clothing

A stylish, trendy and long-standing way of reducing consumerism is to buy fewer new articles of clothing and wearing second hand garb.  Swap-Rama takes vintage to another level that makes you want to Swap-O-Rama. Bring a bag of used clothing, a small donation and take your pick. The addition of sewing stations at the Swap-O-Rama location allow you to make adjustments on the spot. Not handy behind the wheel (of a sewing machine)? There is a workshop that will show you how, with supplies, such as beads, etc. Silk screen and embroidery, on-site, with professional designers who show you 'how-to'.

Next, show it off on their fashion runway. Tell the story behind the clothes you're giving up. Choose a piece based on the story behind it, why not try someone's lucky jeans and head for Vegas? Audience participation keeps the momentum going.

Put to the test, Swap-O-Rama has turned down corporate overtures in order to protect Swap-O-Rama from greenwashing. Swap-O-Rama is a nominee at the Grant For Change program. 'a 10,000 dollar grant to support lasting positive change in your community.' www.nau.com, where you can check out more great ideas and cast your vote.

My favorite eco-fashion brand, Vancouver-based Twice Shy, has a preview of its Fall 2007 collection featured on TreeHugger.com today.

Twice Shy's signature screen prints are at play once more for leaf-raking weather; autumnal tones of chocolate and mellow rose contrast against bold teal and defiant ochre, while classic lines are punched up by subtle details: a handkerchief hem on a dress, puffed sleeves on a blouse, or ruffles on a skirt.

This will truly be a collection like no other they have released. I just heard from Jen & Michael over at Twice Shy that the line will be in stores/available online in October - I'll keep you posted on when it goes live in their official online store. Til then, enjoy the images from the TreeHugger post - well, the first 6 are from TreeHugger ... all the others are Victoria-E.com exclusives! :)

SEE THE REST OF THE PREVIEW HERE!

Who knew coffee filters could be couture? I posted about the premiere of a new online, animated series called THE GREENS back in March. The past few months have brought a fair amount of praise for the program, produced by WGBH Boston. The world's newest eco-driven family is back with their first full episode, called "Walk the Walk", and it's about - you guessed it - fashion. Featuring a down home eco-fashion show, THE GREENS also manage to slip in a tip about saving energy by turning down the temperature on your water heater ... slick. :)

Along with the new animated short, there are oodles of pages about the various aspects of sustainable style, such as celebrity sightings, the little brown dress experiement, clothing swap events, futuristic fashion, and plenty more. In conjunction with Zerofootprint, the site has also launched its own kids carbon calculator - a must see for kids, parents, and teachers alike.

[Reposted from Victoria-E.com]

New sustainable fashion brands are popping up faster than celebrity
gossip blogs. With only a handful of truly sustainable fabrics available, trying to set yourself apart from all the other eco-style companies is the key to success. Selling basic, classic organic cotton pieces for men and women, not much about New York’s District Cotton stands out … at least on the surface. While focusing on stateside production and the use of organic cotton, DC is also working on integrating certified fair trade practices and products into their line. Their simple website is quite easy to navigate, the most exciting page being for the printed t-shirts.

These T’s are about showing off your social conscience without all of the pretentiousness. The idea is to raise awareness and a little money for something that we believe in, donating 10% of the proceeds to some cool organizations.

Sponsored design contests give artists (and wanna-bes like myself)
and change to submit designs for t-shirts, focusing on a particular
social theme/issue. For the launch of the District Cotton brand, the
first contest centered around “This T-shirt supports an organic
farmer.” The winning four designs (including the Blueberry Head shown above) can be seen an purchased here, with 10% of the proceeds going to the Northeast Organic Farming Association.

The next contest has not yet been announced, but once details have been released, you’ll find them right here!

[Reposted from Victoria-E.com]