Eco Fashion World

Built to last, fashion and function, remarkably creative, unconventional materials – these are all characteristics of the parade of Eco “IT” bags gracing the fashion scene.

Incorporating cutting edge style with classic sophistication and seamlessly blending idealism with practicality, then furthering the allure with eco-fabrications and sustainable practices, here are just a few of the labels delivering irresistible bags while putting a whole new spin on the term “it’s in the bag”…

Vancouver

On Wednesday December 2nd, Bags of Change will co-host an Eco Christmas shopping event with guest speaker Zac Goldsmith, champion of independent retailers. Join the BC ethical fashion crowd at the Bourgeois Boheme Showroom for organic wine and nibbles and a special Eco Christmas raffle. Address: Hydrex House, Garden Road, Richmond TW9 4NR. Time: 6.30 - 9.00 pm.

This Friday is traditionally the day that many people do their holiday season shopping. If you are seeking affordable eco-friendly clothing and gifts for women, men and kids, this is the time to scoop up deals + get your shopping done early.

On November 14, Portland´s fourth annual Junk to Funk Trashion contest took place. The fashion show, which featured 30 works of trash-based fashion hosted by the city’s eccentric mayor, Sam Adams, has become one of the best reasons to take Portland seriously in both fashion and sustainability. Judges from respected arts, fashion and recycling organizations like the Regional Arts and Culture Council, The Association of Oregon Recyclers and Portland Fashion week judged the event. The first place went to Jenn La Mastra’s Chastity Blinds, a remarkable work of couture architecture sculpted from discarded metal window blinds.

‘Reduce, Revalue, and Rethink’ has become the eco fashion mantra in NYC this past week with the opening of “Ethics + Aesthetics = Sustainable Fashion” at the Pratt Manhattan Gallery on November 19. This is the first American exhibition to investigate the sustainable practices of contemporary American fashion designers, several of whom are based in New York City. Bodkin, Alabama Chanin, Loomstate, SANS, SUNO NY, Uluru, and Andrea Zittel, are just a few of the eco fashion labels, designers, and artists the exhibit highlights as thought-provoking examples of sustainable fashion on the cusp of even greater change.

Since the birth of civilization, jewelry has been a notable part of virtually every culture. You hold a piece of jewelry in your hand and admire the beauty of it. Do you contemplate where it came from? If your precious gems could talk, what would they tell you about their journey? It is something to think about. Historically, the mining associated with some of the most common materials utilized in the fabrication of jewelry, such as gold, silver and diamonds, is unethical and destructive to the earth and the lives of people. In search of a sustainable alternative without sacrificing beauty, talented artistry, innovation and progress have met with knowledge and the desire for a better future and the result is authentic, precious, and beautiful jewelry made of nuts and seeds.

Geneva, Switzerland is not typically known for its celebrity designer runway events, but this will change soon with the arrival of EcoChic Geneva on January 20-21, 2010. To celebrate the conclusion of 2009’s International Years for Natural Fibers, the Hong Kong based non-profit Green2Greener will collaborate with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to host a series of activities that will highlight the importance of natural fibers and biodiversity in sustainable development strategies. Included in this collaborative effort will be the launch of a Sustainable Design Exhibition and Competition, and a dramatic EcoChic Fashion Show featuring sustainable and ethical ready-to-wear and eco-couture created by fashion designers from around the globe.