Step Up Your Wardrobe with Eco-Friendly Fashions
From:
Misty Starks
177 days 5 hours 12 minutes ago
The hottest look in fashion this summer isn’t the new Manolo sandals or True Religion jeans, it’s eco-friendly clothing. In order to dress eco-friendly, you don’t have to wear clothes made of grass or cornhusks like the contestants on Project Runway. These days, more and more designers are incorporating Earth-conscious practices and natural fabrics in their fashion businesses, and some are even offering entire organic lines to consumers in an effort to do their part to help save the environment.
The term “eco-friendly fashion” refers to organic clothing and accessory makers who use natural or recycled materials that don’t involve harsh chemicals and are made by people who work under healthy conditions. Besides raw cotton, designers also use hemp, bamboo and even fabric made of Japanese leaves among other materials. Barney’s New York has featured window displays of eco-friendly styles, and even the makers have turned America’s favorite doll, Barbie, into an eco-friendly fashionista, with the Barbie BCause line.
If you think “going green” is just a passing fad, think again. Some of the most famous and high-profile designers in the world began unveiling their environmentally friendly creations at New York Fashion Week years ago, and now the trend is quickly catching on. A few of the designers that have taken going green to a new level include Beaumont Organic, Emily Katz, Stewart Brown and Oscar de la Renta.
More budget-friendly options include the discount chain, Target, which sells energy-conservation wares on its website. Wal-Mart is even using organic cotton in its Baby George line. Ecogahnik (www.ecogahnik.com) is dedicated to creating women’s eco-friendly fashions exclusively, while Evidence of Evolution (www.evidenceofevolution.com) makes cute, flirty skirts for women and bright comfy shirts for guys.
And let’s not forget the shoes. You can get sexy, gorgeous heels, flats and sports shoes made by New York-based Terra Plana (www.terraplana.com). The shoes are made from recycled materials and use less energy to ship. The cost may be a bit pricey (as much as $195 a pair), but you’re sure to find something that matches your new eco-friendly wardrobe.
Not that you need another excuse to go shopping, but with all of these eco-friendly choices, why not take a trip to the mall or shop online and help save the environment at the same time?
