So I just moved back to Albuquerque, NM from San Francisco – hence the slowdown in posts. Sorry about that – we should be back up to full speed ahead by next week, so hang in there! But the transition has been interesting. I’m the kind of person who has equally strong leanings towards both [...]

I thought today we’d take a break from fashion and talk outdoor parties that glow with laughter, the warm light of the setting sun, and the velvety swish of wine dancing in glasses. You can definitely tell where my mind is. In San Francisco we are currently experiencing our very first solidly warm day of summer – and it immediately makes me think of having a dinner party al fresco in the vineyards of Napa. Obviously we will all be wearing flowy, floral patterned dresses, sandals and ethno-chic jewelry, so with the fashion out of the way, I wanted to talk fashionable dinnerware.

It’s pure poetry. The idea behind the blog 01MATHERY is that one new thing is invented everyday. Run by two designers, the “inventions” are wonderfully ingenuous and simple – reminiscent often of something that Calvin of Calvin and Hobbs might make. The inventions are almost always a “reuse” of a common household object – but instead of seeming hokey or janky or jury-rigged, the photos and the style of the blog gives everything the patina of some wonderfully romantic, genuine, life-lived-to-the-fullest indie foreign film called something like “Everything is Beautiful.”

I am seeing more and more community sewing centers popping up, more and more local clothing swaps happening, and more and more workshops on how to make/alter/mend your own clothes. I am officially calling it people – get in on that game before you get left behind. The past is now the future and in this case, being stuck in the present is where you don’t want to be. After all, how are you going to feel when there you are in your community garden with all your neighbors, and you’re the only one who’s wearing store-bought overalls?

Welcome to Earth Day 2010. We were going to do a giveaway – but then we thought – today is about giving back to the Earth… So today I present you with my favorite place on this beautiful planet and 10 ways you can give back to the Earth in a fashion-y way. Including::::Join our SUMMER LIGHT CHALLENGE! Can you reduce your wardrobe to 10 essential pieces for an entire summer? I’m going to!

Online retailing and cottage industry production are really taking off and making an impact on disseminating sustainable design. So we decided ask Liz Grotyohann who, along with her husband Jeff Fein-Worton, co-founded the online showcase cosa verde her thoughts on the revolution.
Looking around the beautifully designed site, I was impressed! cosa verde has an amazingly user-friendly interface and has multiple ways of providing exposure for the artists it represents as well as multiple ways for the shopper to efficiently narrow in on the perfect product.

Back the truck up. What is cotton doing in Africa?

When it comes to exporting cotton, Africa is second only to the US. The African economy is highly dependent on agriculture and in central and western Africa, cotton is the number one cash crop.

However, in the face of global recession, drought, and most of all, heavily subsidised cotton from richer nations pushing down market values, African farmers struggle to make a living from cotton production.

Enter Cotton Made In Africa.

This must be one of the only (arguably) lines of logical dialogue in Alice in Wonderland, voiced by the king: Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.

But since we’re having a Tee Party, we’re going to do the opposite and keep coming back to the same thing: our favorite tee! Today our tee-shirt, much like Alice, is whisked into a wonderland — of technology! Raise your hand if you love your laptop more than life itself. What could be more fitting than to bundle it in your favorite tee?

Basically hypnotized by the breathtaking terrariums of Paula Hayes – so self-contained and perfectly arranged – like little verdant haikus.
But what about a living fashion? A garment that functioned like an ecosystem, that evolved a bit each day, that never lost your interest because it passed through seasons, breathed, lived, surprised you with its tenacity the way life does?

What does the word sustainability mean to you?
It’s relatively straightforward, according to Merriam Webster. But when you apply that term to a certain industry or facet of your life, this simple definition can twist and turn.

Last night my boyfriend made me watch”National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” For the hundredth time…
One of my favorite characters is Clark’s kooky Aunt Bethany. The poor old lady has clearly lost her marbles–but she’s still fabulous. Not only does she still dress well, but she’s got the green gift giving down. Granted, I wouldn’t recommend wrapping your cat up in a box, but the upcycling gifts is definitely relevant. There’s a ton of great tips out there, but here’s what I’m planning on giving this Christmas.

There’s always been a general belief that EcoFashion should be Slow Fashion. Stemming from the ideas of the Slow Movement, these incredibly complicated terms and beliefs have come to be stated into two overly simple ideas: Slow Fashion= Good, Fast Fashion = Bad. But can two complex ideas really be turned into something so black and white?

Over the past couple years, the amount of green and DIY weddings have increased exponentially. A combination of the impact of the recession and the growth of the green movement, we’ve all seen the impression that green/recycled/DIY has had on fashion, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see that transfer over to weddings.
(images c/o thegreenbrideguide.com)

After a series of really interesting comments on my last post (It’s Not Easy Being Green), I started thinking a lot about the question: What does it really mean to be green? It seemed like everyone has a different answer, and everyone has a valid point.

Controversy is certainly no stranger to the fashion world. From model catfights to sweatshop exposés, there’s usually more than enough drama to go around.
Of course, Ecofashion is no exception—and more often than not, the drama stems from greenwashing. While may eco consumers remain cynical about many so called green products out there, there are also many lines and names that active eco consumers feel like they can trust.

If you haven’t heard about Portland based Nau, you should definitely take a peek at their line.
This NW brand has been doing green long before it became cool. Their clothes are so fantastic, Nau has converted a lot of people to the green movement just because of the incredible style and quality of their clothes.
This year, Nau sponsored it’s first annual $10,000 Grant for Change. The idea was to support people who have started and created lasting and positive change in the world around them.

Lighting up the grill is one of the classic joys of summer, especially in the United States, where we like our meat–and we like a lot of it. But, as pleasing as the sooty scent of grilled burgers can be, it’s become relatively well known that grilling can be toxic for the environment.

There’s always a way to one-up the typical camper by investing in a few simple solar powered products. With so many advancements in technology going towards environmentally friendly products, there are more than enough ways to make your camping trip completely carbon free!

You just purchased your new electric car, and you faithfully recycle your newspapers. You are bragging to the neighbors about doing your part for the environment. But are you really living green inside your home?

“A good walk spoiled.” That’s how Mark Twain described golf, obviously referring to his frustration with his skills on the links. But there are other ways that golf may be spoiling a good walk. How about the pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, and the vast amount of water needed to manage all the golf courses in the U.S. alone?