Beyond Green Hype: Eco-Conscious And Ethical Designers & Labels
Visit the Original Source at One Green Planet
New York's semi-annual Fashion week kicks off at Lincoln Center today, as designers, models, celebrities and paparazzi descend upon the city to mingle with each other and witness the unveiling of 2011 Fall collections. While the fashion world still largely remains the exclusive domain of the rich, skinny and gorgeous, it is great to see ethics and eco-consciousness emerge and establish itself as a trend. This is evident from the rise of eco-labels like Edun, Lavuk and C.Marchuska to the launch of the Ethical Fashion Program and Eco-Fashion Week.
Of course, the industry has a long way to go, because millions of animals are still killed to manufacture clothing and accessories that use fur, leather and other animal-derived materials. However, several fresh new ideas are blossoming that may actually do some good for animals, the planet and future generations. Here's our spotlight on eco-conscious and ethical designers that are paving the way for a kinder and greener future of fashion:
1.Stella McCartney There is probably no other designer that has made going green feel so easy. Stella McCartney has successfully established her name and her cause, to protect animals and the environment side by side. While she still uses wool in her collections, when McCartney designed her hit collection for H&M in 2005, she insisted on including specific terms in her contract that would guarantee no animal skin would be used in producing her collection. Her clothes were made of organic cotton and all proceeds went to several charities, including U.K.-based Fauna & Flora International's Gorilla Conservation Program. Stella has now expanded to a skincare line, Care by Stella McCartney, offering products that are free from chemical preservatives, genetically modified ingredients, endangered plant species, animal-derived ingredients or petrochemicals, and are not tested on animals.
2. Vaute Couture What do stylish vegans do in winter? Freeze! Well, not really, and especially not since Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart launched Vaute Couture, a label committed to stylish and functional winter outerwear that is 100% vegan, eco-friendly and sweatshop-free. Leanne uses recyclable materials and Polartec ® wind pro fabric for weather protection. Her coats are lined with 100% recycled polyester from Teijin Eco Circle and finished with buttons made of dead stock metal or tagua nut. The winter coats range from sophisticated pea coats for men and women to colorful jackets like the KINDER and uber-stylish and elegant women's coats like the Belden and the Audrey. Leanne was named 1 of the 7 best Emerging Green Designers of 2009 by Ecouterre, she won a Polartec ® Apex Award, has been featured on Oprah.com, Teen Vogue, Marie Claire Magazine and her coats have been worn by vegan celebrities like Alicia Silverstone and Ginnifer Goodwin.
Click here to read 3, 4 and 5!
This article was written by One Green Planet: One Green Planet is an online destination for the ecologically ethical generation. We deliver relevant insights and opinions into the world of ecology, the environment & vegan living.
