“Give someone a fish, and they eat for a day. Teach someone to fish and they eat for a lifetime.”

Ali Hewson, Bono, and Rogan Gregory continue to spread the message of Trade Not Aid for African countries with the Edun label. Edun is devoted to bringing financial sustainability to countries like Uganda, Tunisia, Mauritius, and Lesotho through farming and producing as much of their label in Africa as possible, from “grower to sewer.”

Launched in 2005, the line continues each year to increase its organic cotton content, creating safer farming and factory conditions for the people in Edun’s supply chain. Their styles are posh and whimsical, using imagery from nature in almost every garment. By putting the Trade Not Aid philosophy and cutting edge design to work, Edun gives struggling people a path to sustainability. Ashe.

Check out this segment on Edun from The Green on Sundance Channel…

Born and Raised: Rural Willmar, Minnesota…I’m a farmer’s daughter.
Founded Line: 1983
Studio Location: North Hollywood, CA
Number of Staff: 7
Design Heroines/Heroes: Zandra Rhodes, Vivienne Westwood

What do Sharon Stone, Gwen Stefani, Keyshia Cole, Demi Moore, Cameron Diaz, and Charlize Theron have in common besides fame, fortune, and careers in entertainment? Fabulous clothes, of course, and all of them have donned a highly constructed Deborah Lindquist couture piece at one time or another. Deborah uses hemp, organic cotton, tencel, and recycled vintage materials to create her gorgeous, ultra feminine collections.

When and why were you first inspired to make the Deborah Lindquist line sustainable?

I started with recycled materials in the beginning of my line and have always used them. But I decided to devote my business to eco in 2003. I see so many problems in the environment and I’d like to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.

What are the greatest challenges to “doing it right” vs. “just getting it done” when it comes to manufacturing?

It’s important to be mindful of every choice, from fabric choice to manufacturing, shipping, and recycling unused fabrics.

Each season you seem to successfully express an inspired image for the emerging collection. Tell us about your upcoming line for Spring ’08 and the inspirations behind it.

I send my “girl” traveling in my lookbooks. So I take her from one environment and send her to a new one that is an interesting experience for her. In Spring 2008 I sent a beatnik girl to India to meet Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of prosperity. She does quite well on her travels and ends up covered in jewels.

Watch Tommy Shaw of Styx “purge” (that sounds very LA) his closet with Closet Control author Barbra Horowitz. Highlights include him painting on an orange jumpsuit from his touring days and getting repeated spankings by his very involved wife.

This is what you need to say to those sexy relics from the past, tucked way down deep in the back of your closet. By the way, we’re talking clothes here, people, not skeletons. (We’re just not that deep on In The Loop.) Ahem. In our continued coverage of tips for optimizing your wardrobe, celebrity stylist Barbra Horowitz shows you what to do with those gorgeous-yet-dated garments lying dorment in your closet. She also shares eye-opening info on what’s hiding in those plastic garment bags from the dry cleaners (again, not skeletons, folks.). Take a look.

Enter Greenloop’s ReShirt Cutting Contest to win a 30 minute virtual consultation with Barbra along with her recently published style bible, Closet Control.

Celebrity stylist Barbra Horowitz, co-sponsor of Greenloop’s 1st Annual ReShirt Cutting Contest and the author of style bible Closet Control, is in the business of teaching people how to dress themselves. Having learned the tricks of the trade from her fashionista mother, Barbra teaches people how to invest wisely in wardrobe and how to nurture those assets once they’ve been acquired.

One of her many lessons is how to transform garments from old & tired to fresh & fabulous by taking underused clothes you’re attached to- that family reunion t-shirt, cherished 80′s prom dress, or the oversized vintage couture piece- and cutting, dyeing, or tailoring them back to greatness. The woman is a closet alchemist.

In this video, Barbra shows you how to take a stained garment you’re on the verge of throwing away and dye it into something you’ll always want to keep. And it’s easy! Seriously, the whole video clip is so quick and painless, you might have to watch it again to make sure you didn’t miss anything. Check it out…

Calling all eco-fashionistas, aspiring sustainable designers and DIY gurus, here’s your time to shine! (And get free clothes.) Greenloop, together with Barbra Horowitz, present to you the 1st Annual ReShirt Cutting Contest. You know all those t-shirts in your closet that might not make it to next season? Is it too big, too wide, the neck is tight, or the style is all wrong…well, get out your scissors and get to snippin!’

Barbra Horowitz, author of Closet Control, is an LA-based style guru. In her book and attached DVD, Barbra shows you how to rework and revamp what you already own to get the wardrobe you really want. She also explains how investing in high end style and reselling it is beneficial for your wardrobe, the planet and your pocketbook.

Now it’s time to show Barbra Horowitz, the brains behind the original Tee Party, and Aysia, the woman behind the premier online eco-fashion retailer Greenloop, how you can rock a fresh t-shirt design armed with only a pair of scissors and your own personal design savvy.