You’ve Got to be Kedding!
Date: June 11, 2009 | Category: Fashion, Shoes
No, seriously - Keds new “Green Label” line is totally adorable, totally affordable, and eco. Made of 100% organic cotton using non-toxic inks and dyes, with shoe laces made from 100% recycled PET (water bottles), ISO-9001 certified factory and recycled insoles, (more…)
Slip into Something More Comfortable and More Chic
Date: June 1, 2009 | Category: Fashion, Shoes, Women
My Form & Fauna shoes have become quite an object of envy around the office. F&F is devoted to the use of high quality, sustainable materials like water-based glues, recycled fiber insoles and bamboo or reclaimed wooden heels. You can expect these chic shoes to garner looks from even the most lustful shoe fetish friends - you know who you are… (their turquoise and yellow strappies are a constant preoccupation of mine, since I would only allow myself one pair). But these heels are actually comfortable enough to dance the night away in!
The Spring 2009 collection has an adorable red creme peep toe with a purrrfect kitten heel for strolling the boardwalk on a breezy summer night.
Haus of Style
Date: May 29, 2009 | Category: Fashion, Shoes
Take a step in the right direction with olsenHaus, the 100% vegan line by Elizabeth Olsen. The collection boasts clean, modern design, with a twist – resulting in interesting, unexpected, yet totally wearable combinations.
A long-time vegetarian and recent vegan convert, Elizabeth uses sustainable components as much as possible and sources most materials from Italy under fair trade practices. The styles are similar to some of the high-fashion, trendy shapes we’ve been seeing on the red carpet and runway, but without the chromium-dyed leather skins.
Topping the list are the wedges, perfect for everyday wear, but with a kick. The Wit style ($160) pairs two of spring’s hottest trends – neutrals and neons. Natural linen makes it wearable for work, while the touch of hot pink at the heel adds a little sass to your office strut. The Love style ($175) is equally cute and wearable and looks great with bum-hugging organic dark wash jeans. Both wedges let you stand a little taller, and not just because you’re walking with the knowledge that your shoes are cruelty-free.
Get ready to dress your man in something meaningful as well – coming soon, olsenHaus will be releasing a men’s collection!
*Search for Olsen Haus on The Find.
Fancy Feet
Date: May 5, 2009 | Category: Fashion, Shoes, Women
Recycling? Check. Started the compost bin? Check. Reusable water bottle? Check. Take one more step in the right direction, while rewarding yourself for all your eco-conscious efforts - indulge in a pair of Charmone shoes.
“Charming shoes, in harmony with the earth,” the heels, pumps and wedges are socially conscious, yet entirely stylish. The entire line is vegan, PVC-free and uses water-based glues. The stunning Cinnamon velvet heels in black (really more silvery gray) or bordeaux (deep wine) are an ecofabulous favorite - like foot candy with their satin ruffles, they are the perfect compliment to an evening’s LBD, or add just enough sizzle to those smoking organic denim jeans.
Puddle Jumpers
Date: March 18, 2009 | Category: Children, Clothing, Kids, Men, Shoes, Women
At ecofabulous, we feel very strongly that you’re never too old to go puddle-jumping. This Spring, we’re excited to make a splash in natural tapped rubber wellies from Aigle Boots.
Many of the less expensive options for wellies are made out of PVC, which comes laden with a host of hazardous chemicals like mercury, dioxin (a known carcinogen) and phthalates (an endocrine disrupter) – a definite puddle-jumping joy kill. But natural rubber is a renewable resource tapped from rubber trees. At $89 and $54, we love the matching Malouine and Lolly Pop styles for adults and kids – that rubber ducky yellow would be so cute paired with the new Coby Eco Umbrella from Crate & Barrel.
Current styles of Aigle Boots have different liners like nylon, polyester or cotton – but we’re anxiously awaiting the development of a new line of boots with organic cotton lining! We will, of course, keep you posted on the expected release.
Don’t Feel Guilty About Your Fetish
Date: February 20, 2009 | Category: Fashion, Shoes
One of the toughest things about going green has been suppressing my passion for gorgeous footwear. Usually shoes touted as vegan are made from PVC or other un-sustainable/toxic materials. When Mink’s founder Rebecca started in 2000, it was nearly impossible to find a factory in Italy who would even entertain the idea of making vegan shoes, but finally she unearthed a family-run business open to working with her - they even helped her to create a natural rubber glue that, to their surprise, turned out to be more durable than the conventional animal-based glues.
Now, Rebecca’s delighted to see ethical shoe-ware on the rise. But even as others jump on the eco-shoe bandwagon, MINK stands apart with a collection of hot kicks. Some with vintage fabric, some with natural materials such as cork and rubber as well as organic cotton and organic linen that are dyed with soy-based inks. Even the shoebox was created without adhesives and even doubles as a bag to eliminate the wasteful practice of putting a box into a bag - a concept I think every designer should latch on to!
A Vision for the Times
Date: February 17, 2009 | Category: Accessories, Bags, Care, Children, Clothing, Fashion, Jewelry, Kids, Makeup, Shoes, Skin Care, Stores & Resources, Women
Eco-Luxury has infiltrated one of Los Angeles’s high-end shopping districts. Visionary Boutique on Melrose fits right in the neighborhood with everything an LA woman ‘on the shop’ could dream of – but when you leave, it’s hard to look at the products in the neighboring stores without a new green lens. (more…)
Au Natural(ista)
Date: December 23, 2008 | Category: Fashion, Men, Shoes, Women
Go au natural this winter with footwear built with care and respect all the way down to the sole. The Spanish company El Naturalista makes beautiful shoes with vegetable-tanned leather, using natural, found, and recycled materials. The company symbol, a frog, references a land made fertile by water. It embodies simple worldly pleasures, and, reflecting the company’s nonconformist character, represents their permanent fight against stagnation. (more…)
Recruiting Buffalo Soldiers
Date: November 11, 2008 | Category: Accessories, Bags, Fashion, Intimates, Jewelry, Men, Shoes, Women
The most eco-friendly way to acquire new clothes is to buy them second-hand. But the words “thrift shop” don’t always conjure images of couture, and the idea of sifting through musty racks keeps many people away. But breathing new life into used items is a tenet of green living, which is why everyone seems to be excited that Buffalo Exchange, a hip clothing exchange shop with locations all over the country, is expanding into New York City.
Buffalo Exchange’s first store in Manhattan, at 332 E. 11th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenue), will open in late November. A sustainable company that works to protect the environment by reusing and recycling clothing, it is a choosy shopper’s source for fashionable clothing and accessories. Items are bought, sold and traded directly with store customers, and used garments can be traded for any item in the store, including jewelry and brand-new clothing (beware of these un-eco items, though). The ever-changing inventory includes designer wear, vintage clothing, jeans, leather and one-of-a-kind items.
So march down to the East Village and trade in your old duds for some new (to you!) ones.
Wear your Mission
Date: November 11, 2008 | Category: Accessories, Bags, Children, Clothing, Fashion, Men, Shoes, Women, ecoMan
Mission Playground has a cool and comfortable clothing line for men, women and kids, as well as flip flops, belts and bags - made of sustainable materials.
The forest loving Air Freshener tee made of 100 percent organic cotton, available in white or brown, is an ecofab fave. It retails for $24, but is on sale for $8. But if you are feeling extra generous, you might want to buy that special someone a Citizen’s Hoody which retails for $62.
Make it your mission to only invest in clothing that lasts long, looks good, and does good in the world!
