Greenpeace: Hung Out to Dry

Here is the link the Dirty Laundry Report 2: Hung Out to Dry by Greenpeace International. They bought aports and recreational clothing from 15 of the largest brands and tests them for toxins, such as nonylphenol, which can be"hormone disrupters and hazardous even at low levels", despite their promise to clean up and green up their supply chains.

An excerpt in the executive summary states...
"Greenpeace submitted all 78 articles of clothing for analysis by a leading independent laboratory, which
examined them for the presence of NPEs. Where released untreated, NPEs break down in rivers to form
the persistent, toxic and hormone disrupting NP. Even where wastewater treatment facilities are present, they are unable to fully breakdown NPEs, and instead only partially degrade them – often even speeding up their conversion into the toxic NP.
Detection of NPEs in fabrics is therefore an indicator that NPEs were used during production, resulting in increased levels of nonylphenol reaching the environment; such as in waterways or rivers."

The report is accessible comprehensive so I strongly suggest you take a peek at the tables and charts they provided, (such as the one I have featured below from page 7 of the report) if not read some of their findings!

The Fashion Industry. Did you know??

From the Eco Friendly Fashion blog:
Environmental facts about the fashion Industry
 - The fashion industry is the second largest user of water in the world.
 - Over 90 ...

Miranda Kerr

One of the first things that interviewers and friends always ask me, when they discover that I am an ecofashion fanatic is where do I look for inspiration, or more so, who is emulates my style.

The first woman who comes to mind is Miranda Kerr.

Not only is she beautiful but she (or her stylist... either one) has a great eye for sophisticated yet low maintenance fashion with a hint of sex appeal.


She is the only celebrity whom I adore in every outfit. I usually steer away from tracking the rich and famous because one, I cannot afford 1/100th of the things they buy (or are given by marketing dept. and two because most often, I find them to look high maintenance. It is clear that Kerr's laid back style stems from her beliefs and values. For instance, Kerr has her own natural and organic skin care line that she started during her pregnancy. Kora Organics' brand mission states "To inspire people globally to nurture their bodies, embrace their unique beauty and understand the benefits of using organic skincare". With brand values such as education, integrity, community and self esteem, who wouldn't want to buy lotions and potions from Miranda. As famous as she is, putting her money and name to use, sharing a wholesome message with her fans.

She also took part in a Rag&Bone advertising campaign, where all the models were given their clothing and told to take their own photos with a friend, no make-up, no glitz, just fashion.  On holiday in Scotland, Orlando, with a regular camera and no editing (as stipulated by Rag&Bone) shot some photos of her on the rock beaches.

I often have a hard time seeing the balance between intellectual stimulation and a passion for clothes. Yes there are plenty of brilliant minds in the fashion industry whether it creative vision or a great pen, but eventually there comes a disconnect with reality, because the fashion industry is so cut-throat. Miranda is not one of them.
 

Les Bijoux D'Odette

“Les Bijoux D’Odette is a jewelry and clothing collection that acts as a conduit on an esoteric journey into the past, through adornment, memory, connection and history, as seen through the eyes of Odette.  Designer Fanny Crenn is based in Brittany, France, while Odette, who operates as muse for the creation of the collection, lives in Crenn’s heart and her mind. …While her clothing is a fight of fantasy, that wouldn’t look out of place adorning Titania from Shakespeare’s’ play of about the wooded fairly world, A Midsummer Nights Dream… Sourcing her materials from flee markets, second hand stores and attic sales, Crenn references the Emmaus Movement, the collective fight against all forms of exclusion, started by French Catholic priest Henri Marie Joseph Groues.  The charity that continues in his name is the oft times.”

- Sass Brown EcoFashion Blog, February 6th 2011

Jonano: Organic Design

Green Links from Jonano: Organic Design  (<-- link) 

“Why should sustainability be stuffy, unaffordable, or overcomplicated?…”  

This is why I want to work for companies like this! They are intellectual, wholesome, community oriented designers, passionate about fashion!! Right along side their lookbooks, and sales, they have a link from “Our Community” to “Who we love…” and you click on “Green Links”. They list at 80 links for information on: 

Sustainable cotton production,  Pesticides,  Labor issues and sweatshops,  Healthy Living, Cooperative Associations,  Local Champions,  Retail Co-ops (non-grocery) ,  Fair trade,  Telecommunications Co-op,  Rural Electric Co-ops,  Organic info AND MOREEE!!!! 

Sass Brown's Eco Fashion

A quote from the preface of Sass Brown's Eco Fashion:

“Dominated by large global corporate groups, and their sponsored media who encourage a dream lifestyle of selfishness, apathy, superficiality, greed, sex and drugs to a growing audience of billions, fashion has been sold to the rafters, leaving it’s consumers and producers poorer, dumber, and more ill-equipped than ever, to face combat, or survive the doomsday scenarios that everyone from religious fanatics to Nobel laureates predict will take place in within a lifetime. Fashion is indeed a massive human, social and environmental disgrace in need of a paradigm shift.”

—Geoffrey B. Small

Work ethic behind Nau

“We’re a small group of people, committed to the power of business as a force for change. Defined by what we love, and how we work and play, we’re looking to do more than make clothes; We’re seeking to redefine what it means to be successful.”
Intellect and creativity ! I mean the author literally takes the words right out of my mouth: 
Nau is "invested in breaking the model of how fashion companies do business, through a whole new business paradigm. Nau’s goal is to demonstrate the highest levels of citizenship in everything they do...Believing that companies have a broader responsibility than simply generating profit." 
For me, there is nothing more inspirational then seeing the success of these companies. Even if I never make it big in the industry, it makes me so happy to see that there people who can be so caring.  

There are photos!! Take a look see!
Sass Brown, Ecofashion Talk Blog: Nau  ( from July 25th, 2011)