The Big Blue Bike

Meet The Big Blue Bike, an online eco brand with a mission.

They launched in Peru with the goal of providing an alternative to cashmere. Cashmere goats in Mongolia and other parts of Asia are tearing up the land by their aggressive grazing habits and “stilletto” like hooves causing soil erosion and deserts in what used to be vast grasslands. The demand for their fiber has led to an overpopulation of these goats which also consume large amounts of water resources. Alpacas, on the other hand, produce fiber that is lighter, more durable and just as luxurious as the best cashmere available. The hardy animals do not tear up the land, require very little land and water resources and their fecal matter is a source of fuel for Andean communities.

As they were launching they also uncovered a worrying decline in the colored alpaca population. There is demand for only white alpaca fiber (for easier application of dyes), leading to a selective breeding process by Andean herders. They decided to use only the natural colors of alpacas, therefore creating a demand for their fiber. This encourages herders to breed more of them. Using simple market forces, they are trying to rejuvenate the colored alpaca population.

The Big Blue Bike’s manufacturing partners have been acclaimed by the Peruvian government for their ethical standards and focus on developing the community, and partnering with women’s groups that have an NGO status. They train women from disadvantaged areas of Lima and the highlands who typically don’t have the same work opportunities as their peers in more urban areas. A lot of these women have suffered from domestic violence and are single-handedly supporting their families.

These incredible sweaters are in stores across the country – and their online boutique is up and running as of January.   Mention Seed & Sew and get 15% off anything in the store – happy shopping.

 

Liza Fredrika Aslund

 

In most American cities, trash day brings a plethora of used furniture to the nation’s sidewalks to either be recycled or discarded. However, one Swedish designer has decided on a more practical measure for our unwanted goods. Liza Fredrika Aslund has created the shoes you see below, all from pieces of wood she found leftover from recent furniture construction. Now if only there was something useful to be made from all those old sofas.

via PSFK

 

Future:Standard

Meet Future:Standard, a new online clothing store for women.  Based in San Diego, CA they get a lot of their clothing from LA based designers in order to reduce transportation impact – local fashion!  They also have a “pre-loved” box and no extra packaging policy.  With an eye on always making business practices greener, they’re doing their to best to practice what they preach.  Future:Standard currently carries some of our favorite labels: Covet, Vicarious by Nature, Alex and Ani…and will be getting Ashley Watson, Erin Kleinberg, Dace and many more very soon.  Get there first – they’re in ‘soft launch’ right now and officially launch on Jan. 1!

 

Sittella by Althea Harper

In an effort to be environmentally conscious, New York fashion designer Althea Harper has created her Sittella clothing line using bamboo as an Earth-friendly and inexpensive replacement for silk. Providing a natural element to fashion design, this material is biodegradable, not genetically modified or treated with chemical-based pesticides and serves as a sustainable resource to the environment as one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. 

Harper, who first gained national attention for her role as a Project Runway finalist, has worked with top designers Tory Burch, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Zac Posen and Anna Sui.  Sittella offers affordable dresses, tops, tanks and scarves for the fashionable and confident woman, making for perfect gifts over the holiday months that range from $30 to $150.

Check out her 2011 runway collection here.

 

‘Coats for Critters’ and Buffalo Exchange

Give your furs back to the animals through this amazing partnership between Buffalo Exchange and the Humane Society! Starting Saturday, November 13 through Earth Day on Friday, April 22, bring your real fur apparel, including trims, accessories and shearling, to any Buffalo Exchange and let us know it’s a donation for Coats for Critters. Since you’re donating to The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), condition is unimportant. Used furs provide bedding and comfort to orphaned and injured wildlife. Since 2006, Buffalo Exchange has collected a total of 5,256 used furs on behalf of Coats for Critters.

The HSUS and Buffalo Exchange, an official endorser, ask you to voice support for the Truth in Fur Labeling Act of 2009 (H.R. 2480/S.1076). If passed, this act would require all garments made with animal fur to say so on the label, helping consumers make more informed decisions.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is the nation’s largest animal protection organization — backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the Web at www.humanesociety.org.

To claim a tax deduction, you can mail your fur directly to The Humane Society of the United States, Attn: Coats for Cubs, 2100 L St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037.

 

Stewart & Brown Winter 2010 Collection

Check out our interview with Stewart Brown‘s head stylist Wyatt Hough on what-to-wear this season from Stewart & Brown!

S&S: What’s your favorite piece of this F/W 2010 collection?

WH:  I love the versatility and touch of the Clara Wrap Vest. It can be be worn year-round next to the body over a pima essential while under your winter outerwear like the Duncan Cloak Coat, or as your outer garment over a piece like the l/s button seam tee, the mix of thermal and cashmere is such a rich coupling of textures. It stands out with it’s geometric design and cut-out hem, a vest is great to show off a print or detail on your sleeve but this vest also is the perfect way to show off a beautiful belt or unique waistband!

S&S: Does the collection have its own standard piece, the one thing you can’t live without?

WH: The organic cotton twisted tee is a great laying base but also sophisticated enough to stand alone in the office or on a dinner date. Pair it with a piece infused with texture and design like the Merino Hope Cinch Skirt or the Chunky Merino Grandpa Cardigan for a pop of color and breath of air, the twisting neck detail is just enough to make both pieces shine.

S&S:  What’s the sexiest outfit for nights out on the chilly town?

WH:  I love the Merino Iris Barry Dress! It’s flattering in all the right places but with a slouchy feel that gives it a chic sense of ease. In the depths of winter I would pair this with black Jordie Cinch leggings, the Boiled Wool Ellet Blanket Coat, and favorite accessories. The dropped cowl neck is the perfect frame for that heirloom necklace.

S&S: Everyone is on the hunt for the sweater to “live in” this winter – what’s your take on it?

WH:  I’m always attracted to clothes that you can feel. If a hug were a sweater it would be the grandpa cardigan, cozy and warm. It’s that sweater you wear in front of the fireplace and never want to take off but why should you? For daytime I would throw it over a crisp white oxford and indigo jeans. After dark, the cardigan is a great compliment to the Pull Over Maude Dress. The contrast between the ribbed oversized cardigan and silk satin in the dress makes a dynamic, tactile look.

S&S:  Any extras our readers shouldn’t miss?

WH:  Accessories should add a touch of joy to your outfit. The Torrey Handwarmers not only keep your hands warm without constraining your fingers but give a winter look a pinch of playfulness. Highlight your gloves in fall with various sleeve lengths with the Djuna 1/2 sleeve wrap or the Throw Over Sweat Top for example, but keep them on throughout the snowy season.

 

Wool Felt Accessories by mlmxoxo

.

Made by hand from pure wool felt in Boston, MA, these delightful and colorful wallets, card cases and pouches and totes by mlmxoxo will brighten up your day, and your daybag.  With everything under $50 and the wallets selling between $12 and $20, it’s a wonderful deal for anyone who wants to add the spice of color back into their life!

 

Celebrity eco-loafers from Sanuk

Sanuk is the Thai word for fun, and these sandals and loafers are just about fun enough for Amanda Seyfried, who was spotted wearing the “June Bug” loafers over the weekend.  Started in 1997 as a company making sandals out of inner tubes and outdoor carpet, Sanuk is an ethical and functional shoe company based out of Santa Cruz, CA.  Check out their affordable footwear for men, women and kids, perfect for the laid-back California life.

 

 

 

Backstage at Fashion Week with Ecouterre

Watch this – a great look at four designers from the Green Show at the 2011 New York Fashion Week!

 

Eco Fashion at FIT

Spotted in NYC – New York people go check it out!

 

The Square Project

Tara St James, the New York-based eco fashion designer, is branching out on her own to launch Study NY, the creative collective which she heads.  Tara will be producing a small collection of sustainable clothing within the collective, which will also be producing jewelry, graphic design, photography, music, video and fine art, all with the ethos of sustainable production. They aim to use recycled and organic materials as much as possible, while leaving as little a carbon footprint as is manageable.

‘The Square Project’, the first clothing line from the collective, launched at New York Fashion Week in as part of The Green Shows, the only premiere fashion event exclusively committed to eco-friendly, ethically sound, fair trade fashion in NYC.  We love Love LOVE this collection – ballsy, brave and structurally complex.   This is eco fashion getting its sea legs at last.

 

Dispatch from Istanbul

.

Our blogger in the field has written home about the presence of wonderful little hats in Istanbul, Turkey.  From the jaunty, handmade caps pictured here, at the Etsy store for local designer Serpil Erol, to little top hat-barrettes on kids in the street, this sweet look is like icing on the cake of a vibrant and colorful town.  At $35-a-pop, they’re the ideal one-of-a-kind finds that Etsy has to offer, and the shop’s other accessories, clutches, bags and scarves are not to be missed!  Check ‘em out, bring a piece of Istanbul home.

 

Highway Child

We had the opportunity the week to visit the NYC workshop for wild-hearted and romatic jewelry line, Highway Child.  Currently available at Urban Outfitters (as well as on their online store) and previously featured on the runway for Jill Stewart, we love the free-spirit that these lovely earrings, rings, cuffs and necklaces inspire.  Using natural materials such as vintage crystal, rock glass, feathers and rose quartz, each piece is lovingly hand-crafted.  Thing we love best?  You can buy earrings as a pair, or alone!

 

Kate’s Preloved Martina Skirt

We have blogged about Preloved before, the Canadian label that reconstructs beautiful garments to near-couture perfection out of pre-loved vintage clothing.  But this is more of a love story about our blogger, Kate, who has been dreaming of owning this label for a long, long time.  She recently stopped into Alter in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, one of her favorite boutiques that frequently carries eco-labels like Preloved, Matt & Nat bags, and Melissa shoes. There, hanging on the wall, was the last remaining Martina skirt from the Spring 2010 collection, in brick red, originally $155, marked down to $59.  Lovingly, using Hipstamatic, she has photographed her skirt and posted it above…love like this doesn’t come along every day.

 

Close your toes

With summer winding down, you better be on the hunt for the perfect closed-toe flats to keep your feet warm when it starts to chill down.  Etsy Shop Extraseed is pretty much the place to get them if you want to marry fashion and eco.  We’ve been watching this collection grow over the past year, and by this Fall there’s nearly every color and pattern you could imagine to choose from now, all made by hand with vegan leather or eco-friendly cotton.  We love the stitching across the toe, and the simple, functional yet feminine style – and at under $40 a pair, they’re also the best deal on the ‘net.