If you  haven’t heard of them, you soon will, all the way down to their innovative supply chain, which involves nothing new, literally.  “Launched in September 2009, Looptworks is a ground-breaking business that repurposes abandoned materials into meaningful, long-lasting and limited-edition products. By re-using the world’s pre-consumer excess, the U.S.-based company aims to rid the world of waste while inspiring a generation to reduce their impact on the planet. The inaugural line includes jackets hoodies, skirts, shirts and graphic t-shirts for both men and women.”

All the way down to their notions (buttons, thread and the like), Looptworks sources everything from existing materials, all limited run, with a pretty darn fast production turn around time.  They may not fit into conventional systems for evaluating supply chains, as some of their materials simply can’t be traced back to their source, but in their opinion, which I share, it sure beats that material ending up in a landfill. “Looptworks has turned the way traditional apparel companies manufacture cool clothing inside out: Instead of designing collections more than a year in advance, Looptworks shortens the development cycle to weeks. Instead of using the world’s limited resources to manufacture brand new fabrics, Looptworks uses top-quality, excess materials and components that already exist. Instead of producing huge flash-fashion seasonal collections like traditional apparel manufacturers, Looptworks offers fresh, numbered, limited-edition eco-friendly clothing.”

So says Johanna Björk, and well, she know what she’s talking about.  Check out her regular column, On Trend, at Ecosalon, and enjoy her savvy, sustainable picks and trend spotting, such as her most recent – LumberJack Girl, where she pulls together an ensemble of chic yet forest-sensible gear, including stirrup (yes, stirrup) leggings from perennial favorite organic staples brand, PI Organic; a feminine take on the bulky plaid button down by Anna Check, and Dace Cassidy wool trench, among other picks.  For those of us ‘pull it together’ challenged, Johanna’s picks help keep us looking at least just shy of dowdy.

Calling all beauty product aficionados!  If you haven’t yet stumbled upon The Green Beauty Guide, click over post haste to learn just about everything you ever wanted to know, and a few things you could do without. (Placenta face masks?  yuck…but they agree).  Author Julie Gabriel gets down the the nitty gritty on a whole host of ingredients, when to use them, when to steer clear and does a fantastic job of separating truth from urban myth and hype.  For example, I’ve heard a lot lately about Gotu Kola, in skincare and as a supplement, and Julie’s latest post paints a pretty clear picture on this ancient medicinal herbs pros and cons.  Julie also happens to be the author or a pretty fun book called, GREEN BEAUTY RECIPES: Easy Homemade Recipes to Make Your Own Organic and Natural Skincare, Hair Care and Body Care Products, a good resource to have on  hand when you’re feeling a little made science calling and your beauty routine needs a little freshening up.

Ever wondered if you could make do with the contents of your kitchen cupboards for your beauty routine?  Green MUA Kristen Arnett, founder of Green Beauty Team tells us how.  “Running out of shampoo, toothpaste or another beloved beauty product has happened to the best of us.  Here are 10 ways to use items from your kitchen when you’re in a pinch so you can get out the door looking and smelling your best.”

So, okay, let’s be real. It’s December 22nd and you still haven’t finished your Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa (a.k.a. Kwanuzimas) shopping. There’s no time left to ship from the internet and you want gifts that aren’t going to somehow implicate you in the razing of rainforests, child labor, or poisoning our precious planet. You need a quick fix. Here’s In The Loop’s Top 5 Last Minute Eco Gifts for Holiday 2008…

1 Stylephile

A gift certificate to the ultimate eco fashion e-tailer is a style maven’s dream come true and best of all, you don’t have to worry about getting the perfect color or size. Whether male or female, your recipient can choose from the hottest new organic, sustainable, Fair Trade, locally-made denim, t-shirts, jackets, shoes, resusable shopping bags, stainless steel water bottles, hats, wallets, and more. An email gift certificate will arrive for them in 1-2 business days, so get your order in by the 23rd. Even if your friend or loved one has not yet been hit by the green bug yet, eco fashion could easily be their gateway drug to conscious commerce!

2 Junk Mail Hater

Adults in the US receive an average of 41 pounds per year in junk mail; 560 or so of these pieces of junk mail remain completely unopened and unread before heading straight to the landfill. The process to get someone off of the numerous direct mail lists is both tedious and somewhat daunting; helping a friend put an end to this wasteful cycle can be very much like performing a Christmas miracle. Let companies like GreenDimes and 41pounds.org do the work for you for just $20-$41. This makes an excellent holiday gift for your family and for forests everywhere!

3 Animal Lover

Snow leopards and tigers and polar bears, oh my! If you have a friend who is wild about animals, then help them adopt one of these furry creatures through World Wildlife Fund. Your friend will receive an email gift certificate on the date you choose, or purchase by the 23rd to print out a WWF gift card. With either method, your loved one can go online and choose which animal they’d like to adopt. At the $25 level, they’ll also receive a certificate of adoption and a photo. At the $50 level, they’ll get an adorable 12′ plushie of the animal they choose. This beautiful gift preserves wildlife habitat in some of the most precious and delicate ecosystems in the world.

4 Yoga Master

As we witness the yoga craze reaching every corner of the country with extreme fervor, it’s easy to see there are very few types of people who do not benefit from yoga. It’s an excellent gift for athletes, people looking to lose weight, older folks, office workers, and people suffering from depression. Many studios offer two weeks of unlimited class for first timers for $20-$50. Just look up a yoga studio in your giftee’s local area and arrange for a a gift certificate to be emailed to them. This gift has super low negative impact on the environment and super high positive impact on your friend.

5 Treehugger

For the über nature lovers in your life, there’s nothing like gifting trees or land conservation. The Nature Conservancy will plant trees in the endangered Atlantic Forest of Brazil at a rate of $1 per tree, or for $25-$50, will Adopt an Acre® of Las Californias grassland right here in the U.S. An email announcing the gift can be set to go out any day of your choice; information on all the exclusive member benefits of The Nature Conservancy, plus some fun gifts, will arrive in their mailbox soon after.

For those of us out there who are struggling with shabby coats from days gone by and are looking to invest in a coat that will be with you for many winters to come, this Top 5 is for you!

Grace & Cello’s “Lucia” recycled wool coat cuts a sophisticated line for women headed to the office or a mid-week cocktail party. Where does recycled wool come from, you may wonder. According to Grace & Cello’s Gerri Brightwell, “The wool in our coats is created by using roll ends, scraps and other pieces of fabric that normally fall to the cutting floor and are wasted. These scraps are reconstituted into the fabric that we use for our coats.” Made in Montreal, not only are these stunning pieces sustainably made, they are also 100% sweatshop-free. So feel good about Grace & Cello’s pattern makers, cutters, and sewers- Maryse, Angelo, Leo, Tony, Mrs. Anna and Cheng hope you like their clothing, too.

The City of Angels has turned out the most coveted coat of the season: The Battalion’s “Ali Cape.” Any woman of high style and sophistication would be hard pressed not to scrounge together the necessary funds for this de rigeur coat, even amidst the current economic downturn. (I could be projecting here.) A draped hood and scarf attaches to this dramatic and colorful cloak, creating layers of fabulosity to this cloak inspired by Ali McGraw’s classic look in the 70′s. This bank account bandit by the Wong sisters is made from bamboo and organic cotton, certified by Oeko-Tex. Even if you can’t feel good about the Ali Cape’s effect on your finances, you can feel great about supporting sustainable manufacturing and farming practices. I’m going to consider it a worthy investment…for your wardrobe and the world. (Okay, that’s pushing it, I realize. I just had to purchase a ticket on the justify train with this one.)

Portland Fashion Week held a cadre of green runways last week with designers from Samunderneath to Nike. While the PFW shows ran on Friday night at 14 Square, an alternative show appropriately dubbed “Runaway” was held down the street at the swank art mecca, Someday Lounge. New looks for Spring/Summer 09 sauntered across the stage by Reif, Moth Love by Gretchen Jones, Dust by Julia Blackburn, Paige of Paradox, sword + fern, and our favorite PDX designer-Emily Katz.

Emily featured fresh white frocks with accessible retro cuts. Katz’s style is always very wearable and very chic; she gives you well-constructed classics you can hold onto for years. This Spring/Summer collection gave us the perfect dress for a real date or a style-heavy social hour. Depending on how rigorous your social life is, you may want to get yourself more than one.