Read the rest of 10 Cruelty-Free Faux-Snakeskin Fashions to Ring in the Lunar New Year
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Sometimes the longest struggles can be the most rewarding. After 10 months of #PeoplePowered activities and behind-the-scenes haggling, G-Star Raw finally committed to eliminate all uses of hazardous chemicals from its supply chain and products by 2020. This means that the Dutch denim brand joins the likes of Uniqlo, Benetton. and Victoria’s Secret in making credible “Detox” commitments in 2013. And with the Italian high-fashion brand Valentino joining the leaders in the industry this past week, there are currently 16 big brands that have started a process to eliminate all discharges of hazardous chemicals throughout their supply chains and products.
Read the rest of Why Are Fashion Brands Committing to Detoxing in 2020 and Not Earlier?
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Voz celebrated its first New York Fashion Week by showing off its latest collection of hand-woven wool, baby alpaca and llama shawls, ponchos, tunics, dresses and coats. The Chile-based fair trade company works with Mapuche women artisans who practice traditional weaving methods to create designs that are attractive to a contemporary audience. For its NYFW debut, the company expanded its list of materials to include raw silk and silk chiffon and featured jewelry by Mikuti.
Read the rest of Voz Brings Artisan-Crafted Chilean Knits to Fall 2013 NY Fashion Week
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Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre
Titania Inglis returned to New York Fashion Week on Wednesday with her Fall/Winter 2013 collection. Inspired by fairytales and parallel universes, the collection highlighted the designer’s knack for geometric shapes and sharply angled silhouettes. Featuring dark, wintery hues, the collection had a mysterious aura and featured a new addition to Inglis’ line: furs. Need not worry. The designer was quick to explain the responsible sourcing practices behind her decision to incorporate them into her collection.
Read the rest of Titania Inglis Brings Dark Fairy Tales to Fall 2013 NY Fashion Week
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Read the rest of Holmes & Yang Plunders From the 1940s at Fall 2013 NY Fashion Week
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Read the rest of Louise Gray Goes “Derelict Chic” at Autumn 2013 London Fashion Week
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Read the rest of 6 Celebrities Who Wore Eco-Fashion to the 2013 Oscars
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Read the rest of Michael Swaine’s Free “Mending Library” Repairs Clothes, Community
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Photos by Graeme Mitchell
You know you have a good idea when you start telling people about it and they nod their heads giving you the sense they’ve had the same idea. Admittedly, I’ve had my fair share of bad ideas over the years, but 2013 found me learning to trust my instincts more. As a result, I’ve decided to make a major change to Study NY’s business model. I’ve been turning this thought over in my mind for the better part of three years, and after showing my Spring/Summer 2013 collection this past September, the persistent nagging in the back of my mind finally persuaded me to make the change.
Read the rest of Can Designers Afford to Ignore the Traditional Fashion Calendar?
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Read the rest of 12 Things We Learned From H&M’s 2012 Sustainability Report
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Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre
Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart debuted the first all-eco, all-vegan collection at New York Fashion Week to critical acclaim. We caught up with the cruelty-free designer at the New York City Garment district facility where Vaute’s production takes place, to discover the unusual muse behind her collection, how her label has evolved from outerwear to a full-fledged ready-to-wear line, and why fashion is the perfect platform for her animal activism.
Read the rest of Vegan “It” Designer Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart Goes Beyond Faux Fur, Leather
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Cerulo, a former editor at Details and Lucky, and Mazur, an entrepreneur, describe their platform as part e-commerce, part designer showcase. Although Of a Kind has featured such sustainable designers as Dirty Librarian Chains, Forestbound, Love Mert, Nettie Kent, Popomomo, and Study NY, a spot on the site hinges more on aesthetics and overall vibe than any eco-specific attribute.
Cerulo and Mazur describe the Of a Kind platform as part e-commerce, part designer showcase.
“It’s important to us that the designers have lot of freedom to create something they love, but we help them figure out what will work best for our audience,” Cerulo tells Ecouterre. “It’s also really important to us that the edition they create really epitomizes their aesthetic since we’re often introducing people to their work for the first time.”
Shoppers looking for a curated shopping experience find Mecca when they come to Of a Kind. With every item hand-picked, the duo says their “editions” give shoppers a sort of “aha moment” where they see pricing really demonstrates value.
Some designers have even become regulars. In the past year alone, Study NY’s Tara St. James has put out three editions with Of A Kind, all to great response. St. James says Cerula and Mazur’s hands-on tack, and the spirit of collaboration that animates each effort, was what attracted her to the site in the first place.
St. James says Cerula and Mazur’s hands-on tack was what attracted her to the site in the first place.
“Erica and Claire are very involved with the development of each item put up on the site,” the Brooklyn-based designer tells us. “We worked together on the styles that were eventually produced. The girls are very familiar with their customer base and as a result are easily able to spot items that will be successful.”
St. James says she also appreciates the pair’s ability to engage shoppers with the bigger story behind the products, whether it’s the provenance of the materials, its inspiration, or even what the designer happened to be reading or cooking at the time. “There’s no disconnect,” she says. “It’s a seamless and very user-friendly experience that allows the customer to meet new designers and support them at the same time.”
Of a Kind, in other words, offers the one thing chain stores struggle to provide: authenticity.
“We’ve found that helping people connect with makers on a human level makes a huge difference,” says Mazur. “It makes them feel like they’re investing in a person and not just buying a necklace or a bag.”
Read the rest of 14 Bizarre Fashions That Sound Like April Fool’s Jokes (But Aren’t)
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Read the rest of Trash to Trend Debuts First Mass-Produced Upcycled-Clothing Collection
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Photo by A. M. Ahad for Associated Press
The structural collapse of the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh, which has claimed the lives of over 300 people, is a horrific tragedy that raises essential questions about ensuring safe working conditions abroad and the value of fair trade. I have seen the working conditions in a number of developing countries across Asia and Central and South America firsthand. Suffice it to say, they are often subpar. In developing countries, often governments either do not have appropriate safety regulations in place, or if they do, those regulations are rarely enforced. This lack of government oversight is why it is absolutely crucial for mainstream manufacturing to take a fair-trade approach to production.
Read the rest of How Can We Make Sure Our Clothes Weren’t Produced in a Sweatshop?
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Read the rest of 9 Sustainable Fashion Brands That Produce Ethically in Bangladesh
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Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre
VAUTE Couture made yet another appearance at Fashion Loves Animals to celebrate and raise awareness about the benefits of vegan fashion. The fashion show and cocktail party honored Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart, President and Creative Director of VAUTE Couture, with benefits going toward Farm Sanctuary’s work. Demonstrating that stylish looks can be accomplished using all vegan labels, Hilgart included Love is Mighty, Brave Gentleman, Matt & Nat and cruelty-free makeup by The Body Shop in the show. And of course, several small furry friends made an appearance throughout the night both on and off the runway.
Read the rest of Vaute, Farm Sanctuary Host “Fashion Loves Animals” Vegan Runway Show
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Photo by Shutterstock
Do you care about connecting with your clothing or would you rather wear it without a second thought? Most people would say the latter. In fact, when it comes to most modern day shoppers, the idea of bonding with a shirt seems about as comfortable as slipping into a power crystal room to clean one’s chakras. Yet with all the knowledge we continue to accrue of garment factory disasters from fast fashion, deforestation from luxury houses and worldwide water pollution, getting closer to one’s clothing might be the exact prescription for bettering the planet.
Read the rest of Sentimental Value: New Exhibit Explores the Stories Behind Used Clothing
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Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre
Socially-driven accessories company, Thread & Loom introduces itself to the world with a line of handbags that make for the perfect spring and summer carry-all item. The resort-meets-urban collection is defined by classic shapes that draw the eye with neon accents. Founder Gargi Agrawal personally oversees production in India to ensure that artisans are paid a fair wage and that materials are sourced responsibly. A strong supporter of women’s educational initiatives, Agrawal donates all profits to Kranti, an organization that rescues and empowers girls of the red-light district of Mumbai.
Read the rest of Thread & Loom’s Fairly Hand-Loomed Bags Fund Girls’ Education in India
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Photos by Emily Sandifer
This spring and summer, celebrate the warm weather with sustainable, lightweight knitwear from Myrrhia Fine Knitwear. Created from sustainable merino wool, cotton, and tencel by Oakland, California designer Myrrhia Resneck, each piece uses only fibers grown and spun in the USA. Self-admittedly obsessed with efficiency and carbon footprint, Resneck believes in the notions of nationalism and protectionism by establishing a domestic supply chain.
Read the rest of Myrrhia’s Fine Knitwear is Crafted in California From Organic Cotton
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