eco fashion news and reviews brought to you by Greenloop

Women of the Green Generation held their first meeting in June of 2009. Kris Willey felt inspired to start a sustainable networking group for women because she had been attending green events for the past 2 years and suddenly realized that the majority of people she was connecting with were other women. When she mentioned this idea to some of her girl friends in green business, the response she received was an enthusiastic and resounding “YES!”
Women of the Green Generation creates a space where women can share their ideas and passions for solving environmental and social problems with economically viable eco-solutions. The purpose is to provide a space for professional women to support each other. This can be done by means of sharing resources, business referrals, patronizing each other, sharing knowledge and experience, supporting sustainable community projects & non profits and the by the simple act of volunteering to help each other when help is needed.
Members consists mainly of women who either own or work for green businesses, but the group is not limited to green business women only, in fact they actively encourage other women to get more involved in sustainable business practices or think about creating products or services that reflect the sustainable paradigm of “good for you good for the planet.”
WOTGG is dedicated to helping women find success in the green business space. Their mission is to inspire, educate, motivate, share resources, and connect with other individuals and organizations that are actively engaged in sustaining our planet and working towards positive transformation.
Their are hosting their Annual Summit at Evo-South in downtown Los Angeles on June 12th, 2010.
Your Daily Thread is an online green lifestyle magazine for the Los Angeles community. This hub connects environmentally relevant information with LA’s green tastemakers. YDT recently redesigned the site, adding in-depth neighborhood green guides (issue one is devoted to Echo Park & Silver Lake) and episodes of YDTV like Green Your Closet and Drunken DIY Jamming. As it turns out, the two founders of YDT, Lauren and Tracy were not dancing around drunk on camera (though that would have been great), they were actually learning how to make brandied fig jam with Lauren’s Mom on a farm. Yeh, big difference. Anywho, it turns out making jam isn’t so hard after all, which is actually very exciting!
The two ladies behind the drunken jam ruse of yesteryarn recently spoke about their revamp of YDT. “Oftentimes we don’t realize what great resources we have right in our own backyard, so we’re thrilled to be able to provide this service to our community,” states Lauren (whose mother’s “backyard” is actually an orchard and goat farm.) Tracy went on, “We’re excited to bring more detailed coverage to the spread out and often isolated neighborhoods of Los Angeles.” Amen to that, sister.
It turns out these blossoming green media moguls at Your Daily Thread will soon be expanding beyond the confines of LA to other major cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco. In the meantime, look out for YDT’s green holiday guide and more episodes of Lauren and Tracy getting their eco-Angeleno on.
Conscious Planet execs Bianca and Michael Alexander recently moved from the sunny coast of California to the Windy City of Illinois to create a Platinum LEED-certified television studio at Chicago’s new eco business mecca, Green Exchange. As if that wasn’t ambitious enough, the two fashion-forward media moguls behind Conscious Living TV and Soul of Green have embarked on a mission to produce Vert Couture, the very first eco fashion show Chicago Fashion Week has ever had.
What inspired this husband and wife team to take on such a massive production, in addition to all their other projects? “Chicago has some of the most amazing eco-designers in the world, yet there was no show during Chicago Fashion Week to promote their work. We basically saw that if we didn’t take responsibility for putting on a sustainable fashion show during Chicago fashion week that it wouldn’t happen. The city’s Director of Fashion, Melissa Gamble was also extremely supportive in helping to bring this show to fruition, and we have received a tremendous outpouring of support from Chicago’s conscious community.”
Vert will be featuring fresh designs from up-and-coming green seamsters Vaute Couture, Frei Designs, Elise Bergman, and Bryant McLemore Smith, along with veteran eco fashion line Mountains of the Moon. Conscious Planet has ensured that stylish examples of sustainability reach way beyond the runway. Vert Couture is contributing to the new Greensburg, Kansas wind farm by purchasing travel and energy offsets for the show through Native Energy. All their printed promotional material from posters to press kits is printed on recycled paper with eco-friendly ink. And for every organic Veev-spiked “Treetini Cocktail” served, a tree will be planted. Even getting your swerve on at Vert Couture is green. Bottom’s up people, let’s save this great planet.
We asked Bianca and Michael what kind of impact they most hoped to make on CFW, and their answer was very appropriate to their new home-it was full of HOPE. “The City of Chicago and Mayor Daley are extremely committed to making this the greenest city in the country. Given the waste and un-sustainability inherent in the fashion industry, we feel that by producing VC and highlighting the amazing eco-designers that are comparable to what you would see on runways in Paris, Milan and New York, that we can not only influence consumer demand for eco-fashion but that designers and buyers will see that you can have amazing style and be green. In doing so, we hope that several years down the road all the shows and designers will be green.”
We hope so too. If you’re a Chi-town fashion hound, be sure to get your ticket to Vert Couture and support the sustainable evolution of Chicago style.
We found this collection of the most followed eco fashion hounds on Twitter to be quite fascinating. We are super excited to see many of our favorite bloggers listed! We’re not quite sure how they missed Greenloop on Twitter, since we have so many followers along with excellent eco fashion content. Hmmmm….Well, make sure to follow us on Twitter so that this sort of blunder doesn’t happen again.
1. TreeHugger leads the pack of Green Fashion Tweeters with 29,172 followers. Although they are a comprehensive source for all things green, there is plenty to learn about eco-fashion when you head over to their website www.treehugger.com and click on Fashion & Beauty. Here is where you will find 7 Reasons Why You Should Care About Sustainable Fashion and 5 Back to School DIY Projects to Get You to the Head of Class in Eco-Style. My favorite idea is to host a clothing swap with your friends. Get new clothes and accessories without spending money. That is my idea of modern economics! www.treehugger.com is doing their part to help guys who want to look good by providing an excellent Men’s Green Fashion Guide.
2. Threadbanger is our second place pick with 6,380 followers. Visit their website www.threadbanger.com where you will get a healthy dose of edgy, alternative attitude. This multi-media network is ready to help you in discover and create your own alternative fashion style. The Threadbanger network includes videos, a forum, blog, newsletter, contests and viewer-take-overs. This is the DIY clothing center of the cyber-universe. They will show you how to recycle, up-cycle and re-fashion anything with simple sewing techniques. Anything can be made cool, even your old fanny pack from the eighties.
3. Ecofashionista has 5,223 followers and is the Twitter-based conscience of the fashion world. Kelly Drennan’s website www.fashiontakesaction.com educates fashion based businesses, the media and consumers about sustainable fashion. Fashion Takes Action is a Canadian based group that has sponsored high-profile events such as the Green Gala, Canada’s greenest fashion event. Sit back and enjoy their video, Sustainable Fashion 101. Are you pro-bamboo or no-bamboo? This is an excellent resource if you are interested in learning more about issues like whether or not bamboo is an environmentally friendly material.
4. Ecofabulous with 4,206 followers is sure to be your new guilty pleasure. Once you visit www.ecofabulous.com it will not take you long to conclude that they are indeed the authority on sexy, sustainable style. Here is your trusted friend, personal shopper, and inside source on green fashion for men, women and children. All of the products are selected, tested and recommended by their editors. I must confess a little envy for the editor who got to try out Oakley’s Bob Burnquist Signature Series Recycled Sunglasses. You will sleep better at night knowing that their recommendations are guaranteed to be pure and free of toxins and good for your personal health and the environment.
5. EthicalStyle has earned over 3,900 followers. If you are an internet shopper like me, you will surely appreciate their website www.ethicalstyle.com. Their goal is to help you create a closet where your personalized fashion sense matches your social conscience. They know that your inner fashionista is truly unique. You will feel like you have your own personal eco-minded stylist bringing you high-quality clothes that might be organic, recycled or fair-trade but are above all beautiful.
Envirogeek/Male Models, of course! No, this is not a joke. Thank you Treehugger and the lovely Emma Grady for crafting such a relevant and impactful message here. *I had to add a plus one with my own favorite green hottie, Mr. Ice Cold himself, Andre 3000. Dre was voted Sexiest Vegetarian of the Year by PETA in 2008 as well as starring as a turtle-loving environmental activist in the WTO protest film Battle In Seattle. This renaissance man is not only a talented musician and actor, he also makes the ideal model for his own collegiate-inspired brand, Benjamin Bixby.

Red hot model and carpenter Carter Oosterhouse. Credit Carter Oosterhouse
Green living enthusiast, carpenter, and model with dashing good looks Carter Oosterhouse rose to fame using his handyman skills on the hit TLC show Trading Spaces. He now lends his talent in sustainable design as the co-host of HGTV’s Red Hot & Green, where viewers learn simple ways to go green and how to cut energy costs, and see the latest in green gear — all without sacrificing style. Oosterhouse also founded Carter’s Kids — a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting fitness and self-esteem for America’s youth.
Credit Gordon and the Whale
Hayden Christensen, otherwise known as Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, and one of People magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People, isn’t just an actor: His modeling days date back to Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2005 ad campaign. When Hayden’s not posing or acting, he’s working away on his 200-acre farm–outside Toronto in his native Canada–growing organic produce. Christensen also ran a public service announcement for Do Something, a non profit youth organization that inspires young people to change the world. The organization has initiatives for the environment, disaster relief, poverty, and more. Via Wikipedia; Gaiam.
Credit John Abraham
Indian male model turned Bollywood actor John Abraham is a vegetarian and has worked with Habitat for Humanity and PETA. Simran Kodesia of PETA speaks to his influence: “When John Abraham speaks up for animals, young people across India listen. His close association with PETA means that the message of compassion for birds and all other animals will reach more people than ever before.” Via OneIndia.
“Read” more about hot male models who are also environmentalists at Treehugger.com…
In The Loop wants to thank Magda Rod, owner of the amazing Visionary Boutique on 5285 W. Pico Boulevard, for hosting this month’s Los Angeles Greendrinks. If you’re in LA on Thursday August 20th, don’t miss it, it starts at 7pm.
See Visionary on AlterEco video clip.Aysia Wright is flying down from Portland to LA to meet with four of our Project Green Search judges who will be on hand to give a press conference announcing a series of open casting calls where green models, or models wishing to start pursuing green avenues in their career, can learn more about our project.
Omniquest Media – Michael Kaliski
Friday: August 21. 11am to 1pm
1416 N. La Brea Ave. Hollywood, CA 90028
323.802.1630
So we’ve served up plenty of hot and tasty eco fashion for you these last four years. Now we’re gonna ask our friends, fans, loyal customers, neighbors, old roommates, college alum, and anyone else who will listen to do us a favor. VOTE FOR US!
Treehugger is having their first annual Best In Green Awards and they voted Greenloop the Best Online Fashion Shop! Yay! We are completely honored, wowed, zowed, and…totally challenged. Now that Treehugger has nominated us as the Best Online Fashion Shop, we are competing to be the best overall within the Fashion & Beauty category. Help us achieve greatness.
If you’re feelin’ the love, PLEASE VOTE FOR US! (using the 1(worst) to 10(best) scale at the top, not the green “Vote for It” button at the bottom..10 would be nice). Don’t let Target win! Yes, Target the big box retailer was nominated for “Best Conventional Retailer Doing Green” in the Fashion & Beauty category; now while we absolutely applaud their efforts, we kinda feel a Mom and Pop operation (or just plain Mom in this case) deserves the kudos for these Best In Green Awards.
We’d like to make a few shout outs to our compadres in the contest…Our longtime friends at Stewart + Brown won Best Casual Brand For Women. The Clark’s family over at Terra Plana won Best Shoes. Big ups to Treehugger for awarding Best Jeans to “The Ones You’ve Fixed 400 Times,” as reuse is always the most sustainble choice in fashion. And Best DIY Sewing Site went to the web TV royalty over at Threadbanger.
Well, since we are hippies at heart we have to say Good Luck to all our wonderful competitors and we hope we kick your ass! Just kidding. Sort of.

I guess that’s why they say: ”I love you to death.” I just got through writing about how I love magazines, and how the new sustainable trends in fashion are changing the way we are going to reinvent our media… but this afternoon, on the newsstand, appears this aberration. At a time when launching new magazines seem like corporate suicide, Conde Nast UK sends out this absurd love note to the world and falls flat on its face.
I couldn’t have imagined a worse way to miss the mark, to be so far out it demonstrates that the fashion strata hasn’t learned a single thing from the green fashion revolution that’s taking over the hearts and minds of young girls and women all over the world, who have come to realize their close knit relationship to everything they love, buy and wear… the world they live in. Women who have learned to care.
Greenloop represents the fusion of aesthetics and ethics, of style and sustainability, by providing the opportunity to look good AND do good without sacrificing your sense of style.