Eco-Conscious Boutiques Expanding Collections of Swimwear Using of Natural & Recycled Fibers

Summer is officially here, and it’s fun in the sun time again. Whether you’re the lay at poolside sort or the active sport sort, if you’re also looking for a stylish swimsuit whose material is gentle for you and the environment, then I have some great ideas for you.

I found some great online boutiques that have really nice eco-swimwear collections. Some of the largest and nicest collections are at: Koru Swimwear, Jita Swim and Island Wear, and FaeriesDance. 

Koru Swimwear

Kauri Bikini set. Photo by Koru Swimwear.

Koru Swimwear is an eco-friendly company, which primarily provides customers with a wide assortment of bikini styles from sporty to ultra-sexy that are great for tanning.

One of my favorite pieces from the collection is the Kauri Bikini set, which has a strapless tan colored top with a white overlay and a matching bottom. It comes in extra small and goes all the way up to large. This bikini is great for tanning because it’s strapless, and has a really elegant, classic look.

If you’re on the more active side, another great piece that I really like from Koru is the Kiwi Sport Bikini. It’s a sports bra inspired piece that’s made with a muscle control fabric and is designed to fit securely during sports activities.

Koru explains that the top is adjustable with shoulder ties on either side and the fabric is “ultra-chlorine resistant and provides excellent UV 50+ protection.”

Actually all of the swimsuits sold at Koru provide UV 50+ protection. Other features of the swimsuits are that they’re made with 65 percent recyclable materials and 25 percent elastane. They’re also designed for shape retention and thermal protection.

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Hot Ideas For Warming Your Hands This Winter With Gloves Made Of Organic and Natural Fibers

With one of the coldest and snowiest winters in decades, our winter gloves are going through a lot of wear, and I’ve found a lot of companies in the search for new gloves that are either made of natural or organic fibers, and are really warm and durable.

I found several boutiques – the Wild West Alpaca Ranch Store, Awaz Handcrafts, and Patricia Avenue – all specializing in handmade, natural fiber knit products.

Alpaca Driving Gloves with Leather Palms.

At all the outlets, the glove styles include those with and without fingers, as well as mittens.

The looks range from really rugged to highly elegant. Besides gloves, all of the outlets also have great natural and organic clothes and other apparel, as well as household items, but here we’re just going to look the gloves.

Wild West Alpaca Ranch Store

The Wild West Alpaca Ranch Store is a great place to find gloves and other apparel made of natural alpaca fiber, which include: hats, scarves, wraps, purses, and socks.

Alpaca Driving Gloves with Leather Palms.

The store is an outlet of the Alpaca Breeders of Arizona (ABA), which is a cooperative group of alpaca owners and breeders in state that collaborate to sell alpaca made products and promote awareness about the sustainability and health benefits of alpaca materials. All of the products are made in the United States.

There’s a lot to know about alpaca. The ABA explains some of the benefits of alpaca fibers, including that they are hypoallergenic, anti-microbial, and naturally odor resistant.

Also, alpaca doesn’t contain Lanolin oil, which many people are allergic to. Alpaca is also soft, naturally water-repellent, and non-itchy, unlike wool.

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Ideas For Eco-Conscious Shoppers Looking For Winter Coats From Organic and Natural Fibers

Winter is fast approaching and if you still haven’t gotten this year’s winter coat, and are looking for some great eco-conscious ideas made of organic and natural fibers, then I found a lot of great ideas that are worth looking at – from the most budget-friendly to the really pricy.

I came across three great online outlets – Element EcoWear, FaeriesDance, and Indigenous Designs – with a good variety of coat styles made from materials including organic cotton, hemp, alpaca, and merino wool.

Element EcoWear

Eternal Trenchcoat. Photo by Element EcoWear.

Element EcoWear is the easiest on the budget, with outerwear around the $100 range, and all made with natural and organic materials that the company assures are fair trade manufactured.

One of my favorite coats from Element EcoWear is the Eternal Trenchcoat which is made from 100 percent organic cotton. It comes in black and a dark brown called ‘bark.’ The coat’s features including a lining made of medium-weight cotton canvas, button cuffs, a back vent, side seam pockets, and a removable belt.

The supplier information says the “organic cotton is grown in a women-owned organic farm cooperative in China,” and that the coats are made in a “joint venture partnership with international organic farms, mills, and factories [that] require conformity to stringent fair labor standards, audited by a full-time onsite employee.”

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Hot New Trends From Retro Fabrics A Big Theme For Eco-Fashion Week 2013

Vancouver’s Spring/Summer 2013 Eco Fashion Week – to run from Oct. 16th to 19th – has gained so much momentum and popularity since its inception four seasons ago (running twice a year) founded by stylist/buyer Myriam Laroche, that this season (its fifth), there’s scheduled to be nearly a dozen designers, lots more creativity in presenting the runway shows, inspirational speakers talking about caring for the environment and fair trade practices, and lots of industry workshops focused on ecologically conscious and sustainable business practices.

The week will kick off with music, inspirational speakers, and a runway show by local-famed designer Nicole Bridger at the Vogue Theater, on October 16, with doors opening at about 6:00 p.m.

The opening evening will begin with a performance from emerging jazz vocalist Jaclyn Guillou. Born and raised in Vancouver, Guillou is a recipient of the CBC Galaxie Rising Star Award from the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, and has recently toured internationally.

Among the opening speakers will be Madeleine Shaw who is co-founder of Lunapads, an East Vancouver-based company that specializes in creating washable cloth alternatives to disposable feminine hygiene products.

Lunapads is also really great in that it operates a unique in-house/international humanitarian aid project called Pads4Girls, which runs a number of programs including – One4Her: Pads for Girls, Jobs for Women.

One4Her is a Lunapads/AFRIpads buy one, give one program supplying girls in need with pads and supporting local employment for women in Uganda.

For every eligible Lunapads One4Her purchase, Lunapads provides a girl in need with a Uganda-made AFRIpad to help her continue going to school during her menses.

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Eco-Designer Carrie Parry Bringing Summer Color to the Big Apple With Classic Fashions

Photo by Carrie Parry.

Expanding her recognition in New York City, Carrie Parry hosted a “Pop Up Shop” over the weekend featuring her designs and also participated in last month’s Designers and Agents annual spring Green Room exhibition that showcases emerging fashion designers and their use of eco-friendly materials, sustainable production practices, and supporting local and fair trade labor.

Parry’s style themes are best described as revolving around the ideas of tailored sophistication within simple looks that also have a bit of whimsy. She says as much as possible she uses eco-friendly renewable materials, and recycled materials.

Some of my favorite fashions from her collections are her colorblock sleeveless dress, V neck sleeveless blouse with its removable scarf, and her pleated skirt.

The colorblock dress has a nice causal look that can be dressed up with a belt for going out at night. The material is 88 percent recycled polyester and 12 percent spandex jersey.

Photo by Carrie Parry.

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