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Unless you’ve been hiding under an unsustainable rock, you already know that green is the new black. Vanity Fair ran its annual green issue with Madonna on this year’s cover—looking even more fit than the last time we saw her. Style blogs buzzed about 100 percent organic cotton, eco-knitting and shirts made from a hybrid of seaweed, wood pulp and spun milk. Fashion Week was home to the Green Initiative Humanitarian Fashion Show—featuring eco-friendly designs by M…THEMOVEMENT, Lady Muse, Lilikoi, Andira Rain-Tees, Vintage China and René Geneva Design—which included jeans made out of bamboo fibers and gowns made out of discarded pairs of jeans.
Big brands were right there with them. New Balance made vegan sneakers, Natalie Portman came out with her own line of vegan heels through Te Casan, and American Apparel began manufacturing organic V-necks and briefs. H&M and Gap each launched eco-lines, and denim companies—from Levi’s to Seven for All Mankind—couldn’t get their earth-friendly jean collections out quick enough.
Fashion seems so damn ecologically correct these days, but hopefully our breakdown will shine some solar-powered light on things. Here's what to watch out for.
Who’s really committed to sustainability?
While some companies are dedicated to conserving our resources, others jumped on the green bandwagon solely for the good press. Wal-Mart has a new line of organic cotton socks and underwear—certainly a step in a positive direction—but that doesn’t suddenly make it an environmentally responsible company. On the other hand, Edun—the celebrity-favorite line designed by Bono’s wife, Ali Hewson—is manufactured using right-on socially sustainable principles but only uses organic fabrics “whenever possible.”
It’s not easy being green
What makes a fabric green, anyway? Note that a single organic cotton tee requires 257 gallons of water to make. Doesn’t sound too earth-friendly, does it? This is why many designers are now choosing bamboo jersey fabric over cotton. Then there’s the jargon: “metro naturalist,” “luxury eco,” ”carbon footprint.” It’s enough to turn any aspiring eco-fashionista, well, green with dizziness-induced nausea.
“There is so much growth in green fashion right now, it feels like the dot-com boom all over again,” says Summer Rayne Oakes, a model and sustainability consultant based in New York City. Oakes is working on a “hip girls’ guide to sustainable style” for Penguin books. Until then, she advises, “Look at your favorite brands, go to their websites, and find out about their environmental policies. If they aren’t already trying to go green, then ask them why. You’ll be surprised how much of a difference it can make.” Nike—long associated with unfair sweatshop practices—has become “one of the biggest leaders in the area of ethical, social and environmental change,” according to Oakes. “Of course,” she adds, “they are far from perfect.”
Planet-preserving pioneers
Small, independent designers such as Loomstate—and in the high-fashion world, Linda Loudermilk—pioneered the movement. In 2002, when most designers had no idea what eco-fashion meant, Loudermilk was sending her models down the runway in dresses made entirely from sustainable fabrics. Her celebrity fans include Shalom Harlow, Robert Downey Jr. and Jane Fonda—the latter appeared on Letterman wearing a stunning Loudermilk hemp pant/milk blouse ensemble. “The support of celebrities is very important in this arena,” says Loudermilk. “They often feel a deep need to share their passion with the public, and people listen. I am really grateful for that.”
Loudermilk believes that eco-fashion rating systems will help fashion consumers gain a better idea of which brands are really green, and which ones are only trying to make more green by abusing the buzzword. She’s launching her own luxury eco-certification—kind of like a Good Housekeeping stamp of approval—for producers of luxury goods and apparel.
Discounts for good deeds?
We know that not everyone can afford to buy luxury eco—Stella McCartney’s organic canvas reusable shopping bags cost $495 a piece, for instance. And are you ready to shell out $400 on a pair of designer green jeans? The good news is, as more and more eco-brands flood the market, prices will come down. And there are plenty of affordable lines already in existence, such as Tom’s Shoes. They may not be 100 percent eco, but they are the definition of socially responsible. For each pair of Tom’s Shoes sold, a pair is donated to a child in need.
“First and foremost, our mission is to help kids who don’t have shoes, period,” says Blake Mycoskie, founder of Tom’s Shoes. The company has given away 60,000 shoes to impoverished children this year alone and will launch an organic shoe line this spring. Mycoskie does have one piece of advice for wannabe green fashion hounds: Look closely at the motives of designers who call themselves eco. “Do some research, that way you can get an idea of how a company is manufacturing and where their heart is at,” he says. “Then make your decision from there.”
Words to live by in your new upgraded, updated, environmentally conscious life.
