sustainable style foundation*

From Haberdash for Humanity...When it comes to a food staple around the world, few would argue that rice tops the list. Many would be surprised to know that rice grows around the world and one of the most innovative rice growers, Acquerello, hales from the Vercelli province of the Piedmont region in Italy. The history of rice in Italy goes back to the 1400s and is rich with culture and connection to the land. The family behind Acquerello, the Rondolino family, has been growing rice in the area for three generations and has brought rice cultivation firmly into the 21st century. One of their boldest innovations was to go completely organic in 1998. Along with this committment comes an appreciation for the land and ecosystem connected to rice farming. Today, the paddy fields, known as Tenuta Colombara, are thriving with fish, frogs, and rare birds. Even the product can reflects this committment and appeciation for the natural world. Acquerello is also a support of the Slow Food movement, even more reason to sit back and savor a fine dining experience with some responsible rice.

The latest edition to the Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) family of multimedia products is www.wholeliving.com, the online home of body+soul magazine. I have to say, as sustainability resource websites go [and I know many of them], Whole Living is truly impressive. There are numerous green living ideas and resources, ranging from organic gardening and green cleaners to eco travel and sustainable fashion. But the site goes farther by really taking a broad view of health with resources on topics such as fitness, nutrition, money, and more. The site is very easy to navigate and yes, there are lots of great tips and small projects along the way to keep you busy. I must say, I think Martha Stewart may be one of the earliest adopters of 'sustainable style' out there. She's recycled and/or repurposed everything under the sun, she's advocated local/organic/home-grown food for many years, she's promoted high quality/long-lasting products AND maintaining those products for longer use, and she's always made a point of telling the story behind a recipe, project, or product she's demonstrating - including the connection to people and the community these items may have. Martha Stewart mainstreaming sustainability...you know the line...it's a good thing.

from haberdash.org...As a rower and occasional sailor, I have a strong affinity for the water. Perhaps that's why I couldn't pull myself away from the display booth of Sea Bags, Inc. while attending the 2008 ECOLLECTION event at MAGIC. Or perhaps it is the fact that the bags have a great utilitarian design, that they are made from recycled sails, or that they are the perfect gift for anyone that is connected to water in some way (I have plenty of those). But I think what really grabbed me is that this is the perfect manbag. Sure its appealing to everyone from your Aunt Sally in Maine to surfers on Maui, but it truly is a perfect manbag. Its durable, its manly, its all about sailing, etc. Plus they also offer duffels, storage bags, and weekend bags that are just as cool as their totes. Each bag is different which in the end only made me want to by all of them.

from haberdash.org...Conde Nast Traveler has put out an outstanding September 08 issue featuring many articles and resources on socially responsible travel. The feature article showcases Matt Damon's work with H2O Africa and his recent project Running the Sahara which he both narrated and produced. Other articles include The Power of Travel, pioneers in the field of sustainable travel including Anderson Cooper, War and Peace about the role travel plays in healing a country after war, and a listing of the 38 winners of their 2008 World Savers Awards. Not bad for a mainstream magazine. Conde Nast has long promoted travel that treads lightly on the planet, but the looks of it, they're going to stay on that path.

from haberdash.org...Kiehl's has long offered a line of men's grooming products that are effective, affordable, and use all natural ingredients. They recently upped their sustainability commitment by partnering with Brad Pitt on a aloe vera biodegradable liquid body cleanser with 100% of net profits going to Make it Right, dedicated to the construction of environmentally sustainable, affordable housing for the displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina which devastated New Orleans in 2005. But that's not all, Kiehl's also provides resources to educate consumers on actions they can take to protect the environment and most recently partnered with Parsons The New School for Design to create Sustainable Design Review, a student competition to highlight innovative sustainable design.

from haberdash.org...Finished pouring over GQ and Men's Vogue to see what's in this season? Why not pick up the latest issue of AutoBio and check out what alternative energy cars hot in Paris too. AutoBio just published their 5th issue and each gets better and better as they focus both on design and environmental attributes of the vehicles they profile and review. These cars may be familiar to the European crowds but they are sure to raise some eyebrows in the States since we rarely get a glimpse at the European auto industry's innovations.

from haberdash.org...If you're a jet set environmentalist you'll be glad to see this new product. Sustainable Cards has been working with the hotel industry to offer key cards made from wood...sustainably harvested wood from PEFC certified forests in fact. Not only do the cards have a great design and feel, they are biodegradable so they also reduce the over 1,300 tons of plastic waste that traditional hotel key cards generate in the U.S. annually which is equal to the volume of seven 777 airplanes. The wooden card has been used in Europe for several years now but is just now making its debut in the US. With over 70,000 hotel guests using them during the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver, the little key cards are creating a big buzz. Next time you're on the road, as the front desk if they will be making the switch too.

from haberdash.org...Flushing Meadows' blue tennis courts are going green. Sustainability in the sports world is pretty prevalent these days and the latest entry into the green arena is the United States Tennis Association (USTA) who has worked to create a green US Open this year. Leading the charge at USTA is none other than Billie Jean King. The efforts include waste recycling, green energy, financial contributions to nonprofits, donations of used tennis equipment to youth organizations, and a line of green sportswear designed by Billie Jean and Heidi Klum. Many of the athletes are behind the campaign as well making it even more impressive.

from haberdash.org...Whoever said giving ties as gifts was tired hasn't seen these ties yet. I came across Narwahl while attending the 2008 ECOLLECTION show at MAGIC. Narwahl's line of recycled tie accessories that includes wallets, ipod and iphone covers, wrist wear, and t-shirts stood out for me due to their great design and quality, as well as the fact that it's rare to find men's accessories that have a sustainable story. With the tie material, the items are both classic and contemporary at the same time and they even offer custom items. Great style, great story, great gift.

from haberdash.org...I've heard a lot about airlines making efforts to go green, but I'm quite confident that jetBlue has outdone them all with their initiative, Jetting to Green. They're doing everything from recycling and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to becoming more active in the community and educating both crew and passengers about environmental activism. Best of all they're out to inspire their industry to follow suit and make an even bigger impact. I've blogged about jetBlue serving organic goodies on their flights so it's great to see them reaching for the sky on sustainability.

from haberdash.org...Lauren Spa is a new line or organic bed and bath linens in the Ralph Lauren Home world. Given that many resorts are picking up the line already, it is sure to be around for a long time. Lauren Spa has set a new standard in organic linens in terms of luxury, design, and most importantly - sustainability.

from haberdash.org...I'll be doing a new dispatch on my recent 2008 Maui trip finds soon but I just couldn't hold off on this one. While lunching in Wailuku I stumbled upon a little shop called MauiThing. They've got the coolest shirts around and their motto is "Stuck on Good". In fact, they are inspired by all 'things good' on Maui. Not only do they sport hipster American Apparel shirts with great graphics, they offer some organic options, and have some great local and community messaging ranging from peace and composting to equality and endangered species. The icing on the MauiThing cake is the staff, they are way cool and customer service rockstars. It's all available online if you're not headed to Maui anytime soon.

From haberdash.org...Its been a few days since my last entry so I have many things to report. First is a good, inexpensive lunch place called Da Kitchen. Da Kitchen offers a mix plate lunch that is the rage over here in HI. With locations in Kahului and Kihei on Maui, the food is fantastic, the portions huge, and the chicken...organic! I've been many times now and am sure will go many more.

Last Friday was possibly my most perfect day on Maui. I went with many family and friends to O'o Organic Farm for lunch, followed by the Ali'i Kula Lavendar Farm, and finished the night at the Feast at Lele luau (that features fresh organic produce from O'o Farm).

If Friday was my most perfect Maui Day, Saturday was my second most perfect. I spent the bulk of the day doing restoration work with Maui Cultural Lands (MCL) in the Honokowai valley. My specific tasks included removal of invasive grasses and coffee plants. It certainly wasn't an easy job but it was a great honor doing it as the valley has some of the oldest archaelogical sites in the islands. The taro patches and house sites that are several hundred years old stretch up the entire valley and are truly breathtaking. I found the project through the Pacific Whale Foundation volunteer on vacation page, but now that MCL's website is up you can find out much more on their own site.

Last but not least in this dispatch, Sunday was a great day for good finds too. I made another trip to Savers in Kahului and found some great local Maui retro t-shirts and some even cooler vintage mini vases [above]. And the last sustainable find of the day...a 'soft sculpture' nene by two local Tutus (Hawaiian for "Grandmothers")[above]. Being a conservation biologist and all, I like to support conservation projects whenever possible so the fact that this purchase goes to help out nene conservation Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park is an added plus.

from haberdash.org...It's day two of my 2008 Maui trip and I think I've made my best find EVER!!! A local, organic gelato maker - on Maui! That's right, in downtown Paia there's a new gelato maker that features local and organic (whenever possible) flavors. Along with the classic gelato flavors they feature seasonal fruit flavors that are out of this world. Ono Gelato Company is not to be missed. They also have several other lines of goodies and the one that really got my taste buds all riled up was Jeff's Jams and Jellies. Jeff's strawberry butter was tasty indeed. I couldn't tell if the items were organic, but they certainly get points for local and seasonal. The gelato did come after a tasty lunch at the Paia Fish Market that features all local fish, meats, and produce.

Another great find of the day in Paia was vintage textile Aloha shirts at a men's store called Moonbow Tropics.

After some tasty local-fish sushi for dinner we dropped in on a local bookstore and I came across a great book called "West Maui Natural History. Being a conservation biologist and all, I can't wait to read it from cover to cover and start checking off the plants, animals, insects, and other 'must sees' in the book.

To end the evening, I wanted to track down a local fashion boutique that I read about in an article in the Hawaiian Airlines Magazine Hana Hou! titled "Green Chic". The designer was Maggie Coulombe. Maggie's business partner, the fabulous Mr. Arid Chappell, was in the house and gave us all the garmento scoop on their apparel...not only do they try to make everything on Maui - getting points for staying local - they incorporate social messages in many of their t-shirt designs and are starting down the sustainable fabric path. I couldn't help buying one of the "Black is always in style" t-shirts.

From haberdash.org...This is my third trip to Maui and I'm pleased to say its becoming easier and easier to find sustainable options. My latest find is a new grocery store in Lahaina (on the west side of Maui) called Lahaina Farms. They don't have a website up yet but you can read more about them in this On My Plate article. It's a small store but it scores right up there with Whole Foods when it comes to quality and selection. And they really take the time to source local and organic items. Down to Earth has been a great option for the sustainable grocery shoppers, but there aren't that many on the island and the closest one to Lahaina is about a forty-five minute drive. There are several Lahaina Farms stores throughout the islands so whether you're a local or a vacationer, take the time to track one down.

Of course I also made the requisite trip to Savers right off the plane. There's no better way to increase your Aloha shirt collectionn than buying them 2nd hand from Savers. Best of all, they have great vintage Aloha shirts that can't be found anywhere else.