"I [was making] flowery, very colorful stuff and it was flying off the shelves," said the Toronto-based Notkin. "But I realized that within a year or two or three, all this sort of lower-end, inexpensive costume jewelry I was designing might have some part that broke off or the thing would have gone out of style, and it would end up in some landfill somewhere. That weighed really heavily on me as a designer, so I thought, I have to make a choice here: Either not be a designer or find a different way to make things."

"When I started the company, I thought that the typical LoooLo customer would have been some eco-friendly person," Notkin told us with a chuckle. "But as it turns out, it's really fashion-loving people. I think what I've learned in the last few years is that the answer to all this environmentalism is that people aren't going to buy a bag or scarf or sweater because it's organic. They are buying it because it looks great on them and feels great on them and they love it. The fact that [something] is organic is not the main selling feature; it's just kind of the hidden treasure. And that's fine with me."

It's difficult to say how many Manhattan apartments have or permit washer-dryers, but as of the end of March, only 17 percent of the active listings indicated that washer-dryers were allowed, according to Miller Samuel, a Manhattan appraisal firm.

DATE: May 20-22 [Saturday through Monday] 12-7pm
EVENT: Monday May 22, 7-10pm
HauteGREEN will showcase a collection of the best in sustainable contemporary design for the home. HauteGREEN will take place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn May 20-22, 2006, during the International Contemporary Furniture Fair.

*You don't have to sacrifice style for sustainability.
*We need solutions, not sacrifices.

Wal-Mart is lobbying key New York officials in an effort to generate good will and "clear up misconceptions about the company," and it is prepared to revamp the customary size and layout of stores, as well as consider changing its merchandise mix, Serghini said. "If it took not selling groceries to open a store in New York City, we would be open to listening," he said...

The stakes are high, because Wal-Mart is focused on expanding in urban markets as it begins to reach saturation levels in suburban and rural areas across the U.S. The retailer, based in Bentonville, Ark., has embarked on a series of initiatives to improve its image and rebut criticism about its wage, health care and environmental policies. Wal-Mart announced plans this month to build 50 stores in the next two years in city neighborhoods across the U.S. that are struggling with high unemployment or crime rates and on sites that had been contaminated.

Through deep investments and efficiency innovations in our stores and trucking fleet, we plan to reduce our overall greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent over the next eight years. We will also design a store that will use 30% less energy and produce 30% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than our 2005 design within the next 3 years. Doing this will bring cleaner air to our communities, help address an urgent environmental problem, and save us millions of dollars at the pump and on electricity bills.

...including decreasing co-pays on generic medications for common conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and infections from $10 to $3; expanding health benefits to children of part-time associates; and reducing the waiting period for part-time associate eligibility by half.

Fancy Pony Land is a small, independent clothing line by Lorna Leedy. Fancy Pony Land is made in the USA with kind labor practices. All garments are made by independent seamstresses. All appliqués are hand-cut and machine-stitched by Lorna. These clothes are made with love and attention.

The preservatives, sweat shops, and bio-engineered meals that have dominated the 21st century, are being shunned by a group of people demanding everything organic. Everything right down to their knickers.

Responding to this demand are three High street stores, bringing ethical fashion into the main stream. Oasis, Topshop and Marks & Spencer are launching ethical or eco-friendly lines to hit the rails this spring. A YouGov survey conducted for Marks & Spencer last month revealed that most shoppers want feel-good, guilt-free clothing. An alarming 87% of those questioned believe retailers have the responsibility to ensure the products they sell are manufactured in a fair and humane way; 78% of those questioned wished to be better informed about the way clothes are made. (full article at fashion capital via thefashionstudent)

Why Organic?

My new burger joint uses local foods and considers the special diet, the vegetarian, the environment, the economy, sustainable agriculture, animal husbandry and a whole lot of other stuff.

I went to Jill's blog and am afraid she may be misunderstanding the name of my store, Bio. Bio is for biography, I have the bios of all the designers on the store tag since many of them are new and emerging designers. It has nothing to do with bioenvironmental. And I'm afraid that the items in my store are not necessarily sustainable (although i do have a few items made out of bamboo), and i do carry leather and sometimes even fur. So I don't think that my store would be right for the segment you plan to shoot.

Thank you for your interest in my store though.

I am making one small, personal attempt to confront consumerism by refusing to change my dress for 365 days. In this performance, I intend to reject our sweat-shop-supporting economy of over-consumption, and the bill of goods that has been sold, especially to women, about what makes a person good, attractive and interesting. Clothes are certainly part of this image, and the expectation is immense. The economic resources required to regularly purchase newly-manufactured clothing in retail stores are staggering – a hundred dollars for one new shirt?

Agricult is a model for sustainability. We believe that every action is followed by not one, but a series of consequences, each of which must be explored in order to fully understand the impact of our choices. Strong societies, stable economies, and abundant resources require a delicate balance of priorities.

By promoting the use of 100% organic cotton, as well as other sustainable fibers such as linen, silk, hemp, and 100% organic wool, we prove that there are viable alternatives to the pesticides, chemicals, and resource depletion that are so common in modern manufacturing. We work exclusively with companies who actively seek to reduce the impact they make on their surroundings and who share our belief in fair trade and healthy work environments.

We believe that mindful decision-making should not have to be a difficult endeavor. Style and beauty can indeed coexist with a commitment to social and environmental responsibility. Agricult is clothing for a cultivated consumer.

Edun... has fast become a sort of byword for green fashion. But according to Hewson, even Edun is only 30% organic. The socially responsible brand, produced in part in Africa and South America, cites difficulties finding chemical free materials due to farmers' reluctance to grow pricier, less reliable crops.

Coca-Cola has been granted £145,000 of public funding to develop fizzy-drink bottles which are more eco-friendly.

The soft drinks giant will carry out trials of redesigned, lighter plastic bottles. It will also carry out tests on the use of recycled plastic.

The initiative could cut household waste in the UK by up to 4,000 tonnes a year if the packaging proves successful and is adopted by other companies, according to the Waste and Resources Action Programme, a government-funded project to promote recycling and waste reduction, which is responsible for the grant. (via Lohas)

Glad to see this blog! (Thanks to Kathleen Fasanela at: www.fashion-incubator.com). I am an independent designer that uses 80% sustainable and recycled materials in the production of my apparel and jewelry. My website is: www.christyfisher.com. I wholesale to shops in both the US and in Japan. My studio is located in the mountains of Arizona and we produce everything locally. Even the mills that we purchase our yarns from are in the Carolinas..and one of them (Jimtex) spins their yarn from waste material at T shirt factories!