beauty delux

Sustainable Fashion: a new way of dressing…and toting

Sustainable fashion - it certainly sounds good, but what is it and what does it mean for the environment and for your wardrobe?

Truly green fabric and fibers are produced organically, without the use of chemicals, pesticides or anything that is harmful to the environment. Organic cotton for example comes from plants that have not been genetically modified or grown in soil which has been treated with pesticides or chemical fertilisers.

More and more people are becoming aware of the effect humans have had, and are having, on the environment, and also of the changes we need to make to ensure the Earth is habitable for future generations. Everyone can play their part, whether that’s by doing something as simple as recycling or buying organic products.

Because more people are showing interest in buying organic items, the range of goods with a smaller carbon footprint available in the marketplace is growing every day.

 You can now log onto the Internet and within a few clicks find an online retailer that sells a range of organic clothing from tops and skirts to trainers.

Many online retailers that stock organic clothing also carry a range of Fair Trade clothes. There are now over 3,000 different types of products just in Australia alone that carry the Fair Trade mark, which ensures a better, fairer deal for producers in the third world, workers and their communities.

At one time when the idea of Fair Trade and organic clothing was still in its infancy, the choice of available styles and materials was limited. Thankfully that is no longer the case and you can find a huge choice both online and on  high street. From hoodies and T-shirts to special occasion dresses and accessories, right down to knickers and socks, the choice of Fair Trade and organic clothing is getting bigger all the time…It is a trend that is here to stay and become more and more important.  Which begs the question: how is high fashion to survive in this ever changing market place that is becoming more ecologically aware and economically savvy. 

11 Amatevi 

If you think about it even if we stopped producing new clothing products today there would be enough left to clothe every one in the World.  The great luxury houses and fashion brands with their built in fail safe costumer base comprised of the super wealthy and the high disposable income earners are feeling the shift in the way the market is reacting to the new economic reality of today and the need for a more conscientious deployment of resorces.  For instance Prada introduced its new B.Y.O. (Bring your own) Bag line. For this collection, Prada created super cute eco-friendly bags which provide a chic way to tote around all your goods; they retail for around $295.00 a fraction of what you would spend for a Prada handbag.

One of the pioneers of the emerging eco-fashion movement in the U.S.A. is designer Linda Loudermilk. Her “luxury Eco” line of clothing and accessories uses sustainably produced materials made from exotic plants including bamboo, sea cell, soya and sasawashi. The latter is a linen-like fabric made from a Japanese leaf that contains anti-allergen and anti-bacterial properties. Loudermilk also incorporates natural themes in each season’s line—her most recent one being an oceanic motif.

“We aim to give Eco glamour legs, a fabulous look and a slammin’ attitude that stops traffic and shouts the message: eco can be edgy, loud, fun, playful, feminine (or not) and hyper-cool,” Loudermilk says.

In Australia the movement towards eco fashion has been pioneered by designers such as Ilona Karme with the label Tulipani. We have always been very locally minded when it comes to producing our ranges, most of the items are made within a 10 kilometer radius from our studio in Noosa in the Sunshine Coast, we use organic cottons and linens, silk which like wool is a renewable fibre and is biodegradable and have worked extensively with bamboo fibers.  Our prints are done with water based inks which cuts down a great deal on chemicals dispersion into the water streams.  We are also strong supporters of the domestic wool industry, Australian merino wool is the best in the World, and it is a renewable fiber as well.