When you’re an eco girl who loves fashion, finding the right look can sometimes be tricky. While there are more conscious designers adding their collections to the market than ever before, there are also plenty that can leave the urban eco fashionista a little depressed. It wasn’t so long ago that the words “vegan” and “fashionable” simply couldn’t be used in the same sentence. But times, they are (thankfully) a’changin’.
I recently spied hot eco label Lav and Kush and fell completely in love with their pretty designs. Besides the fact they’re green, Lav and Kush’s designs are also stylish, functional with a sweet simplicity.
The clever Canadian designers also give away some of their profits to some great charities including The David Suzuki Foundation (www.davidsuzuki.org), PETA (www.peta.org) and Imagine 1 Day (www.imagine1day.org).
Check out the the complete collection at Lavandkush.com.
If you’ve not yet discovered Etsy, the site where all things handmade rule, some may well say you haven’t lived. Here, a few of the world’s artistically-talented souls gather to sell gorgeous wares, some of which are vegan.
Here’s a preview of some of my favourite Etsy fashion finds of the moment…
Cloche hat from Giant Dwarf
Made from recycled peony pink faux cashmere sweater, embellished with 10 hand-cut grapefruit and ginger fancy felt petals, assembled into a single flower. The over-sized blossom is topped with a hand-pressed button. $USD45.
Soft Cotton Bracelet from Eastern Sky
While these sweet bracelets above are made from vegan-friendly cotton, the shop also makes some of their pieces from Merino wool, so be sure to look carefully when choosing. $USD12.
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Looking back at the last decade, it seems to me that looking after the environment greatly centred around driving a Prius and recycling. Both positive moves toward lightening ye ol’ carbon footprint. But with 2010 upon us and a dawning of a new decade staring us in the face, I thought it could be time to define what it means to be an environmentalist in the new age.
So, here are my top 12 attributes of the new age environmentalist, in no particular order… If you have some additions, please feel free to add them in the comments!
1. Not only recycles, but uses less waste material by buying less. Understands that buying more stuff means greater unhappiness and more suffering (check out the teachings of the Tao Te Ching for more insight into this). Lightening the material load clears the mind and allows for more quality time spent on the stuff in life that really matters.
2. Avoids processed and man-altered foods, including GMO, pesticide-laden produce. Knows that chemicals are not only bad for their own body, but for the planet and all of its inhabitants—plant, insect or animal. Grows or buys their own organic produce and helps to spread the word on this all-important action.
3. Doesn’t eat animals, consume or wear animal-derived products. Knows that they share the same consciousness as all living things, so to harm another is the same as harming themselves. Understands the many factual reasons as to why eating animals is also detrimental to the future of the planet.
4. Listens to their own heart and the hearts of others. Extends a helping hand whenever possible, knowing the greatest gift they can give is a selfless act of love toward another. Love without rules helps expand consciousness.
5. Is not concerned with their reputation, good or bad. Rather, the new age environmentalist marches forward in their life purpose, knowing their cause is much greater than themselves.
6. Meditates regularly. Maintains a close connection to source energy (or God) and the environment.
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2010 has hit full force. You can feel the electricity in the air.
I ended 2009 by cleaning out, dusting, getting rid of all the old, stuck energy in preparation for the new year. And now the start of a new decade has arrived, it’s time to dig even deeper. It’s time to get knee-deep into my wardrobe.
I’ve decided to box up everything I haven’t worn in the past six months, clothes I’m not really sure about, stuff that’s too big, too small, wrong colour. Even the items I don’t wear, but am sentimental about. Yep, they’re going too. My chosen charity awaits.
The year 2010 is about giving back. Living more simply. Thinking of others less fortunate. Giving without expecting anything in return. Just thinking about living that way feels good. So to do it must feel even better—for the giver and receiver.
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Rumour has it that vegetarian Leona Lewis has gone vegan, thanks to her designer pal Stella McCartney. The friends are also said to be hooking up to create a vegan fashion line under songstress Leona’s name.
To celebrate this match made in vegan heaven, here’s a peek at Stella’s 2010 Spring/Summer collection. Gorgeous, and proof that vegan fashion doesn’t have to be ugly! (I wonder if Stella employs vegan-only models?)
Photo: Mitchell Sams for Marie Claire
Photo: Mitchell Sams for Marie Claire
Photo: Mitchell Sams for Marie Claire
Photo: Mitchell Sams for Marie Claire
With companies such as Adidas exploiting animals for fashion, whatever is a vegan fashionista to do? Get her (and his) sneakers from companies with a conscience, sure. But where to find them?
In light of what I learned about Adidas yesterday—and other footwear manufacturers who make their wares from slaughtered animals—I went on a mission to find some cool casual shoes that were made without harming any cow, or kangaroo, in the process.
Here’s what I dug up:
• Blackspot Shoes (V1 style below) are marketed as the world’s most ethical. What makes them so? Well, the V2 hightop style features a sole made from recycled tyres, while the upper on every style is made from hemp. They’re also made in a union shop in Europe, so no humans exploited either. You can order your very own pair, for around $US75, from the super hip site Adbusters.
• Komodo’s Free Tibet sneakers (below) are ethically made, and are also shoes that keep on giving. Twenty percent from the sale of each pair goes toward the campaign that calls for an end to Chinese occupation of Tibet, and for improved human rights in the troubled region. Get them online from Hippyshopper.com for around 40 (UK pounds).
• Ethletic high top sneakers (below) are made from 100 percent fair trade certified organic cotton canvas upper and durable rubber sole. The sole is produced with natural latex, which they say is tapped from a tree in a well managed and growing forest. All dyes are PCP and AZO free, which I guess means no icky chemicals. Relive your inner Grease for around $US56.
• While I prefer to steer clear of companies who use animal parts in any of their products, it’s still nice to see mainstream companies such as Saucony producing a shoes for us animal-free folks. This shoe is the Vegan Jazz Sneaker, a running shoe for him or her. Check out your local Saucony supplier.
Know of any other ethical footwear companies doing their bit for a greener world? Feel free to share below!
When I became vegan, it of course meant it was time to clean out the closet and donate any leather, wool and silk items to charity. I proudly separated by wardrobe into two piles: the kind and the unkind.
Before long, I noticed that I’d more than halved my wardrobe. Gone were my sexy leather boots, my vintage silk scarf and even my warm woolly socks. This (as any fashion-loving gal would agree) is quite the predicament when one of my favourite phrases is “ugh, I have nothing to wear!”.
After much deliberation about what to do now I absolutely had nothing to wear, I came to a conclusion: donate at least 90 per cent of the cruel items to charity. The remaining 10 per cent stayed in my wardrobe, and then, when I would buy a new vegan piece, I would donate one of the old items.
Until my wardrobe became completely vegan, I made sure I wore any leather or wool item consciously, thinking about the animal and what it gave (ie its life) to make me warm.
This is my point: when you choose to lead a vegan lifestyle, it’s important to remember to be kind to yourself in the process—rather than beating yourself up because you couldn’t part with a pair of 1960s suede cowboy boots given to you by your late dear grandmother.
This also extends beyond the wardrobe. While I’m extremely strict about what I put into my mouth, I’m also kind to myself if I make a mistake. There have been times when I’ve found out there was indeed a fish sauce in the green curry, when there wasn’t meant to be. I consciously acknowledge it, and move on.
As for my wardrobe, I’m now eye-ing off this eco-fabulous coat from Vaute Couture, a hot vegan fashion brand that specialises in coats. I’m pretty sure I need a new tee too…
I love shoes. A girl can never have enough. I dream of building a wardrobe solely (pardon pun) dedicated to glam high heels, sweet ballet slippers, rock star boots and flip flops to flip over. A shoe heaven, if you will.
Going vegan of course not only changed my diet, but my wardrobe. Now this presents quite the challenge to any girl (or guy) who has a love affair with footwear. But a challenge, I believe, is merely an opportunity in disguise.
Once I started looking, I discovered a world of shoes that were created without killing another creature. Celebs such as Natalie Portman, Stella McCartney and Pamela Anderson have done great fashion deeds, pleasing vegans the world over with pretty pumps and other stylish goodies.
So fashionable are many of the vegan footwear options, that the Jewish community are following in our footsteps and stocking up on brands such as Moo Shoes, Olsen Haus (released by an ex-Calvin Klein and Nine West designer) and NoVacas.
A story today in Jewish rag, The Tablet, sings the praises of these shoe designers who are, for the first time, allowing them too to step out in style with their conscience fully in tact—and not a pair of Crocs in sight.
Clockwise from top left: Vegan Tahoe Blue slip-on and Vegan Wrap Boot from Toms, Swell Shoe from Olsen Haus, Olivia pump from Novacas, Stella McCartney animal print ankle boots (as seen in The Tablet).
Hot fashion find of the day? The ultra-luxe, super sustainable Vegan Queen range of handbags. While some vegan fashion may leave you feeling like a grandma dressed for church, this forward-thinking company knows how to please the most animal-friendly of fashionistas.
Materials used in their collections are natural, organic, non-toxic and recycled. Not an animal skin in sight.
Go shopping at www.veganqueen.com. See you there!
