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On a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is the most important… I’d say it’s about a 3. Who cares about fashion when our unemployment rate is climbing to 9%, thousands have lost their homes and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight to the recession. I believe the U.S. will be fine. The top of the pyramid is always fine, but for the bottom of the pyramid (BoP) which accounts for the largest and poorest social-economic group who knows what lies ahead. How can I write about beautiful luxury goods, even if they are green and environmentally friendly, when there is so much more at stake? Some believe the solution to fighting poverty lies is successful BoP approaches for sustainable development. This includes developing business partnerships with the poor so they are not the end consumer but producers.
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Can’t wait for April 19th to check out the limited-edition eco-friendly Loomstate line for Target! In stores April 19th.
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I Love Eco loves smart design especially when it is carried out with as much thought and consideration as Dr. Kate Fletcher “Local Wisdom” project. I must first apologize for not writing an article on Kate ages ago… I’m so sorry Kate! I began several articles and threw them aside with frustration because they never truly explained your accomplishments and beautiful ways of thinking about sustainable fashion. I continue to learn and be inspired by your projects. With that said, I would like to announce the project, “Local Wisdom – A unique fashion project recording and celebrating the clothes-based ingenuity of our communities.” Visit the Local Wisdom project website for further details about the research event and how to participate and what clothing to bring to the events. The research events will take place in Totnes, UK on Saturday June 6th 2009 from 10am-4pm in association with Transition Towns Totnes Sustainable Makers and in Bollington, UK on Sunday July 5th 2009 from 10am-4pm a part of Three Shires Textile Festival. I hope it’s a huge success!
About the Project:
Good ideas happen everywhere and often involve creative acts with the things we have around us, like our clothes. These creative actions and ideas are rarely acknowledged and never make it onto catwalks or business agendas, yet we think they have potential to help solve some of the problems we face as a global community.
The Local Wisdom project recognizes, honours and gives credit to the many creative ideas and actions that involve our garments. These acts typically need little money or materials to make them happen, but instead tap into an abundance of experience, ingenuity and freethinking. This project captures and celebrates this ‘local wisdom’, uncovering its value and giving it a platform to flourish and inspire. Local Wisdom is a research project funded by London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London.
What it involves:
Gathering stories about garments using photographs and spoken testimony from volunteer members of the public in two regional UK towns. The public will be invited to bring along garments that:
• are shared between people
• are enjoying a third, fourth or fifth life
• have never been laundered (and aren’t leather!)
• have the character of a particular place in them
• surprise you each time you wear them
• have been let out, tucked in, re-worked, embellished
• show the careful attention of their creator/owner
• can be added to and taken away from (but are wearable both ways)
• make you feel part of a community (but not a uniform)
Outcomes:
Photographs, information and oral histories about garments
from the grassroots whose design and use saves resources,
helps us form strong connections with each other and builds
an awareness of the world around us.
Fashion ‘events’ that recognize and encourage a community’s
potential to create its own future.
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This is awesome and I am so proud to be a native of Ontario! While I wait for New York City to take a stand and produce a similar initiative, the City of Toronto will officially be free of plastic bottles on June 1, 2009. There will also be a charge placed on the use of plastic bags from retailers of 5 cents – all the more reason to buy a reusable organic shopping tote – like our I Love Eco totes!
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The Emancipation Network came onto my radar in the form of a Christmas gift shown above. Good design that is organic and fair are my favorite things and I wanted to share this little zip purse. First, the design aspects. It is contructed using plastic bags that are held together with twine and it is lined with cotton muslin. It’s quite a tight weave and I love the technique that was used (it is similar to the way kitchen rag carpets are made). The colors are great, I love the diagonal layout and for a little clutch it’s pretty well thought-out. There are many other products to chose from on the MadeBySurvivors.com online store. Second, I’d like to highlight the Fair Trade and ethical aspects of this purse. You must give credit to movies and the capabilities of video to send a message because the film, “The Day My God Died” by Andrew Levine inspired the founders, Sarah Symons and John Berger of The Emancipation Network to get to work.
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Elinor Averyt, an environmental activist and humanist believes that we need to bring eco fashion into the mainstream. Five years ago, an outsider to the fashion world, she had an idea; and with the help of many experts in the field, the power of eco labeling has been culmunated into a positive seed for change – allow me to introduce this seed called, L.E.A.F. (Labeling Ecologically Appproved Fabrics).
“The mission of L.E.A.F. (Labeling Ecologically Approved Fabrics), a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, is to increase consumer awareness and demand for ecologically sound apparel and fabrics, and to encourage mainstream, industry-wide transitions toward sustainable and socially responsible practices in the apparel/fabrics industries.
A new eco-label for apparel and fabrics shows consumers that a garment meets strict standards for environmentally and socially responsible claims. Growing consumer awareness and increased consumer demand for third-party certified apparel and fabrics will provide greater incentive for these industries to move toward positive change in the way textiles are produced.”
Set to debut in Feburary 2009, L.E.A.F wants to operate as a unified labeling system on clothing (using tags) that will help consumers make informed fashion choices. L.E.A.F. will award certification to companies under the following categories: life cycle of organic fibers, manufacuring and processing techniques used in manufacturing facilities (including dyeing and waste water treatment issues), and employee practices in manufacturing facilities. Also, L.E.A.F. wants to introduce an educational program for consumers, which is a crucial approacch close to I Love Eco’s heart – the more we know, the smarter choices we can make! It is important to note that Europe is way ahead of North America with respect to eco labeling. The EU has a already began a research group that is currently investigating methods for implementing eco labeling on clothing and textiles, among other manufactured goods like electronics. If you’d like to read more about this project click HERE. I Love Eco™ would like to send a huge congratulations to both L.E.A.F. and the EU Eco Labeling programs!
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New York City estimates that over 193,000 tons of reusable and recyclable textiles are sent to landfills and incinerators each year. Textiles represent nearly 6% of New York City s annual residential waste. Throwing your unwanted clothing into the garbage damages the environment and could cost the taxpayer millions of dollars each year in unnecessary carting and disposal costs. Bring clean clothing, shoes, coats, bedding, linens, scarves, belts, hats & handbags for reuse or recycling. Non-wearable items (torn, stained, etc) will be sorted for recycling into new materials. For more information visit www.cenyc.org/clothing
Where & When to Recycle Your Textiles:
* Material Mondays
Every Monday, 8am – 6pm at the Union Square Greenmarket (16th Street and Union Square West)
* Second Chance Saturdays
Saturdays 8am – 4pm at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket (NW Entrance to Prospect Park)
New 2009 Locations:
* Union Square Greenmarket – Saturdays (begins January 3) 8am-6pm
(West side of the Park)
* Tompkins Square Greenmarket – Sundays (begins January 4) 8am-4pm
(East 7th St. & Ave A)
* 97th Street Greenmarket – Fridays (begins January 9) 8am-2pm
( 97th St. & Columbus Ave)
Greenmarket and the Office of Recycling Outreach and Education are programs of Council on the Environment of New York City.
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Fashion should not get left out of discussions with respect to global warming and pollution. Textile and clothing account for 7% of global exports according to the Climate Network Neutral division (CN Net) of the United Nations Environment Protection (UNEP) agency. It is also estimated that we dispose of as much as 1 million of textiles every year. What does that equate to? Chris Jordan’s amazing photographs captures this tragic reality. To some, fashion is a simple means a necessity and to others is represents their identity, their mood, their passions and their expression in a world where we are slowly looking like each other. Are you a trendsetter? A classicist? If so, what is classic to you? Let us all try and consume less by buying pieces and respect our planet!
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