Fashion

Entries in recycled (9)

Wednesday
Aug272014

EarthTech Has New Backpack Collections For Cute Pre-Ks to Tech Needing College Students

Getting ready to go back to school can be a very stressful time, picking just the right new clothes and school supplies, including backpacks. I was thinking about ideas for eco-friendly backpack options and l came across a really great site – EarthTech Products – that I like a lot because it’s a one-stop-shop for backpacks for everyone from Pre-K to college.

Animal-shaped backpacks with rollers made by EcoGear. Photo courtesy of EarthTech Products.

The vast majority of the backpacks carried by EarthTech are manufactured by EcoGear, which also sells the same backpacks on its own site (and cheaper right now during back-to-school season), but I’m focusing on EarthTech because they also sell solar power generating backpacks and have lots of other cool solar stuff that make it worthwhile to visit the site.

EcoGear says its bags are made using organic cotton as well as PVC-free and recycled materials with non-toxic dyes. The company also explains that it coats it bags with an environmental-friendly thermoplastic technology that adds a secure, non-slip structure to the fabric weaving.

EcoGear calls this thermoplastic technology Ecoweave, and says its environmental and human health benefits include being: non-toxic, PVC-free, chlorine-free, dioxin-free, phthalate-free, and heavy metal-free. The Ecoweave also contains no ozone-depleting chemicals.

Besides being safe for people and the environment, I’d also like to take a look at the EcoGear backpacks from the view of their functionality and age-appropriate styles.

EcoGear Ecozoo Panda Organic Rolling Bkpk.

One of my favorite backpacks for the younger kids is the EcoGear Ecozoo Panda Organic Cotton Rolling Backpack.

It’s obviously very cute and roomy to fit lots of book and supplies, but my favorite features are the wheels (which are made from recyclable materials) and the telescoping handle. I like this because it gives kids the option of wheeling their stuff along and removing the stress from their backs.

The backpack is made with recycled plastic components and sustainable wood accents. In addition, the material is made with non-toxic dyes and the shoulder straps are padded for extra comfort when kids are not using the rolling option.

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Friday
Jul042014

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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Sunday
Oct142012

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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Thursday
Aug232012

Radical Recycling: Designer Brands Transforming Old Tire Rubber Into Beautiful Durable Shoes

Making footwear at Indosole.

Late summer and early fall are some of the best times for shoe fashions because they allow for such a diversity of styles, and always showing your love for the environment with your eco-choices in materials.

Sandals and beach shoes are still great, but you can also start on your fall styles with heaver materials like canvas, suede, and leather – and all made with rubber soles from recycled tires.

Always searching for the best variety of eco-made shoes, I found three fabulous companies – Indosole, soleRebel, and Yellow Port – that are worth taking a look at for their styles and commitments to the environment.

Indosole

Indosole is a fabulous Indonesian company that makes sandals and canvas beach shoes that all look great, and can be worn as part of everyday causal wear.

The materials used include banana leaves, burlaps, canvas, (man-made) vegan suede, and EVA-foam.

Photo courtesy of Indosole.

For those that don’t know much about materials, burlap is a woven fabric from the fibers of the jute plant, combined with other vegetable fibers. Canvas is a heavy-duty woven fabric usually made from cotton, linen (fibers made from the flax plant) or hemp fibers.

Vegan suede is made-made suede, usually made mostly of polyester and without using any animal products. Natural suede is a kind of animal leather.

Photo courtesy of Indosole.

EVA foam, also called ethylene vinyl acetate, has a lot of great qualities including that it’s soft and flexible, as well as really tough, crack resistant, and waterproof.

 All of the soles are made from repurposed motorbike tires. The company exclaims that, “Indosole is on a mission to salvage old motorbike tires and other trash from landfills and give them new life.”

Indosole also boasts that its “products are handmade by skilled Balinese artisans and the production process does not contain fuel-powered machines.” The company adds that it “conducts fair trade practices in its workshops.”

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Monday
Jul162012

Aqua Green’s Eco Swim To Make A Splash At Funkshion Fashion Week Miami Beach

Aqua Green’s Eco Swim collection is having a big July with both a swimsuit giveaway contest and participating in Funkshion Fashion Week Miami Beach which will run from July 18-22.

The free swimsuit contest is being held by Haute Mom, a great blog that gives moms a forum to talk about things like fashion, cooking, baby tips, exercise, and generally organizing life.

Porthole Halterkini. Photo by Aqua Swim.

It’s simple and free to enter the contest, which runs until July 23 at 9 p.m. (PST). You need to be a public follower of Haute Mom, take a look at the swimsuits at Eco Swim, leave a comment with Haute Mom about which is your favorite style, and leave your email.

Eco Swim is definitely worth taking a look at. The collection ranges from interchangeable bikini bras and bottoms to tankinis that also coordinate with different bottoms to one-piece swimdresses.

Eco Swim also has a great coverup dress and board shorts that go with everything. One of the things that I like about the collection is that while all of the tops and bottoms have different prints, they all use a similar color pallet of royal blue, khaki, black, and white.

You can buy two tops and two bottoms and make four different swimsuits. It’s great on the wallet and gives you great versatility. I also really like the tankinis and one-piece swimdresses, because they come in a variety of styles that are all designed to hide whatever imperfections we may have.

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