By Sharon Wilson
You can always look to Europe and America to find the latest looks and the latest trends in fashion. But one new trend that's sweeping the industry isn’t only coming from America or Europe. Designers from across the world are turning out some great, “earth friendly” clothes with a lot of style.
Long ago, the idea of environment-conscious fashion design conjured up images of hemp sack dresses in drab colours or shoes made from jute. There weren’t many style options and those available were costly. Today, many designers, from tops in their field like Linda Loudermilk to rock starts like Bono of U2 doing their part to create clothes that are hip, stylish and eco‑friendly. There's even a great site which I personally love called Green Loop, where you find it all in one place.
Eco‑fashion usually encompasses clothes made from raw, organic materials such as cotton grown without pesticides, reused cloth, or materials made from recycled items such as plastic bottles. Designers like to experiment with fibres made from bamboo and other exotic plants. Rarely, if at all, do they use chemicals or bleach in their fabrics, and the best part is most clothing is made using labour that has been paid by a fair trade wage.
When I started to research for this article I was sure I'd find a good few places, some I know already, but to my surprise there are a slew of fashionable sites online for the eco‑conscience consumer. This was encouraging considering the fashion world is often perceived as being superficial. Even the TV‑reality show Project Runway recently featured a recycled fashion episode.
The contestants were led to a waste disposal site and had 30 minutes to gather whatever they thought that will make a good dress. Once they returned to their work stations they were given one day to construct a dress from "garbage." I must admit some of the ideas they came up with were fantastic.
If you are interested in searching some sites to see what is out there, here is a list to get you started:
* Stewart & Brown
* Ecoist (these are really cute bags)
* Cool not Cruel
* Anna Cohen
There is also a blog devoted to eco‑friendly fabrics called Organic Clothing and for those who like vintage fashion, that is the ultimate in re‑using and recycling. What's old is new again.. so "Happy Shopping."
Sharon Wilson is the manager/founder of Earth Scents handmade soaps and candles. Please send comments queries to earthscentscaribbean@hotmail.com
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