Earth Day is coming up on Sunday. It started in 1970 during a time of anti-war
sentiment and concerns about the environment.
Sad to say, those concerns are just as prominent today as they were back
then.
Historically, the environment hasn’t
been a priority among the fashion set. The
luxury industry is forever linked to conspicuous consumption. That
said, designers today are becoming more eco-conscious.
Zac Posen, Lauren Bush, Derek Lam and Behnaz Sarafpour among others gathered
in Manhattan to support Clean By Design, an initiative with the Council of
Fashion Designers of America with Vogue Magazine that aims to reduce the negative
impact fashion has on the environment.
The initiative wants to educate fashion designers.
The current state of pollution was
a major inspiration in the designs at Qinghai Design School’s graduating class
for Shanghai Fashion Week. Outfits
included turtlenecks that converted into facial protection and color
coordinated face masks.
So what can YOU do to green your
own wardrobe?
1) Be
a locavore. Buying food from local
sources has gained momentum in recent years.
Apply the same principles to clothes.
Support designers like Nanette Lepore who manufacture domestically,
which provides employment to the local economy or designers from your home
town. Items that don’t need to be
shipped via boat or plane obviously have a smaller carbon footprint.
2 2) Buy
vintage. Tailoring, construction and
design details rocked in decades past.
Television shows like Mad Men have made wardrobes the real star. Buy the real thing from great vintage shops
or find a bargain at reputable thrift stores like Salvation Army. Believe or not, they are a stylist’s secret
weapon and actually partner with a lot of high fashion sources to manage their
chic offerings.
3 3) Recycle
to upcycle. If you find that great vintage or thrift find, perfect. If not, get creative and transform a castoff
into something fabulous. Need ideas?
Great sites like Threadbanger have a lot of DIY
instructions. Not crafty? Seek out
designers who do it for you. BabySteinberg out of Canada transforms garbage into couture creations. Designer Christopher Raeburn updates older pieces for the modern hipster.
4) Style
swap. Broke? Clothing swaps around the country are a
hit. Find your fashion soulmate and
trade your favorites for new favorites.
Find some in your hometown with swap groups on Meetup.com.
5 5) Eco-friendly
fabrics. Clothing made from green materials aren't the granola, harsh fabrics
of the early days. Bamboo knits come in
amazing color palettes and are super soft.
Hemp silk bridal gowns have a luxurious look and texture. Warm fleece made from discarded water bottles
help reduce a bit of the landfills.
Lyocell, tencel and other new plant-based fabrics are gaining
popularity. Technology is constantly
bringing new materials to the industry as well.
Learn more about these at Ecouterre.com.
5 6) Planet-friendly
accessories. There are a huge range of
accessories that can be made from eco-friendly materials that might not work in
clothing. Nahui Ollin’s bags made from candy wrappers have been seen on the arms of hipsters,
television stars and fashion icons.
Vegetable tagua is a great alternative to make beads. Craft fairs are full of jewelry made from
everything from soda can tabs, vintage book covers to scarves felted from old
clothing. The handbag design competitionawards top prizes to Best Green Handbag and Best Socially Responsible Handbags,
proving that style with a conscious can also be super-chic.
7) Pass
on packaging. I know part of the thrill
of the shopping experience is the tissue paper, glossy bag and pretty box. Truthfully, the pleasure of that only lasts a
few seconds. Packaging costs a lot of
money to produce and has been factored in to the cost of your item. Taking your goods home in your fabulous handbag is more glamorous and creates a lot less garbage.
8) Multi-task
your items. Put your stylist skills to
use. Find items that can be worn in different ways…Imagine a dress that can be worn as a top, cardigan, tunic and skirt,
then folds into a bag. Look for convertible
garments that are designed to be worn different ways so you have several styles
to choose from. We like the 5 in 1 dress from Thieves Boutique. This also makes packing for a trip a breeze!
9 9) Buy
better, not more. Invest in better
pieces. Having a ton of cheap, crappy
clothes doesn't impress anyone. What’s
more, cheaply made mass market duds are more likely to be made at factories
with less standards for the environment, worker safety and quality.
1. 10) Support
good companies. Research and buy goods
from companies that you know to have good practices. Eileen Fisher produces a pretty Eco
collection with their own employees as models. At their headquarters, they practice every day
polices like a central garbage disposal for the floor that encourages employees
to produce less waste if they have to travel to get rid of it.
Happy Earth Day!
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What always struck me about these awards was the sincere involvement of established designers themselves. One of the first iconoclast lifetime achievement recipients was Carlos Falchi. Ever since the first awards show, he was so inspired by the event that he remained to involve and mentor future years as the unofficial Godfather of the awards until his recent passing. Blumenthal gave a wonderful tribute to the designer and his daughter was on hand to present the last award of the night. 
What I always loved about this competition was that it not only elevated the craft and recognition of design talent, but it rewarded humanity in the field as well. The most inspiring categories (long before it became fashionable) are ones like Best Green Handbag, won this year by Sugandh Agrawal of Gunas Handbags. She is committed to making her collection sweatshop-free and ethically produced. Her winning bag was made from biodegradable canvas and recycled lining.
