How are you celebrating Earth Day?
This was my small contribution twoards the movement... If you are thinking of shopping green you should check out
this guide, summarized below. Not everything is what it seems when it comes to green as most companies have started green-washing their images to fool the public. One of my fav eco shopping sites is
ecoist and right now they are offering 20% off any item for Earth Day. Lots of retailers are offering discounts to help out the earth, check them out
here and have HAPPY EARTH DAY!
Vegetarian / Animal Free: products that have been made without the use of leather or animal tissue products. Examples are shoes and bags made from “vegetal leather” using Amazonian rubber instead of animal skins or other recycled or man-made materials.
Ethically Produced: Ethical fashion is fashion that has been produced with respect for people and the environment. Although there are existing certifications for Organic and Fair Trade, we want to encourage companies who are taking significant action but don’t qualify for certification. This might include companies producing locally or on small scales in developed countries, who might not qualify for Fair Trade certification or companies working with farmers to transition to sustainable crops but who might not yet qualify as Organic (which takes a few years). The “Ethic Chic” section of each brand profile should have details on the specific steps of the brand’s ethical production.
Craft / Artisan: products that have been crafted using artisan skills such as embroidery, which preserve the perpetuation of ancestral traditions.
Custom or Tailor-made: also called demi-couture or made-to-order. This is a way of encouraging quality and “slow fashion” over mass-produced disposable fashion.
Fair Trade Certified: an organized movement that promotes standards for international labor (such as reasonable work hours, no child labor, the right to unionize, a fair living wage), environmentalism, and social policy in areas related to production of goods. Fair Trade focuses on exports from developing countries to developed countries. Some Fair Trade certification organizations include: FLO
www.fairtrade.net, IFAT
www.ifat.org, TransFair (Canada and US)
www.transfairusa.org and
www.transfair.ca.Organic: natural fibers that have been grown without any pesticides and other toxic materials, preserving the health of humans and the environment. The process of organic growth can be certified by various organizations.
Recycled: anything that has been made from already existing materials, fabrics, metals or fibers. These are often reclaimed from previously made clothing and accessories and reworked into new ones. Fibers can also be re-purposed from pre-existing fabric, re-spun and reused for new garments.
Vintage/Second-Hand:vintage is a generic term for new or second hand garments created in the period from the 1920’s to 1975. However, the term is often used more generally for second-hand clothes or up-cycled clothes (second-hand clothes that have been given a new life through some sort of customization).
