What’s up with all that trash we get from the dry cleaners these days? We used to get a plastic bag and a hanger. Bad enough. Now I get my dry cleaning back with pink foam covering the top edge of the paper-covered hanger and both sleeves of my dress shirt stuffed with enough tissue paper to wrap an Easy Bake Oven for Christmas. So I do my best by unwrapping my overprotected garments and setting aside all the plastic detritus to return to the cleaners. Bummer.

Well, there’s finally another way. Reusable dry cleaning bags from  Jendarling (pronounced jen-dahling) and Green Garmento are starting to pop up both in the news and on the street. Jendarling makes uber fabulous organic cotton twill and hemp luxury garment bags for fashionistas or environmentalists who wouldn’t be caught dead carrying big plastic bags around in public. The Jendarling Lux Line goes for over $100, the Lux Lite is closer to $35.

On the opposite end of the financial Richter scale is Green Garmento for just $9.95. It’s a recyclable laundry bag that serves as garment bag, duffel bag, and dry cleaning bag all-in-one. According to Jenny Nigrosh from Green Garmento, the entertainment industry in Hollywood alone could save 100,000 pounds of plastic a year by scrapping single use plastic dry cleaning bags. Check it out…

Co-host Marissa Feinberg of Green Leaders Global and designer Linda Loudermilk, who was honored that evening, hug on the red carpet.

On June 12th in New York, Fashion Delivers hosted its second annual Pay It Fashion Forward event at the club M2, a space once called Crobar and Mansion, in the news this week after Beyonce decided to cancel an appearance there at the last minute, costing owner Joey Morrissey $100.000. 

Over 600 guests attended, some in the VIP balcony treated to tasty octopus confections by ilili, while the rest munched on organic potato chips in the gallery below.

Continue reading Second Annual Pay It Fashion Forward Event At M2 In New York

From the obvious respect for the power of the ocean to the unexpected encounters with mystical marine life, surfing binds its brave participants to the rhythms and whims of Mother Nature. If you’re a surfer, or plan to pop your cherry take some surf lessons in Summer 2009, then you might be ready to take on protecting the ocean in the same passionate way you ride it. Make a positive difference to the coral, fish, mammals, plants, and the planet at large by making more sustainable choices with your gear.

1 Green Your Gear

Eco surf supply superstars Wave Tribe out of SoCal produce surf bags, leashes, and surfboard “socks” out of hemp and recycled PET, as well as organic cotton tees. Sick sustainable surfboards are made by visionary companies like Imagine Eco and Eden Project. Imagine using linseed oil instead of petroleum to make a surfboard. Aw yeh. Then there’s sustainably-made wetsuits from recycled plastic by Billabong. The biodegradable corn fiber suits by Body Glove use non-toxic inks, reclaimed zippers, and even post-consumer recycled hang tags.

You can get to and from the beach in the ultimate FSC-certified rubber flip flops from the fine folks at Autonomie Project, or try the recycled tire flip flops from Splaff. Da Kine has the Project Blue backpack which they donate $2 of each sale to the Surfrider Foundation to fund coastline protection initiatives worldwide. Not only that, it’s made from recycled plastic bottles, diverting plastic from the waste stream, which shockingly often heads right to the ocean.

Last but not least, make sure you have some eco board shorts made of recycled PET, a pretty decent selection of which can be found at Swell.com and Dogfunk.com. And then there’s always another way of looking at recycled board shorts…

Continue reading Surf’s Up : How To Green Your Ride

Time to snag those gorgeous Charmoné shoes you have long coveted.   Closing out this collection, which means you save over $200 a pair!  $299 Italian designed, eco friendly, designer footwear for $49.  Seriously.

Here’s their story:

Charmoné: Charming shoes, in harmony with the earth.
Our mission is to create beautiful, luxurious, sexy shoes that are also sustainable and cruelty-free. Every shoe incorporates European design and quality while using only animal-free, eco-friendly materials. We believe no one should sacrifice their style conscious just to serve their social conscience. Charmoné is focused on compassionate design:

COMPASSION FOR ANIMALS
This all started when a vegan friend, often clad in the latest, coolest, designer leather shoes, complained that all non-leather shoes were either a) ugly;  b) poor quality;  and often c) both! It got us thinking- why all the fuss about leather anyway? Isn’t there a way, in this modern age, to get away from using animal skins as the ultimate luxury? Traditionally, non-leather shoes were considered inferior due to poor construction, lack of breathability and generally being harder on the environment. We found a way to eliminate every traditional barrier by using high-quality Italian microfibers that are constructed exactly like leather, making them breathable, lightweight and colorfast. Not to mention water-resistant! So you can easily be a nice person while wearing killer heels. We won’t tell anyone.

COMPASSION FOR THE PLANET
How can you use synthetic materials and call it eco-friendly? Well, believe it or not, the process of creating microfiber is less polluting to the environment than the process of tanning, factory farming and processing leather. In addition, the materials are free from harmful PVCs, using instead a light polyurethane coating which is gentler on the environment. We also incorporate sustainable practices throughout the production process, from using last boards made from 70% pre-consumer waste to using recycled materials in our boxes, business cards and other printed materials. Who says it’s not easy being Green?

COMPASSION FOR PEOPLE
Charmoné shoes are made sweatshop-free in Italy and Brazil, ensuring you enjoy quality craftsmanship without contributing to harsh working conditions. In addition to minimizing the impact of manufacturing, Charmoné takes it a step further by donating 5% of all profits to charities that support people, animals and the environment. The first charity slated for donation is Women for Women International, a charity that provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources they need to move from poverty and crisis to stability and self-sufficiency. We feel incredibly lucky to be doing what we love and hope to help others do the same.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure  in the world of fashion these days. Due to the growing awareness of the planet’s limited resources and the encroaching recession, Americans are reusing clothing more than ever. From high end fashion designers incorporating fine antique fabrics into their frocks or frugal shoppers searching out affordable well made clothing (when was the last time you saw those four words in a row), vintage is becoming de rigeur once again.

As droves of designers become hip to their significant impact on the environment, they are on the lookout for vintage, surplus, and reclaimed fabrics. One of the most polished couturiers using vintage fabrics today is LA-based Deborah Lindquist. She is able to recycle cashmere sweaters into runway-ready creations, fit with iconic handcut appliqúes, original antique beadwork, and bohemian chic for days. Deborah’s Fall ‘09 collection is dubbed Goth Girl Goes To The Country, and she weaves everything from vintage kimonos to scarves to wool skirts into stunning wedding gowns, corsets, and prêt-è-porter separates.

Aside from Deborah Lindquist, there’s a handful of vintage vixens throughout LA, but most of them are owners of infamous vintage shops like Wasteland and Resurrection. Alas though, when it comes to vintage shopping, barring the celebrity clientele thrifting on Melrose and Hollywood Boulevard, LA simply can’t compare to her northerly neighbor of Portland, Oregon. There are more thrift shops per capita here than any other place in the US. And the woman you need to show you the best spots in town? Lulu.

Lulu, aka Anne Weiland, keeps thrifty shoppers in the loop with her comprehensive guide ShopVintagePortland.com. She recently explained to Eva Wiseman of The Guardian UK, “Vintage fashion is huge in Portland,” Lulu says, “because there are so many creative people who move here for the music and arts scene, lots of artists, and designers and fanzine makers, lots of people who have transplanted from New York to find a more mellow pace of life. Plus the eco thing is so important here. People want to reduce, reuse and recycle, and by buying vintage they are doing their part for the environment.”

Can I get a “hallelujah, finally”?!

Not often do we focus on world environmental news at In The Loop, but today it is a must. Actress Q’orianka Kilcher, who starred as Pocahontas in The New World, has been joined by celebrities Colin Farrell, Woody Harrelson, Alex Meraz, Jesse Garcia (Quinceañera), and Esai Morales to expose the recent legislation of Peru’s government to sell off the rainforest for billions to foreign business.

Peruvian President Alan Garcia has passed laws under “fast track” authority he received from the congress, facilitating the Free Trade Agreement with the US and granting land rights to international interests in the hopes of making Peru more economically “competitive.”

The Amazonian people, living from the bounty of the land, are aware that mining and logging will leave the land polluted and uninhabitable. Roadblocks were forged with tree trunks and boulders and guarded by thousands of native people with wooden spears. When Peruvian police forces entered the area near the city of Bagua on Friday, clashes with the natives left at least 22 tribespeople and 11 officers dead. Amazonians took some members of the police hostage and President Garcia has declared a State of Emergency in the region.

Colin Farrell urged the public to action in a recent statement, “The quest to expand the oil, mining and logging industry will have a catastrophic effect on these peoples and all of us.  An old story, except this time the rich get richer and the poor are left without the sacred ground which is, in moral truth, most certainly theirs. They are the ones who protect and defend the rain forest for all of us and all generations to come. Something must be done to halt this preventable chain of events. Qorianka and her team along with many representatives are giving voice to the disenfranchised.  Support them, in any way you can…”

Watch the heartfelt protest in front of the Peruvian Embassy in Los Angeles  and sign the petition asking Alan Garcia to negotiate peacefully with the indigenous people of the Amazon.

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If you are not yet familiar with California Rising, you haven’t been paying attention (or reading In The Loop as often as you should.  First, here’s the  goods: pre- order from the new collection of truly fantastic mens’ t-shirts and get 20% off.  These will be limited in their availability, and they are pretty darn special, so if you want one for yourself, order now to stake your claim.  Want to be sure you always get the heads up on sweet deals like this?  Subscribe to this blog using an RSS  feed, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or My Space.  The email newsletter is a great option too.  Now, read on to learn the story of California Rising.   I know you’ll love them.

Continue reading California Rising Mens Pre-Order Special

Hippie dudes have not always been known for their incredible fashion sense. All that has changed over the past several years, as style conscious folks have embraced conscious style. A perfect example are these gorgeous male models turned model citizens, as they show off the latest and greatest organic cotton tees for Summer. “Treehugging hippies” suddenly sounds like a good thing.

1 California Rising Lion Zion T-Shirt

If this is what the lions of Zion look like, then throw me to ‘em! Ahem. Let me get control of myself. I mean-this fierce new design for summer by California Rising is made from 100% organic Supima cotton. This fine piece of work is made right here in LA, and coincidentally so is the t-shirt. The winged graphic is straight from the Rastafarian Coat of Arms. Bless up!

2 Loomstate Use Your Illusion T-Shirt

Use Your Illusion from Loomstate is a bright soft orange tee that will help any young eco-conscious stud stand out from the crowd, not that he’d have much trouble doing that on his own. This organic cotton t-shirt is light weight and has a vintage feel to it. Loomstate likes to mix it up with their intentionally twisted side seams, so if it’s a gift, make sure they know that the seams were sewn crooked on purpose (by some very nice Peruvians.)

3 Loomstate Peace Off

Now this stylin’ green shirt from Loomstate makes a huge statement without saying a word….though deciding exactly which statement is a little challenging. Peace? Two? Victory? The other V Word? Oh lord. Regardless of how it gets interpreted, the women in your life are not going to have a problem with any of the possibilities, especially when they realize that the entire ecosystem of the farm where this organic cotton t-shirt originated from is healthier and free of toxic chemicals, partially  due to your wise purchasing decision. You get all that from a shirt? Yes.

4 California Rising Ghandi T-Shirt

This beautiful depiction of Gandhi bespeaks a pure message of non-violent action and henceforth, is also an undeniable chick magnet. “You Must Be The Change You Want To See In The World” translates in single people terms as “If you want a piece of this, you better snap me up before I’m gone.” (The exact translation may vary from person to person. Psychology is not an exact science here at In The Loop.) California Rising t-shirts are made by organic cotton enthusiasts in LA.