Happy Earth Day! (a day late)

Happy belated Earth Day! Yesterday was filled with discussions about pressing issues such as global warming, pollution, and endangered species. Celebrities, talk show hosts and journalists across the nation offered advice on how to “live green.” But how does fashion fit into the green movement? Is it possible to be a frequent shopper and still minimize your impact on the environment? I did a little research and found some interesting stories about the fashion industry’s improving relationship with the environment.

According to EarthPledge, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the environmental friendliness in the fashion industry:

 

“Fashion uses more water than any industry other than agriculture. At least 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw materials into textiles and 25% of the world's pesticides are used to grow non-organic cotton. This causes irreversible damage to people and the environment, and still two thirds of a garment's carbon footprint will occur after it is purchased.”

 

EarthPledge first helped to introduce eco-fashion during New York Fashion Week in February 2005, with a runway event called FutureFashion, co-sponsored with Barneys. Since then, many top name designers have incorporated ecologically sound materials and fabrics into their work – in 2008, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, Versace, and Yves Saint Laurent were among some of the bigger names that participated in an EarthPledge event.

            An environmental column on www.about.com also mentioned Heatherette’s work with corn fiber materials in their clothing and spotlighted designer Linda Loudermilk, who has made it her goal to produce stylish “luxury” clothing using natural materials, “including bamboo, sea cell, soya, and sasawashi.”

            The clothing we wear is just as much a part of our everyday lives and can make just as significant an impact on the environment as limiting the amount of water we use when we brush our teeth or switching the light bulbs in our house to compact fluorescents. In my search for eco-friendly clothing companies, I found a great website called www.greenloop.com, which lists and sells clothes from “conscientious companies.” A great place to find unique and environmentally friendly jewelry, made entirely from recycled materials, is www.uncommongoods.com.

            In the same vein as my sweatshop-free list, I will update the blog with any other good eco-friendly sites and designers as I come across them.