i love eco

Local Wisdom - A Unique Fashion Project from the University of Arts London

I Love Eco loves smart design especially when it is carried out with as much thought and consideration as Dr. Kate Fletcher "Local Wisdom" project.

I must first apologize for not writing an article on Kate ages ago... I'm so sorry Kate!  I began several articles and threw them aside with frustration because they never truly explained your accomplishments and beautiful ways of thinking about sustainable fashion.  I continue to learn and be inspired by your projects.

With that said, I would like to announce the project, "Local Wisdom - A unique fashion project recording and celebrating the clothes-based ingenuity of our communities."

About the Project: 

Good ideas happen everywhere and often involve creative acts with the things we have around us, like our clothes. These creative actions and ideas are rarely acknowledged and never make it onto catwalks or business agendas, yet we think they have potential to help solve some of the problems we face as a global community.
The Local Wisdom project recognizes, honours and gives credit to the many creative ideas and actions that involve our garments. These acts typically need little money or materials to make them happen, but instead tap into an abundance of experience, ingenuity and freethinking. This project captures and celebrates this ‘local wisdom’, uncovering its value and giving it a platform to flourish and inspire.  Local Wisdom is a research project funded by London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London.

What it involves:

Gathering stories about garments using photographs and spoken testimony from volunteer members of the public in two regional UK towns. The public will be invited to bring along garments that:
• are shared between people
• are enjoying a third, fourth or fifth life
• have never been laundered (and aren’t leather!)
• have the character of a particular place in them
• surprise you each time you wear them
• have been let out, tucked in, re-worked, embellished
• show the careful attention of their creator/owner
• can be added to and taken away from (but are wearable both ways)
• make you feel part of a community (but not a uniform)

Outcomes:

Photographs, information and oral histories about garments
from the grassroots whose design and use saves resources,
helps us form strong connections with each other and builds
an awareness of the world around us.
Fashion ‘events’ that recognize and encourage a community’s
potential to create its own future.

Arran jumper – hand-knit inherited from father-in-law

and shared with his wife (she wears it in the garden). Never been washed. ‘I've shrunk a lot of things over the years and it would also lose it's fantastic smell - a mix of fresh air and wood smoke. It's like part of the family. I could never throw it away’.

Visit the Local Wisdom project website for further details about the research event and how to participate and what clothing to bring to the events.

The research events will take place in Totnes, UK on Saturday June 6th 2009 from 10am-4pm in association with Transition Towns Totnes Sustainable Makers and in Bollington, UK on Sunday July 5th 2009 from 10am-4pm a part of Three Shires Textile Festival. 

I hope it's a huge success!

Made By Survivors - The Emacipation Network

The Emancipation Network came onto my radar in the form of a Christmas gift shown above.  Good design that is organic and fair are my favorite things and I wanted to share this little zip purse.  

First, the design aspects.  It is contructed using plastic bags that are held together with twine and it is lined with cotton muslin.  It's quite a tight weave and I love the technique that was used (it is similar to the way kitchen rag carpets are made).  The colors are great, I love the diagonal layout and for a little clutch it's pretty well thought-out.  There are many other products to chose from on the MadeBySurvivors.com online store.  

Second, I'd like to highlight the Fair Trade and ethical aspects of this purse.  You must give credit to movies and the capabilities of video to send a message because the film, "The Day My God Died" by Andrew Levine inspired the founders, Sarah Symons and John Berger of The Emancipation Network to get to work.  You can read their story here.  

"The Emancipation Newotk (TEN) is an international organization dedicated to fighting human trafficking and madern day slavery.  We help survivors of slavery rebuild their lives after resuce from slavery, with sustainable income, education and help reintegrating into society.  We work to prevent slavery in high risk communities, by creating jobs for adults, and through volunteer trips and donations to our shelter partners for rescue, school fees, emergency needs and reintegration.

TEN imports and sell beautiful handicraft products made by survivors of slavery and persons at risk of being trafficed into slavery."

This is a powerful mission statement by any standards and I Love Eco wishes them continued success and growth and they work to help the 27 million people worldwide living in slavery.

Perhaps after reading their story it will encourage you to participate and host your own local event in support of The Emacipation Network.  

I Love Eco: Eco Gift Guide 2008

(clockwise from Top Right)

Katherine Hamnett "Clean Up Or Die" organic cotton jersey T-Shirt.  The phrase may not be in true Holiday spirit, but the message cannot be ignored to insure future generations a Happy Holidays. £40.00.

Gaiam's printed Prosperity Yoga Mat is subtle and stylish.  I absolutely love what this company stands for, they provide wonderful products and services promoting a healthier lifestyle.  $22.

I Love Eco cannot get enough of Alba's Pineapple Quench Clear Lip Gloss!  Made with certified organic emollients, such as sunflower oil, beeswax and enriched with pineapple and Vitamin E it makes your lips truly shine. $4.95. (Alba's shampoo's are SULFATE-FREE as well)

100% organic cotton Fruit & Veggie Toys for the babies.  $6.50 each. 

This Ecoist Chica Rosa clutch (in black) is adorable and versatile to match any outfit!  $39. 

It's been pubslished everywhere, and I hope it makes it under your tree.  Solio's solar powered charger for all your portable gadgets.  $99.95 at SustainableNYC.

Pacifica's Soy Candles make great gifts.  1.5oz. $22.

Cozy up by the candle with Loyale's "Pomeroy" throw made from 100% organic cotton faux-fur & 100% organic cotton twill lining.  Made in NYC as well, which is nice for anyone living locally.  $196.

Organic perfume using synthetic and preservative free oils and alcohol by Tsi-La.  Visit their website for the complete collection, sizes and prices.

If you're able to splurge, for that special someone, in these economic times why not ensure a carbon free ride to work, to the grocery store or for pleasure with a bicycle. The UK company,  Brompton makes wonderful models that fold-up if you have a quick ride from the train or maybe you could breathe new life into an old vintage bike (like the one shown) and fix-it-up with a new basket and bell.

Remember... REDUCE REUSE AND RECYCLE! 

On the note of recycling, why not spare those plastic bags from the landfill and buy a handmade tote made from recycled plastic grocery bags by Julia Lauren (julialauren.etsy.com).  Don't miss the other handmade goodies on Etsy. Totes $30.

And for the person who has everything there is Organic Avenue's L.O.V.E. program.  Currently only available in NYC they prepare organic, fresh, vegan smoothies, soups and salads daily and can be delivered right to your door - it's quite the eco-service!  For more information about the company, visit their website.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Shop Local: A Guide to the East Village, NYC

Retail spending accounts for one third of spending (GDP), so it's no wonder George Bush encouraged us to go out and shop.  I would like to encourage you to SHOP LOCAL!  

With the "flattening" of the global economy, China and India will continue to impact businesses in North American and Europe.  Globalization benefits large corporations who can afford large scale production, while small businesses are left to fight for their share of the pie.  Yet at the time, niche markets are growing and for small business owners it is important to pay attention to the needs of the local customer.

This is incredibly viable for New Yorkers, who can visit the Union Square Farmer's Market, drink organic wine from vineyards Upstate and buy clothing that is made (at least sewn) in the area.

  

There's a great little booklet I want to introduce:  "A Guide to East Village Local Shops" made by the East Village Community Coalition that urges you to "shop local" and "drop chain stores".  

Their bio:

"The East Village Community Coalition works to recognize, support, and sustain the built and cultural character of the East Village.  This character includes a diverse population; low-rise, human scale, blocks and affordable buildings with historic and architectural significance; a multitude of community gardens; indigenous stores and businesses; and the neighborhood's history and ongoing tradition as a haven for those seeking freedom to express artistic, creative, and social concerns.

Our initiatives are the Get Local! in our neighborhood.  Our efforts focus on preservation and zoning, local retailing, and transportation."

Pretty great stuff!

*I Love Eco totes are sold at a local eco boutique Sustainable NYC*

A New Face for the Cosmetics Industry: Eco Friendly Make-up Lines

"Petroleum waxes, oils and chemicals, coal-tar dyes and potentially carcinogenic talc are included in just about everything in your makeup kit.  Lash-extending mascaras can even cntain polluting plastics like polyurethane." (Vasil. Ecoholic:2007)

YUCK!  We tolerate cancer-causing agents in our environment at our own peril.

  It is such a wonderful concept, a lipstick container that is made form renewable corn plastic and the packaging is made from seeded paper that can be planted to grow wildflowers... why didn't I think of that?

Cargo Cosmetics have made the prettiest sheer lipsticks without compromising quality or style.  The eco-friendly line, called "Plant Love" can be bought at Sephora along with other fun products packaged in biodegradable corn plastic.  (My personal favorite collection is the Fire Collection).

An interactive website on the site allows you to plant flowers in the city (virtually).  I planted two flowers in my favorite lipstick shades which brought the total number of flowers planted to 7068.  It's so great to see eco warriors showing their support for a "lipstick with a conscience".

My second eco friendly pick is by Korres.  Below is the company's philosophy and description of the ingredients used and NOT used in the skincare line:

"Based on our experience with skincare textures, we have avoided specific synthetic ingredients, such as petroleum derivatives (mineral oil), propylene glycol (extraction solvent linked to a number of allergies) and ethanolamines (pH regulators linked with skin irritations). The above ingredients have been replaced by vegetable oils, natural aminoacids and mild extraction solvents, which are friendly to the skin and possess inherent moisturising and nourishing properties. 
Being committed to developing products in more environment friendly and skincompatible ways, we have limited the use of silicones (synthetic, non biodegradable compounds) and parabens (family of compounds used to preserve the final products, with potential irritating action), to the minimum percentage or even eliminated them, wherever possible."

I couldn't have said it better.  My favorite are the eye shadows and lip glosses... the cherry oil used in them smells amazing!

Available at Sephora.

 

Sans Plastique Totes!

It is a pleasure to promote sustainability at I Love Eco and it is also quite an expense both in time and money. If you like what we do here, we've created some lovely products to help support I Love Eco and to promote a greener lifestyle, you can help support by making a safe and secure donation through PayPal or by purchasing one of our 100% certified organic Hemp totes at the I Love Eco store.

My personal favorite is the "Sans Plastique" tote! To care for your tote, please hand or machine wash in cold water and NO machine drying necessary - this should save close to 50% in energy consumption (climate impact) of the tote! There will be more goodies to come soon...

"T-Shirt Travels" & Secondhand Clothing

Children in Africa play in our discarded t-shirts from long ago carrying logos from North American companies. The examined life of a t-shirt brings a filmmaker to question and explore the consequences of the second hand clothing industry. Executed to perfection and written as a narrative by Shantha Bloeman, this film examines the global free market and Zambia's debt to the World Bank and how our used clothing devastated a nation.

The film industry is one of the greatest exports in America, inspiring new generations to look and dress the way we do; but this documentary will show that it's not the only thing we export that has a dramatic cultural, economic and environmental impact. Third world poverty in Zambia is shown in a way that I couldn't even describe and the film coherently explains how poverty is related to the free market and Zambia's debt to the World Bank. Essentially our second hand clothing is a global commodity that has undermined indigenous textiles industries in third world countries.

"Every single clothing factory in Zambia went out of business; we do not have a clothing industry left in the country because of the secondhand clothes are coming in."
-Mark O'Donnell, spokesman
Zambian Manufacturers Association

I definitely recommend reaching out to purchase your copy, email: info@filmakers.com for further information. The official website for T-shirt Travels can be found HERE. You can also tract a t-shirt from New York to Zambia HERE and watch videos with individuals from the film including an interview with Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Director - The Earth Institute at Columbia University.

There is no clip from the movie that I could find, so instead I've added a presentation by Pietra Rivoli, Associate Professor at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business and author of "The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy". This book shares the same concepts found in the documentary T-Shirt Travels as it follows the lifespan of a single t-shirt - from harvesting the cotton in Texas through the shirt's manufacture in China to its eventual sale and a new product in the U.S. and as used clothing in Africa.

Below she presents her book to a group of student in Massachusetts:

So what can we do to help? We can buy clothes that are classic in design and fit so that instead of constantly buying and discarding, we are buying, mending and passing them down the way some jewelry pieces are passed down through generations. Also, ideally we should buy clothing that are organically grown with toxic free dyes that can be safely biodegraded back to the earth (WASTE = FOOD) or purchase clothing that can be recycled to provide inputs for the manufacture of other goods (or the same goods).

I hope that this post raises awareness about the issues involved and that it will encourage designers to really examine their work before it's made.

Local Sustainability Continued...

To continue where my last post finished, China controls HALF of the global textile and apparel trade and in the current path set in motion, it will take strong government legislation to stop it. This enormous scale of production and consumption dramatically impacts our natural resources, communities and economy.

Localism is concerned with feeding human creativity, reducing carbon emissions from transportation, creating local jobs (not out-sourcing them), social engagement and expanding upon cultural and local aesthetics. Inspired by one's local surroundings, an entire collection could be created that reflects individual or local aesthetics. Materials can be sourced that are grown and produced locally... but they probably won't be growing on your rooftop or garden, like the raspberries in my previous post, but you get the idea.

Local sustainability is exemplified by Natalie Chanin with her year-and-a-half-old label, Alabama Chanin (her previous line was Project Alabama). Her clothing is constructed by hand in a sewing group, that is a breeding ground for human creativity. From a region that once thrived on the textile trade, they create pieces using recycled or organic materials, in a style that is unique to them.

New Eco Fashion companies are popping-up everyday and I hope the ones who succeed have learned from Alabama Chanin and incorporate local sustainable practices into their business models.

In the spirit of learning, Nature is often considered our best teacher, and the cherry tree example, described in William McDonough & Michael Branugart's book "Cradle to Cradle" is a perfect example of local sustainability. The cherry tree takes root from a simple seed and grows into an over-productive blossoming tree that continues to give back to the very local environment it relied on to grow.

Does our clothing biodegrade safely to provide nutrients for microorganisms, plants, animals and soil? Do our garments utilize local expertise? Are they beautiful?

These questions are asked when designing with localism and Biomimicry principles in mind. Velcro is probably the most famous model used to discribe how textiles can be made using nature as a guide.

Nature can inspire us to create beautiful biodegradable garments that can enrich our lives, communities and even the fashion & textile industry.

Local Sustainability at Counter, New York, NY

A birthday celebration last week took me to the delicious restaurant and bar Counter, NYC. It was vegetarian food at its best! The food was organic, wholesome and my favorite were these raspberries sprinkled over the birthday slice of cake.

The raspberries were on the smaller size, slightly discolored (with some baby pink patches) and they tasted quite tart. In all fairness - they were absolutely wonderful! I realized I've come to visualize fruit in it's genetically over-sized, perfectly colored, pesticide laden form and this reminded me of my quandary with mass produced, disposable fashion.

This may be a stretch - but these raspberries represented everything that is good about local sustainable practices. We are starting to eat organic foods and purchase foods from local farms so why can't the same logic be applied to the fashion and textile industry?

So much of the industry is currently focused on material selection, which is a positive natural step for creative designers who make beautiful things, and what I hope to promote with I Love Eco is a greater understanding of many other important ecological design principles that can be applied to fashion.

LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY is at the heart of a paradigm shift needed for us to leave our planet the same way we found it for future generations.