The Fair Trade fanatics at Autonomie Project are debuting their new children’s apparel collection Little Green Radicals™ in the US. Already a hit across the pond in Britain, this organic kids line offers adorable onesies, t-shirts, hoodies, and bibs for the newborn to 6-year-old set. Little Green Radicals is the perfect addition to Autonomie Project’s organic Fair Trade sneaker line. The theme of LGR designs centers around music from the Beatles (Give Peas A Chance) and Bob Marley (Get Up Stand Up), as well as some rather environmental sentiments (I Recycle My Tantrums and Locally Produced.) You can find the perfect one for your little cutie at AutonomieProject.com.

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…

Women’s Wear Daily is considered by some as the “bible of fashion.” And while I don’t actually feel God/Jehovah/Krishna/Muhammed/Madonna (yes, I mean Ciccone) has spoken here, we are still quite thrilled to see Greenloop and owner Aysia Wright be lauded by this industry tome as the “Zappos of sustainable brands.”

Being awarded the Best Online Shop by Treehugger’s Best In Green Awards and getting recognized by WWD all at once has made for quite a (I’m gonna stick with the religious angle here) blessing. Check out the article by Jennifer Ernst Beaudry here…

Aysia Wright was a lawyer and environmental activist in the spring of 2004, when she decided that fashion retail would be her next challenge. “I wanted to get out of practicing law, and I felt that fashion is so pervasive it can serve as a catalyst, and it was a really good platform for an environmental message,” she said. In September of that year, Wright founded her 900-sq.-ft. Portland, Ore., eco-boutique, Greenloop, and launched a Website soon after. Both carry a mix of clothing and footwear. In the beginning, it wasn’t easy to grow her niche — with green retail not as recognizable or widespread as it is today, and with fewer brands to choose from. But working in a field she’s so passionate about has its upside. “It was a huge challenge,” Wright said, “but it’s fun. And within the design community, [green brands] are a nice group of people to work for and advocate for.”

THE RIGHT MIX
To be considered for Greenloop, Wright said, brands have to fill out a detailed questionnaire about where they manufacture, what textiles they use, where they source and more. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis — but no matter how good the green pedigree is, she said, the shoes have to be durable and trend-right. If not, Wright explained, “[the shoes] are inherently unsustainable because no one will wear them and they won’t last.” Greenloop stocks shoes from Beyond Skin, Melissa Shoes, Toms, Simple, Terra Plana, Autonomie Project and Charmoné. Prices range from $30 to $350, and shoes, available for men and women, account for 15 percent to 20 percent of the store’s business, which registers slightly less than $1 million a year. Variety, Wright said, is key: “There’s a little something for everyone.”

Since Spring has sprung, it’s time to dig out those fresh whites and put together a super clean look befitting the season. This eco fashion editor is jockeying for some key pieces to complete her looks for April 09 from some of her absolute favorite designers. (I must have Spring fever or something ’cause I’m talkin’ in the third person. Scary.) Okay moving on…

Sublet has once again produced one of the sweetest tops on the face of the Earth. (No spaghetti-eating is gonna happen in this lily white piece!) The “Becca” top is one favorite you’ll want to keep it crisp and fresh all season long. The Allison dress is another romanticly chic piece by Sublet that will make you feel like a million dollars every time you’re in it.

Canopy Verde is becoming famous for their posh baggery, like this quilted Chicory Hobo made of organic cotton and bamboo with eco dyes and chrome-free leather. An absolute must for polo matches, lunching with the ladies, or shopping on Rodeo…or stopping for Pinkberry on the way to H & M. Different strokes for different folks, people.

Nixxi out of Vancouver, Canada is a great line for the ultimate basics. Classic styles with especially well-executed cuts make their simple soy/cotton blend tops the perfect layer for the most stylish eco fashionistas, like this Boatneck Lounge Top with flared sleeves.

Autonomie Project is one of the most ethical shoe brands that exists. (FSC-certified rubber soles, organic cotton canvas, AZO-free dyes, 100% vegan, and fair wages are paid to all AP’s workers.) Not only that, but they make classic white canvas hightops called Ethletics that you can rock just as they are or DIY your way to some fly custom sneaks!

Nahui Ollin is a handbag line that weaves misprinted candy wrappers and soda bottle labels into sophisticated clutches and totes for city folks. The Moonlite Letters bag is a perfect conversation piece for a first date or Spring cocktail party.

Yesterday I was walking through Third Street Promenade, a large outdoor mall in Los Angeles, and became curious if mainstream shops were offering any sustainable choices for holiday shopping this year. I walked into the incredible sale at The Limited Express.

Me: “Excuse me, do you have any organic clothing?”
TLE: “Any what?”
Me: “Organic clothing?”
TLE: “Organic? Uh, no.”
Me: “Thanks.” (Sigh.)

No Christmas presents will be bought here this year…again. So there’s sustainable online shopping, which is great for shipping to your family in faraway places, but where do you go when you want to see and feel the gifts you want to give this year? Artisan markets are certainly a great alternative to mindless deal-hungry stampedes at Wal-mart. If you’re in Los Angeles this weekend you are truly blessed, because the Eco Gift Festival is taking over the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium for the second year in a row. It’ll cost you $10 to get in, but it’s worth it in more ways than one…

VENDORS

At Eco Gift Festival, there will be green gifts of every sort from all over the country. Ecochic dresses by Kate Organic, stylin’ sustainable hats by Livity Outernational, sleek reusable water bottles by Earthlust and utensil sets by To-Go Ware, recycled jewelry by Smart Glass, Fair Trade shoes by Autonomie Project, loungewear by Natural High Lifestyle, handmade goat milk soaps by Chivas, Fair Trade sports gear, bamboo kitchenware, non-toxic candles, juicers, yoga gear, baby clothes, ethical clothing galore, organic chocolate, toys, gardening supplies, recycled jewelry, natural cosmetics, and on and on.

The companies vending at Eco Gift go way out of their way to bring ecological sanity to their sourcing, manufacturing, packaging, and shipping. When I’m buying eco-conscious gifts for my friends and family and I know my purchases are actually creating positive effects in the communites where they’re made- for the people, the wildlife, and the land itself- it’s a really good feeling.