Looking for the latest and greatest ethically-produced dresses for Winter ‘09? Well, look no further than the Golden State. There are two California couples that can turn out a fabulous organic frock faster than you can say Pacific Coast Highway. Each one transforms eco-conscious fabrics into chic ready-to-wear garments built equally well for fashion hounds and treehuggers alike.

Stewart + Brown

The first couple, in more ways than one, is Karen Stewart and Howard Brown, self-proclaimed “organic pioneers” of the fashion industry. Based in Ventura, the style-savvy brand Stewart + Brown has been offering sleek, ecologically sound clothing since 2002. (P.S. That’s like 30 in eco fashion years.)

Karen and Howard aim “to attain the highest standards of quality and functional style while extracting the bare minimum from Earth’s precious capital.” Their sophisticated collection utilizes organic cotton, tencel gauze, hemp silk charmeuse, linen, recycled fabrics, and Mongolian cashmere.

Kate Organic

Kate Organic has been around for just over a year, but has already made quite a mark on the eco-fashion world. With one eye on style and the other on sustainability, Kate Fisher designs pieces that a woman will truly enjoy wearing. Fabulosity meets function, so to speak, when she merges elegant lines with the sweet homey feel of organic cotton.

The task of keeping the company eco-friendly comes quite naturally to Kate’s husband Henry Schwab, former staff member of both Greenpeace and the Waterwheel Foundation. Kate Organic is produced in the couple’s home state of California (read: really far from China) and is made from SKAL-certified organic cotton with low impact, water-based dyes. Major kudos to Kate and Henry for sticking close to home with their production and being at the forefront of America’s manufacturing Renaissance.

***Side note: both couples have the first initials K and H. Bizarre coincidences abound.