Eco Fashion World

It would have been the perfect goodbye. After two years of working with ModaFusion towards the realization of Ethical Fashion Show, this month it would finally take place. But not anymore. In times of economic recession, it´s not easy to find funding for an event like this. Besides that, getting all brands together took more time than expected. Thus no show this month, but in November this year. When I can´t fly to Rio...

Last week, my colleague from Hiphonest, Ingrid Horsselenberg and me have been selecting work of Dutch designers in fashion and products. The exposition ‘Beauty can save our world’ will be presented at the kick off of TheKeY, an eco-fashion trade fair in Berlin.

From July 1-5, during Berlin Fashion Week, Berlin will be the centre of innovative fashion. People in fashion like retailers, designers, entrepreneurs and media will be spotting new trends at the popular Bread and Butter, Premium, and of course at the streets where ultra hip Berliners will be promenading.

The beginning of a new day in Chocó, a region in the Northwest of Colombia. People are waking up and turn on their radios that you can hear in the sandy streets of the little towns. ´A call to all small miners! The green gold initiative asks you to keep our rivers and soil clean! Don´t forget not to use any chemicals when digging for gold. Let us together protect nature! And now: chirimia, music!!!! It will only take a little while when the first villagers will come back from the forest with their hands full of gold. The first green gold in the world.

In Dutch we have an expression; ‘Van ruilen komt huilen’, which means that you probably get sad when you swap. But I guess this idea is a bit outdated. Since my first swapping experience some years ago, I fell in love with this fashion party concept. The idea is to bring clothes, shoes or accessories that you don't like or fit anymore. These items deserve a second life and are still presentable. And yes I have to confess, it's those silly swapped purple flats, which I would have never bought myself, I walk on most. They make me feel fresh and rich. Ecochic!

It was a sunny afternoon and M.A.'s birthday. We took the train to the Bodensee, a 20 minute ride from where we live. From there a smaller train took us up the hill, climbing slowly towards Appenzell. The view was postcard inspired: green hills with traditional houses scattered as single stars on a clear night, the lake a shining mirror reflecting the snow topped Alps. 'Are you going to the castle?' a kind lady asked as she walked us to the entrance gate. A small church on the left, a vegetable garden on the right and a path that led us through spring green. Then the contours of a white building and we found ourselves in front of a dream.

He plays his guitar
while I sing along.
Salsa lifts us higher up than Säntis.

He is happy in his new eco jeans.
I adore the coral ring he gave me.
We dream of a honeymoon to Bali.

Last week I received an email from my friend Sharlene in Johannesburg. She found an amazing eco fashion company and I would love to share her story with you!

It was on a hot Sunday, while visiting a little gallery called Spaza Art Gallery in Troyeville, Johannesburg, that a friend of mine discovered a striking purse. It was made out of woven strips of paper which seemed laminated, made by Ollymolly Designs and sold for just R40 (about 6 dollars). I was taken by both the price and quality of the product and copied the website address off the inside of the purse. While checking the brand online I was seriously impressed by the range of Ollymolly products, their affordability and production philosophy. Getting in touch with them was easy and Gemma Coll graciously answered my questions about their products.

Yesterday was a special day for me and my colleagues @ Tigerbergstrasse. In the afternoon, the vice-president of our institute inaugurated his 'Chair for Management of Renewable Energies'. This sounds a bit posh, but his name his Rolf Wüstenhagen and he is a great person to work with. Over the last ten years he has been researching and publishing a lot on the topics of policy decisions, investment behavior and consumer attitudes when it comes to renewable energies. His work has contributed both to the academic debate as well as to managerial practice, reason enough to have a large investment company funding his Chair at the university.