranged from black leather to navy silk. Antique gold sequins and exposed zips provided the details.

This year London fashion week is celebrating its 25th birthday, but in a nod to the economic climate no inappropriately lavish parties have been planned. Instead, organisers are keen to stress that even in the depth of a recession, fashion matters. Figures released show that the event is worth £20m to the captial's economy from direct spending - from hotel bookings to food and drink - and generates clothing orders worth £100m.

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, added his support to the catwalks earlier in the week by pledging to spend £40,000 to make sure that the world's top buyers attend LFW. It had been feared that international buyers from the US would tighten their purse strings by skipping the event altogether and flying straight from the New York shows to Milan. This fear was made more palpable by the fact that the London event has, this season, been squeezed into fewer days with longer hours.

Johnson said: "Fashion like other creative industries plays a vital role in London's economic success. It is essential that we do everything we can to support the fashion industry." The investment comes from the London Development Agency and will be used to fund 30 key buyers' trips to the event.

Despite the serious focus and the edited schedule, fashion week is not expected to be a dull affair. Hilary Riva, chief executive of the BFC, commented: "It would be trite to say that the recession won't affect us, but London's designers have never had big budgets, and creativity comes out of the conditions our designers work in anyway. We've always been poor."

Handbag With Environtment in Mind

2009-02-17T22:59:00.000-08:00

It all started when Ken Kobrick, an ex-welder, and Angela Greene, an inventor who doesn't even carry a handbag, decided to dive headfirst into the incredibly competitive world of the accessories market.

The idea was born when, in 1999, Angela purchased a backpack made from inner tubes. Inspired to create their own collection, they decided to take on the creative challenge of using discarded tractor tire inner tubes and converting them into high-end, luxury accessories. Deciding to make a "green" impact on the accessories market was logical, because Kobrick and Greene are both committed to recycling, and they were passionate about creating products that were functional as well as unique and classic in design. Neither had any formal design background, but soon the couple was experimenting with hand sewn designs.

"We started making the bags in our 900-sq.-ft house, and had to throw away our old couch to make room for the industrial sewing machines that we purchased with our 401K,” explains Kobrick about the brand’s modest beginnings. “The only room that didn't have inner tubes or a sewing machine was the bathroom."

Passchal incorporates leather trim and sides to their rubber bags, keeping them lightweight and enabling the introduction of new colors and textures. In keeping with their eco-friendly beliefs, all leathers used are by-products, vegetable dyed and chrome free, and all bags are handcrafted using the highest quality hardware and materials available. The inner tubes are collected in VA, Ohio and GA, and undergo a rigorous but environmentally friendly, multi-day cleaning process. To date, Passchal has recycled approximately 20 tons of inner tubes!

The line launched in May of 2004, and through word of mouth, instantly caught the attention of both media and celebrities.
Passchal bags have been featured on The Today Show, and in Entrepreneur and Rolling Stone magazines, to name a few. They have also been featured at the Billboard Music Awards and at Olympus Fashion Week.

In early 2008, Angie and Ken rented the property next door, and converted the 1500-sq-ft house into a design studio. All of the inner tubes are still stored and processed on their property. But – for the record – they got a new couch.

'Ethical fashion is about being creative'

2009-02-12T23:01:00.000-08:00

Jo Wood, founder of Jo Wood Organic. She explains why now is the time to make a big change.

My understanding of ethical fashion started in my teens. My mother is a doll maker and so I was always surrounded by fabrics, buttons, Victorian petticoats and old dresses. I'd watch her turn old clothes into beautiful inventive outfits and it became clear to me from a young age that clothes can be used and reused.

I would mix, match and recycle clothes from those early times. In fact the day, or rather the night, I met my husband I was wearing my granny's old dress. Even though I've been lucky enough to have access to some of the world's best designers and their new collections, I find nothing more exciting than finding an old item of clothing and giving it a new lease of life.

For a while in the 80s I bought a lot of new clothes. I was living in America and got swept up in the sheer number of shops, designers and the gluttonous consumer attitude that was sweeping the globe. It was during my time in the States that my sister and I found some of Ronnie [Wood]'s old flares and dressed up in 70s style, accessories and all. Laughing, we strode into the room where Ronnie was. He took one look and announced: "Mark my words, that look will be back in fashion one day."

He was right and it raises an important point; you only have to pick up Vogue from the last few decades to see how looks come back around and something that seemed simply unwearable one year is top of the fashion class the next. I have kept everything that Ronnie and I have bought since that time in the 80s and regularly dip into the 'treasure trove' to unearth some classic number. If I'm not in there, my daughter Leah is. If it's not her then the parents of my grandchildren are in there sourcing stuff for the young ones.

I'm not saying I never buy new clothes because I certainly do. I still buy well-made dresses and tailored jackets but more and more I am conscious of where the clothes are from and the impact they have had both sociologically and environmentally on the planet.

I am a total organic, live a strict an organic lifestyle and am passionate about being aware of where food, cosmetics, and clothes have come from. The more I have explored the path that consumables have taken to reach their buyers, the more concerned I have become about the ethical state we find ourselves in.

Over 90 million items of clothing are thrown away each year in this country alone. It seems to have become a habitual pleasure to throw something away and go straight back to the shops for more. Part of the cause of this problem is with the major distributors battling to provide the cheapest possible price for their consumer.

Garment workers throughout the globe are traditionally paid the minimum wage and work long hours in substandard, environmentally hostile conditions in order to produce the clothes that we take for granted. In the developing world, countries such as Indonesia and China mass-produce enough clothes to reach to the moon and back every day. This routine production and exploitation in the name of fashion means we can buy a new T-shirt for 50p while retailers reap huge profits from these suffering workers.

Over two thirds of the world's cotton is grown in developing countries and the former Soviet Union. Valued at over $32 billion every year, global cotton production should be improving lives. But this "white gold" too often brings misery. Along with the poverty and appalling working conditions created, the impact environmentally is enormously detrimental due to the chemicals used and the vast distances these items have to travel to get to the future buyers.

The problems don't stop there.

Discarded clothing and shoes are typically sent to landfill. There, textiles present particular problems. Synthetic products do not decompose. Woollen garments do, but in doing so they produce methane, which contributes to global warming and climate change.

At a time when the issue of global waste is on the political lips of leaders all over the world it is time to decide how we can do our bit. In a very basic sense it means that we take into account worker's rights, social justice and environmental issues. Ethical fashion is about being creative and embracing eclectic style. It's about cutting up an old T-shirt, some old jeans or a dress that's been hiding for years to give it new life. Dusting off those belts and hats. It's about being cautious about what you throw away; it's about wearing fashion that respects our planet; it's about creating a demand for ethical products so big fashion houses rethink their strategy. Ethical fashion is about buying garments from suppliers you can trust. Ethical fashion has cool scribbled all over it.

The chance to make a big change is here; we just need to take it.

Beauty Without Beastliness

2009-02-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

Looking good doesn't need to be bad news for the natural environment, provided you opt for brands with a sustainable approach. Try our five greener choices below and, naturally, dispose of them in a responsible fashion once you're done.

Eco concerns

• Palm oil deforestation. Many toiletries contain this near-ubiquitous ingredient which, as Fred Pearce explains, is having a huge impact on Borneo and elsewhere in south Asia.

• Chemicals. As Lucy Siegle notes, there are serious concerns over the toxicity of many cosmetic chemicals and the environmental impact of their supply chain.

• Animal testing. While UK law prevents animal testing for cosmetics, it doesn't stop companies selling beauty products here that were tested on guinea pigs elsewhere in the world, as our Lucy explains.

Top 5 green choices

1. Lush – massive range of Valentine's wares from bath-bombs to massage bars, produced to stringent ethical standards – as well as avoiding animal-tested ingredients, Lush won't deal with any supplier that's engaged in animal testing in any way.

2. Essential Care - the first firm to cook up an organic-certified shampoo, Essential Care has now branched out into organic makeup including everything from blusher, mascara and eyeliner to foundation, bronzer and lipstick.

3. Perfume – avoid synthetic fragrances with Lucy Siegle's guide to eco-perfumes.

4. Dr Hauschka – this highly-respected German natural beauty brand has a spread of gift boxes for Valentine's including, refreshingly, one for blokes too.

5. Babylis Eco Dry – this hair dryer uses just 1,000 watts, half the amount of an average one. It doesn't, however, take twice as long to dry your hair, says Babylis' "indepedent" tests.

Glitz and gongs as ethical fashion steals the limelight

2009-02-09T01:34:00.000-08:00

Not so long ago, ethical fashion was perceived as the preserve of a tiny hemp-wearing, sandalled fringe. But further evidence that it is increasingly part of the glamorous fashion set came in London last night as models including Daisy Lowe and Pixie Geldof took to the catwalk wearing one-off creations by leading designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Zandra Rhodes at the finale of the world's first ethical fashion awards.

The Re: Fashion awards, judged by industry stalwarts including Katherine Hamnett and Jane Shepherdson, were designed to reward companies that have tackled headfirst issues like poverty, sustainability and the environmental impact of fashion. Many of these are small concerns, unfamiliar names to the high street shopper, but providing vital support and development in their areas.

Cristina Cisilino, who founded the jewellery company Made, won an award for the best practice in manufacturing in Africa. "I hope this award will mean that more people will place business there," she said.

"This time last year we were in the midst of the Kenyan uprising - but this just proves that even political unrest doesn't need to unsettle a solid business. Only this week we expanded the size of our workshop - and our workers are learning skills they can pass onto the next generation. They also have bank accounts for the first time, and can send their children to school."

Other winners included the website retailer Adili; the trainer brand Veja, for their consideration of the environmental impact of the production process; and the Fairtrade fashion company Pachacuti, who won awards both for their business model and their commitment to improving workers' lives. Marie Claire magazine won the award for consumer awareness of ethical fashion.

Ethical fashion has seen huge growth in the last few years. According to the Cooperative Bank's Ethical Consumer report, sales of Fairtrade and organic clothing grew by 70% to £52m in 2007, and this year is scheduled to see still further growth, despite the credit crunch.

The Ethical Fashion Forum also cite changing attitudes among consumers: in 2007 a survey by TNS Global found that 60% of under-25s said they bought what they wanted, regardless of where or how it had been made. This year that figure had dropped to 36%, suggesting that exposes and child labour scandals have made their mark.

Adding high-profile awards ceremonies to the mix may well help thriving but still vulnerable ethical fashion to weather the financial storm ahead.

Eco and Fashion at the 2009 Golden Globes.

2009-02-05T22:59:00.000-08:00

Justin Bruening, from Night Rider and Alexa Havins, All My Children star, pick out new Eco-Friendly handbags by Passchal at the 2009 Golden Globe Awards.

Eco and Fashion at the 2009 Access Hollywood TV Celebrity gift Lounge in celebration of the Golden Globes.

This year the fusion of fashion and eco friendly has taken a giant leap forward. The Passchal bag is being embraced by Hollywood's Fashion Elite.

Justin Bruening, with the Messenger Bag, and Alexa Havins, with a Yellow Scrunch, stop by the Access Hollywood Gifting Lounge at the 2009 Golden Globe Awards in Hollywood, California. They were admiring and picking out a new Eco-Friendly handbag by Passchal.

Consumers’ ethical concerns over fashion hit record high

2009-02-05T22:42:00.000-08:00

Nearly three quarters (72%) of British consumers think ethical production of the clothes they buy is important – up sharply from 59% last year, according to the latest Ethical Clothing Report from TNS Worldpanel Fashion. The most dramatic shift in attitudes occurred among young consumers: Last year 60% of under-25s said they bought the clothes they wanted and didn’t care how they were produced; this year only 36% say they do this.

At the same time people are more sceptical than ever of the ethical claims made by certain retailers and manufacturers: Over half (57%) express such reservations, a significant rise from last year’s 45%, and two thirds (67%) say retailers should use ethical practices across all their ranges, not just such marked as “ethical”.

When it comes to the factors that matter most, an overwhelming 72% of people say an end to child labour and sweat shops is very important, closely followed by offering producers a fair price (59%). While this is in line with last year’s results, consumers have become more concerned about the social impact of clothing production. In a list of criteria that are important to them when it comes to “ethical” clothing, respondents now rate “benefits to the producing community” higher than “no damage to the environment” (49% vs. 43% respectively), while “profits given to charity” and “organic fabric” remain the least important factors at 25% and 17% respectively.

An increasing number of consumers are also prepared to put their money where their mouth is: One third (33%) say they are willing to pay more for ethically produced clothing and footwear.

While one might think of young people as most concerned about ethical and environmental issues, the interest and the demand for ethical clothing is actually highest among consumers over 55. They make up one third (31%) of those who think ethical clothing is “very” or “quite” important, are more sceptical about ethical claims (63% of all 55+) and more willing to pay a bit extra (38% of all 55+) for ethical clothing.

Elaine Giles, Research Manager, TNS Worldpanel Fashion, said: “With the increasing attention brought to ethical issues by the media, awareness of the potential cost to humanity for ‘unethical clothing’ has reached unprecedented levels. Retailers must wake up to this significant consumer demand and increase their efforts to demonstrate their trustworthiness across all their ranges. Consumers will not be convinced by what they perceive to be tokenistic actions. There is a strong need for retailers to communicate their ethical practices more clearly and if they do this well, they can create a real point of difference for themselves that wins consumers’ trust.”

An executive summary of the report is available upon request.

- ends -

A rare breed Ethical fashion company Izzy Lane wins RSPCA Good Business Award for sheep-friendly practices

2009-02-01T05:18:00.000-08:00

A Yorkshire fashion company that creates clothes from the wool of rescued sheep was rewarded at the RSPCA Good Business Awards in London last night.

Izzy Lane, an ethical knitwear label that was only founded 18 months ago, was named small fashion retailer of the year in a ceremony at the Natural History Museum.

The company's founder, Isobel Lane, said she was "absolutely delighted" to win, and for the opportunity to "give a voice to farm animals".

"Lots of people are quite conscious of where their food is coming from now, but not many know where their wool is from", she said.

Izzy Lane rescues Wensleydale and Shetland sheep that would otherwise be sent to slaughter, and uses their wool to create high-end clothes and accessories. Around 600 sheep have been rescued since the brand's inception.

"They're very sweet", Lane said. "This award is for them, really."

A British company using British wool in its garments is a relative rarity in today's fashion industry. Fleece prices are so low that they often don't cover the cost of shearing.

"Around 80% of the wool we use in this country is imported from Australia and New Zealand", Lane explained. "It's ridiculous - there has to be a back to Britain campaign."
The Izzy Lane autumn/winter '08 collection The Izzy Lane autumn/winter '08 collection. Photograph: Isobel Lane

The company supports Britain's dwindling textile industry, employing one of the last remaining worsted spinners and one of the last dyers in the Bradford area. The cloth is woven at a mill in Selkirk using traditional machinery. From woolly coat to coat hanger, everything is made within a 120-mile radius.

Izzy Lane was highly praised by a panel of judges for combining a passion for fashion with a commitment to good animal husbandry and sustainability.

Wayne Hemingway, co-founder of Red or Dead, said: "Izzy Lane shows how a passion for animals can equal a truly luxurious and cutting edge fashion label."

Marks & Spencer was awarded the large fashion retailer prize for setting higher standards on the high street, while Natural Collection, the online store, was recognized for its 'commitment to change'.

The Good Business Awards were set up by the RSPCA four years ago to encourage companies to adopt animal welfare-friendly policies.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/oct/10/izzy-lane-ethicalfashion

What is Ethical Shopping?

2009-01-21T21:48:00.000-08:00

But you can by shopping in an Ethical way. Put simply, this is buying things that are made ethically by companies that act ethically. Buying ethically means buying a brand or from a company which doesn’t exploit labour, animals or the environment. The way in which you can act as an 'ethical consumer' can also take on a different form and that is avoiding products (also known as boycotting) you disapprove of such as battery eggs.

GuideMeGreen acts as an internet guide as opposed to the numerous paper publications, showing you which brands and companies are classed as ethical. For more indepth information see the Good Shopping Guide or the Ethical Consumer magazine.

Why buy ethically?

Everyone needs to go shopping in one way or another. As an ethical consumer, every time you buy something you can make a difference by choosing an ethical product or by buying from an ethical business.

For example, when you buy from a company that doesn’t exploit its workers and provides them with decent working conditions, you are giving the company the funds to continue its ethical behaviour. At the same time, you are no longer buying from a company that exploits its labour with poor pay and often a dangerous working environment. That company then loses business, which may encourage it to change its ways and to look after its workers.

Marks and Spencers the huge retail chain in the UK recently ran an ethical products campaign and said that this was its most successful ever. Many of the big retail companies are now seeing the benefits of offering a range of ethical goods for sale including ethical trainers, ethical shoes and t-shirts.

How do I know it’s ethical?

In general consumers must have confidence that any ethical claims that a brand may make conform to certain standards which are independently accredited. Organisations such as the Good Shopping Guide and Ethical Consumer provide an ethical analysis of everyday brands and the companies behind them. The Ethical Marketing group publishes the Good Shopping Guide, updated annually, grading hundreds of companies according to their policies on 15 ethical issues.

Working to promote ethical shopping, The Ethical Company Organisation enables consumers to easily compare the Corporate Social Responsibility records of hundreds of companies and brands.
The Ethical Company Organisation's Research Department monitors the ethical records of hundreds of different companies across 15 criteria including environmental records, human rights, animal welfare and involvement in the arms trade. This involves working with hundreds of ethical consumers, progressive companies and NGOs on a range of research and publishing programmes.

For example, next time you are buying clothes, the good shopping guide recommends that you buy from HUG and avoid Nike.

Davinos Greeno

2008 Buzz Words to Describe & Sell Products in the Beauty & Fashion Industries

2009-01-14T21:42:00.000-08:00

Each year public relations professionals and industry brands are carefully constructing pitches to describe a product to editors and the media in a way that will vividly illustrate the look and feel of it and immediately prompt a response in return. As with previous years, there are always key buzz words being used and Pierce Mattie Public Relations (www.piercemattie.com) has developed a list of the product descriptors best used to describe, pitch and sell your product in the lifestyle, beauty and fashion industries.

Consumers continue to lead stressful, busy lives; positioning your product as one that will provide peace and relaxation will continue to help it reach your desired target. Buzz words being used: Renewal, refreshing, nourishing, invigorating, effortless, rejuvenating.
Products that appear backed by science are also still being sought out. Buzz words being used to convey this: Revolutionary, propriety formula/blend, innovative, potent, patented, nutraceutical, botaniceutical.
While hype is often looked at with skepticism, consumers still seek a results-driven miracle product. Buzz words being used: Dramatic, exponentially, spectacular, results within minutes/hours/days.
As our economy doesn’t show signs of springing back to life anytime soon, consumers are looking for a way to stretch their dollar. Buzz words being used: Value, versatile, blend of function & fashion, functional.
There are also still many consumers that derive their sense of status from the high end products they purchase. Buzz words being used for this demographic: Premium, luxury, chic, opulent, premiere, exclusive.
The environment is on the forefront of consumer’s minds as we try to become "greener." Buzz words being used: Sustainable, registered organic, organic, eco-friendly, ethical, exotic, rare, going green.
In the past year weight and shape continued to be a buzz in the fashion industry, especially as we head into New Year's resolutions and onto swimsuit season. Buzz words that are eye catching are: Figure flattering, cinches your waist, minimizes, compliments, hides.
Health has become a priority and consumers are always looking for the healthy angle to your product. Buzz words being used: Probiotics, medical grade, wellness, wellness from within.
Baby boomers are over the "anti" everything description, they are responding to more positive terms. Buzz words are: Pro-age, pro-health, preserving, image extending, youth extending.
Generation Me continues into 2008 with buzz words like: Generation C (content), MIY (make it yourself), SIY (sell it yourself), DIY (do it yourself).

Pierce Mattie Public Relations

Ethical Fashion

2009-01-07T21:51:00.000-08:00

It’s like that old joke about the shortest books in the world (Italian War Heroes, Swiss Comedians etc etc). “Ethical Fashion” could be the shortest story in the world because it really doesn’t exist.

There are ethical clothes — baggy, beige T-shirts made in Third World worker co-operatives from organic Fairtrade cotton — but not proper fashion.

OK, there are pockets of conscience. Vegetarian Stella McCartney with her stand against fur and leather. Easton Pearson manufacturing all their clothes (apart from the Indian embroidery) in Queensland. Err … and then my mind goes blank.

That’s not to say the fashion world is totally devoid of conscience. There is a lot of tireless work for AIDS and breast cancer charities, but when it comes to the real business of fashion, everything about it is fundamentally counter to current ethical concerns.

It is an industry based on fuelling consumption for things which are defined by their built-in obsolescence; on making people want things they don’t need and buy more than they can really afford; and on seducing us into believing that owning a material object can change our lives.

It is certainly one of fashion’s ironies that while spending $100,000 on a single dress might seem the very apogee of its decadence, it is at the peak of the fashion mountain that you will find the most ethical employment conditions. The “petite mains” (little hands) working in Paris couture salons are treated very differently from the almost slave labour in some Asian clothing factories. The Parisian master craftspeople are valued for their skills and the couture customer can pay the price for it.

It is at the other end of the market where the real horrors lurk. The current trend for cheaper and cheaper great clothes — which I confess I have been guilty of promoting in these pages — marvellous fun as it is for the Western consumer, is inevitably linked to terrible conditions for the people who make them. If we’re not paying for it — someone else is. Sorry if I’ve just ruined the jolly weekend shopping spree you were looking forward to, but that is the fact of it.

And it gets worse. Before you even get on to the conditions in a Thai sports shoe factory and the problem of knowing which big brands really use the ethical labour they — or rather, their contractors — claim, there are the environmental nightmares associated with the textile industry.

Take cotton — actually, don’t. Because the world’s favourite “natural” fibre is not, in fact, “pure and simple” as we have grown up to believe. Lovely as it is to wear and sleep in, cotton is one of the most pest-prone of crops, meaning that to produce it cheaply in industrial quantities, enormous amounts of chemicals have to be thrown at it.

About 150 grams of pesticides are used to cultivate the cotton for one T-shirt (that’s the equivalent of one cup, and it takes two and a half cups for a pair of jeans) so perhaps it’s not surprising that, according to a 1995 report into the industry by Allen Woodburn Associates, a quarter of all the world’s insecticides are used each year to grow cotton.

And when you add in the various soil sterilisers, fumigants, herbicides and defoliants also used to grow this “natural” fibre, we are talking about some of the most deadly chemicals in the world. According to the World Health Organisation, 20,000 people die each year in developing countries as a result of sprays used on non-organic cotton. In Benin, West Africa, 24 people died as a direct result of poisoning from cotton pesticides in 2000, including 11 children.

And that’s just the agricultural part of the textile cycle. At least 8000 chemicals are used at the next stage of processing, to turn raw material into clothes, towels, bedding etc, and some of the substances involved are known to be harmful to human health and wildlife, say environmentalists William McDonough and Dr Michael Braungart.

How are feeling about your “pure” cotton T-shirt now? Of course, all that chemical business happens before the shirt gets on your back and, like so many eco nightmares that are happening somewhere else, it’s easy to block it out.

But there is a growing sense of concern that the chemical toxicity associated with cotton production might not stop at the soil and unfortunate Third World labourers.

Call it the nicotine patch construct, but there is a body of thought that says by having such a highly processed product next to our skin we may absorb residues — such as the formaldehyde used as a dye fixer and anti-wrinkle finisher in some countries — into our bloodstreams. These uncomfortable ideas are contributing to a growing market for organically farmed cotton and naturally processed fabrics of all kinds. It might seem cranky and alarmist now, but I am certain it will one day be as normal to expect an organic option in your clothing as it is in your vegies, or your face cream.

Just like the boom in organic food, awareness of uncontaminated textiles is taking off at a grassroots level, with parents seeking organic cotton baby clothes, towels and bedding for their newborns. If we could absorb chemical residues through our gnarly adult hides, the thinking goes, how much more at risk is the superfine skin of tiny babies and their delicate systems?

It was this concern — as well as environmental impact — that prompted children’s wear designer Annette O’Donnell to launch her range of Gaia Organic Cotton baby wear in 2000. It’s now sold throughout Australia.

“I realised that the very fabric I was using was having a detrimental effect on our environment,” O’Donnell says. “I’d always thought of cotton as pure, but as I learnt it was a chemically intensive growing process, I felt the need to re-look my design direction.”

Russell Lamb and Tim Ower had a similar epiphany about the sheets and towels side of things, which they used to import in large volumes from China. They founded Eco Down Under, a gorgeous range of naturally produced and organic cotton items, sold at Holy Sheet and many other outlets, including their own store in Rozelle.

So that’s the baby and the bathroom sorted out, what about the rest of your organic cotton needs — like actual clothing? Well, this is where it gets tricky. Most of it is pretty yuk. Because Prada, Country Road et al just don’t do organic gear.

In fact, the only prominent designer I have ever known to speak out on the topic is that well-known political animal Katharine Hamnett.

“I thought we were just silly fashion designers not doing any harm, making silly clothes,” she says. “How wrong I was. I did some research into the environmental impact and it made for horrific reading.

“The [fashion] industry does not give a damn, yet research shows that consumers would prefer organic textiles if sold at the same price — and this is possible now. But no one buys sustainably produced clothes because they are worthy. They have to be desirable in their own right.

“That whole granola look has done the whole organic cotton movement a great disservice,” she says. “It’s so unnattractive, it’s foul.”

She’s right. Just as organic food has to be a more pleasant experience to eat than the processed variety, or no one would be willing to pay the premium price, organic clothes will need to be just as stylish as the conventional processed variety, or we won’t buy them.

If you hunt around on the internet, you will find some basic sportswear and underwear lines that are acceptable — greenculture.com for example, which brings them in from the US — but that’s about it. Sorry, I wish I had better news.

So what can we do? If we want change on this issue we have to get active.

First up, support the firms that are producing organic cotton items now because if small organic clothing companies start to do well, and there’s money to be made, the big guys will want a piece of it.

In just this way, the world’s biggest food corporations are now all creating their own organic brands; so the organic pasta sauce you buy, in its ethical looking packaging, may well be owned by Heinz.

I admit it will be hard, at this stage, to find much to buy beyond T-shirts, so write to your favourite designers and shops to tell them you are concerned about cotton farming practices, and would like them to offer an organic alternative — or you might be forced to shop elsewhere.

Wherever you do buy clothes, ask the shop assistants if they have an organic range. They will probably look at you blankly at first, but if enough people do it, word will filter up to buyers and management.

Best of all, explore the possibilities of hemp clothing, which is the real answer to the whole problem. But that, as they say, is another story.

Written by: Sydney Morning Herald

MIND & BODY: ETHICAL FASHION: You are what you wear

2008-12-31T21:46:00.000-08:00

'The reputation I really don't want is 'woolly". So speaks Ali Hewson, the wife of rock-and-roll legend Bono, and the co-founder of socially conscious clothing company Edun (www.edun.ie). She has nothing to fear: 'woolly' is hardly an image she has garnered. Although Hewson has preferred to stay out of the limelight throughout her 23-year relationship with U2 frontman Bono, her image is sleek. It hardly fits the stereotypical 'eco' mould.

Hewson, Bono and designer Rogan Gregory launched Edun eight weeks ago with the goal of providing sustainable employment for factory workers throughout the developing world. For its customers - who include Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and Helena Christensen - it's about beautiful, edgy, Art Nouveau-inspired fashion for men and women.

'We know that no matter how much people want to dress ethically, nobody's going to wear a hair shirt,' says Hewson. 'They want to look good and feel good. That's the point of Edun: you buy the design first. The good story behind the clothes is secondary.'

Today's clothing industry relies on 'fast-fashion', where designs are manufactured quickly, at cheap-and-cheerful prices. Cheerful, that is, for the consumers at the end of the chain. 'One thing the fashion industry doesn't have is loyalty', says Hewson. 'It will keep moving for lower labour costs, from continent to continent and from season to season. Producers in Africa can't keep up, which means they can't offer regular employment to their employees. So everyone's living on a knife-edge economy.'

Edun is different. Hewson and Bono source factories in developing countries that pay their employees a decent wage. Rogan designs with those factories' facilities in mind. And, crucially, Edun stays loyal. But it is not a charity: it hopes to succeed in commercial terms, thereby providing a business model for other fashion companies and proving that it is possible to produce beautiful clothes beautifully, and at a profit.

If Edun achieves this, Hewson admits that there is a further stigma to overthrow. Ethical fashion has a reputation of being overly worthy. This doesn't sit comfortably in the chichi world of fashion. But impressive new technology means that more versatile, ethically made fabrics will soon be available. We're talking gossamer silk blended with hemp; lush taffeta made from corn; soft, supple organic cotton which has been farmed without using pesticides and fertilisers, without polluting the environment. According to a survey by the Organic Trade Association, sales of organic fibre products jumped 22.7 per cent in 2003, with women's clothing the fastest-growing category. For the ethical fashionista, a consumer heaven awaits.

PeTA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals; www.peta.org) have had an eye - and, as often as not, a paint-bomb - on the fashion scene for 25 years. Although they support all aspects of vegetarian dressing, their most prolific campaign rallies against fur. PeTA have been let down by both former spokeswoman Cindy Crawford, who later signed a contract with a fur company, and by Naomi Campbell, who contradicted her pledge that she'd 'rather go naked' by wearing fur on a 1997 catwalk. But PeTA's campaign remains defiant. Supported by the likes of Kate Moss, Sarah Jessica Parker and Charlize Theron, PeTA forces fashion giants to choose between celebrity endorsement and fur.

Stella McCartney (www.stella mccartney.com) is a dedicated supporter of vegetarian fashion: refusing to use fur or leather has done her no harm in sales or image, either at her own label, or when she reigned supreme at Chlo. In 2000, McCartney hit the headlines by turning down what anyone might well assume would be her dream job: because of their widespread use of leather, McCartney snubbed Gucci.

Even when it comes to the ultimate vegetarian fashion dilemma - footwear - McCartney remains true to her principles. While high street company Kurt Geiger will launch its Terra Plana line this autumn, with shoes made from recycled Pakistani quilts, sustainable wood and vegetarian tanned leathers, McCartney has already offered slinky plastic heels, parachute silk slippers, plush velvet sandals, and even a flesh-free range for Adidas. All of which is good news because there's little alternative.

The Vegetarian Shoes store in Brighton (www.vegetarian- shoes.co.uk) does a roaring trade, selling to celebrity veggies including Paul McCartney and Joaquin Phoenix, but owner Robin Webb acknowledges that his styles are more led by practicality than fashion. 'You need a lot of confidence to predict trends. We are better sticking to basics,' he says. Men can get essentials there, go to McCartney for best, and head to Converse, New Balance, Vans or Blackspot (www.adbusters.org) for vegetarian trainers.

Principled fashion is becoming de rigueur, says i-D fashion journalist Liz Hancock, who is now launching Project, a socially aware lifestyle magazine (www.project-magazine.com). 'We want to appeal to everyone from light to dark green; from people who have been wearing vegetarian shoes for years to those who just want a magazine with a little more integrity', says Hancock. All the labels featured in Project fashion shoots pass the magazine's standards in terms of ethics and style: they are environmentally, ecologically and socially responsible, and they hit the cutting edge. Hancock explains: 'We highlight which labels subscribe to which system of ideals. It's not passing a judgement, it's just showing people what they're buying into.'

'The cheaper the clothes, generally, the less was paid for them in the beginning', admits Ali Hewson. 'But we can charge a reasonable rate and still make a decent profit. There really is a revolution that can happen on the ground. People are starting to put pressure on the clothing industry to create great designs that they can wear and feel good about themselves - in every way.'

For the humbler wallet, there are mail order lines such as Howies (www.howies.co.uk), American Apparel (www.americanapparelstore.com), Loomstate (www.loomstate.org), and Sienna Miller's favourite, People Tree (www.ptree.co.uk). Meanwhile, shoppers who love their labels as well as their world can shop at Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenberg, Katherine E Hamnett (from September - the 'e' is for 'ethical'), and, yes, at Stella McCartney.

'People are beginning to realise that you can make real change with the money in your pocket', says Ali Hewson. 'How you spend your money says a lot about you. People want to know that their clothes weren't made out of despair.'

Cosmetics

With a ban on animal testing of cosmetics throughout the UK, the Netherlands and, soon, Belgium, it seems a safe assumption that we can shop for cosmetics without worry.

However, throughout the EU, an estimated 35,000 animals are used in cosmetic tests every year. Until the EU bans on cosmetics animal testing (2009) and on the sale of animal-tested cosmetics (2009 - 2013) come into play, ethical shoppers need to take care.

It's also worth noting that that cosmetics that haven't been tested on animals are not necessarily vegetarian. Animal products crop up in soaps and lipsticks, and even make-up brushes are usually made with animal hair, although Origins (www.origins.com) and Urban Decay (www.urbandecay.com) use synthetic alternatives.

by Jessica Moore

An Ethical Clothing Company Story

2008-12-24T15:21:00.000-08:00

It may sound like a talkative monkey, but Gossypium is something even stranger- a clothing company that puts farmers first.

Their name comes from the Latin for cotton, and expresses their unexpected belief that the way clothes are made is as important as how they look. All their clothes are made from 100% organic Indian cotton woven on handlooms to prevent wasting energy and the build up of cloth mountains and without the use of any GM seeds.

The cotton they use is grown by farmers supported by the Agrocel farmers centre. Based in Gujerat, Agrocel helps farmers grow their crops completely organically with technical advice, support and regular visits. The 60 farmers are paid a fair, above market price for their produce, and have a long-term sustainable relationship with the company.

Abigail Garner, a director of the company, set up the first clothing collection for Traidcraft and knew how important it was to treat not just the farmers well, but the earth too. Instead of chemical colours, Gossypium uses vegetable dyes, a time-consuming but high quality alternative. No waxes or chemical treatments are used to spin the cotton.

The clothes are stitched in India and Gossypium is working towards total transparency and independent monitoring. Thomas Petit, a company director explains that in the meantime they visit the factories themselves, We try and use the same factories as fair trade organisations use. Where this isnt possible we visit the factories ourselves?. They have also set up an education fund linked to the garments, each item stitched means more money to buy books for local schools.

Gossypium has its own fashion and print designer who adds a fresh edge to the ethical and environmentally conscious company. Their yoga collection is particularly popular because wearers know they are helping others while they reach their higher plane! The collection is already stocked in 30 shops throughout the UK. Its growing fast and is very popular, says Tom.

Their childrens clothes are perfect for sensitive babies and their sensitive parents who prefer not to wrap their offspring in chemicals, and the hardwearing material withstands the games of the most robust kids. For adults the emphasis is on simplicity and comfort, but never at the expense of fit or style. We especially like their slash neck tops and strappy vests.

Gossypium is bent on not just altering the fashion industry but turning it on its head to give power to the producers. Because of this, all profits are shared between Agrocel and the design/sales part of the company. The aim is to get as many farmers into Agrocel as possible, giving them the freedom to work without endangering themselves with pesticides and to be paid fairly for their work. The unique combination of ethics and style will ensure pretty soon everyone will be talking about Gossypium.

Davinos Greeno

Eco-friendly Fashion

2008-12-17T21:49:00.000-08:00

Eco Friendly. Fret not: Our spotlight on the new, eco-conscious style guard has nary a burlap sack in sight (although many designers do incorporate sustainable, environmentally friendly materials like, yes, hemp).

Chic without the suffering: fashion displays its ethical face! Sworn Virgins Clothing "pure eco fashion"

Is Green the new black? Meet the designers of Sworn Virgins, a hip new eco–friendly clothing line whose stylish creations are made from bamboo. Gorgeous clothing. Available at spoiledbrat.co.uk With Sworn Virgins, fashion goes green. Every piece in this beautiful, eco-friendly collection of knit tops and dresses is made from ultra-soft, naturally fluid (and 100% biodegradable) bamboo jersey and bamboo/spandex blends. Minimal chemicals are involved, and even the water used in manufacturing is reclaimed and reused. Of course, Sworn Virgins is as true to fashion as it is to Mother Earth, with up-to-the-minute trends and classics in universally flattering, curve-hugging cuts. If you’re as environmentally conscious as you are style-conscious, Sworn Virgins is for you. Do good, and look good doing it!

For handbags choose Littlearth's stylish Family of eco-fashion Brands!

When Rob Brandegee and Ava DeMarco founded Little Earth Productions, Inc. in 1993 they had a simple but revolutionary idea: design and make fashionable, unique and trendsetting purses and belts by reusing and recycling materials that would otherwise be overlooked or thrown away. Not only did the idea work, but it introduced the world to a new term: ecofashion. In proportion to its popularity, Littlearth has grown from a small company working out of a suburban home into a multi-building design and manufacturing complex in the SoHo district of Pittsburgh. Now in its 15th year of business, Littlearth products from the Littlearth family of brands are starting conversations all over the United States and all over the world with distributors in Australia, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and the United Kingdom

stuart maclaren

Ethical Fashion

2008-12-10T21:51:00.000-08:00

Why Buy Fairtrade And Ethical Bags?

2008-12-03T21:53:00.000-08:00

Why were the quintessentially English clothing company Mulberry selling African Bags? And what part do bottle tops play in the battle against Aids?

Bottle-top bags may sound like an idea straight from Blue Peter, but Mulberry's version is miles away from double-sided sticky tape and coat hangers. The bags, crafted in Africa from recycled wire and bottle tops are lined with luxurious Congo leather, contrasting perfectly with their eye-catching, deconstructed image. And these bags are not just the latest fashion accessory, but an inspired way of raising money for Action Aids HIV/AIDS campaign.

Mulberrys non-profit bags are the focus of their campaign to halt the rising tide of people infected with HIV/AIDS. The company hopes the bags, retailing at 99 pounds, could raise as much as 100,000 pounds. And just in case you find you have nothing to wear or your budget doesn't quite stretch to the bags, they have also brought out bottle top campaign T-shirts and key rings. Susan Mears of Action Aid is thrilled with the scheme, This is a dream come true project- the money will come in very, very useful.
DEATH SENTENCE

40 million people worldwide are infected with HIV/AIDS, and the majority of them are young: between 15 and 25. The International Aids conference in July warned that in 30 African countries average life expectancy by 2010 would be 27 years of age. Karen Stanecki whose branch compiled the report for US Aid, told The Guardian these levels have not been seen since the end of the 19th century. Many of those dying today from Aids are financial providers, whose deaths leave poor families destitute- 14 million children have lost one or both parents to Aids.

The greatest obstacle to controlling Aids is the stigma surrounding it. In many cases people with the disease are shunned. Prisca, HIV positive for twelve years, has lost her husband, two children and three siblings to AIDS related illness and has been ostracised for speaking out about the disease, Up to this very day, I dont speak to my sister. She says I have tarnished our family name, she told Action Aid. This attitude can obstruct education, the most effective way to prevent the rate of infection rising.

Uganda is one of the few countries to subdue its Aids epidemic. The mobilisation of communities and a willingness to confront the epidemic led to falling prevalence rate. This is largely due to 5,000 projects throughout the country tackling the problem. Educating women and girls is essential in cutting the rate of infection. Unfortunately girls are often removed from education to care for relatives with Aids. In the last 5 years the number of women and girls infected has risen by 40% according to Oxfam.

Cameron, the son of Mulberry chairman, Roger Saul, experienced Ugandas effective education strategies first hand while teaching sexual health education for Students Partnership Worldwide. Anxious to find ways to support the charity, he found inspiration on the arm of a village girl: a bottle-top bag. He believed, once Mulberry-fied, the bag could raise the profile of Aids awareness. The attraction of the bags is partly their novelty, which he hopes will get people asking questions - theyre a fun way to engage people with the serious issues of AIDS/HIV. His father, Roger, visited him in Uganda and was equally pleased to have found such an original way to help the 14,000 people who are infected everyday.

FASHION CONSCIENCE

Action Aid plan to spend the money in Kenya, looking after the 730,000 children who have been made orphans by Aids and the more then 2 million who are currently living with the disease. The charity has fifteen years experience of pioneering prevention and community based care. They believe the best ways to change peoples attitudes and counteract the secrecy and ignorance allowing HIV to gain so many new victims is through loca groups. They support them through training, resources and advice to ensure the people most affected by the disease are at the centre of developing effective responses to the epidemic. SPW will also receive some of the money to allow them to continue to train students to give sexual heath education.

In East Africa, where the bags are made, there is another reason to celebrate. Not only are the bags created from recycling wire and bottle-tops and so are environmentally friendly, but Action Aid pledges the workers who create the bags are both paid and treated fairly. Let's hope Mulberrys bags set a trend for fashion without victims.

Indiann Davinos

Ethical Fashion: What, Why and Why Now?

2008-11-26T21:54:00.000-08:00

Overview

What is ethical fashion, why is it important, and why are we just hearing about it now? Well, to answer these questions we start with what is wrong with clothing production today. Most clothing available in stores today is produced in an unethical manner using sweatshop and/or child labour to ensure a larger profit margin. Manufacturers use unsustainable fabrics like non-organic cotton (dubbed as natural, it accounts for almost 25% of all pesticide use) and polyester (which is a petroleum by-product). They use conventional dying practices which release chlorine, chromium, and other pollutants into the environment posing a health risk to the farmers, assemblers and wearers (7 of the top 15 pesticides used on conventional US cotton crops are “possible” to “known” human carcinogens). The shift to ethical production practices in the clothing industry has been undeniably important for a long time making the market ripe for a positive change. Consumers are starting to demand better.

What is Ethical Fashion?

Ethical fashion is that which is produced using: fairly-paid and fairly-treated adult workers; sustainable fabrics and materials like organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and reclaimed or recycled materials; low-impact fiber-reactive dyes or vegetable dyes; respect for a healthy environment and/or product for the farmer, the assembler, and the wearer of the clothing.

Why Ethical Fashion?

We are all responsible for how our own lifestyles affect the environment. Simple measures can be taken to achieve big changes by simply switching our buying patterns to include products made of low impact materials. Positive pressure on businesses who have yet to volutarily clean up their acts is very easily applied by simply choosing not to spend money on their products, and helping – little by little – to grow the businesses who have made an explicit commitment to responsible business practice.

Why Now?

The wonderful thing about the booming ethical fashion industry is the huge variety of designs, colours, cuts, fabrics and sizes now available. Long stigmatized as cousin to the burlap sack, the ethical offerings today are design-oriented. Designers with heart are creating beautiful, sexy, edgy, classic, current, imaginative, and, yes, flattering pieces – ethics will simply not be compromised and thankfully neither will the look and feel of their work. Reducing our footprint can be done without making any sacrifices.

One of the main driving forces of the ethical fashion boom is public awareness. Thanks to exposés on large manufacturers, the fact that sweatshop labour is used for the overwhelming majority of production can no longer be ignored. The power of boycotting has been demonstrated, as has the power of voting with our dollars to support good practice. Thanks to accessible work like “An Inconvenient Truth”, the lay person is no longer free to assuage their environmental guilt with the denial of the existence of climate change. Thanks to alternative medical practitioners, who deal with cause instead of just symptom, we're learning that we can build health by surrounding ourselves with and consuming healthy things.

Consumers are growing weary of the quantity without quality mentality. Most designers with an ethical bent to their art, work in small batches, producing high quality goods with exceptional fabrics. Consumers are, in growing numbers, appreciating the right to vote with their dollars; and are exercising it to support expansion of the sustainable textile industry, small farmers and farm co-operatives. We're all looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact, increase our social contribution, ease our consciences, hold on to some creature comforts, and continue celebrating art in all its forms.

Ethical Fashion

An Ethical Clothing Company Story

2008-11-19T21:56:00.000-08:00

It may sound like a talkative monkey, but Gossypium is something even stranger- a clothing company that puts farmers first.

Their name comes from the Latin for cotton, and expresses their unexpected belief that the way clothes are made is as important as how they look. All their clothes are made from 100% organic Indian cotton woven on handlooms to prevent wasting energy and the build up of cloth mountains and without the use of any GM seeds.

The cotton they use is grown by farmers supported by the Agrocel farmers centre. Based in Gujerat, Agrocel helps farmers grow their crops completely organically with technical advice, support and regular visits. The 60 farmers are paid a fair, above market price for their produce, and have a long-term sustainable relationship with the company.

Abigail Garner, a director of the company, set up the first clothing collection for Traidcraft and knew how important it was to treat not just the farmers well, but the earth too. Instead of chemical colours, Gossypium uses vegetable dyes, a time-consuming but high quality alternative. No waxes or chemical treatments are used to spin the cotton.

The clothes are stitched in India and Gossypium is working towards total transparency and independent monitoring. Thomas Petit, a company director explains that in the meantime they visit the factories themselves, We try and use the same factories as fair trade organisations use. Where this isnt possible we visit the factories ourselves?. They have also set up an education fund linked to the garments, each item stitched means more money to buy books for local schools.

Gossypium has its own fashion and print designer who adds a fresh edge to the ethical and environmentally conscious company. Their yoga collection is particularly popular because wearers know they are helping others while they reach their higher plane! The collection is already stocked in 30 shops throughout the UK. Its growing fast and is very popular, says Tom.

Their childrens clothes are perfect for sensitive babies and their sensitive parents who prefer not to wrap their offspring in chemicals, and the hardwearing material withstands the games of the most robust kids. For adults the emphasis is on simplicity and comfort, but never at the expense of fit or style. We especially like their slash neck tops and strappy vests.

Gossypium is bent on not just altering the fashion industry but turning it on its head to give power to the producers. Because of this, all profits are shared between Agrocel and the design/sales part of the company. The aim is to get as many farmers into Agrocel as possible, giving them the freedom to work without endangering themselves with pesticides and to be paid fairly for their work. The unique combination of ethics and style will ensure pretty soon everyone will be talking about Gossypium.

Davinos Greeno

Giant Step for Ethical Fashion

2008-11-12T01:00:00.000-08:00

Trends

Food companies have been at the fore of responding to consumer demand for more ethical and environmental information on the products they buy, but now clothing firms are following suit.

Outdoor-apparel company Patagonia's website (www.patagonia.com) lets customers track the impact of its wares by giving details of the distance its garments travel, their carbon footprint and the energy used during production.

Timberland (www.timberlandonline. co.uk, pictured) grades its products on climate impact, chemicals used and resource consumption on its labelling.

And Danish high-fashion brand Noir (www.noir-illuminati2.com) is set to reveal the provenance of its fabrics on its labels, as well as an ethical "certification" that details how the product was made.

Thanks to thefuturelaboratory.com

by MIRIAM RAYMAN

Business, Ethics, And The Law

2008-11-05T23:23:00.000-08:00

The primary objective of a business is to make money. Why would an individual or group of people start a business if he did not want to make money? An argument that is generated by some is: "Should profits be the only function of a business?"

The desire for businesses to make money can sometimes lead to what is considered unethical business practices. Keep in mind the words unethical and unlawful are two separate terms with two separate meanings. One side of the argument states that ethics should not play a part in business as long as the business abides by the law of the land then they should not concern themselves with ethical behavior, but they should act in the best interest of the organization. The other side of the argument states that for an economy to function in a capitalist fashion that businesses must act in an ethical fashion regardless if their actions are legal under law.

Milton Friedman contends that the sole responsibility of business is to increase its profits. Robert Almeder maintains that if capitalism is to survive, it must act in a socially responsible ways that go beyond profit making. The views of these two individuals go to the heart of the argument. This author believes that after reading their material that the views of both are exaggerated. I do believe that a business's responsibilities do go beyond what is legal. A business has a responsibility not only to the owners or stockholders, but also to the consumer who trust the business is acting not only in a legal manner but a safe and ethical manner as well. If a business goes out of its way to act in an unethical fashion then the business has broken their trust with the consumer. Once a business loses the trust of their consumers then profits will plummet. Seeing that profits are the primary function of a business then it is in the businesses best interest to maintain a trusting relationship with the consumers and continue to act in safe and ethical manner.

Keeping in mind that it is not the purpose of a business to propose or to dictate legislature nor ethical behavior to the individual, a business should not be held accountable for what a small population of consumers consider unethical. If the practice of the business is out in the open and hazards of their products are readily published and do not present the possibility of death involuntarily to the consumer then legislature should not dictate ethical behavior to business nor individuals for that matter.

Joseph Brochin

what is ethical fashion

2008-10-29T23:25:00.000-07:00

We’ve talked a bit about the fashion industry in previous posts, and about the high cost of our cheap clothes. What we haven’t explored is where you can get ethical clothes from. That’s mainly because I didn’t know at the time, and I’ve been on a bit of a hunt.

Firstly though, what is ethical fashion?

I’d say there are two areas to look at - the people, and the environment. Or, if you prefer, fairtrade standards and organic standards.

Fartrade standards

Fairtrade standards are about the workers - both those who sew the clothes, and those who produce the raw materials. There are 30 million cotton farmers worldwide, in 90 different countries. Much of the crop comes from developing countries. Fairtrade cotton ensures that the growers are paid a living wage, and that women and children are not exploited in the harvesting of cotton.

It’s also about the people who make the clothes. Do they get a fair wage? What are their working conditions? What kinds of hours do they have to work? Do they get holidays and time off? Can they form unions to represent their views to their employers? Sweatshops are normal, but that does not make them right. Look up clean up fashion to find out more about this.

Organic standards

Secondly, ethical fashion respects the earth. Growing cotton is a polluting business. Cotton accounts for 3% of all cultivated land, but uses 20% of all chemical pesticides. Eight times more chemicals are used on cotton than on an average food crop. This pollutes rivers and soils, and it also has serious effects on the people working in the fields. A large percentage of the 20,000 deaths attributed every year to pesticides, are in the cotton fields of the developing world. A lot of these pesticides are unnecessary - cotton can be protected from pests with chilli, soap, or garlic. Further chemicals are used in processing and dyeing the cotton. One company estimates that 8000 different chemicals are used in producing a t-shirt.

Ideally then, ethical fashion is clothing that has been made with fairtrade organic cotton, in sweatshop-free conditions.

So where can you find those kinds of clothes? Well, they’re not as easy to find as they should be, but it is a growth market and it’s slowly making its way onto the high street. Here are some brands I’ve found - apologies for the menswear bias. Please add any more you know in the comments.

Marks and Spencer - M+S are leading the way in fairtrade cotton. They don’t use it in everything, so ask if you’re not sure. I believe they plan to use it in their entire range within five years.

Howies - this is a great little outdoor-wear company based in Wales, doing unpretentious high quality clothing with a sense of humour.

American Apparel - made in LA and setting a standard for the US clothing industry. They have a store in London, just across the way from Howies’ on Carnaby Street.

People Tree - a pioneering company making their clothes in co-ops in the developing world. I have a hand-sewn shirt from them and it feels unique and special.

Seasalt - a Cornish company making colourful organic clothing. I found them on holiday over the summer.

THTC - The Hemp Trading Company. There are lots of good reasons why hemp is a great sustainable crop - it grows so fast it doesn’t give weeds a chance, it needs almost no pesticides, and can be grown on marginal land. THTC specialise in music industry t-shirts and sweatshirts.

Kuyichi - streetwise organic denim, named after the Peruvian God of the rainbow, in case you were wondering.

Patagonia - outdoor and hiking company with a genuine passion for the environment.

Timberland - a bigger company taking responsibility, in a lumberjack kind of way.

Gossypium - a good range of environmentally sound and people-friendly clothing.

Ascension - fairtrade organic jeans, trousers and t-shirts for men and women.

Equop - vote for your favourite t-shirt designs.

Little green radicals - ethical babywear

That ought to do you for starters. There are loads more little companies doing interesting things on a smaller scale. Check out Inhabitat’s fashion category for some more quirky suggestions, including belts from recycled fire hoses, and handbags with solar panels, and some sensible things too. The Guardian’s ethical clothing galleries are great too, particularly for women’s wear and more fashionable stuff, and for accessories and shoes too.

What is Ethical Fashion

Forget Hippy — Ethical Fashion is Hip

2008-10-22T23:36:00.000-07:00

Retailer interest in apparel brands that guarantee workers' rights and are environmentally friendly has reached such a peak that manufacturers now worry whether they can keep up with demand.

Until recently relegated to the fringes of the fashion world, ethical brands are fast becoming more mainstream. Widespread media coverage of the movement — plus platforms at events like Paris's Prêt-à-Porter trade show and London Fashion Week — have raised the profile of ethical fashion, so designers are becoming less concerned about how to find distribution than how to manage big orders.

"I don't know how we'll do the quantities," said Peruvian-born designer Judith Condor-Vidal, whose clothing and accessories made by 26 fair-trade cooperatives in South America and Asia will feature in PPR-owned La Redoute's winter 2007 catalogue.

"In the same way as people want to know where their chicken is from, they want to know where their clothes come from."
Averyl Oates, Harvey Nichols

As well as La Redoute, the ethical fashion movement has succeeded in capturing the attention of a broad spectrum of retailers, including high-end specialty chains.

"We've been watching this movement, looking at eco-type brands which have a strong fashion statement first," said Barbara Atkin, fashion director at Canada's Holt Renfrew, which has picked up Danish socially conscious brand Noir for spring.

"We're of the opinion that you can be fashionable and care about the world," added Averyl Oates, buying director at Harvey Nichols. The British retailer is hunting for other brands to stock alongside Noir, which it has carried for two seasons, and Edun, which it picked up this year. Edun is the socially conscious clothing brand created by Ali Hewson, Bono and designer Rogan Gregory.

"Provenance is key for consumers," Oates said. "We're finding that like the food market, in the same way as people want to know where their chicken is from, they want to know where their clothes come from."

Sales of ethically sourced clothing, which includes organic cotton, fair-trade clothes and recycled items, grew 30 percent in the U.K. to 43 million pounds, or $81 million at current exchange, in 2004, according to the Co-operative Bank's Ethical Consumerism report. Meanwhile, ethically motivated secondhand clothing purchases increased 42 percent to 383 million pounds, or $718 million.

While more recent statistics are not yet available, this year's Ethical Fashion Show, which took place in Paris from Oct. 13 to 16, suggests that growth isn't likely to slow anytime soon. More than 4,000 visitors, including scores of international media, attended the four-day event, a 54 percent jump over 2005. Featuring 60 brands from five continents, the third edition of the trade fair demonstrated how much the ethical category has diversified over the last year. Literally combining grassroots and high-end, designers ranged from newcomers like Yagan, a Chilean jewelry brand made from woven grass reeds, to better-known names such as Edun.

In addition to carrying ethical brands, major retailers are recruiting designers to make collections exclusively for them. La Redoute, for example, has carried its own fair-trade collection for two seasons and this year awarded two designers at the Ethical Fashion Show the opportunity to develop items for its winter 2007-2008 catalogue. Items by the winners, Brazilian brand Tudo Bom and Judith Condor-Vidal, will be available to La Redoute's 13 million subscribers next June. While Condor-Vidal had initial concerns about how she'll manage the orders, the designer, who is a member of the International Fairtrade Association and the U.K.'s Ethical Fashion Forum (EFF), is also an economist.

"It's an amazing opportunity. If big companies buy it, there is a much bigger impact," she said. "If I can help more people, well, that's my role."

Condor-Vidal has begun another partnership with hot U.K. retailer Topshop. The chain will take a collection of Bolivian waistcoats shunned by other retailers that have been redesigned by fashion students to create a line of handbags for spring-summer.

And Topshop announced at the Ethical Fashion Show that the winning designs of a Design4Life Ghana competition it supported are to be retailed at the chain. The competition was run by EFF in collaboration with the nongovernmental organization Tabeisa. The two winners' batik dresses, produced by Women in Progress, a Ghana-based fair-trade cooperative, will be available this spring.

"EFF on this occasion brought Topshop buyers to the table initially as judges," explained Elizabeth Laskar, director of global communications and events at EFF. "Through dialogue, this led to an even more positive outcome."

The backing of the fast-fashion retailer has lent kudos to the term "ethical" and given new confidence to aspiring designers hoping to tap into demand for fashion-forward yet ethical clothing and accessories.

"Brands need to tell a compelling story," said Holt Renfrew's Atkin. "But consumers have to love it and be drawn it to first. Then when they find out that by buying [a brand] they are making a difference, they feel great."

Those were the motivations behind Numanu Label of Love, a collection created using fair-trade and organic silk, cotton and wool, which will open a freestanding boutique in Paris's lively Marais neighborhood next month.

Founded by Anglo-French couple Olivia Lalonde and Emmanuel Walliser, the brand is designed "to attract people who are maybe less informed about fair trade who just like the clothes," according to Lalonde.

Consumers then find out that by buying a silk top, they have helped support marginalized communities in India and Cambodia. Lalonde's former career as a children's rights campaigner and Walliser's as an international banker makes for a formidable business objective: "To create as big a commercial base for Numanu as possible in order to maintain sustainable incomes for the largest number of people," Lalonde explained. The brand, which won the Ethical Fashion Show 2006 award, donated two-thirds of its prize money to its cooperatives.

Likewise Les Racines du Ciel (The Roots of the Sky, in English), a year-old brand, takes its name from a 1956 novel by Romain Gary about the environment. The moniker is meant to highlight its commitment to environmental issues. Yet the quality and softness of the recycled kimonos, silk and organic cotton tops, in soft pinks and grays, are designed to draw a fashion-conscious customer who might be surprised to learn the items are naturally dyed with sweet potatoes and mud.

Nathalie Goyette, the brand's development manager, first saw the natural dyeing techniques when on a trip to China years ago. She kept some material, and a chance meeting with a Chinese student in France connected her to a supplier who helped create the environmentally sound collection. Demand has since boomed. "I started out ordering 50 meters of fabric, and now it's more than 1,000," she said.

Similarly, the founders of six-month-old brand Fées de Bengale (Fairies of Bengal in English) place fashion and ethics on a level footing. Their feminine collection of organic silk and cotton tops targets concept stores and ethically focused boutiques, yet the brand's name conjures up images of the women who hand-sew the collection in India.

"It's a mutual exchange. We wanted to make the most of the women's savoir faire," said Elodie Le Derf, the brand's stylist who previously worked at Vanessa Bruno, explaining the couturiers give them feedback and ideas for designs.

Art. 23, founded by the French Fair Trade Co. in September, is also aiming for a chic yet caring image. The trendy collection of minimalist shirtdresses and tuxedo-inspired shirts was designed by Adam Love, who has worked with Karl Lagerfeld and Antik Batik, yet its name pays homage to its social commitments, providing a decent living for the disadvantaged women who make it in India. Referring to Article 23, the universal declaration of human rights, "immediately prompts consumers to think of the respect of human rights," said Art. 23 commercial director Marie Mamgioglou.

As ethical brands multiply both in number and in style, not to mention marketing savvy, so do calls for greater transparency across the entire supply chain. Participants at this year's Ethical Fashion Show had to answer a nine-page questionnaire covering environmental issues and workers' rights, as well as social and business objectives. Each brand's ethical claims were then identified for buyers, either fair trade, traditional skills, recycling, organic or social projects.

Show organizer Isabelle Quéhé said deciding on a definition of what is in fact ethical is problematic. For Quéhé, pure silk ready-to-wear pieces and evening gowns from designer Torgo based on traditional Mongolian costumes epitomize what is ethical.

"It's about promoting the traditions in less-wealthy southern countries, where the older generation is dying — and that savoir faire with them," she said.

Equally, designers using recycled materials, such as Bilum, which makes funky bags from advertising posters and seat belts, fit her definition. And for the first time the show featured a Canadian designer who employs recycled fur. Quéhé's reasoning: "If it wasn't reused, it would be thrown away in land-fill sites. It's less polluting to recycle it."

The more the ethical clothing category continues to grow, the less it seems another passing fad.

"[Ethics] are part and parcel of modern life," said Harvey Nichols' Oates, pointing to the popularity of Al Gore's documentary on the environment, "An Inconvenient Truth," as evidence of growing sensibilities. "We are not saying that fashion is going to change the world," said Quéhé, "but these amazing stories are just many more drops in the ocean.

"http://50rx3annex.blogspot.com/2006/10/wwd-ethical-fashion-coverage.html

Ethical, Organic, Sustainable

2008-10-15T23:41:00.000-07:00

Ethical, organic, sustainable – you’ve heard these terms but what do they really mean?

Bamboo – the panda’s favourite food can be used instead of cotton to make clothes. Bamboo grass grows fast without chemicals, so provides a ready supply of material.

But the process of turning bamboo into yarn and cloth can involve chemicals and may use a lot of water – some factories are better than others. To make sure the bamboo has been sourced environmentally, it’s a good idea to ask where the raw bamboo comes from and how it’s processed.

Cotton – needs lots of water and fertiliser to grow. Traditionally, farmers use chemical fertiliser and pesticides to grow cotton. The chemicals can damage farmers’ health and pollute the water supply. Growing cotton can spoil the soil quality, leaving it open to erosion, which leads to areas of land around the globe becoming unusable. Organic cotton is better for the environment because the farmers don’t use chemical pesticides.

Ethical fashion – fashion that has been made, worn and passed on in a way that looks after people, animals and the environment.

Fairtrade – the Fairtrade Mark is an independent, consumer label administered by the UK's Fairtrade Foundation and its international partners. If produce carries the Fairtrade Mark, it means the producer’s been inspected, certified and operates to international environmental and social standards. In return, the producer is guaranteed a fair price for their produce. The price includes extra money to invest in community projects such as schools.

Fair trade – the fair trade movement is about making sure producers in developing countries get paid a fair price for their goods. It’s also about improving working conditions for those who produce them. But the words 'fair trade' are not an official brand and have no certification behind them.

Fast fashion – clothing made quickly and sold cheaply in bulk. It means we can afford a new outfit each week but the clothes may not last long and soon end up in the bin.

Hemp – from the cannabis family, hemp can be used instead of cotton to make clothes. Hemp grows easily without heavy use of chemicals and is not as harsh on the soil as cotton. It needs less water than cotton to grow but it does take more energy to process and can involve chemicals. As it’s anti-bacterial, you don’t need to wash hemp clothes as often as cotton ones – better for the environment.

Labour rights – the rights of people who work in the clothing industry from raw material to finished garment. In developing countries, people often don’t get fair wages and have fewer rights. They may be in short-term contracts so may not get sick pay or holiday pay. Many people find themselves working under conditions that may be harmful to their health. One way of safeguarding workers' rights is through a union, but these are often officially or unofficially banned.

Landfill – aka the dump or tip. When you chuck out clothes, they take up valuable space in landfill and chemicals from them can leach into surrounding soil.

Organic – clothes made from materials grown without chemicals or similar.

Pesticide – a chemical that kills the insects and diseases that damage plants. Pesticides are harmful to the farmers growing the cotton - they can cause illness and even death among cotton farmers if they’re exposed to them every day. Pesticides also affect local eco-systems, killing certain plants and animals and causing an imbalance.

Recycled – old clothes or scraps of materials that are turned into new items. Many ethical designers create new clothes from recycled ones or use industry remnants and off-cuts. Hand-me-downs and second hand/charity shop clothes all count as recycled too.

Refashioned/Restyled – wearing an old garment in a new way, perhaps by customising it. This keeps it in circulation and out of landfill.

Sustainable – producing clothes in a way that’s less damaging to the environment. For example, cotton farmers can reduce the amount of pesticides they use, by using natural methods of controlling the insects that damage their crops. Sustainability also includes a social aspect. For example, small co-operatives can employ people from local communities, helping to prevent migration to cities to find work.

Swishing/Swapping/Shwopping – parties or websites where people exchange clothes they no longer wear.

Vintage – fashionable second-hand clothing from yesteryear, be it a 1960s dress or 1970s chunky platform shoes. Kate Moss, Johnny Depp, Kiera Knightly, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna are all fans.

Issues and Trends in the Fashion Industry

2008-10-08T23:44:00.000-07:00

The following is a summary of key issues and needs in the fashion industry and a brief overview of some recent trends in responding to these.

A Political Issue
Sustainable trading remains a political issue for the fashion industry despite the soaring levels of ethical consumerism in the UK and the rising spend on ethical fashion.

Proliferation of Tools
To address consumers’ ethical concerns many companies have developed policies, codes of conduct and standards which their suppliers are expected to meet.

No Unified Approach
However, to date no commonly recognised mechanism or unified approach has been developed resulting in low levels of consumer confidence and decelerated development of the ethical fashion market.

Complex & Interconnected
The social and environmental challenges faced by the fashion industry are characterised by their complexity and interconnectedness.

Lateral Thinking
Lateral and innovative thinking is needed to address complex sustainability and corporate responsibility issues on an industry level.

Industry Best Practice
As the demand for ethically sourced products continues to increase, so too does the need to promote industry best practice and commonality of approach in order to achieve greater economic, social and environmental impact.

Networked Learning and Action
Many organizations have begun to think outside the box and appreciate the commercial, social and environmental benefits of networked learning and action (e.g. Nike: the Organic Exchange at www.nikeresponsibility.com, November 2004; GlaxosmithKline’s Hospice care network).

Partnerships
A significant number of companies are making a conscious choice to overcome their organizational differences by convening or joining multistakeholder partnerships.

New Capabilities
Despite the challenges that interorganizational collaboration brings, it is becoming a popular option among those looking to reduce transaction costs, aiming at new positioning in markets and seeking access to new knowledge and capabilities.

How ethical is your fashion?

2008-10-01T20:40:00.000-07:00

Police prevented a crush when Primark's Oxford St store opened Ethical fashion

What was YOUR reaction to those pictures of the new flagship Primark store in Oxford Street being mobbed by hungry shoppers?

Did you wish you were there bagging a bargain? Or did you find the whole thing an extraordinary example of Britain's obsession with shopping?

If your answer is the latter, you are in influential company.

Jane Shepherdson, the woman who turned around Top Shop, believes the whole thing is proof we have become a nation that's gone nuts about throwaway clothes.

"It feels like something that has gone too far", she told me.

"It feels like people are addicted to shopping and consuming and having new things all the time. I think it has become really boring. Things are so accessible, you can look like a celebrity immediately and for a fiver."

And does she think people look good on fast fashion?

"Not particularly, no."

Individuals

But Shepherdson, who became chief executive of the Whistles womenswear chain last week, reckons things are about to change radically.

Ahead of the 2008 London Fashion Week, and in her first television interview since leaving Philip Green's empire, she told Newsnight: "Things go in cycles. I feel we are about to come to an end of a cycle and go somewhere different. I think people have become a bit bored with the idea of 'isn't it great, it is so cheap', I am hoping people will start to want to be a bit more individual again."

We need to be tempted into buying beautiful, ethical, sustainable clothes
Jane Shepherdson
So what are people going to start buying instead? Shepherdson has been doing her own research over the last year, and reckons there is a gap in the market for quality, beautifully designed pieces that last.

In the end, they offer more value than all those fast fashion pieces that fall apart after a few months as a result.

Landfill

"Buy less!" is just the clarion call that campaigners for a greener and more sustainable fashion industry have been waiting to hear.

We are buying a third more clothes than we were a decade ago. Every year we buy around 2m tonnes, and about 1.5m tonnes end up in landfill. The clothing industry is a close rival to the chemical industry in its levels of pollution.

We recycle only a fraction of our wardrobes. And clothes are now so cheap because we pay so little to the people who make them in developing countries far from our gaze.

Key voices within the industry are starting to call for a rethink on our extraordinary levels of clothes consumption.

The head of the London College of Fashion, Dr Frances Corner, sets out her stall: "We have to think more carefully before we buy, we have to buy fewer clothes anyway, and pay more for them - and not subsidise people who're living sometimes on 15p a week so we can change our image all the time."

Dissolving clothes

We are spending a third more on clothes than we were a decade ago
Dr Frances Corner, London College of Fashion
Some of the big high street retailers are making efforts to tackle this, but it doesn't change the fact that people ultimately need to buy fewer clothes.

Sainsbury's is helping fund an innovative project at the London College of Fashion: making clothes that dissolve over time. The practical applications are not yet clear.

For now, the point is to promote a debate on sustainable fashion.

Dr Corner is calling for a return to the way we used to dress in Britain - buy classic pieces that last, and develop your individuality through your clothes.

It doesn't mean returning to austerity times - instead it's about finding the fun in holding onto your clothes for longer.

"Customise them," she suggests, "exchange them with other people, eventually recycle them into something different. I think it will be much more fulfilling for people in the end than the throwaway frenzy we have now."

Democratisation of clothes

Everyone agrees it means clothes will have to cost a bit more if they are going to reflect their toll on the environment - and ensure the people who make them are paid properly.

But the argument that low-income shoppers will be excluded from sustainable fashion gets short shrift from Dr Corner: "We are spending a third more on clothes than we were a decade ago, so the money is there."

In other words, the much lauded "democratisation" of clothes is really about everyone now being able to buy LOTS of clothes.

Jane Shepherdson thinks that in a quality market there's scope for sustainable fashion - with one big caveat: it has to look great.

"The whole ethical clothing market has got a long way to go," she says, "We don't want hair shirts, very few people are doing anything interesting and design is critical. We need to be tempted into buying beautiful, ethical, sustainable clothes; not being made to feel guilty At the end of the day the consumer dictates. The best way to encourage her to buy is to make it as beautiful as you can."

So bury the morals - a depressing message, but doubtless commercially savvy.

Something else that would help is government legislation - for example targets and indirect taxation - to make non-ethical clothes less competitive.

In the words of Britain's first professor of sustainability, Tim Jackson, of the University of Surrey: "All the studies find that even people with strong pro-environmental values find it very difficult to maintain those values. They struggle to lead the lives they want to lead. That is where legislation can help."

By Madeleine Holt

We are Eco-Warriors!

2008-09-24T20:34:00.000-07:00

Going green might be old news in the fashion world, but it’s having an effect on high-end designers and British high street brands as we speak. More than a year after making headlines in the tabloids and broadsheets, Eco-Fashion is still a very hot topic.

Only recently, weekly glossy, Grazia, and monthly fashionista favourite, Elle, have dedicated full spreads to becoming Eco-Warriors, saving the earth one ethically (but fashionably) clad foot at a time. The question is, can you be ethical, yet fashionable at the same time?

The answer to this question is a definite yes! You only have to look to the runways of this season to see that it’s not only designers like Stella McCartney and Noir who have a conscience, even affordable brands like Topshop, Marks and Spencers, and H&M are going organic (and have been for some time).

Topshop have a fantastic Fairtrade range, as well as also selling vintage and recycled clothing (check out Peek-a-Boo and People Tree for some seriously fabulous items) that won’t dent your pocket!

It’s not only clothing that’s making headlines, Eco-fashion has now extended to bags, shoes, beauty and jewellery too, thanks to celeb inspirers like Bono’s wife, Ali Hewson and her cult brand, Edun.

And if you’re feeling particularly brave and ethically fashion forward, why not give Sainsbury’s new Eco range a try? With a launch later this year of clothing made purely from recycled plastic designed to feel like viscose and polyester you really will be doing your bit for Mother Earth!

by Gabi Muller

Ethical Fashion; Overview

2008-09-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

What is ethical fashion, why is it important, and why are we just hearing about it now? Well, to answer these questions we start with what is wrong with clothing production today. Most clothing available in stores today is produced in an unethical manner using sweatshop and/or child labour to ensure a larger profit margin. Manufacturers use unsustainable fabrics like non-organic cotton (dubbed as natural, it accounts for almost 25% of all pesticide use) and polyester (which is a petroleum by-product). They use conventional dying practices which release chlorine, chromium, and other pollutants into the environment posing a health risk to the farmers, assemblers and wearers (7 of the top 15 pesticides used on conventional US cotton crops are “possible” to “known” human carcinogens). The shift to ethical production practices in the clothing industry has been undeniably important for a long time making the market ripe for a positive change. Consumers are starting to demand better.

What is Ethical Fashion?

Ethical fashion is that which is produced using: fairly-paid and fairly-treated adult workers; sustainable fabrics and materials like organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and reclaimed or recycled materials; low-impact fiber-reactive dyes or vegetable dyes; respect for a healthy environment and/or product for the farmer, the assembler, and the wearer of the clothing.

Why Ethical Fashion?

We are all responsible for how our own lifestyles affect the environment. Simple measures can be taken to achieve big changes by simply switching our buying patterns to include products made of low impact materials. Positive pressure on businesses who have yet to volutarily clean up their acts is very easily applied by simply choosing not to spend money on their products, and helping – little by little – to grow the businesses who have made an explicit commitment to responsible business practice.

Why Now?

The wonderful thing about the booming ethical fashion industry is the huge variety of designs, colours, cuts, fabrics and sizes now available. Long stigmatized as cousin to the burlap sack, the ethical offerings today are design-oriented. Designers with heart are creating beautiful, sexy, edgy, classic, current, imaginative, and, yes, flattering pieces – ethics will simply not be compromised and thankfully neither will the look and feel of their work. Reducing our footprint can be done without making any sacrifices.

One of the main driving forces of the ethical fashion boom is public awareness. Thanks to exposés on large manufacturers, the fact that sweatshop labour is used for the overwhelming majority of production can no longer be ignored. The power of boycotting has been demonstrated, as has the power of voting with our dollars to support good practice. Thanks to accessible work like “An Inconvenient Truth”, the lay person is no longer free to assuage their environmental guilt with the denial of the existence of climate change. Thanks to alternative medical practitioners, who deal with cause instead of just symptom, we're learning that we can build health by surrounding ourselves with and consuming healthy things.

Consumers are growing weary of the quantity without quality mentality. Most designers with an ethical bent to their art, work in small batches, producing high quality goods with exceptional fabrics. Consumers are, in growing numbers, appreciating the right to vote with their dollars; and are exercising it to support expansion of the sustainable textile industry, small farmers and farm co-operatives. We're all looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact, increase our social contribution, ease our consciences, hold on to some creature comforts, and continue celebrating art in all its forms.

Article on Ethical Fashion

The Base Code Principles of Implementation

2008-09-10T20:22:00.000-07:00

ETI has developed a code of labour practice - the 'Base Code' - reflecting the most relevant international standards with respect to labour practices which will be used as the basis of its work.

ETI member companies are expected to adopt this Base Code, or to adopt their own code so long as it incorporates the Base Code. The Base Code which is accompanied by a set of general principles concerning implementation, provides a foundation for ETI's philosophy of learning.

Principles of Implementation:

The purpose of ETI is to identify, develop and promote good practice with respect to implementing codes of labour practice.

Critical areas include monitoring and verification, and transparency and disclosure, to determine and communicate whether standards embodied in the code are being achieved. ETI members accept the following as general principles upon which to develop or refine their search for best practice.

1. Commitment

The company gives its membership of ETI, the code and its implementation process an informed and explicit endorsement.
This commitment is communicated throughout the company and to its suppliers and sub-contractors (including closely associated self- employed staff).
A member of senior management is assigned responsibility for the implementation of compliance with the code.
The code and the implementation process is integrated into the core business relationships and culture.
The company will ensure that human and financial resources are made available to enable it to meet its stated commitments.

2. Monitoring, independent verification, and reporting

Member companies accept the principle that the implementation of codes will be assessed through monitoring and independent verification; and that performance with regard to monitoring practice and implementation of codes will be reported annually.
Companies will engage with other members in the design, Implementation and analysis of pilot schemes to identify good practice in monitoring and independent verification and share this experience with other members.
Company members will draw on this experience in establishing where relevant with other ETI members' work plans to implement programmes of monitoring, independent verification, and reporting, and will report progress against these programmes to and through the ETI in a format and timing to be agreed.
Workers covered by the code shall be provided with a confidential means to report failure to observe the code and shall be otherwise protected in this respect.

3. Awareness raising and training

All relevant personnel are provided appropriate training and guidelines that will enable them to apply the code in their work.
Suppliers are made aware of the code, and the company's commitment to sourcing from suppliers who observe the standards in the code.
Workers whose work is covered by the code are, where possible, made aware of the code and implementation principles or procedures.

4. Corrective actions

Member companies commit themselves, on the basis of knowledge gained from monitoring to; (a) negotiate and implement agreed schedules for corrective actions with suppliers failing to observe the terms of the code, i.e. a continuous improvement approach; (b) require the immediate cessation of serious breaches of the code, and; (c) where serious breaches of the code persist, to terminate any business relationship with the supplier concerned.

5. Management procedures, pricing and incentives

Negotiations with suppliers shall take into account the costs of observing the code.
Understanding and implementation of company policy with respect to its code of labour practice shall constitute a positive performance measure when assessing appropriate personnel.

ETI

Ethical Fashion, Rising

2008-09-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

Attention fashionistas! There are now even more opportunities to be smartly dressed in every sense of the word. The Financial Times Weekend features a story about the proliferation of ethical fashion labels. ("Forget Black: Fashion's Going Green" by Dimi Gaidatzi, May 14/15, 2005). These are designers and catalogue retailers who are producing socially and ecologically sustainable clothing lines without compromising high design and style, thus blowing away (yet again) the old tradeoffs between performance, principles and in some cases price -- the exception being the burgeoning eco-lux brands, of course, which are priced beyond most mortals' means, but influencing the "influencers" is a clever tactic as celebrities, for better or worse, set standards.

The article mentions: Edun, the new range designed by U2's Bono and his wife Ali Hewson which is available at Selfridges in the UK, People Tree, veteran designer Katharine Hamnett, Romp Fashion, shoemaker Terraplana, United Nude, Sari, Nathalie Hambro, and Buba London, to name a few in Europe. (Also check out past WC posts mentioning fashion bags with green integrity and eco-designer Jenny McPherson.)

So long gone are the days when sporting eco-friendly threads just meant wearing ugly itchy hemp pants or recycled tire jackets! (Not that there is anything wrong with these per se but the market for these is small.) But seriously, this is a great example of how we can make sustainability work through better design across all parameters. Make something beautiful, make something unique, make something with a story and feel-good values behind it, and make it more accessible and user-friendly -- and you have the catalytic recipe for shifting a niche category into a mainstream phenomenon. (Whadda say shoppers we help this along!)

And sure enough "momentum is building" writes the FT, citing the first ethical fashion show last year in Paris and the socio-environmental Anti-Apathy campaign in London. New research and materials in fibers is producing dividends as well. This is a "long term change rather than some kind of trend."

What these offer are not just ways of curbing child labour or environmental damage, but ways of tackling sustainable development, ethical commerce, environmental performance and aesthetic innovation; all of these factors are a crucial part of their brand and design manifesto.

In other words, this is a veritable win-win that harnesses market and social forces. As David Bowie said, "the more we commodify things, the more we'll want hand-made things out of wood." Something deep is shifting in terms of what people really want, need and desire. We're getting a glimpse of this here. Now, it's time to apply ingenious superior design not just to the quality of consumption but the quantity too. More stuff is still more stuff.

Nicole-Anne Boyer

ETHICAL TRADING INITIATIVE

2008-09-03T17:40:00.000-07:00

EMPLOYMENT IS FREELY CHOSEN

There is no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour.
Workers are not required to lodge "deposits" or their identity papers with their employer and are free to leave their employer after reasonable notice.

FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION AND THE RIGHT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ARE RESPECTED

Workers, without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively.
The employer adopts an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organisational activities.
Workers representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace.
Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, the employer facilitates, and does not hinder, the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.

WORKING CONDITIONS ARE SAFE AND HYGIENIC

A safe and hygienic working environment shall be provided, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards. Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course of work, by minimizing, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment.
Workers shall receive regular and recorded health and safety training, and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers.
Access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided.
Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of the workers.
The company observing the code shall assign responsibility for health and safety to a senior management representative.

CHILD LABOUR SHALL NOT BE USED

There shall be no new recruitment of child labour.
Companies shall develop or participate in and contribute to policies and programmes which provide for the transition of any child found to be performing child labour to enable her or him to attend and remain in quality education until no longer a child; "child" and "child labour" being defined in the appendices.
Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions.
These policies and procedures shall conform to the provisions of the relevant ILO standards.

LIVING WAGES ARE PAID

Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income.
All workers shall be provided with written and understandable Information about their employment conditions in respect to wages before they enter employment and about the particulars of their wages for the pay period concerned each time that they are paid.
Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted nor shall any deductions from wages not provided for by national law be permitted without the expressed permission of the worker concerned. All disciplinary measures should be recorded.

WORKING HOURS ARE NOT EXCESSIVE

Working hours comply with national laws and benchmark industry standards, whichever affords greater protection.
In any event, workers shall not on a regular basis be required to work in excess of 48 hours per week and shall be provided with at least one day off for every 7 day period on average. Overtime shall be voluntary, shall not exceed 12 hours per week, shall not be demanded on a regular basis and shall always be compensated at a premium rate.

NO DISCRIMINATION IS PRACTISED

There is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.

REGULAR EMPLOYMENT IS PROVIDED

To every extent possible work performed must be on the basis of recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice.
Obligations to employees under labour or social security laws and regulations arising from the regular employment relationship shall not be avoided through the use of labour-only contracting, sub- contracting, or home-working arrangements, or through apprenticeship schemes where there is no real intent to impart skills or provide regular employment, nor shall any such obligations be avoided through the excessive use of fixed-term contracts of employment.

NO HARSH OR INHUMANE TREATMENT IS ALLOWED

Physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation shall be prohibited.

The provisions of this code constitute minimum and not maximum standards, and this code should not be used to prevent companies from exceeding these standards. Companies applying this code are expected to comply with national and other applicable law and, where the provisions of law and this Base Code address the same subject, to apply that provision which affords the greater protection.

Note: We have made every effort to ensure that the translations of the ETI Base Code and Principles of Implementation are as complete and accurate as possible. However, please note that in both cases it is the English language documents which should be treated as the official versions.

What is Ethical Fashion

2008-08-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: Kuyichi organic fair trade jeans.

Ethical fashion means fashion which takes into consideration the people behind the clothes we wear, as well as the environment. When you buy a piece of clothing, you may not think twice about where it was originally made, by whom and under what conditions.

The clothing industry is a complex one - and all the clothes we wear have a story behind them. It is quite common for one piece of clothing - say a pair of jeans - to be made up of components from five or more countries, often thousands of miles away, before they end up in our high street store.

All the steps in the production of this pair of jeans affect the people working to grow cotton, to weave the denim and to make the jeans. These steps also affect the environment we live in.
The journey of a pair of jeans from cotton plant to rubbish tip

Growing the cotton - Cotton provides nearly half of the worlds textile needs and it is often seen as a natural or environmentally friendly product. In fact cotton uses nearly a quarter of all the world's insecticides. These are harmful both to the farmers growing the cotton, who may suffer from blood poisoning as a result of using them, and to the environment.
Weaving, dying, bleaching, and softening the fabric - If you have ever borrowed any of your parents old clothes from the 60's and 70's for a fancy dress party you might notice how rough and itchy they were. Nowadays fabrics used for clothing are much softer on the skin. That includes denim. This has a lot to do with the chemicals used to soften the fabric they are made from. As well as softening agents, dyes and bleaches are an important part of making your jeans look and feel the way they do. Many of these chemicals, if not used or disposed of properly, can be very toxic to people and to the environment and even to the person who wears the jeans when they are complete!
Sewing the jeans - Because labour costs are cheaper, clothing is often made in some of the poorest parts of the world; for example in Asia, Africa, and South America. Although this can bring real benefits to communities through providing work and steady incomes, in many parts of the world it means unfair and unsafe working conditions, long hours, and pay which is so low that it does not allow workers enough income to pay for food, healthcare, or other basic needs.
Transporting the jeans to the UK - Because most clothing is made in poorer parts of the world and the markets where it is bought are in richer parts of the world (eg. Europe and the USA), it often needs to travel thousands of miles before reaching its destination. This involves transportation by sea, by road and even by air: all of which is dependent upon the use of oil, petrol and diesel. The use of these fuels pollutes the environment we live in, and is responsible for global warming.
Buying the jeans from a high street store - Over the last twenty years, the costs of the clothes we can buy on our high streets has gone down and down. In fact you can probably buy a pair of jeans for as little as £4 in some UK high street stores. Prices this low mean that less and less money is going to the people who make the clothes on the other side of the world.
Throwing away the jeans - Low prices also mean that we, as consumers, are buying more clothes than ever before. We have more clothes than we need and this means we are also throwing away more clothes than ever before. When you throw away a pair of jeans, it will probably end up on a rubbish tip or a landfill site. Unfortunately this is not the end of the story; clothing made from synthetic fabrics will not decompose, while any chemicals used as part of the garment process can leach into surrounding soil.

An ethical fashion industry

The fashion industry does not need to be this way. Many companies are trying to find ways to overcome the problems at each step in the chain, and to produce clothes in a way which benefits people and does not damage the environment. As somebody who buys fashion, you can do a lot by supporting companies which are taking a more ethical approach, or by customising and re-using your own clothes.

Here are some of the things to look out for or consider:

Organic standards - Organic clothing is made without the use of toxic chemicals. See article on organic and eco fashion for more details. 2. Fair trade standards - Fair trade means paying a fair wage to workers and making sure they get a fair deal. See article on fair trade and fashion for more details.
Recycling and customisation - Many designers and companies are now making clothes from recycled clothing or fabrics. You could also consider transforming your own clothes by customising them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blast/art/articles/what_is_ethical_fashion.shtml