sustainable style foundation*

I just got back from NYC where one thing you see a lot of are bags; Retail shopping bags, plastic bags, etc. This trip I experimented with using my Longchamp shopper and stuffing as much of my shopping in that one bag as possible. I did it. I carried my purchases around with me all day. It felt very chic and I felt oh so much better knowing that I had done my part that day. We have heard so much in the media about the plastic bag and their damaging effect on the earth. And, even though many retail bags are paper, it is still great practice to have a shopping tote for clothing as well as for your groceries. We have highlighted a lot of great alternatives to shopping bags on the site over the past few year...check them out. Remember to pick out something fun that expresses you and your personality.

Titan TV, an internet broadcast network, has a great lineup of environmental casts and resources. In their channel Titan Greens, Liza de Guia is their green go-to girl and hosts a lot of the clips under the 'Daily Greens' Title. Her most recent offering "Green Resolutions 2008" interviews folks at the NY Greendrinks Holiday Party and is quite entertaining. Lots more from Liza and other environmental content is available from Titan's main page above. Looks like Liza may be the next rockstar in environmental journalism.

In her Laboratory blog, sustainable style maven Jill Danyelle reports that Nordstrom has officially started down the green path. Having worked for the company for 14 years (this is Sean blogging here) I know they've been doing organic and other sustainable textiles for years so it is a dream come true to see them starting to publically showcase their offerings. A quick visit to their dedicated Organic Style boutique turned up over 5 pages of products for women, men, kids, and the home. Not a bad start at all but I can't wait to see their organic style collections keep growing...and to go on sale of course!

Carmaker Scion's independent film series Route has produced some pretty amazing films. One that is currently touring the US is Bling: A Planet Rock by award-winning New York based documentary filmaker Raquel Capeda. Bling connects the world of hip hop with the blood diamond associated civil war in Sierra Leon and does so with no holds barred. Three hip hop celebs - Raekwon (Wu Tang Klan), Paul Wall and Reggaetón king, Tego Calderon - head back to the country to check out the current state of affairs. The Scion tour is almost up, but keep an eye for it to make the rounds on its own.

That's right, Ikea no longer corners the market on eco cheap-chic interiors. Japan based retailer, Muji, is already known around the world (and MOMA patrons) for their simplistic and stylish wares, but with their new store in New York's SoHo and 2008 store in the New York Times building, they're poised to garner a few, well maybe a lot, more fans in the US. From cardboard speakers to their famous 'Countryside and NYC in a Bag' toys made from sustainably harvested wood, Muji is sure to make an impression in the design and eco scene.

It was a busy green week in Seattle. It all started with a book signing and panel discussion at Seattle Green Fashion Week where SSF good friend Summer Rayne Oakes did a great job discussing sustainable lifestyle choices along with Leslie Hoffman of Earthpledge, Method Co-founders Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry, Nau guru Jill Zilligan and new entry into the Seattle sustainable style scene, Aladdin.

It just so happened that Method was also in town for their Detox Seattle campaign and threw a great launch party at SAM's Olympic Sculpture Park Friday night. The big finale fashion show at the end of the week was absolutely amazing and of course Summer, who both MCed and modeled in the show, also did an outstanding job. Here's Summer's take on things and what would a green Seattle event be without Grists's two cents.

Wow…what a blur NYC was. Don’t worry, we will be detailing some of the really cool things I found in our sourcebook, but overall, it was another inspirational trip. With the cab strike, it was terrific to check out all the fabulous flats that the fashionistas were sporting. It was terrific to note with folks how “hoofing it” it could be just a glam as “cabbing it”. I was super pleased to see that H&M has a line of organic cotton long oversized tees as well as great organic cotton tops that are super cute. Greendrinks at The Park was packed…we couldn’t find our buddy Margaret, but met all sorts of great folks; Including a few wonderful artists who really are unique in their approach of sustainability and art by creating access to artists who don’t have representation. This group has shows in Paris, Miami, as well as, New York City. If you are going to be in the city on September 27th, 28th & 29th, check out the Art Attack at the Hotel Chelsea poolartfair.com
[23rd bwtn 7th & 8th] My quick jaunt to Toronto was great. Canada rocks. In Mississauga, the city provides compost buckets and takes it away for you every week with the garbage and recycling. Now, that is quite civilized. RL

Moral Fervor continues to impress me. I met with the designers in their showroom to check out Spring 08 and I know that these garments will work for any woman who wants extreme comfort and to look fabulous at the same time. For spring they are introducing a soy based fabric that feels amazing to the touch. By the way, their Fall 07 is fabulous. I picked up a couple of pieces and I think I am going to live in my MF Pocket Pullover. It is cozy and cute and perfect when paired with this seasons’ pencil skirt. MF is really focused on sustainability not only in design and fabrication, but in all aspects of their business. Stay tuned to both their site [moralfervor.com]
as well as SSF’s for more info soon about their new focus on the business end. RL

I am headed to my annual fall trip to NYC for Fashion Week to check out what is new for Spring 08. I will keep you posted…on the sustainable end, I am scheduled to check out Moral Fervor Spring, Loyale, Terra Plana, etc…I plan to discover more as you know that “green” is the basic black now in the fashion industry. Both LA Fashion Week and Portland Fashion week have a green theme…we will keep you posted as we get the news…

Attention, sustainable stylers in New York: Architecture and fashion come together to produce the 2007 Project Earth Day fashion show, a showcase for the future of clothing featuring sustainable practices and materials from up & coming designers. Presented by Teknion, o2-NYC, Green Drinks and the New York chapter of Emerging Green Builders (part of the US Green Building Council), the show will featured the work of SSF pals aGaiN NYC, loyale clothing, Terra Plana and many more of the best in sustainable fashion. Garments made of reused material and sustainable fibers like organic cotton, hemp, soy, bamboo, seacell (seaweed), tencel (wood pulp) with recycled fiber fabrics such as POP (recycled soda pop bottles) and INEGO (created from corn) will strut their stuff, along with a student competition showcasing wears made from recycled and biodegradable textiles with a cash prize of $1500 and a mentorship opportunity awarded to the winner. A chic runway with a bamboo backdrop constructed from salvaged materials and flooring made from recycled detergent bottles provides the backdrop for the event.

What will we be wearing tomorrow? The beautiful future of sustainable style will be this Thursday, April 19th at the Teknion Showroom at 641 Ave of the Americas (here's a map) from 6:00 – 9:00 pm. Get more details at Project Earth Day's site. [Project Earth Day 2007]

The good people at Natural Home Magazine are hard at work building their first show house in Brooklyn; upon completion, it looks like it'll not only be an excellent example of urban green building, but will be New York City’s first American Lung Association Health House. This means that the building must meet stringent certification standards that address moisture and humidity control, energy efficiency, air filtration and ventilation, and materials emissions, but that's just the start of its green credentials. Solar electric panels will provide electricity in the building, and an innovative hybrid solar-thermal and gas-fired system will heat and cool the home. Eco-friendly materials will include cement made from fly ash (waste from power plants), countertops made from recycled glass, bamboo flooring finished with low-VOC water-based poly, and kitchen cabinets made from sorghum stalks -- whew! Pictures of the burgeoning project are in the Jan/Feb 2007 issue of the mag, and online as well (looks like they'll be more pics in this month's issue, too), where you can also check out the plans and get more details about the project. The building was damaged in a fire and originally slated for demolition before being resurrected by Natural Home -- gotta love that! We can't wait to see it when it's done. [Natural Home Magazine] via [Apartment Therapy]

The Armory Show, "the international fair of new art," is coming to New York City. Starting later this week, on Friday, February 23rd, the event will last through Monday, February 26th, and SSF pal and member Vivavi is sponsoring the show and has partnered with ARTFORUM magazine to design and furnish the ARTFORUM public lounge. The space will showcase some of the best modern sustainable designers, and while each designer has earned recognition for their commitment to sustainability, their presence at the Armory Show is intended to extend the notion of furniture as art; anyone who's seen the designs of folks like Michael Iannone, Rhubarb Decor and J Persing knows the connection between furniture and art isn't a big stretch. The event, expected to draw over 50,000 visitors, will be held on Pier 94 in Manhattan, and will also serve as the introduction to a new a new sustainable furniture line by Angus Goble. Details about the Armory Show are available from their website, including info on tickets and other exhibitors at the show. [The Armory Show] via [TreeHugger]

The good people of Moral Fervor would like to invite you, your friends and family to their special holiday sale in New York City. There will also be other designers to choose from as well, including MAMMAmade, Carrente, Burning Sphere and Unique Jewelry by Adrina Garibian, just to name a few, and it's all accompanied by live music, a full menu and cocktail specials so you can shop and dine to your taste. Here are the details:

When: Sunday, December 10, 2 - 6 pm.
Where: Colors, 417 Lafayette Avenue

Moral Fervor will be donating 10% of their purchases to Nutripa, a non profit organization benefitting women and children in Rwanda. They're a very interesting company with a very compelling story and designs to match; we'll be featuring them in the next issue of SASS Magazine, coming out next week. Stay tuned, and in the meantime, check out their website for more. [Moral Fervor]

Check out SSF pal and eco-model extraordinaire Summer Rayne Oakes, who grabbed a new pair of Levi's organic Eco Jeans (we've seen 'em coming for awhile) at the Union Square store party last week; thanks to a trusty cell phone camera, she got some photographic evidence. It looks like both women's and men's Eco Jeans should be available at all New York Levi's stores this week; they're planning additional products to be introduced in spring 2007. Looking good, Summer! [Levi's] via [Summer Rayne Oakes]

Coming up next week, on November 9, The Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment and Con Edison are sponsoring a daylong conference on sustainable development and preservation practices called the Green Brooklyn Conference 2006. With discussion panels, hands-on workshops, and exhibitor tables, the conference hopes to bring new energy and excitement to discourse on the built and natural environments and how to transform Brooklyn and all of New York into a more sustainable city. Included in the panelists will be the good people from Bettencourt Green Building Supplies, Green Map System & Sustainable South Bronx. The event is free, and will be held at Borough Hall at 209 Joralemon Street in Brooklyn. [Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment] via [New York Times]